A student in Myanmar has spoken of how her schooling is helping her cope with the daily stresses of war.
Lu* comes from a small village in Chin state, where government soldiers are locked in battle with members of the People’s Defence Force.
As a result of the war, many schools in the region have been shut down.
However, Lu received the opportunity to study at the Myanmar Leadership Institute (MLI) in the country’s largest city, Yangon, for six months last year, which enabled her to escape the immediate nature of the conflict and continue her education.
She has since returned to her village, a situation she described as “stressful” due to the war, but the memories and skills she picked up at MLI are helping her get by.
“I gained a lot of experience, and I can now interact with people more easily,” she said.
“The teaching methods and materials were very different from the government schools. MLI has made me open my eyes and I see all the different ethnic cultures in our country.”
Lu added that she feels extremely grateful to have had the chance to study at MLI, where she described the staff as “patient and understanding”.
She is now using the knowledge she acquired to teach local children in her home village – something which helps them all deal with the ongoing struggle of living in a warzone.
*Name has been changed
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