Earthquake response · March 2026

Our Cash-For-Work Initiative Reinforces Community-led Reconstruction After the Earthquake

Four out of five people working on our mid-term shelter sites are women, earning an income while rebuilding their own neighbourhoods.

Following the earthquake in March 2025, Doh Eain started a range of initiatives to provide immediate and long-term support to the affected communities across Mandalay, Sagaing and Amarapura areas. One primary focus is ensuring a safe shelter for those who lost their homes and face significant challenges in rebuilding.

To address this, we began the construction of mid-term shelters under Build Better Eain. Alongside this rebuilding initiative, we introduced the Cash-For-Work initiative in which community members are invited to participate in the construction sites of midterm shelters.

At our sites, four out of five community members engaged in cash-for-work activities are women. Many women in Mandalay and Amarapura are struggling to restart their businesses after losing their homes. For them, working with us provides both stability and an opportunity for a fresh start during the recovery period.

Before construction began, participants received training in basic construction techniques and site safety protocols, enabling them to contribute to tasks such as painting and preparing bamboo materials for the shelters. The income earned through this initiative is helping them meet their families’ daily needs while also providing a boost to restart their own small businesses.

Through this approach, Build Better Eain has achieved two important goals: providing immediate household income while fostering a strong sense of community ownership in the recovery process.