Sara

'The people I love the most in this world are my parents'

I arrived in Malaysia in 2010 with my parents and my friend, Muangi. My father was forced to carry army materials and he would get beaten whenever he did not obey their orders. He lost one of his eyes due to the dust while carrying the materials. He eventually managed to escape from the army and we decided to flee from Myanmar.

When I first arrived here, I felt both impressed and afraid - impressed with the tall buildings and modernity of Kuala Lumpur which we do not have back in the village, and afraid because we did not have any legal papers.

It has been 8 years now since I arrived. Unfortunately I do not have many Malaysian friends because of the language barrier. I also do not work outside Mangtha, hence limiting my opportunities to interact with the locals. I used to work at a restaurant where the boss was very strict. I earned about RM1,000 per month, working from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. everyday, from Monday to Sunday. But one day the police came and arrested us all, and I had to spend a few days in the jail.

The people I love the most in this world are my parents, who always take care of me. I have two children now, both were born here in Malaysia. They would be at the Mang tha’s nursery since they cannot attend the government school. Mangtha has taught me how to sew, and I hope to earn some income as a tailor. My dream is to help poor people like us. I would work hard to provide what they need.