U Saw Baw Mu Tu's Story

U Saw Baw Mu Tu, 80, is known to everyone in his local village in the Ayeyarwady region, Myanmar, as a steady, reassuring presence. For decades, he has been a community leader, but in recent years his role has taken on a deeper meaning.  He is someone older residents depend on for support, encouragement, and connection.

Life in his village feels uncertain. When the rainy season began, so did new waves of military recruitment. Families worry for their sons and grandchildren to be sent to join the army. During the hot summer, the sound of aircraft overhead brings fear to the whole community. Even when the skies fell quiet again, that sense of unease stays.

Despite all of this, the support for older people never stops.

Every month, the Inclusive Self-Help Groups (ISHGs) gather as they always have, talking, sharing, checking in on one another. Network meetings continue, volunteers visit older people at home, and the community keeps moving forward together.

For U Saw Baw Mu Tu, these routines matter deeply. “Even when life feels uncertain,” he says, “older people should not feel alone.”

Seeing lives change

One of the older people he visits regularly is Phaw Yay, someone he has known for more than thirty years. He describes her as strong, hardworking, and determined – who has always done everything she could for her family.

Since Phee Phaw Yay joined the local ISHG, he has seen her confidence grow even further. The regular support she receives from the group has helped stabilise her daily life, allowing her to cover essentials like food and medicine, while continuing her daily household responsibilities. Her children support Phee Phaw Yay too, and together the family has found more security in difficult times.

“Her life is more stable now,” U Saw Baw Mu Tu says with warmth. “She stands on her own feet. That is what we want for every older person.”

A growing movement of support

When he looks back, U Saw Baw Mu Tu reflects on how much has changed in his township.
“Before, we had only two Self-Help Groups,” he recalls. “Now we have twenty-five villages with active groups.”

It’s a transformation he feels proud to have witnessed, one built through years of collaboration between Age International, AGE Myanmar and other local partners.

Older people receive financial help. They also get regular visits and community support from U Saw Baw Mu Tu. This has brought people closer together, building trust at a time when unity is needed more than ever.

Thanks to the Grandparents United community, U Saw Baw Mu Tu continues to live a purposeful life. As well as benefiting himself, he helps other older people access community support and thereby live with greater dignity and security.