An Interrupted Education
Caro runs a community school in her village in Sagaing Region. She was interviewed on September 16th, 2022.
“One day, I was arrested by a policeman and he asked me so many questions. My hands and legs were shaking, but I tried to control myself and answer politely. ”
"I left my village two weeks ago because I needed an internet connection to send vouchers for a project I am in charge of. When I left, I had no idea how tense the situation would get in my hometown. I am now in Mandalay and haven’t heard from my parents for the last few days. I’ve heard soldiers came to our village looking for resistance fighters, and there have been clashes so people have had to run away. Some people were killed and others were arrested.
It started when the military based their camp on top of the village with artilleries pointed and prepared to fire at us. Basically, they were ready to kill us if they were attacked. But when the Myanmar military added more forces to their base, the resistance forces had no choice but to fire at them; and it all started. I live in upper Sagaing.
Before the coup, I was so happy and excited: I’d been accepted into an education program in Yangon I had been longing to join. I could see the new perspectives and opportunities this program would give me. We didn’t know what would happen when the coup occurred, but the institute offered to continue the program online. As I live in Sagaing Region, internet access was soon limited. The Myanmar military and the resistance forces are fighting a lot in our area, and they tend to turn off the internet to prevent the resistance from having easy communication channels. So I started having trouble joining online courses. I didn’t want to give up, but the situation being what it was, I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t contact the teachers or students any longer. My parents suggested I leave. It was a hard decision, but I did it for my education. That must have been the hardest decision I’ve made in my life. My brothers were away too, and I was worried about my parents.
I went back and forth a couple of times. Then, one day, I was arrested by a policeman and he asked me so many questions. My hands and legs were shaking, but I tried to control myself and answer politely. Luckily, one policeman recognized me from my village and said it was okay for me to leave. But they checked everything: my computer, my phone and my notebooks. I’ve been scared to travel alone since then. There are also more thieves around. We are just not safe anymore.
I had dreamed of becoming a researcher after my studies, but I couldn’t find a job. The situation in our country is terrible, and there are no more jobs for us now. Everything has changed so much, so I’m not sure what to do or if I should try to apply for a scholarship abroad.
Meanwhile, I got a grant for a project I am doing for the students in the township. After working as a teacher in a community school, I created my own program. 62 students are attending, and most of them are primary level. Three teachers are assisting the program. Local people encourage us, so we feel confident in running this for the children during these difficult times.
I tend to overthink, and I need to manage my emotions. Sometimes I drink to wind down, or I just cry. But most of the time, I listen to self-love talks: “I am strong, I am brave, I am worthy”. I listen every day, and this helps me to overcome my problems.
I hope I stay happy, and I hope to have a meaningful life. I hope to meet people that I love. I will try to improve my teaching skills, and I wish to get a master’s degree from a foreign country. But I need to survive and live in a safe place.
My dream for our country is for children to get an education. I want to help those who do not have many opportunities. I want teachers to improve their teaching skills. My family is supportive of my plans: my father is a teacher himself, so he understands me. In the future, I plan to have a house where my parents and friends can stay and live peacefully."
These stories are collected by the Real Stories Not Tales team. Real Stories Not Tales is a dedicated team in and out of Myanmar that aims to bring awareness to the reality of people's lives since the Myanmar military staged a coup on February 1st, 2021. Stories are collected through interviews with each protagonist by the team, either in Burmese or in English. Each character is drawn by a professional illustrator. RSNT is an anonymous name that is used by the group to guarantee security to all parties involved in the collection of the stories.