Leveraging Local Impact through Wellness and Tourism
Harmony Wellness by Mira Travels is a Myanmar-based social enterprise that integrates wellness and tourism to create dignified livelihood opportunities for women. Building on the legacy of Mira Travels, Harmony Wellness integrates traditional herbal knowledge with modern wellness approaches to create sustainable livelihoods for women, while preserving Myanmar’s cultural heritage..
Beyond products, Harmony Wellness by Mira Travels works directly with women producers and suppliers to create sustainable livelihoods. Through documenting ancestral recipes and sharing the stories behind its supply chains, the enterprise strengthens the visibility and value of traditional knowledge in modern markets. This integrated approach reflects a broader vision of wellness—one that combines medical expertise, natural ingredients, and community-based development.
Founder Dr. Su Myat Sandi Oo reflects on how the #ImpactLink Programme supported her transition from survival-driven operations to a structured, investment-ready social enterprise.
➤ What key challenges did you have in scaling your social enterprise?
Before joining ImpactLink, I was navigating the survival of my award-winning tourism company, Mira Travels, amid the significant disruptions of COVID-19 affecting the tourism sector and political instability in Myanmar. I witnessed many tourism professionals—especially women—losing their livelihoods. This inspired me to pivot toward Harmony Wellness, a social enterprise integrating health and tourism to create dignified job opportunities for women.
However, I struggled to move this vision into a scalable, investment-ready model. While Mira had a decade of success, I lacked a structured framework to position Harmony Wellness as a distinct venture with clear financial and impact strategies.
After ImpactLink, Harmony Wellness evolved from a concept into an impact-aligned and funding-ready venture. The programme challenged me to rethink my business through a Theory of Change, detailed financial modelling, and a focused fundraising strategy. More importantly, it shifted my mindset—from survival to strategic, resilient growth.
➤ How has your approach to communicating impact evolved?
My approach has evolved from intuitive storytelling to a more structured, data-driven narrative. Previously, I focused on describing our services. Now, I am able to clearly explain the “why” and “how” behind our work.
“After ImpactLink, I shifted from ‘survival mode’ to strategic growth, with a clear roadmap aligning wellness outcomes with measurable community impact. My approach to impact has also transformed—from intuitive storytelling to a structured, data-driven narrative” – Dr. Su Myat Sandi Oo, Founder, Harmony Wellness by Mira Travels
I have learned to balance quantitative indicators with the human stories of the women we support. Rather than focusing only on outputs, I now demonstrate how our wellness services contribute to sustainable livelihoods, women’s economic empowerment, and long-term community resilience.
This has strengthened both the clarity and credibility of our impact communication.
➤ How did your thinking around impact, fundraising, and investment change?
The one-on-one coaching played a key role in shaping my thinking. It provided a supportive space to reflect more deeply on the direction of Harmony Wellness and to openly discuss both strategic and internal challenges.
Through these sessions, I refined our Theory of Change, strengthened my understanding of financial planning, and aligned our impact with clearer and more measurable goals. I also learned how to organise key business information and communicate our value more effectively to different stakeholders.
More importantly, the experience supported a shift in my mindset—from focusing on short-term survival to building a long-term, resilient, and scalable enterprise. I now approach growth more strategically, with a clearer vision of how Harmony Wellness can create sustained impact while remaining operationally strong.
➤ How has #ImpactLink supported your readiness to receive funding or grants?
ImpactLink strengthened my readiness by providing the tools and structure needed to present Harmony Wellness as a funding-ready enterprise. I am now able to integrate impact storytelling, financial data, and supporting documentation into a clear and coherent narrative.
This has enabled me to better demonstrate how financial support translates into measurable outcomes, including women’s economic empowerment and community development. As a result, I am more confident in engaging with funders and partners in a professional and strategic manner.
➤ How has your readiness to pursue funding or grants evolved?
Previously, I felt unprepared and uncertain about how to approach funding opportunities. I lacked the structured financial information, clear impact narrative, and confidence needed to engage effectively with funders.
Now, I feel significantly more confident and prepared. I have the tools to communicate both the human and measurable aspects of our impact, identify aligned partners, and present Harmony Wellness as a credible, investment-ready enterprise. I am also better able to align our goals with funder expectations and articulate how financial support translates into tangible social and economic outcomes.
While challenges remain, given the current operating environment—I am now able to proactively position the enterprise for sustainable growth and engage more strategically with future funding opportunities.
Learn more about Harmony Wellness by Mira Travels at: www.miramyanmartravel.com
Contact the enterprise at: harmonysocialenterprises@gmail.com
Disclaimers:
This article is published for informational purposes only and does not constitute the promotion or endorsement of the featured business. Interview content has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
#ImpactLink is an initiative of the ASEAN-Japan Centre, launched in FY2025, to systematically strengthen the funding and investment readiness and professional capabilities of women-led social enterprises across ASEAN and Japan. The programme convenes entrepreneurs from both regions to enhance financial literacy, digital competencies, and investment readiness, while enabling the effective translation of knowledge into practical, investment-relevant action.
The Centre works as an Enabler, collaborating with ecosystem partners to support inclusive entrepreneurship through capacity-building programmes, mentorship, and cross-border collaboration.
Be a part of the #ImpactLink and send us an email at info_rpa@asean.or.jp
