My name is Naw Hsen, and I am studying Social Science at Chiang Mai University (CMU). My father died when I was young, so my siblings and I were raised by my mother alone. I was born in the forests of southern Shan State of Burma after she fled violence against our community.
My mother gave everything to take care of her family despite her illiteracy, poor health, and poverty. To feed us, she worked the land, sometimes having to labor on an opium plantation for less than 300 dollars per year. She sacrificed everything for us, and I want my education to make a difference for my whole family and my people.
My village is controlled by the Shan State Army. Unfortunately, I had to leave school to labor on the land after studying at the elementary school in my village.
In 2016, I studied for six months in Chiang Mai at the School for Shan State Nationalities Youth. I also worked as a volunteer teacher at Koung Jor refugee camp on the Thai-Burma border. In 2017, I studied at BEAM Education Foundation, preparing for the GED. I studied by day and worked to support myself and my family at night. In 2018, I passed the GED exam and applied to Chiang Mai University.
Seeing how my mother’s lack of education limited her, I have sought to learn at every opportunity. I am the first in my village who can speak four languages — Shan, Thai, English, and Burmese.
I care about social justice and want to devote my life to educating and empowering others. My analytical skills are a strength, preparing me to identify the underlying causes of problems in my community so I can find locally viable solutions. I am studying to build both practical knowledge of the local context and history, and to connect local problems with broader systemic ones.
About Naw Hsen
- Age: 26
- Ethnicity: Shan
- Country: Myanmar
School & Program
- Chiang Mai University
- Master’s, Social Science
- Graduated
Goals & Dreams
- Found a research center for Shan people
- Earn a Ph.D. in Social Science
- Travel to Canada
Loan Details
- Loan Amount: $2,600
- Amount Left To Fund: $2,600
- Contract Duration: 11 years
- Status: In Repayment
Coming to CMU from a piecemeal educational background meant I had to catch up at the beginning. Thanks to intensive, demanding classes, my learning curve has been strong. I received good grades in the hardest classes I had ever taken, and my professors have encouraged me to pursue graduate school. I love analyzing and writing about ideas in relation to practical problem-solving. After my MA, I plan to pursue a PhD and eventually help found a research center for Shan people.
Written by Naw Hsen with editing assistance from Zomia’s volunteer editors.
Naw Hsen
“I came from a very destitute and underprivileged family and educational background, but with my strong will, I became one of the top students in my class and graduated with first class honors.”
