Meet Saam Htwe


I see education as one of the most important tools with which we can upgrade our lives, and this is why I am determined to improve the education system in Burma” 

Saam was separated from her parents at a very young age and raised by her Aunt and Grandmother in Southern Shan State.  Confronted with an education system in which classrooms were overcrowded and questions discouraged, Saam remained determined to learn and graduated with a BA in Economics. However, she was dissatisfied with the poor schooling system she had encountered, as students relied on memorisation and were unable to develop critical thinking skills. Motivated by a strong desire to change and improve this education system, Saam decided to travel to Thailand in search of better opportunities. 

She arrived in a refugee camp and completed a learning program in Mae Sot, after which she returned to the camp and taught English to the large number of children there. She then worked in an orphanage and continued to teach in the evenings. Listening to the dreams and aspirations of these children, Saam became even more determined to work towards creating a better education system for future generations. 

After spending two and a half years at the camp, Saam was keen to continue her studies and applied for the We women university scholarship. Through this program, Saam was able to work and study at the same time and successfully completed a Masters degree in Education Administration. “Influenced and inspired by the methods of We women”, Saam now feels she is able to use the practical skills and theoretical knowledge gained from her Masters degree to make a genuine and positive difference within the education system of Myanmar. 

At the moment, Saam is working at Child’s Dream, an organisation that empowers marginalised communities through education and healthcare. As the University Scholarship Coordinator, Saam is actively pursuing her long-term goal of increasing the quality and accessibility of education for the people of Myanmar. Saam provides support for underprivileged scholarship students and this program now has over 100 alumni and 80 active students studying in Thailand.

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