She observed that women and children face challenges such as domestic violence, gambling, alcohol, drug abuse and poverty on a daily basis. Therefore, she promised to encourage women to dare to participate in social development. As an orphan child, Ms Lida lived with her aunt, alongside 3 other children in one household and finished her studies early in grade 9. Previously, her aunt frequently complained about her active involvement in social work, concluding that the work had no visible benefits which Ms Lida tried to explain otherwise to her aunt. She added that she never thought she would become a member of district council one day and when the district governor called her, asking her to be a candidate on the rank number 8, she was surprised but immediately agreed on the proposal. She expects she will be able to help 70% of women with gaining better living conditions in the future.

Ms. Lida is an active community facilitator (CF) of the 4 others in Prash Theat commune. She joined our CISA project in the Commune Level Organized Service and Engagement Gender Advancement Project (CLOSE-GAP) in February 2019. The project helped her with knowledge and dare to show off to the public to bravely raise questions and speak out. The debates on gender, and encourage women in decision making alongside active citizens makes her more confident of herself to be a suitable candidate of district councilors.

As a member of district council, she will raise women issues from the 7 communes of Au rang Au district to meetings, events and integrate in the variety of planning for improving the women and children’s situation in the district.