Zaw Win

Barrett first interviewed Zaw Win, the Burmese-American owner/operator of The WASH Project. He has come to be known as an advocate and liaison for incoming Burmese & Thai refugees in Buffalo whose numbers have gone from 500 in 2005 to 10,000 presently.

Zaw arrived arrived in Buffalo on September 2, 2005. He has lived off Ferry St. along Massachusetts and Rhode Island Avenues his entire life here and has witnessed the significant change that has taken place here in the last decade.

How would you describe your community's relationship to the neighborhood?​

"Some of my American friends at my first job, I explained where I lived, 'O!' they said, they said they were concerned for me, they advised I move to a different part, Cheektowaga, Tonawanda, I compare my previous life, an illegal life, not legally protected...my community is happy to live here because they compare to their previous life, really small houses, refugees camps, not enough water, every level is totally different here...the new generation, especially their kids, we can be teaching and training for their future."

What is the significance of your community's relationship to the river?

"Our people have a language barrier, have no place to relax like a bar, theater, like that, difficult to understand English, that's why when we get a good season, like the summer season, a lot of people go to the river, they're fishing, all different communities together, like teamwork, you know, playing soccer, chin lo (like volley ball, played with the feet), volley ball, different ethnic ethnic groups play together, more friendship, understand each other, support each other, it's an art."

How do you relate to the East Side of Buffalo?

"From the same country, different ethnic groups and religions, especially Burmese Muslims, they live on the East Side. At least 300. People from Texas, Arizona, Fort Wayne(IN), whenever they move to Buffalo, most of this Muslim community lives on the East Side...[they are escaping] basically the same situation, not specific to religion ...most Buddhists live around here, so there's a lot of Buddhism around here, and a lot of Muslims live on the East Side so there's a bigger Muslim community there, but some Muslims, my neighbors, Burmese Muslims live here too, some of my customers are Muslim."