Fr Joseph Ja Yaw was born in Myitkyina, Kachin State, Myanmar. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Botany from Myitkyina University of Myanmar in 2004, Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy at Pyin Oo Lwin in 2002, and at Yangon St. Joseph Major Seminary in 2007, and Bachelor of Arts in Theology in Urbania University in 2007.
Mr. Ja Yaw was ordained as a Priest in 2007 and was appointed as the Parish Priest of Kamaing Parish. While working as a Parish Priest for five years, he served as the Chairman of Parish Development Team, worked on a project of the Karuna Mission Social Solidarity - Myitkyina (KMSS-Myitkyina), and attended various trainings on development and social awareness. He participated in a three-month course in Community Development and Civic Empowerment (CDCE) in Chiang Mai, Thailand. In Kamaing, he was involved in the implementation of drinking water pilot program, Community Nursery, Community Forestry, Rice Bank, Micro Credit Union, Buffalos Bank, etc. Thereafter, he was assigned to work in the KMSS-Myitkyina Office where he served as the Emergency and Relief Coordinator for one year.
Mr. Ja Yaw was commissioned to study Development Management abroad by his Bishop and the Diocesan Priest Councilors; thus, he completed a Master of Development Management and Governance at the University of Philippines Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. He joined KMSS – Myitkyina in 2016 and was appointed as Director in 2017. KMSS (MKN) implements interventions on Food, WASH, Resilience by Returning (R by R), Protection, Livelihood, Education, Peace, and Rapid Emergency Respond.