“I am learning to live in a growing society without parents by my side, and I am learning more about myself. I know I must be patient and work even harder than I did in high school. I am learning to step into adulthood.”
These are the reflections of Chow Lay – one of two students who are currently studying in a one-year nursing course at the Saint Theresa International College in Thailand. The two young women have received scholarship support to continue their studies into higher education.
Ying and Chow Lay have already broken the mould – both the children of migrant workers from Myanmar in Thailand, they enrolled in a Thai public school and studied hard through to Grade 12, overcoming all barriers to complete the Thai public school system. They both received support from Save the Children’s REACT project, which helped parents to cover the cost of transportation to and from school. Now the two friends are classmates again, as they study for their nurse diplomas in college not far from Bangkok.
The students have been enjoying this new challenge and have made friends along the way. “When I started studying,” says Ying, “I made new friends – each one is very kind and friendly, like brothers and sisters. We go to the market and buy vegetables and eggs and cook together. We study together, and some things that we don’t understand can be learned with friends.”
Both Ying and Chow Lay’s parents are general workers, usually in agriculture. Chow Lay’s father, a volunteer in his local community in Thailand, remembers arriving in Thailand. “We arrived on Christmas Day, 25th December 2006. At that time, we could only earn 70 Thai Baht a day for our work. Many parents in the community could not afford to send their children to school.” He reached out to HWF for support for his daughter and the other girls and boys in their community.
Chow Lay and Ying both showed their commitment and hard work by continuing their studies year by year until they graduated from Grade 12 – a huge achievement for members of a community that faces many barriers to access education in Thailand. They both had a dream to continue with higher study to become a nurse – but the course costs were expensive and, as non-Thai children, they were not eligible for college scholarships or government loans.
In stepped Tigermar – a specialist company that provides insurance and risk assessment services to other companies. Tigermar has its head office in Singapore and an office in London. After HWF reached out to them and explained the achievements and ongoing challenges of the students, Tigermar made a generous donation to contribute, helping to make the students' years at Thai school count as a stepping stone towards higher education.
Coming from their villages in Mae Sot District to college life on the outskirts of Bangkok has not been without its challenges. As Ying describes, “After coming here at first, I wasn't used to this new place. Because there are so many cars on the road, I hardly dared to cross it. But now I'm getting used to it. When I first arrived, I missed home very much. Sometimes I really miss home, but all I can do is call my father and mother. Because we are doing this for our own future and the hope of our parents.”
Homesickness has been a challenge for them both, and they were excited to visit their homes during a short holiday in June. “Going home for this visit, I did many things that made me feel nostalgic – like helping the family to plant corn for the rainy season,” says Chow Lay. Ying had a similar experience: “I was so glad to be back home and hug my parents after three months away. We went to visit the mountains and I helped my father in the corn fields. Having eaten my mother’s cooking again, I can say that it is the most delicious in the world. After two weeks, I went back to school, carrying a jar of chilli paste from home.”
So far though, their experience at the college has been very positive. “The teachers teach very well,” says Ying. “I have made new friends and we study together and practice taking care of patients – whether it be making beds, cleaning patients, taking pulses, or practicing how to handle equipment correctly and safely. I am able to use new tools that I had never seen before.”
The future is bright for these young women, who are now nearing the end of their diploma course. Upon graduation, they will be placed directly into working nursing roles. Chow Lay, who arrived in Thailand when she was three years old, plans to stay in Thailand long-term. “I want to be a nurse because I like to take care of people, but also I want to contribute to this country, because Thailand has given me a chance to stay and study here. I can also help sick people who cannot speak Thai, because now I can speak Thai.” Her father says: “I am very proud of my daughter. I do not have any education, I could not study. My daughter loves to study; she is not lazy, she doesn’t drop out. She always tries very hard. So I am very proud. Now, as she wants to continue to learn more, I must do my best to continue to support her.”
In the regular update letters that they write to HWF and Tigermar, Chow Lay and Ying remain grateful, hopeful, and brimming with advice for other young people like them. “If we didn’t receive this funding support, we wouldn’t have the opportunity that we have today,” says Ying. “I will study hard to deserve the scholarship that has given me this opportunity to study. When we overcome problems, it is something to be proud of. Our ideas become better and we dare to learn new things. I would encourage others also, to do new things, continuously develop yourself, and be happy with living each day.”
Help Without Frontiers supports vulnerable children on the Thai-Myanmar border to access relevant education pathways. If you would like to support this work, please visit our Donate page or contact us at [email protected]
