Khin Moe Myint
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Khin Moe Myint

Chiang Mai, Thailand

WHAT IS YOUR SPECIFIC AREA OF INTEREST IN YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY?

Research Advocacy, Anti-Stigma Advocacy

WHY IS YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY IMPORTANT TO YOU?

As a young mental health practitioner, I have lived experiences and learned from my workplace that youth mental health is not given enough attention, especially in LMIC. I believe Youth Mental Health Advocacy should be in spotlight as no one deserve to suffer alone

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE MENTAL HEALTH IN YOUR COMMUNITY?

In Myanmar, discussing, studying about Mental Health is assumed as alien and metal health is seen as mental illness. And, it’s very unlikely for an individual to seek mental health support assertively and are more likely to rely on religion, and traditional healers

PROPOSED FELLOWSHIP PROJECT

Project: ‘Beyond: Strengthening Youth Mental Health in Myanmar’

This project aims to fight stigma and to provide culturally comprehensive and inclusive mental health care to youths. The problems to be addressed are:

  • a lack of customized trainings modules for the Myanmar community;
  • limited prior literature in the Myanmar context;
  • continuous funding; and 
  • technical support. 

My advocacy project has two parts: 

  1. Public: I will implement awareness raising, training, capacity building, affordable and comprehensive care (counselling) for the public. 
  2. Policy makers: I will reflect the critical voices of the community towards policy makers through highlighting and representing significant stories and key voices. 

Long-term Goal: I aim to achieve attitudinal change, awareness, and help seeking behaviour among public and more attention and investment from different stakeholders in the long run. 

The expected outcomes are: 

  • Applying knowledge 
  • Need-oriented and quality mental health care
  • Investment on mental health