They say, “When you are loved by God, everything becomes difficult, as God wants you to be a stronger person.” I am not quite a believer in God, but I believe in love, because it makes me stronger.
I was born in Myanmar. My father was imprisoned when I was only five months old, and my mother chose to remarry when I was eleven months old. However, I am very lucky to have my grandmother as my guardian, as her love is more powerful than that of both of my biological parents. My childhood friends insulted my father because he was in jail, and I once fought with another child over it. I hate violence, but as a seven-year-old, I could not contain my anger.
My grandmother was almost sixty at that time and was struggling to hold the family together. There were five of us: my grandmother, my grandfather who was paralyzed, my uncle who suffered from serious illness, my aunt who lived away from home, and me.
My grandmother raised me to become the person I always wanted to be. I never kept silent about what was wrong. One day in Grade 7, an inspector from the Ministry of Education visited our school. He saw my drawings on the cover of my exercise book and asked to see my drawing book, but I told him I did not have one. He asked me why, since drawing class was on the timetable. It was as if every teacher nearby forgot to breathe as I replied. From that day on, teachers would hide me in their lounge with some snacks whenever inspectors or special guests came to school.
I realized two things from those moments. The first was that people, and specifically teachers in my country, would rather use bribery than put their jobs at risk. The second was that they were scared of making changes. My response to the inspector had been simple: “Although we have a drawing class on the timetable, a math teacher always substitutes.” Instead of making the drawing class real after the inspector left, they chose to hide me. From that day on, I was certain that I must help change such problems for the next generation.
About Song
- Age: 28
- Ethnicity: Burmese
- Country: Myanmar
School & Program
- Chiang Mai University
- Bachelor’s, Social Science & Sustainable Development
- 2nd Year in Program
Goals & Dreams
- Become a conflict resolution expert
- Contribute to peacemaking in Myanmar
- Learn to speak 4 or 5 languages
Loan Details
- Loan Amount: $3,975
- Amount Left To Fund: $3,825
- Contract Duration: 11 years
- Status: In School
My father eventually came home in 2010 after eleven years in prison. In the years that followed, I worked with several INGOs, volunteered with youth and charity organizations, taught English for free to students from rural areas of Myanmar, and participated in many debate tournaments.
Through my work with INGOs and philanthropic organizations, I saw that ethnic minorities faced mistreatment by authorities, both knowingly and unknowingly. One can learn about ethnic groups in school, but cannot truly empathize until seeing the violations firsthand. Since childhood, I had enjoyed resolving conflicts among other kids, and my dream has always been to become a conflict resolution expert and contribute to national reconciliation.
I was on my way toward that dream until February 2021. During the coup and the third wave of the pandemic, my uncle passed away. My grandmother, after his funeral, gave up her former life to become a nun. My family no longer had a normal income, but my grandmother had always wanted to see me graduate from a university abroad.
Under other circumstances, my family might have been able to support me financially. But life has shown us little mercy. My dream, for now, is to return home safely and contribute to national reconciliation as an expert. Though life has treated us roughly, I am strengthened by my grandmother’s love. I left her to pursue my education, knowing she would support me by selling some of what little property she owns. One day I will return to Myanmar, grant whatever my grandmother wishes, and commit myself to helping my country’s peace process. This is my promise to myself.
Written by Song with editing assistance from Holland, one of Zomia’s volunteer editors.
Song
“I would describe myself as a dedicated debater and youth activist whose dream is to become a professional conflict resolution expert between the government and ethnic minorities.”
