YounSone: learn a trade and find your calling

It all began in 2018 with Julia Naw's dream: to create a social enterprise that helps young women become independent and build their future.

Within Fondacio Myanmar, she created YounSone, a program that trains young women in sewing while helping them find their way. Beyond technical skills, YounSone supports each beneficiary in developing their self-confidence and building their personal and professional project. A dozen young women can thus continue their studies, create a small business, or find a stable job.

Passing on knowledge to grow

In 2023, Julia entrusted the daily management of YounSone to Monica Maran, who then transferred it to Monica Moe Moe Aye, to continue supporting beneficiaries and leading the workshop.

Julia coordinates all production for Opportunity for Women, working with a growing number of craftswomen and small workshops in different regions of the country.

In 2026, Monica Moe Moe Aye chose to open her own workshop in Dala, in her native district, which is particularly vulnerable to poverty. She realized her dream by supporting women in her community, so that they could develop their skills and earn sustainable incomes through sewing.

New initiatives led by women

It is Anna who takes over YounSone. She chooses to relocate the activity to Kalay, in the Sagaing region, in the northwest of Myanmar, where a large community of the Chin ethnic group lives. She continues YounSone's mission: to help young women learn a trade, build their self-confidence, and develop their personal and professional projects.

YAKAN: A New Chapter

The creation of YAKANis a logical next step. With the support of Swisscontact, Julia will establish a social enterprise by the end of 2025, complete with a legal structure, a local team, and a showroom in Yangon.

Since the beginning of this venture, Julia Naw has worked closely with Yvonne Mathys, president of Opportunity for Women. Together, they are building a bridge between craftswomen in Myanmar and the European market: Julia brings her knowledge of the women, their skills, and local realities; Yvonne contributes to the development of products tailored to European customer expectations and the search for sustainable outlets.

This long-term cooperation now enables craftswomen to better value their work and access more stable markets.

Today, YAKAN supports craftswomen and micro-enterprises in improving quality, developing new products, calculating fair prices, and accessing stable markets, particularly in Europe.

It all began with YounSone. Today, thanks to YAKAN, Opportunity for Women supports nearly 60 workshops and micro-enterprisesin Myanmar. Together, they enable more women to earn a living from their skills while preserving the country's artisanal traditions.