I was born and grew up in a remote and beautiful town called Putao, in Kachin State, Myanmar. My parents named me Ah Hkawn, which means “pure.” There are nine in my family, and I am the second of seven siblings. My elder brother is a pastor based in Putao. Sadly, my loving mother passed away from Covid-19.
When we were young, my parents made a living by cultivating crops, which was not sufficient to support our family. As an older sibling, I had to leave high school in order to ease the burden on my parents. I moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand, to work so my siblings could continue their schooling. At the same time, I dreamed of continuing my own education. My situation at that time helped me develop a passion for educating youth in my home country who lack education because of poverty.
When I first arrived in Chiang Mai, I stayed with a relative who is a pastor at Grace Church. Working as a migrant worker, everything was challenging. I struggled with the local language, and everything was new to me. Sometimes I lost hope and just wanted to return to Myanmar. But I knew there was no future for me if I went home, and that going back would mean giving up my dream.
I worked as a maid at several foreign households and managed to help my family financially with my earnings. Along the way, I picked up some English and also volunteered at Grace English Class as an assistant teacher.
A couple of years later, I had an opportunity to join BEAM school to learn basic English skills, and took the GED course there the following year. It was quite burdensome to work full-time, volunteer part-time, serve the church community, and study for the GED all at once — and I was unfortunately unable to finish the course.
About Ah Hkawn
- Age: 32
- Ethnicity: Kachin
- Country: Myanmar
School & Program
- Chiang Mai Rajabhat University
- Bachelor’s, English for International Communication
- Graduated
Goals & Dreams
- Become a school teacher
- Visit the United Kingdom
Loan Details
- Loan Amount: $3,850
- Amount Left To Fund: $3,525
- Contract Duration: 11 years
- Status: In Deferment
I had to wait for another opportunity to finish high school. I studied privately whenever I had time, and was eventually able to sit the matriculation exam at the Myanmar Consulate in Chiang Mai, earning distinctions in Economics and Physics.
Those eight years of struggle were the darkest of my life. I felt helpless and had no sense of future security. My desire to become an educated person and a teacher for my people was the only thing that kept me going. And I saw a beam of light for further studies only when I finally finished high school.
When I finished high school, I began working full-time at the Seed Christian School as a class monitor, providing non-academic assistance to students and teachers. That work sharpened my English skills, deepened my experience with children and young adults, and made my passion clearer than ever. I want to become a teaching staff member and fulfill my long-awaited dream.
Later, I was able to join Rajabhat University, majoring in English Communication Arts. My first year was truly a hectic one — it made me nervous every time tuition fees came due. But I kept going, because this education is everything I have worked toward.
Written by Ah Hkawn with editing assistance from Zomia’s volunteer editors.
Ah Hkawn
“Those eight years of struggle were the darkest of my life. My desire to become an educated person and a teacher for my people was the only thing that kept me going.”
