Every Monday night in downtown Yangon, a crew of young punks in studded leather jackets and gravity-defying mohawks dole out bananas and rice to the homeless.

Fighting off the stultifying humidity and dodging the monsoonal downpours, the group's leader Kyaw Kyaw sits beside a frail old woman begging on the sidewalk.

"They've been sick," he explains, gesturing to the woman and her friend nearby.

"So I want to do something nice for them."

He asks if she would like something special to eat. Despite her protests he persists, and finally she ventures, "Maybe … some cake?"

Every Monday evening Kyaw Kyaw and his punk friends hand out food to the homeless. ( Supplied: Sandra Hoyn )

From a nearby shop he picks up some baked sweets worth about 20 Australian cents and the women are over the moon.

Kyaw Kyaw knows most of the city's beggars by name. When they are sick and need help, they know who they can call.

When he first started people were suspicious.

"When they saw us they ran away. We said, please, stop — we are not gangsters. We just want to donate food for you guys," he remembers.

"Two or three weeks later they'd just say: 'Oh the punks are coming! It's Monday!'"

Sex Pistols DVD sparks Kyaw Kyaw's revolution

Kyaw Kyaw stands in front of his shop where he sells self-produced punk clothes and CDs. ( Supplied: Sandra Hoyn )

Kyaw Kyaw designs punk clothes with political messages, sells them from a street stall, and uses part of the income for food for the homeless.

Even at school Kyaw Kyaw was a rebel. He saw lies and corruption around him — the misuse of public monies — and wanted to make a difference.

When he found a Sex Pistols DVD by chance in the streets, the music set him on fire: punk rock would be his means to change society.

He formed the group Rebel Riot with like-minded punks in 2007, just as the military dictatorship quashed street protests in the short-lived Saffron Revolution.

At first they performed in secret, but since political reforms began in 2010 things have gradually relaxed.

Oakar, member of punk band Rebel Riot, wears a tattoo with the band symbol. Kyaw Kyaw is the band's lead singer. ( Supplied: Sandra Hoyn )

"Our country was very closed," he says.

"We didn't have newspapers, only Government propaganda. We couldn't speak about politics, and secret police were everywhere. Now everything is freer, there is change, and that's good for everybody."

On an Indonesian music tour in 2013, he joined in as the punks there cooked and ate together after the concert. He was inspired.

"We had always been like, 'F*** the system, f*** the Government …'

"After this we asked the question 'What can we do?'

"If we want to change the world we should first change ourselves. We said, 'Ok, let's do it'.

"Now we rebel with kindness and love."

They formed the Myanmar chapter of Food Not Bombs, becoming part of a global network dedicated to non-violent social change.

Kyaw Kyaw teaches a friend how to play bass guitar. ( Supplied: Sandra Hoyn )

From a group of five friends, the chapter has ballooned to about 20 regular volunteers, feeding between 50 and 100 people a week. The idea has spread to other cities.

Their early efforts to deliver political ideas, along with the food, were quickly abandoned.

"We explained our ideas — we are anti-war, anti-capitalism — but they didn't really understand. They know only one thing: they are hungry. That's all."

Homeless population growing

Kyaw Kyaw buys bananas from a street vendor in downtown Yangon. ( Supplied: Kayleigh Long )

As property prices have skyrocketed, many of the city's residents have been priced out.

"There are more homeless people and people begging. We see new faces," Kyaw Kyaw says.

"Most street people are women with children, or old ladies. Some marry the wrong guy — he's an alcoholic, or doesn't work. So the women have to go out and beg."

Most of the country's 51 million people live in poverty. Food and healthcare are major problems.

"One lady was pregnant, she was in so much pain on the street. I asked, 'Hey sister, when will you give birth?' She said 'Today or tomorrow, we have no money to go to hospital'. I'm like 'Oh f***'.

"We had six or seven foreigners volunteering that night, and I said 'Give me whatever you've got'. We got about $US70 ($90.55). Now the baby is already two and a half years old!"

Kyaw Kyaw and his friends ended up abandoning the idea to deliver political ideas to the homeless and just stuck to food. ( Supplied: Sandra Hoyn )

Compassion more important than cash

Kyaw Kyaw says material charity only goes so far. He points to the relief effort after last year's floods, which saw hundreds of thousands of people displaced.

"Emotional stuff, kindness and compassion is more important than physical stuff," he says. "Lots of people don't understand this.

"They give food, and they post it on Facebook. They're not really feeding the people, they're feeding their ego."

He has also launched a program called Books Not Bombs, giving reading material to impoverished Government schools.

"They have no library. The books they do have are just propaganda."

Myanmar has undergone a seismic political shift since the election of Aung San Suu Kyi last year. There are major challenges, but Kyaw Kyaw is cautiously optimistic. Educating the country's youth is key for the future, he believes.

"If I met Aung San Suu Kyi I would like to explain my idea for establishing children's centres in every township. It doesn't matter if they are begging or picking up rubbish, they can come in and can get some education, and free food. Everything can be possible. I really believe this."

Kyaw Kyaw says he does not believe in any religion because of their rules. He enjoys meditation, though he is not a Buddhist. ( Supplied: Sandra Hoyn )

Kyaw Kyaw spent some time as a monk, and was heavily influenced by a book called Life is a School.

"After I read it I got goosebumps. I looked in the mirror and I asked myself one question. I said, 'Kyaw Kyaw, you are over 20 years old and you are already dead, so you should wake up now'.

"Before, I didn't know who I am and what I wanted to do. Now I feel like I have lots of energy. Kyaw Kyaw is Kyaw Kyaw."

While he is committed to so many ideals, he's the first to admit he's not a saint.

"Left hand, I drink beer; right hand I give food to the kids!" he laughs.