My name is Eh Mwee, and I was born in Hpa-An township, Karen State, Myanmar. I have two brothers. My siblings and I spent most of our childhood in the care of relatives, as our parents were unable to be involved in our upbringing due to financial difficulties. With limited guidance, I learned to make decisions and take care of myself from a young age. These experiences shaped me into a resilient and determined individual.
In my community, agriculture is the primary source of livelihood. To support their families, almost all the young and middle-aged people in my village, including my parents, seek employment in Thailand. Many elderly people in my village also gamble in illegal lotteries, often falling into significant debt and forcing the younger generation to leave school and work abroad to pay it off.
In my case, my parents left with the hope of financial stability and a better future for us. We learned to manage ourselves from a young age, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, and looking after our younger brother. When I was around twelve, my parents returned from Thailand due to concerns about my older brother’s behavior during his teenage years.
During my tenth-grade studies, I came across an opportunity through the 88 Karen Student Organization to study at a migrant school on the Thai-Myanmar border. Against my parents’ wishes, I continued my high school education at the Children’s Development Centre (CDC) school in Mae Sot, Thailand, in 2014. At CDC, students were encouraged to speak their minds and ask questions freely, which was entirely different from my schooling in Myanmar. That freedom helped me gain confidence, and my personality and learning abilities improved considerably.
About Eh Mwee
- Age: 29
- Ethnicity: Karen
- Country: Myanmar
School & Program
- Chiang Mai Rajabhat University
- Bachelor’s, International Business Management
- Graduated
Goals & Dreams
- Become a community worker
- Bring peace to Myanmar
Loan Details
- Loan Amount: $2,600
- Amount Left To Fund: $0
- Contract Duration: 11 years
- Status: In Repayment
Quotable
What Others Are Saying About Eh Mwee
After graduating from CDC in 2016, I volunteered for two months in the administration office of Mae Tao Clinic. I then enrolled in the BEAM Education Foundation‘s GED program in Chiang Mai and passed my exams in 2017. I went on to teach Mathematics and Physics to Grade 7 and 8 students at CDC for one year, which was a rewarding and emotional experience.
To broaden my skills, I completed a six-month Hospitality and Catering training program supported by the International Organization for Migration. I am currently studying while working part-time as a cook, with additional support from my older brother for tuition fees.
Through my work in restaurants and the food service industry in Thailand, I have witnessed the exploitation of unskilled laborers from Myanmar — long hours without overtime, no sick leave, no annual leave. My aunt, who is 39 and has worked in Thailand since she was fifteen, is unaware of her labor rights and cooks and cleans for a Chinese temple every day without a day off. Many workers from Myanmar face similar hardships. These experiences have motivated me to work with organizations that support migrants and advocate for labor welfare after I graduate.
Written by Eh Mwee with editing assistance from Zomia’s volunteer editors.
Eh Mwee
“Many workers from Myanmar are exploited and treated harshly. These experiences have motivated me to work with organizations that support migrants and advocate for labor welfare.”