More than 50 participants benefited from the Capacity-Building Training for Post-Earthquake Recovery in Myanmar this week via online training that was organized under the International Labour Organization's China Partnership Project and the Skills Development Network in the Belt and Road framework.

The two-day online program from Aug 13 to 14 brought together vocational trainers, emergency responders, educators, and community representatives in Myanmar to enhance their capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover from earthquake disasters.

Delivered by experts from Hangzhou Technician Institute — a member of the South-South Cooperation Skills Development Network, the training combined technical presentations, real-world case studies, and interactive discussions.

It focused on key skills such as earthquake prevention and avoidance, post-earthquake epidemic prevention and control, and psychological reconstruction, and helped local people to build a solid safety line through systematic skills training.

Many attendees noted that the program significantly boosted their confidence to respond to emergencies and equipped them with structured methods to guide others during crises.

Several shared how these sessions deepened their understanding of community-level disaster response, particularly in the areas of mental health support and public health risk reduction after major shocks.

Tian Feng, ILO/China project manager and coordinator, said Myanmar has recently been hit by earthquake disasters many times and the ability to prevent and reduce disasters at the grassroots level has become a top priority.

He said the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific is mobilizing resources from various stakeholders to strengthen assistance for Myanmar's social partners and emphasized that the initiative demonstrated the value of South–South cooperation in addressing real-world challenges.

"By sharing China's expertise in vocational training and disaster management with our partners in Myanmar, we have built capacity that saves lives, protects livelihoods, and supports faster recovery when earthquakes occur," he said.

According to Tian, this initiative is part of the ILO/China partnership's broader effort to link technical expertise with local needs, fostering stronger disaster preparedness systems and building a network of skilled practitioners in countries along the Belt and Road Initiative.

"With participants now better equipped to respond to emergencies and lead recovery efforts, the training represents another important milestone in empowering communities through skills and knowledge," he said.