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Through the SCORE programme, HelpAge global network member AGE Myanmar is helping older people and community leaders build the confidence and skills to speak up about access to healthcare.
For Ma Thu Zar Aye, training led to action in her community and a chance to bring local concerns to a national discussion.
When older people become sick, many of them do not know where to go or how to ask for help. Some stay quiet and accept their situation.
Ma Thu Zar Aye, 54, has seen these challenges in her community in Aitaunggyi Village, Nyaungshwe, Southern Shan State. As President of the Township Network Committee (TNC), she has spent years supporting older people in her community and has seen many of these challenges first-hand.
She joined Universal Health Coverage (UHC) advocacy training organised by AGE Myanmar through SCORE, alongside members of the Myanmar Ageing Network and Older People Self-help Groups.
Using the UHC advocacy toolkit, participants explored the health challenges facing older people and learned practical advocacy skills through discussion, problem analysis and planning.
After joining the training, I understood that older people also have the right to access health services and to raise their voices.
The training also gave her greater confidence.
Before the training, I wanted to help older people, but I did not know how to organise discussions or explain these issues clearly. Now I feel more confident talking with community members and sharing why older people’s health is important.
With support from AGE Myanmar, Ma Thu Zar Aye brought the learning back to her community by organising a local UHC awareness workshop.
Older people, volunteers and community members discussed barriers to accessing health services, healthy ageing and how communities can better support older people.
The workshop made people feel comfortable sharing their experiences,” she said. “Some older people talked about their health problems for the first time. They realised they are not alone and that their voices must be heard.
The work did not stop at community level.
In March 2026, Ma Thu Zar Aye joined the National UHC joint campaign consultation, where government officials, civil society organisations, older people’s networks and community representatives came together to discuss healthy ageing and inclusive health systems.
She shared perspectives from her community and contributed to discussions about the challenges older people face in accessing healthcare. The consultation also created opportunities for community leaders and older people to engage directly with the Older People Foundation (OPF) and Myanmar Ageing Network.
For Ma Thu Zar Aye, it was a significant step from local action to national advocacy. The consultation helped build momentum for wider action, including greater awareness of older people’s right to health and a commitment by the regional Department of Social Welfare to incorporate UHC initiatives into its roadmap. Monthly coordination meetings were also established at township level to help turn plans into action and respond to local needs.
Ma Thu Zar Aye’s journey shows how SCORE-supported advocacy can bring community experience to a wider national conversation about older people’s health.
By building knowledge and confidence among grassroots, AGE Myanmar is helping create more opportunities for older people to identify the challenges they face, share their experiences and participate in discussions about the services they need.
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