Dr Cynthia Maung, the founder of Mae Tao Clinic in Mae Sot, Thailand, was awarded the 2016 AidEx Humanitarian Hero Award at the AidEx Conference in the Belgian capital Brussels on 16 November.
AidEx is an organisation that helps to improve the efficiency of aid by bringing together international aid professionals and the development community at two conferences every year.
Dr Maung was selected from among the the four finalists because of her selfless dedication to humanitarian work.
After she had returned to Thailand from a trip to Singapore Dr Maung said: “This award highlights refugee issues that are happening in the world. Refugee issues still exist in the border areas of Burma. There are difficulties in resettling the [Burmese] refugees due to lack of stability. More emphasis has been made on the need to solve humanitarian issues, peace process issues, and refugee issues.”
The other finalists were Jaha Dukureh, who campaigns against female genital mutilation, Dr Martin Fisher, the co-founder of a non-profit social enterprise in Kenya, and Shaima Ai Zarooni, the founder of the Public Benefit Corporation in the United States.
Dr Maung arrived at the Thai-Burma border after the Burmese democracy uprising of1988. She established Mae Tao Clinic in 1989 and has been providing healthcare and education to Burmese migrant workers and refugees in Thailand and to villagers from Karen State who also come to her hospital for treatment.
Dr Maung has also received 24 other international awards including the Sydney Peace Award, the Ramon Magsaysay Award, the Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award, and the Jonathon Mann Health and Human Rights Award. She was listed as one of Time Magazine's 2003 Asian Heroes.
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
