Going South | The Optimism of a Single Mom

Myanmar highly values civic education, with its Constitution clearly stating that every citizen has the right to education. However, in impoverished and remote areas, the dropout rate among school-age children remains very high. In Min Pyin Village, Lewe Township, Nay Pyi Taw, single mother Ma Lewen supports her family on her own. She earns a meager income by gathering bamboo shoots in the mountains, aiming to keep her two sons in school. In 2018, the East Asia Poverty Reduction Cooperation Pilot Project commenced in Myanmar, launching infrastructure development in Min Pyin Village. Ma Lewen secured a job at the construction site. Despite the challenging working conditions, the increased income fills her with the hope for her children's future.