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Humans of Duke Sanford

My name is Kyipyar. I am from Myanmar (formerly called Burma) which is situated between India and Thailand. I got a scholarship from Open Society Foundations to study in the MIDP program at Duke. For a decade or so, my professional experience has been in the humanitarian or international development field, working with people on the ground who have been involved in rural development and local governance including marginalized or displaced population. When I arrived to the U.S., in a way, I missed home; I miss my colleagues whom I had been working together at grassroot level environment. It made me miss work and the camaraderie spirit I found on the field. The work was difficult and frustrating because there are situations not under your control; politically socially economically, there is a lot of uncertainties as well as assumptions. It is different world from the one many of you experienced, especially if you grew up in big cities from developed countries. I grew up in Yangon, the capital city of Myanmar. I studied social sciences and social work, but the academic preparation was not enough. Before coming to Duke, I worked in different international government agencies and non-profit organizations and also traveled regionally around the Southeast Asia with my work. However, currently my main work is on the border with Thailand and Myanmar with refugee camps and marginalized populations. In the field, I saw the reality and the despair, and I learned that more people need to see these lived stories, lived experience and it needs to be heard or shared. But, despite the difficult nature of the work, I have found inspiration from the people I’ve worked with. It is extraordinary how refugees or displaced people perceive the obstacles in their lives and remain positive. I met a lot of young girls and boys in refugee camps who want to be doctors or teachers when they grow up. They remained hopeful despite the circumstances; they might not have a basic access to any rudimentary education, but they have dreams for brighter futures. This is one of the hopes that keeps me in the field. - Kyipyar Phyoe Paing ’23

My name is Kyipyar. I am from Myanmar (formerly called Burma) which is situated between India and Thailand. I got a scholarship from Open Society Foundations to study in the MIDP program at Duke.

For a decade or so, my professional experience has been in the humanitarian or international development field, working with people on the ground who have been involved in rural development and local governance including marginalized or displaced population.

When I arrived to the U.S., in a way, I missed home; I miss my colleagues whom I had been working together at grassroot level environment. It made me miss work and the camaraderie spirit I found on the field. The work was difficult and frustrating because there are situations not under your control; politically socially economically, there is a lot of uncertainties as well as assumptions. It is different world from the one many of you experienced, especially if you grew up in big cities from developed countries.

I grew up in Yangon, the capital city of Myanmar. I studied social sciences and social work, but the academic preparation was not enough. Before coming to Duke, I worked in different international government agencies and non-profit organizations and also traveled regionally around the Southeast Asia with my work. However, currently my main work is on the border with Thailand and Myanmar with refugee camps and marginalized populations.

In the field, I saw the reality and the despair, and I learned that more people need to see these lived stories, lived experience and it needs to be heard or shared. But, despite the difficult nature of the work, I have found inspiration from the people I’ve worked with. It is extraordinary how refugees or displaced people perceive the obstacles in their lives and remain positive. I met a lot of young girls and boys in refugee camps who want to be doctors or teachers when they grow up. They remained hopeful despite the circumstances; they might not have a basic access to any rudimentary education, but they have dreams for brighter futures. This is one of the hopes that keeps me in the field. – Kyipyar Phyoe Paing #MIDP ’23 #HumansofDukeSanford
#myanmar

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