My name is Thu Thu Mon. I was born on the 10th of September 1995. I lived with my Aunty in Kawthaung, Myanmar since I was three years old and studied there. I studied primary and secondary school at Kawthaung. In summer holidays I used to visit my parents in Ranong, Thailand.
In June 2007, my Mother asked me to study in Ranong. The head teacher of Soi-jet Learning Center sent me to join English class at Ranongthani Learning Center which Marist Asia FoundaNon
provided.
In 2008, I studied at Marist Asia Foundation. In that year my mother asked me to work but I do not want to work. I said to my mother that I am too young to work and I want to study more.
She asked me to choose between education and Mother. She gave me two choices to choose. If I study, she will not allow me to call her Mother. I am allowed to call her Mother if I work. I did not know what to choose but I went to school as usual.
One day my Mother told me that I am giving more importance to an education than the Mother. At
that moment I did not know what should I say. Should I need to say sorry to her or not? Then I immediately told my Mother please let me study, I will not ask for pocket money, I will not ask for new uniforms or stationeries. I told her that I will help myself.
One day my parents separated and my Mother go away from home. We all have to live with our
Father. From that day I have to take care of my sister and my brother.
My sister and I have to work on weekends and take care of the house. Even though I live with my father, I go to school everyday. I keep in my mind that only education can change my life in the future.
After I finished year 4, Teacher Irene from Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) offered me a job to teach at Bangklang Learning Center.
My first day of work was great because I joined Ngao Learning Center’s parents’ meeting and I started to learn more about migrant families. Now I am a teacher as I wish and helping my own people in Ranong.
- Thu Thu Mon is a Burmese Migrant in Ranong on the Thailand / Burma Border. As well as teaching, she is a student in the ACU University Online Diploma Programme.
- www.maristasiafoundation.org