Educate One Empower Thousands 2023

Dear friends,

This time I am sending you words of Bee, who has been one of the lucky students, who received a scholarship. I am in regular contact with Bee and she is an amazing young woman, who is so dedicated to her study, as long as I know her and that is nine years now. Since I know Bee she has been working hard and always tries to get the very best out of every situation and belief me, she didn't have an easy time. She lost her mum when she was fourteen and had to cope on her own, with only the support of her friends, her aunts and some help from We women. She has been living on her own since that time and the only way I could support her was by video calling her regularly and finding funds for her education. That is what We women has done for Bee for seven years now. I can't tell all the details publicly, as the information is too sensitive, but I can tell you that she has been rejected schooling in many ways, as her background being born in Myanmar, fleeing to Thailand as a baby with her mum gives her a very difficult position.

Even though she has been through so many difficulties, she has always held hope, hope that one day she could study, that one day she would graduate, that one day she could assist other people with her education. And now she is finally in university, doing the very best she can, and she is doing amazing. Her last report showed only A's, which she didn't expect, so she cried tears of joy. I am always telling Bee: "I feel privileged that I know you, that you always keep climbing up after all the difficulties you face and there is also time to celebrate and relax and give yourself the credits that you deserve." Bee is a power woman!

Here are her own words about this semester:

"The last semester was the most challenging part of my academic year. I found myself learning, working, and  studying very hard. Despite my efforts, it felt like I had to do better all the time. Physiology and Biochemistry  were the most complicated subjects, making every day feel like a rollercoaster. However, I found myself  genuinely interested and enjoying the classes. Additionally, the most important thing I learned was to balance  my studies and social life. As always, my friends and I studied ahead before exams, at least 1 or 2 weeks in  advance. We had three midterms and one final, along with post-tests and pre-tests every week. This meant  being fully occupied by exams, but badminton, which I really enjoy, became my way to unwind. I had to  manage my time, reducing daily play from 5-6 hours to 3 times a week for 2-4 hours. 

This semester made me really happy. I learned, played, and grew. Looking back, I'm proud of myself. While  not many people say they're proud of me, I am. I see improvement in every aspect. I made mistakes and  learned from them. I didn't get the highest scores, but I remained steady and calm. Even when I got a pre-test  score of zero, I laughed. I learned that it doesn't have to be perfect; I'm just a girl who is growing, and it's okay to mess up. Even in moments of feeling lost, I found myself sitting in the study room, forcing myself to study."

Sending you all hugs and thanks again for your support, so that we can assist women like Bee!

Ursula