Bhone Myint Aung joined the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Myanmar’s Rakhine Field Office as a national UN Volunteer Project Associate in June 2020. When Cyclone Mocha made landfall in Rakhine in May 2023, Bhone remained at his duty station, in Rakhine’s capital Sittwe, along with his community, and chose not to relocate to other townships.
Bhone's family was among some 1.9 million people affected by Cyclone Mocha. His house was destroyed. But he stood at the fore supporting recovery efforts as part of UNDP’s rapid response and early recovery initiative.
Cyclone Mocha caused 70 per cent damage to my house, forcing my mother and brothers to stay with neighbours, while my elder brother and I had to stay at home under a tarpaulin shelter for over 15 days without proper roofing and walls.
Reflecting on the experience, he shares, “I was determined to be on the frontline to respond to the aftermath of Cyclone Mocha. That event took a toll on my family's mental health, especially during the heavy rains."
The loss and damage caused significant livelihood uncertainties, resulting in many becoming jobless due to the business losses caused by the cyclone’s impact, this included Bhone's brothers as well.
As Rakhine Triple Nexus Project Coordinator, which supported ten civil society organizations, Bhone reflects on the support given to communities severely affected by the cyclone, "Through this project, I took part in livelihood recovery support for the communities and supported the distribution of paddy seeds, fertilizer, crab traps, and fishing nets to more than 220 affected villages in 11 townships in Rakhine."
The support reached over 700,000 people, says Bhone, and it addressed community needs in agriculture, housing, clean drinking water, temporary income Cash for Work, and infrastructure repair.
He was also involved in both the operational and programmatic aspects of the UNDP-Sittwe office, facilitating the day-to-day operations of the office, providing IT, transportation arrangements, and more to ensure projects ran smoothly.
Having prior volunteering experience in environmental initiatives and the COVID-19 response motivated Bhone to become a UN Volunteer. In his role, he supported UNDP in reaching out to the local communities facing multiple challenges — armed conflicts, COVID-19 pandemic, military coup, soaring inflation, and the impact of Cyclone Mocha.
For Bhone, working with colleagues from different backgrounds was challenging but it was also an opportunity to learn. “Diversity extends beyond ethnic or religious differences and can also encompass varying beliefs and attitudes. I have now acquired valuable social skills in communication, teamwork, working under pressure proactively, and collaborating with diverse individuals,” he adds.
His volunteer assignment was a plus on many levels — he gained new skills and knowledge and feels the professional development will help him go further.
Bhone's flexibility, motivation and positive attitude have been an invaluable asset to our team. He has grown into his job, to the point that he has moved onto a higher-level position and we have a great team player to rely upon. This demonstrates that UN Volunteer assignments can be a great entry point into the UN system and an opportunity for agencies' funds and programmes to hire effective and successful young professionals." Alessandro Caselli, Head of Office and the Triple Nexus Project.
