Daw Than Than Aye’s Oral History
Item
Title
Daw Than Than Aye’s Oral History
Synopsis
• Female, 54
• Ethnic Bamar, Buddhist
• Yangon-based civil servant
• Continued to receive salary as public servant so could support family during the pandemic.
• Had to spend extra money to stockpile food during lockdowns, buying more than was necessary.
• Experienced 14 days lockdown of her apartment building due to a neighbour catching COVID-19.
• Neighbours broke rules several times to sell product in order to earn money for survival, resulting in a second case of COVID-19 and a subsequent second two week lockdown.
• Local administrators distributed rice, oil and eggs to all apartments in her building during lockdown. Local donors also gave medicines and vitamins while family and friends gave meat and a company sprayed anti-virus solution on nearby roads.
• Feels COVID-19 brought her family member together, especially as her mother’s dementia worsened during the pandemic requiring additional care. Government provided one-off cash payment for her mother during second wave.
• Donated to monastery as monks were not able to collect donations house to house as usual. Took a loan from the government which will need to be paid back in a years’ time.
• Thinks the government “did its best at supporting people” and managing COVID health and lockdown responses even though there “is not enough budget to support every household”.
• Worked at the polling station for November election, distributing masks and face shields to voters.
• Voted in 2020 with the hope of ending the involvement of the military in politics.
• Ethnic Bamar, Buddhist
• Yangon-based civil servant
• Continued to receive salary as public servant so could support family during the pandemic.
• Had to spend extra money to stockpile food during lockdowns, buying more than was necessary.
• Experienced 14 days lockdown of her apartment building due to a neighbour catching COVID-19.
• Neighbours broke rules several times to sell product in order to earn money for survival, resulting in a second case of COVID-19 and a subsequent second two week lockdown.
• Local administrators distributed rice, oil and eggs to all apartments in her building during lockdown. Local donors also gave medicines and vitamins while family and friends gave meat and a company sprayed anti-virus solution on nearby roads.
• Feels COVID-19 brought her family member together, especially as her mother’s dementia worsened during the pandemic requiring additional care. Government provided one-off cash payment for her mother during second wave.
• Donated to monastery as monks were not able to collect donations house to house as usual. Took a loan from the government which will need to be paid back in a years’ time.
• Thinks the government “did its best at supporting people” and managing COVID health and lockdown responses even though there “is not enough budget to support every household”.
• Worked at the polling station for November election, distributing masks and face shields to voters.
• Voted in 2020 with the hope of ending the involvement of the military in politics.
Date Created
First interview: November 4, 2020
Second interview: December 3, 2020
Language of interview
Burmese
Index
Changes to daily routine
-Hygiene 2
Comparison with past crises 1-2
Daily life necessities
-Food 1
-Hand sanitizer 1
-Masks 1
Elections (2020)
-Election day 4-5
-Information on party candidates 4
-Impact of Covid-19 on voting decision 4-5
-Personal hopes for Myanmar 6
-Precautions during Covid-19 4
-Pre-election 3-4
-Previous elections 4-5
-Post-election 5-6
Family tensions 2
Job 1
Psychological impacts 1
Response measures for Covid-19
-Assistance for Covid-19 relief 2-3
-Breaking rules 1
-Government measures 1
-Local measures 1
-Reactions to measures 3
-Hygiene 2
Comparison with past crises 1-2
Daily life necessities
-Food 1
-Hand sanitizer 1
-Masks 1
Elections (2020)
-Election day 4-5
-Information on party candidates 4
-Impact of Covid-19 on voting decision 4-5
-Personal hopes for Myanmar 6
-Precautions during Covid-19 4
-Pre-election 3-4
-Previous elections 4-5
-Post-election 5-6
Family tensions 2
Job 1
Psychological impacts 1
Response measures for Covid-19
-Assistance for Covid-19 relief 2-3
-Breaking rules 1
-Government measures 1
-Local measures 1
-Reactions to measures 3
