The Myanmar Institute for Integrated Development (MIID) is a non-profit institute based in Yangon, Myanmar. Building on in-country experience of more than two decades, MIID, adopts a holistic, people-centered approach to improving the lives of some of Myanmar’s poorest communities. Our research and participatory development initiatives recognize the interconnected nature between natural resources management, heritage conservation, governance and social development. Our strategy is informed directly by the dynamic contexts in which we work. In these environments, strong linkages and complementarities between issues demand a comprehensive approach. MIID specializes in Myanmar’s upland regions and rural areas with high proportions of ethnic minorities. Many of these areas have suffered from decades of conflict, underdevelopment, and regular exclusion from decisions about the natural resources on which their livelihoods depend. They have a high vulnerability to climate change, environmental degradation, food insecurity, and economic shocks. At the same time, responsibility for managing these issues is a new concept for them. By working with communities, civil society groups, government representatives, and local private sector actors we build upon the resilience and aspiration of these communities and assist them to work jointly, across sectors, to tackle key development issues in their areas. In this way, people are equipped with the skills, knowledge and the agency to continue the process of development themselves. By addressing the core structural issues in these communities, we aim to contribute to long-term sustainability.