The Pride of Kayin (Karen)

Our Roots

Our story is inseparable from the hills and rivers of Kayin State in southeastern Myanmar. This beautiful region, bordering Mandalay and Shan State, is the ancestral home of the Karen people—including the Sgaw, Pwo, Bwe, and Paku Kayin. Each group carries its own distinct language and a deep, traditional connection to the land.

A Land of Untapped Potential For generations, the people of Kayin State have relied on the earth for their survival. While the southern plains are rich for rice, the mountainous regions of Hpapun and Thandaunggyi offer unique opportunities for specialty crops like coffee and cardamom. In these areas, the network of rivers serves as the pulse of everyday life, acting as the primary mode of travel and trade

Overcoming Hardships Despite the presence of vast virgin lands, the path to prosperity has not been easy. For over 70 years, historical hardships and geographical isolation have undermined local subsistence farming. In remote areas like Thandaung, the lack of flat arable land and the difficulty of reaching global markets have kept many families in a cycle of poverty.

By scaling our rice export operations to 78,000 tons annually, we create the economic strength needed to reinvest back into these communities. We aim to be the solution that Saw Norman Dwe envisioned: a way to bridge the gap between the remote, mountainous beauty of Kayin State and the global marketplace, ensuring that the Karen people and their lands finally flourish as they were meant to.