Lahpai Seng Raw has been active in humanitarian work for more than two decades. She founded and directed the Metta Development Foundation in 1997 to assist communities in ethnic regions recover from the devastating consequences of armed conflict and humanitarian emergencies. Today Metta is recognized as one of Myanmar’s leading community based development agencies.
After fourteen years of leading Metta, Seng Raw retired from the directorship in September 2011 but has remained committed to helping address the underlying issues of conflict and regression, ensuring that voices of the ethnic peoples are heard in the ongoing peaceful transformation process. In 2013 she was presented with the Ramon Magsaysay Award. With the US$ 50,000 prize, she co-founded a new initiative, Airavati, with the goal of supporting local initiatives that are dedicated to building peaceful social relations and environmental sustainability.
Added to that she is:
Since September 2013: Board member, Metta Development Foundation, Myanmar
Since January 2014: Chairperson, Airavati, Myanmar
Since June 2014: Member, ICCO Regional Council South East Asia
Since December2014: Member, Japan Foundation Asia Center Advisory Committee