In Shan State, while new economic opportunities are taking shape in some communities, thousands remain displaced and unable to return home

As political structures in Myanmar shift and UN coordination recalibrates under the UN80 initiatives, so too do the needs of the people. But beyond these changes, this visit laid bare the human realities behind the crisis, ones that cannot be fully captured in reports and numbers.

Across Shan State, that reality is visible in everyday details. The first rains had begun to fall, bringing a sense of relief but also a familiar uncertainty, as rising waters can quickly turn into flooding. Movement slows after dark, even in areas without formal curfews. In Nyaungshwe, once a thriving tourism hub on Inle Lake, shuttered businesses and quiet streets reflect the wider national crisis. Yet, communities are finding ways to rebuild in ways that are both practical and transformative.

In Pyar Pin village, recovery is being driven from within. A community development committee, more than half of its members women, has become a space not just for decision-making, but for rebuilding trust and cohesion. Small livelihood initiatives tell equally powerful stories. One 73-year-old woman now earns a modest but steady income weaving for a few hours each week, free from middlemen who once controlled the trade. These are more than projects. They are expressions of dignity, and communities are determined to sustain them, and continue to build on the support from the United Nations Development Programme – UNDP. 

The hidden toll of lives shaped by displacement 

A different reality unfolds in nearby Kayah State, where conflict has forced widespread displacement. One elderly man shared his opinion of the scale starkly: “the whole of Pekon division has been displaced.” While some families are now slowly returning to Pekon, many still need support to rebuild their lives. His words reflect a broader reality as Myanmar is home to an estimated 3.7 million displaced people, with around 126,000 currently in Shan State, most of them from Kayah. 

Despite a strong desire to return, families face a web of obstacles that include ongoing insecurity, landmines and unexploded ordnance, destroyed homes, and the absence of livelihoods or basic services.  

“People think we stay because of the assistance, but the truth is we would rather go back home even if our homes were gone,” one displaced woman said.

For many, the question is not whether to return, but when, and under what conditions. While some have begun to move back, these returns are not always safe or sustainable or a choice. 

Communities need security, basic services, and the means to rebuild their lives. When these are lacking, returns risk taking place under pressure rather than as a genuine choice, exposing families to the same—or harsher—conditions that displaced them. Among the most vulnerable are people with disabilities, present in nearly every location visited, some of them very young children. Without access to specialised care and inclusive services, their futures remain precarious, many facing exclusion, stigma, and limited opportunities from an early age. 

Yet there are signs of what more inclusive approaches can achieve. At the Inle Heritage School, supported by the United Nations Children Fund – UNICEF, children with disabilities, many from displaced families, are accessing education for the first time in environments intentionally designed to meet their needs. These inclusive spaces do more than deliver learning: they affirm dignity, build confidence, and enable children to participate fully alongside their peers.

For their parents, seeing their children welcomed, supported, and able to learn has fostered a renewed sense of progress, belonging, and renewed hope. 

Rethinking the way forward

One clear message from the visit is the need to move beyond short-term, project-based responses. In discussions with communities, the Humanitarian Coordinator repeatedly heard community members explained that they do not want to simply receive aid. Instead, they want real opportunities to rebuild their lives: they are asking for opportunities to work, to be more self-reliant and a pathway to long-term recovery. Local partners reinforced this point, noting that when communities are involved in shaping programmes, they help identify what works in their context, what is sustainable, and what restores a sense of agency.

At a time when resources are shrinking and needs continue to grow, realities on the ground reflect point to the urgency of a more connected approach. Pressures are beginning to surface. In some areas, uneven aid distribution has strained relationships between displaced populations and host communities. With funding declining, difficult prioritization decisions are leaving some households at risk of being overlooked.

All of this is unfolding in a context where access remains limited and uneven. While there have been signs of cautious progress, with some areas becoming more reachable in recent months, limitations continue to shape what is possible. The message is clear: if the United Nations is to effectively support people, it must be able to operate across the country, including in remote and hard-to-reach areas.

Beyond opium, where alternate development is making a difference

In Hopong, located in the Pa’O Self-Administered Zone, and an area that remains difficult to access, alternative development programmes led by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime – UNODC is partnering with communities to promote sustainable alternatives to opium cultivation, including the development of long‑term coffee farming.

1,127 households from 50 villages involved in this programme are now engaged in coffee production, reporting improved incomes and greater stability. The effects extend beyond economics – migration to Thailand for jobs has decreased, local markets are strengthening, and neighbouring villages are beginning to take interest and are following in their footsteps. One of the farmers said that they now earn ten times more with coffee cultivation than they did with opium.

Beyond coffee, other community-led efforts that are beginning to take root. A women’s group established in 2024 is developing bamboo products as an additional source of income, with ambitions to improve quality and expand into wider markets. At the same time, a community forest initiative, managed collectively by local households from the village, is laying the groundwork for longer-term sustainability, both as a future source of timber and to support agricultural expansion. While still in early stages, these efforts reflect a broader shift that communities are diversifying livelihoods, strengthening local cooperation, and building more resilient futures on their own terms.

“Time and time again, what people have told us is that they don’t just want support, but a way forward. We are seeing real potential across several programmes but delivering impact at scale means listening to communities and bringing the UN system together to work in a more joined-up way. There is no easy path ahead, but there is a direction that the communities themselves are steering us in, and it is up to us, as partners and donors, to collectively advocate for and invest in the solutions that restore dignity and hope”, said Ms. Lewis, reflecting on her visit.

There has been progress in saving lives, in supporting communities to recover, and in finding new and innovative ways to rebuild livelihoods. But these gains remain fragile, shaped by the realities of displacement and uncertainly. What stays with you is that, despite everything, people still believe they can rebuild and they know what it will take to get there.