“The Revolutionary Art”

Khin Phone Moet

A lady is busy with the colorful wool yarn. After sorting the wool raw materials, she is busy with noting down the order list and inspecting small handicraft products that have already been made to do packaging.

This woman is called, Ma Lin (not her real name), who started the project of “Ni Ni Crochet Creation” which collects and sells a variety of beautifully crafted wool yarn handicrafts such as earrings, headbands, and bags.

Ma Lin, who is over 40 years old, participated in anti-dictatorship movements after the attempted military coup.

She joined the CRPH CDM support team while in hiding, she then faced arrest in May 2021 and received a three-year imprisonment. After her release in January 2023, she continued to be monitored and faced threats from the military council, forcing her to escape to the liberated area.

Upon Ma Lin’s arrival in Mae Sot, she found herself in the need to work for her living. However, seeking a job faced security risks since she did not have any proper legal documents.

Ma Lin, once a hobbyist knitter, never thought about turning her craft into a means of livelihood. However, circumstances compelled her to rely on this skill for survival.

She began crafting woolen headbands, selling them for 10 baht each to supply to a handicraft shop.

“ I started this, no matter how much I get, or how much I earn, at least it can cover my daily cost,” said Ma Lin.

Inspired by a new vision, she conceived the idea of crafting small handmade products. With numerous unemployed women arriving in Mae Sot, connected to the spring revolution, she saw an opportunity to bring these women together with the skill to create handmade items for sale.

“Ni Ni Crochet Creation” showcases handcrafted products made from wool yarn, marketed through social media. The items are crafted by a diverse group, including women from CDM, political prisoners, women MPs, and activists. Depending on their skills, some focus on creating blouses, others on knitting bags, and some specialize in making shawls. Ma Lin assigns roles based on each person’s proficiency.

She began studying the color preferences of different countries, understanding the preferred color tones in each region. Then, she identified and adopted the color schemes that would resonate with her customers.

“I don’t have to leave home for work; I can manage my tasks from the comfort of my home. This job allows me to balance household responsibilities. I can work on these handicraft materials during my free time, and the income helps cover my household expenses,” Ma Lin explained.

Engaging in handmade products not only allows her to concentrate on the work but also serves as a means to free from mental depression by keeping her mind occupied. Additionally, it helps her avoid the challenges of unemployment or insufficient income, she explained.

This initiative operates independently of any specific project or organization. Those who are interested are welcome to join the group. Moreover, a percentage of earnings contributed to support activities associated with the Spring Revolution. Based on the income from selling, they also support the political prisoners.

During the initial phase of running this initiative, they encountered several challenges, with the primary obstacle being budget constraints. Given the handmade nature of the materials, the production process is not as fast as machine-made items. Subsequently, they encountered challenges in meeting the demand for order targets due to difficulties in scaling up production.

Additionally, Ma Lin mentioned that when some individuals acquire their products for fundraising purposes, the funds are not immediately available for other essential needs or reinvestment until all the products are sold out.

Since the coup, a 28-year-old individual, Ma Thin (not her real name), has been attempting to generate income by crafting products from yarn. “I find myself in an undocumented status here. Unable to secure employment, I must rely on my skills to survive and generate income,” explained Ma Thin.

“With my income, I can also contribute to the revolution on the other hand and I feel very happy for that,” she continued.
“I’m okay with this income. If I don’t get many orders, I look for another job to make a living,” said Ma Thin.

Ma Lin’s dream for the future is that she wants to go beyond fundraising instead she wants to create a market for people who truly love handmade products.

Even though there are many challenges, she is very proud that she can use her skills to earn her own money and survive. Besides, she feels really good that she can contribute to the revolution.

“One positive aspect is that when I reflect on what I have done, I received income on my effort and hard work, I will never feel guilty about it.” Said Ma Lin.

Myanmar Version : တော်လှန်သူတွေရဲ့လက်မှုပညာ