I grew up in Mandalay, Myanmar, in a family of four. When I was young, life was normal and my family was doing well. However, things changed unexpectedly when my father’s health declined due to a stroke. My mother held our family together during that period, working hard and doing everything she could to keep us stable. Watching her strength during those years shaped who I am today.
At a young age, I realized that if I could not have what others had, I needed to possess something that no one could take away from me. So I studied with everything I had, which paid off when I earned a tuition scholarship during my high school years.
In my final year of high school, I passed the matriculation exam with six distinctions. Despite this, I genuinely thought my education was over because of my family’s financial situation. University felt completely out of reach.
What changed things was working part-time as a mathematics and physics tutor every evening after finishing my own university classes. I would finish at five in the evening and go straight to the tuition center to teach until nine-thirty at night. Slowly, I was able to save enough to support myself while also helping my family. That job made continuing my education possible.
In 2020, COVID-19 paused my university education along with almost everything else in the country. Rather than sitting and waiting, my mother and I started a small trading business. We transported sunflower seeds from my father’s hometown to sell in Mandalay. It was physically demanding work with small margins, but it kept our household running during a time when most people had no income at all.
The disruptions continued into 2021 when the political situation in Myanmar changed dramatically. One immediate effect was that banks began limiting cash withdrawals. For many families and businesses, this created problems since cash was needed for everything.
About Micky
- Age: 24
- Ethnicity: Burmese
- Country: Myanmar
School & Program
- CMKL University
- Bachelor’s, Artificial Intelligence & Computer Engineering
- 2nd Year in Program
Goals & Dreams
- Become a Brain-Computer-Interface Engineer
- Open a technology training school in Myanmar
- Visit Pompeii, Italy
Loan Details
- Loan Amount: $2,900
- Amount Left To Fund: $2,900
- Contract Duration: 11 years
- Status: In School
My family found a way to survive this. Each morning, I would show up at the bank before it opened, standing in line to withdraw the maximum allowed amount. We combined withdrawals from multiple accounts and exchanged the cash at a small margin for people who needed liquidity. Some days, the bank location changed without warning, and I had to run to find where the line had moved. We barely slept during that period, but we managed to earn enough to keep going.
Later, our family faced more unexpected setbacks, including losing property we depended on and being affected by the 2025 Mandalay earthquake, which hit our city hard. Each time a challenge arose, we found a way to continue. These experiences have not made me bitter. They have made me clearer about my life’s purpose. Despite everything, I never stopped believing that education was the way forward. That belief eventually brought me to Thailand, where I am now pursuing a degree in Artificial Intelligence and Computer Engineering.
Coming here opened my eyes in ways I did not expect. Seeing how technology is taught and used, I realized how far behind Myanmar is, especially in the tech sector. It is not just a few steps behind. It is many. That realization has stayed with me and transformed my sense of purpose into something much more concrete.
My specific interest is Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) research, the field where neuroscience and technology intersect. I became drawn to this area through my personal experience watching how the brain’s connection to the body and the world can change. I want to contribute to research that deepens our understanding of these connections and eventually leads to better outcomes for people facing neurological challenges.
My goal is to open a technology training school in Myanmar. My country has many capable and motivated young people who have very limited access to education in fields like AI, computer engineering, and emerging technologies. Having grown up in that environment, I understand what it means to have ability but few resources. I want to build a place where students from any background can gain the technical skills the future requires. Beyond that, I also hope to become a reliable provider for my family and one day build them a home of their own.
Written by Micky with editing assistance from Zomia’s volunteer editors.
Micky
“These experiences have not made me bitter. They have made me clearer about my life’s purpose.”