Di Di

Beyond academics, I have always been eager to learn and am passionate about social change. This interest led me to become involved in various extracurricular activities in my local community. As a co-leader of the environmental club at my university since 2018, I organized numerous environmental awareness trainings. In 2020, working as a facilitator for the Universities Green Network, a coalition of environmental clubs across Myanmar, taught me the importance of balancing development needs with environmental protection. Additionally, for youth development, I served as the campus chapter director for Myanmar Youth Empowerment and Opportunities (MYEO) and as an event coordinator for an English club, aimed at improving students’ English skills at my university.

However, due to COVID-19 and the subsequent situation in Myanmar in February 2021, universities were closed, preventing me from continuing my education, even though I was in my final year and needed only four months to graduate as a civil engineer. Despite these challenges, my commitment to social justice remains strong. During the pandemic, I chose to pursue a “Research Diploma in Community Development” at the Community Leadership and Research Institute (Thabyay Education Foundation) to further my community development knowledge. After receiving this diploma, I realized that I needed a higher level of education to contribute effectively to my community. Fortunately, I also received a scholarship for an IELTS preparation class and exam fee from Prospect Burma, enabling me to take the IELTS exam, where I achieved a band score of 7.

My primary goal is to improve the infrastructure of my hometown. After working as a civil engineer during COVID-19, I recognized that modern engineers need a foundational understanding of economics and management, leading me to aspire to be an engineer entrepreneur. I aim to gain knowledge not only in civil engineering but also in entrepreneurial strategies to secure sustainable funding for community development.

After graduation, I hope to transform my hometown into an area focused on sustainable infrastructure development by starting an enterprise that enhances essential facilities, particularly road systems, while ensuring environmental sustainability and community involvement. Thus, I decided to pursue a program in engineering management and entrepreneurship at KMITL, which will equip me to succeed in my future career and positively impact my community. I was fortunate to receive a 100% tuition scholarship from KMITL, but I still rely on my family for accommodation and living expenses.

However, in February 2024, due to the failure of our family’s main business, my family could no longer provide financial support. As a result, I began working as an IELTS-speaking teacher at night to cover my living expenses while continuing my studies. This period has been incredibly challenging; I have numerous projects to complete, study for eight hours a day, and teach for four hours daily while worrying about my family’s situation. Even though I teach for four hours a day during the semester and six hours during breaks, it still does not fully cover my expenses.

Despite these challenges, I reminded myself that my family members were still alive, which motivated me to strive for my academic goals, resulting in a GPA of 3.78 out of 4 in my first year. I believe I am well-qualified for the financial support of your organization, based on my recent experiences, academic potential, and interpersonal skills. I am committed to using my education to make a meaningful impact in my community, and this financial assistance would be a tremendous opportunity for me to achieve my goals.

Written by Di Di with editing assistance from Zomia’s volunteer editors.