My name is Bunny. I was born in Mandalay into a family of four, where I am the youngest member. During my childhood, my family moved frequently because my father worked for the Ministry of Industry, a job that required him to relocate often. Throughout my life, I have lived in five different towns, which allowed me to see many different situations and experiences.
My family lived in the Kyauke industrial zone, where my father worked in an industrial factory, exposing me to the realities of industrial workplaces from a young age. During that time, my brother and I had to commute nearly two hours by bus to the nearest school to access basic education. My mother would always wait for us to come home, making sure we arrived safely every day and encouraging us to attend school so that we could become well-educated individuals and build good relationships with others.
In 2008, my life took a different turn when my father was transferred to the newly built capital city of Naypyidaw. There was only one school available for the entire neighborhood; however, education became easier to access because it was much closer to our home, giving me more opportunities to learn and grow. At that moment, I appreciated how fortunate I was to have better access to education, and it made me understand the privilege of receiving an education easily. From then on, I dedicated myself to my studies, hoping that one day I could provide this same opportunity to others.
My father quit his government job because his health worsened after years working in industrial factories. We then moved to Yangon to take better care of my father’s health and improve our educational opportunities. Thanks to my parents’ sacrifices and encouragement, I graduated from high school and secured admission to the University of Medicine 1. However, as life is not a fairy tale, I had to leave medical school due to our family’s crippling financial situation and my father’s declining health. These events led to emotional struggles and a loss of focus on my future goals.
About Bunny
- Age: 26
- Ethnicity: Burmese
- Country: Myanmar
School & Program
- Mae Fah Luang University
- Bachelor’s, Occupational Health & Safety
- 3rd Year in Program
Goals & Dreams
- Become the owner of a pet hotel
- Travel the world, including Antarctica! ❄️
Loan Details
- Loan Amount: $2,350
- Amount Left To Fund: $2,350
- Contract Duration: 11 years
- Status: In School
During that time, I often read news reports about workers facing unsafe conditions and losing their lives in factories. It reminded me of the unsafe industrial environments my father worked in when I was young. Behind every worker is a family depending on them and dreams they hope to achieve.
Many workers sacrifice their time, health, and energy in the hope of building a better future for their loved ones. Everyone deserves to work in a safe environment so they can provide for their families without constantly worrying about their safety. No one should have to risk their life to pursue their dreams and support the people they care about. For these reasons, I often think of my father, who spent years working tirelessly in industrial factories, often at the expense of his own health and safety, so that my family could have a better future and pursue our dreams. This strengthened my belief in pursuing a career in occupational health and safety.
Currently, I am a third-year student studying Occupational Health and Safety at Mae Fah Luang University with an excellent academic record. Despite my family’s financial difficulties, I have been able to continue my education with the support of my relatives. However, increasing living costs and my relatives’ declining incomes have made it difficult for them to continue supporting my education. Many of them are facing their own financial challenges and family obligations, making it difficult for them to continue providing assistance, leaving me uncertain about how I will finance my remaining years of study.
For this reason, I am applying for financial support to complete my degree and help protect workers so they can return home safely to their loved ones every day. I also hope to promote occupational health and safety in Myanmar so that future generations of workers will not have to make the same sacrifices as my father, whose health deteriorated after years of working in unsafe industrial environments.
I believe that this opportunity will allow me to keep learning, growing, and becoming a better individual who can contribute positively to society and help improve the lives of workers in the future.
Written by Bunny with editing assistance from Zomia’s volunteer editors.
Bunny
“Behind every worker is a family depending on them and dreams they hope to achieve.”
