YANGON: A Successful Season

350+ staff at the annual meeting in Yangon

 Proximity Design’s work is wide-ranging. From irrigation products to rural financing, from cash-for-work infrastructure projects to farming advisory services, we have our fingers in many pies. Our reach is also wide, and our staff of over 350 is spread out across the country 30+ teams, with each member bringing in-depth local knowledge that is invaluable to our work. But, vital though that information is, gathering it, in a country with limited access to internet or telephone services, can be a challenge. So, we meet as often as we can. All 350 of us. In Yangon. And we come by bus, bike, boat and taxi, each armed with detailed customer insights that inform the work of our entire organization. 

Professor Gomez-Ibanez talks rural infrastructure with Debbie Aung-DinOver three days detailed presentations from each team helped paint a picture of our progress so far, noting the successes, areas to improve, and impact we had in the past year. In addition, we heard talks from Harvard School of Design’s Professor Gomez-Ibanez on infrastructure, Dr Aung Tun Thet on business ethics, and a panel of local experts on the current rural economic conditions. Each day was peppered with open-mic style sessions in which field staff shared customer stories which drove home the importance of the work we do. It is this balance of applied international expertise, indepth local insight, and the personal relationships we build with our customers, that drives our success and gives us such a platform to make an impact. 

Most importantly, there was cake...