Myanmar YMCA, Habitat for Humanity International, Asia-Pacific Office and Sailor’s Society hosted the International Day of Seafarers at Summit Parkview Hotel in Yangon last month.

Firstly, YMCA General-Secretary U Maung Maung Win spoke on ongoing seafarer supportive projects. Then, Ms Amelia Esterban, Regional Program Associate Director for Asia-Pacific Office, explained of Habitat’s current tasks and their collaboration with Sailor’s Society with a video.

Next, Captain Toe Toe of Htet Oo Institute explained how Seafarers Day came to be, U Lu Aung of Independent Federation of Myanmar Seafarers explained their contribution to seafarers, and Power & Passion Co-founder Dr Phyo Thi lectured on gender equality in line with the international day’s motto – ‘I am on board with gender equality’.

The families of the sailors in the ‘Building Resiliency of Seafarers in Myanmar Project’ then commented on the project and Project Director Daw New Ni Hlaing expressed words of gratitude.

The project is a collaboration between Myanmar YMCA and Habitat for Humanity Myanmar to promote the living standards of sailors and their families in Yangon Region by providing various vocational training courses and repairing basic infrastructure. —MNA (Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)