My name is Di Di. I come from the Shan minority ethnic group and grew up in Hishseng Township, a rural area in southern Shan State, Myanmar, with my older brother and parents. My father works as a shopkeeper and my mother is a housewife; their incomes are unstable and they face many challenges. Despite the fact that none of my family members completed high school, they encouraged me to pursue higher education, making me the first in my family to attend university.
Thanks to their encouragement and my own effort, I earned three distinctions on the matriculation exam. I chose to study civil engineering, motivated by the inadequate infrastructure I saw around me, particularly poor roads. I enrolled in the civil engineering program at the Technological University of Taunggyi, maintaining an average grade of A throughout my studies.
Beyond academics, I have always been passionate about social change. I became co-leader of the environmental club at my university in 2018, organizing numerous environmental awareness trainings. In 2020, I worked as a facilitator for the Universities Green Network, a coalition of environmental clubs across Myanmar, which taught me the importance of balancing development with environmental protection. I also served as campus chapter director for Myanmar Youth Empowerment and Opportunities and as an event coordinator for an English club at my university.
Due to COVID-19 and the subsequent situation in Myanmar in February 2021, universities closed, preventing me from finishing my degree even though I was just four months from graduating. During the pandemic, I pursued a Research Diploma in Community Development at the Community Leadership and Research Institute at Thabyay Education Foundation. I also received a scholarship for an IELTS preparation class and achieved a band score of 7.
About Di Di
- Age: 27
- Ethnicity: Burmese, Shan
- Country: Myanmar
School & Program
- King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang
- Bachelor’s, Engineering Management & Entrepreneurship
- 3rd Year in Program
Goals & Dreams
- Become an engineer and entrepreneur
- Improve infrastructure in Myanmar
- Spend more time at the beach!
Loan Details
- Loan Amount: $5,150
- Amount Left To Fund: $4,975
- Contract Duration: 12 years
- Status: In School
Recognizing that modern engineers need a foundation in economics and management, I decided to pursue engineering management and entrepreneurship at KMITL, where I received a 100% tuition scholarship. My goal is to return to my hometown and establish an enterprise focused on sustainable infrastructure development, particularly improving road systems while ensuring environmental sustainability and community involvement.
In February 2024, my family’s main business failed and they could no longer support my living expenses. I began teaching IELTS speaking at night to cover my costs, studying eight hours a day and teaching four hours daily while managing numerous projects and worrying about my family. Even teaching six hours a day during breaks does not fully cover my expenses.
Despite all of this, I reminded myself that my family was still alive, and that was enough to keep me going. In my first year at KMITL, I achieved a GPA of 3.78 out of 4. I am committed to using my education to make a meaningful impact in my community, and Zomia’s support would bring that goal within reach.
Written by Di Di with editing assistance from Zomia’s volunteer editors.
Di Di
“I reminded myself that my family was still alive, and that was enough to keep me going.”