A Myanmar journalist’s reflection: ‘When other people’s pain becomes part of you’

The piece, written by an Exile Hub fellow and republished on August 15, 2026 under a content partnership with Global Voices, situates the author’s experience within the broader context of Myanmar’s 2021 coup and the subsequent emergence of Exile Hub. The organization, described as a partner of Global Voices in Southeast Asia, was created in response to the coup to support journalists and human‑rights defenders. The article appears on the Exile Hub platform and highlights the ongoing relevance of independent, ad‑free multilingual journalism.

The author reflects on entering journalism at age nineteen, initially driven by energy, conviction, and a belief that the profession could amplify unheard voices. Participation in the early 2021 protests and a deteriorating security environment forced her to leave her home and seek refuge in Mae Sot, a small town on the Thai‑Myanmar border. There she received free journalism training, progressed from short news pieces to feature stories, video reporting, and eventually a news‑presenter role, always using her real name. Four years later, she notes that repeatedly bearing witness to others’ pain has taken a personal toll, prompting a newfound focus on self‑care while continuing to report on the crisis.