5 brave Southeast Asian women making a change for a better future

We often hear about inspirational women around the world.

Women like environmental activist Greta Thunberg or girls’ education advocate Malala Yousafzai are popular names we all know or have heard before.

Well, here in Southeast Asia, we have our very own inspirational women making a change in our very own part of the world.

In celebration of International Women’s Day that took place on March 8, here’s Mashable Southeast Asia’s own list of inspiring Southeast Asian women in no particular order.

1. Shyam Priah, Malaysia.

Shyam is the founder of Yellow House KL, a Malaysia-based non-profit organization that assists refugees and homeless communities to discover growth opportunities while being sustainable.

Yellow House acts as a gathering space for numerous community outreach activities, one of them includes the Unseen Tours.

Unseen Tours Kuala Lumpur, what many dub as the first ‘voluntour’ (volunteer and tourists) hostel in Kuala Lumpur, is a progressive social concept that aims to empower homeless people by helping them through tourism education as well as tour guide training to act as a guide around Kuala Lumpur for international tourists.

2. Lynn Nanticha Ocharoenchai, Thailand.

As the organizer of Climate Strike Thailand in 2019, Ocharoenchai is taking center stage in demanding action for climate change.

Inspired by Greta Thunberg, Ocharoenchai has taken to writing about the environmental conservation and social activism. She also emphasizes the importance of working alongside grassroots communities and using creative ventures to engage people.

“There are many different interests that you can put out to people and have them come into your cause. The way I frame climate change now is not just that we’re hurting the Earth, and that the polar bears are dying, but showing people that it is a violation of human rights, which impacts everyone. That’s the key to proving how relevant climate change is to all people; showing them how they can relate to it and how it impacts them directly,” she said in an interview with International Baccalaureate.

3. Cao Vinh Thinh, Vietnam.

As an economics reporter in Vietnam, Cao saw first-hand how major corporations were harming the natural environment.

“I became a journalist in Vietnam because I want to tell true stories to the viewers, but the government does not allow us to report any [critical] news,” Cao said to the Southeast Asia Globe.

Since then, Cao has founded the social movement Green Trees Vietnam. The group documents environmental abuses while also voicing concerns about climate change in Vietnam. Because of their bold activism, members of Green Trees have been arrested or detained by the police.

Even so, Cao refuses to back down and continues with her work.

4. Lim Kimsor, Cambodia.

Kimsor still remembers when Phnom Penh’s Diamond Island was once her home.

In 2009, Kimsor’s family and community were forced to evict their homes and relocate from the then-undeveloped stretch of sandy land. Now, the island is known for its new buildings and Parisian flaire.

But Kimsor remembers the eviction. And watching her father advocate for their community while growing up has fuelled her passion for social work and determination to advocate for uprooted communities.

Since 2014, Kimsor has worked with Mother Nature Cambodia, a high vocal environmental activism group that has been shut down and blacklisted in 2017 by the Cambodian government. She continues to fight for environmental protection.

5. Jinky Malibato, Philippines.

Malibato may be just 19 years old, but the student is leading her fellow youth in standing up for equal rights and defending their land from mining and development projects.

Having been displaced from their community in early 2015 after attacks from soldiers and paramilitary groups, she has been seeking sanctuary in Davao City’s United Church of Christ in the Philippines since then.

But in a government with a strong military presence, environmental and land rights activists have seen an increase in threats and attacks against activists. According to Global Witness, an international watchdog organization, the Philippines had the highest number of activists killed in 2018.

“Why are the people who stand in defense of the environment being killed? They are protecting it not for selfish reasons, but for everyone,” Malibato said to the PhilStar.

There are other inspiring women in Southeast Asia too. Here’s a list of women entrepreneurs making a change in the tech scene.

We’ve also covered the Southeast Asian women featured in BBC’s 100 Women of 2019 list. If you’re interested in environmental activism, click here to read about young Southeast Asian activists in the scene.