Sai Seng Han Wann was born into an impoverished farmer family in Laikha Township, Shan State, Myanmar. Farming is the main source that generates small income for their daily expenses. His father died when he was very little. There are now about 11 family members in his family most living together, his mother, one younger sister, and relatives. Because of poverty, low employment, and low wages, and to ensure there are enough funds for Seng Han Wann and his younger sister when they need to attend high school so in 2015 his mother decided to find a job in the neighboring country, Thailand. While he was in middle school and high school, he didn’t miss the chance to help his family generate income by working in construction sites and farming during the farming season. But still, it was almost impossible for him to continue his higher education because there were so many people to take care of in the family. His family found it extremely hard to afford his educational expenses to study abroad or even domestic. Nonetheless, he was fortunate that he could reach at least high school while his family was facing financial problems. One great educational opportunity came to him in 2017 after he was able to pass the candidates selection process, then he was accepted to attend a 3-month course at SSSNY (The School for Shan State Nationalities Youth) in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It was the first time in life that he got a chance to study abroad. He went back to his hometown after completing the 3-month course.

With financial support from local supporters and the committee of the upcoming Shan National School -Laikha Township Branch- he could continue his higher education at Shan Community College in Kar Li Township from 2019 to 2022. After completing a 3-year study at Shan Community College, he still needed to attend a Co-op program at Chiang Rai Rajabhat University for 2 more years in order to earn his bachelor’s degree. While struggling for the funds to continue his higher education in Thailand, he went to volunteer at Tung Yerng School, a very remote school with a dangerous environment located in one of the conflict zones where fighting between ethnic armed groups or ethnic armed groups and the Myanmar army often breaks up. This circumstance led his family into a tough situation because none of the family members had sufficient money to support him in studying abroad. His mother, a maid who has been working in Bangkok, Thailand, since 2015 could feel the pressure and felt pain when it came to the reality that she might not be able to fulfill his son’s hope with the limited income she made each month. His mother’s monthly salary was transferred to the family in Shan State for Seng Han Wann’s younger sister’s education, farming, food, health care, and other necessary expenses. Also, she has to renew her VISA almost every two years and buy migrant worker health insurance for herself every year. 2,000 baht per month is the average remaining balance after the deduction of expenses mentioned earlier. It is far from enough to pay for Seng Han Wann’s education expenses.

Seng Han Wann applied for a full scholarship at Kwah Dao for the 2023 academic year and made it through a rigorous candidate selection process. He is now studying B.A. in Social Science and Sustainable Development at Chiang Mai University. By studying this major, he believes that he will understand much better social justice, human rights, and the impacts of global problems. Furthermore, he in the future will be able to apply his knowledge gained from college to the society he lives in as there are lots of things needed to develop in every sector of the country. His expectations and future career goals after graduation are to work as a teacher at the upcoming National School in Laikha Township and to empower youth in Shan State for social development.