Rebuilding from the Thailand-Myanmar border: Thapyay’s journey of courage and new beginnings

March 24, 2026

After Myanmar's 2021 military coup, Thapyay, a university professor with over 20 years of teaching experience, joined the Civil Disobedience Movement and was forced to flee to Mae Sot, Thailand by late 2022 for her safety. She enrolled in the Zin Yaw Women Rising Program, which provided career coaching, digital skills training, and peer support to help displaced women rebuild their professional lives. Through this program, Thapyay successfully transitioned from academia to working as a content writer from home, finding new purpose despite the painful loss of her former career.

Who is affected

Thapyay (former university lecturer and Associate Professor from Central Myanmar)
An estimated 3.7 million internally displaced people from Myanmar
Thapyay's family members who crossed the border with her
Myanmar women living in exile on the Thai-Myanmar border
Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) participants facing persecution
Other participants in the Zin Yaw Women Rising Program

What action is being taken

Thapyay is working as a content writer from home
The Zin Yaw Women Rising Program (supported by Exile Hub and partners) is delivering career coaching, digital skills training, and peer support through an online learning platform
Myanmar women in exile are rebuilding their lives on the Thai-Myanmar border
Thapyay is learning new skills and building resilience

Why it matters

This story matters because it humanizes the displacement crisis by showing the profound personal costs of political upheaval—a respected academic with two decades of experience was forced to abandon her career and flee her country. It demonstrates the critical importance of targeted support programs that help displaced people, particularly women, rebuild their professional identities and economic independence after trauma. The story also highlights the resilience of refugees who must simultaneously process loss while adapting to entirely new circumstances, and shows how proper support systems can enable displaced individuals to transform devastating setbacks into new beginnings, preserving their dignity and contributions to society.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: Global Voices