My name is Paw Paw. I’m a citizen of Myanmar and have six members in my family. My parents are farmers. They are working hard and try to support us to attend school.
My parents have to struggle a lot so we can continue our education. When I was in 4th grade, my mother asked me to quit school because of the family problem. But, instead of doing so, I chose to study hard and help my parents as much as I could. I was very tired but I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to continue to my study.
When I was in 4th grade, my mom asked me to quit school because we didn’t have money to buy food and pay for school. Instead of doing so, I chose to study and take care of my younger siblings at the same time. I was very tired, but I had to do it because I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to continue my education.
When I finished 7th grade in 2012 , a civil war was being fought between Karen armed groups and the Myanmar army near the Thai-Myanmar border. Many Karen soldiers and villagers died, and we had to flee from our homes.
About Paw Paw
- Age: 25
- Ethnicity: Karen
- Country: Myanmar
School & Program
- Payap University
- Bachelor’s, English Communication
- Graduated
Goals & Dreams
- Become an English teacher
- Travel to Japan and Korea
Loan Details
- Loan Amount: $2,250
- Amount Left To Fund: $950
- Contract Duration: 11 years
- Status: In Repayment
I moved to Thailand and studied at a migrant school until I finished high school. After graduating, I began preparing for the General Educational Development (GED) exam. At the time, I lived in a dormitory with hundreds of people. It was good situation for me because I didn’t have to pay anything to stay there.
During my time there, I was responsible for cooking for the entire dormitory. I was among the team leaders in school and was also in charge of student fellowship. I volunteered as a teacher, and I was so happy because I love to teach. I am proud of myself for being useful to the community.
Currently, I am doing a bachelor’s degree in English Communication at Payap University. After graduating, I plan to return to Myanmar to work as an English teacher. I prefer to teach in private schools in Yangon or in other parts of Myanmar. During holidays, I will give English lessons to those who want to improve their English language skills and help prepare them for further education and career development.
My dream is to help Myanmar develop by sharing my knowledge, experience, and education with others. I want everyone to be educated and have a better life.
Written by Paw Paw with editing assistance from Zomia’s volunteer editors.
Paw Paw
“My dream is to help Myanmar develop by sharing my knowledge, experience, and education with others. I want everyone to be educated and have a better life.”