Striving for change
Hsu, a 15-year-old child leader from Kyangin Area Programme in Myanmar, is helping bring positive change to her village. Growing up in a family of educators—her father, a primary school principal and her mother, a middle school teacher, education and leadership were a natural part of her upbringing.
However, her true connection to community leadership came through her older brother, who was a child leader at World Vision Myanmar. "I first got involved with World Vision through my brother," she recalls. "I started attending their training and knowledge-sharing sessions and eventually became a registered child of World Vision at the age of seven."
In the beginning, Hsu attended life skills training and health awareness courses offered by World Vision Myanmar without fully understanding their importance. As she grew older, she realized how valuable these lessons were—not just for her own growth but for helping her community. When her village needed a child leader, she stepped up. "Children in the community and others encouraged me to take the role, and I naturally found myself leading," she says, reflecting on her journey.
As a child leader, Hsu’s perspective broadened, and she became committed to helping others. She now works with World Vision to lead life skills training for younger children, focusing on important issues like online safety, child protection, and the dangers of early marriage.
"I spread awareness about the risks of early marriage and the consequences of over-reliance on the internet," she shares. Her efforts have led to better understanding among the children in her village, encouraging them to rely less on the internet and spend more time reading and learning.
"I live by the motto, 'They have to know what I know,'" says Hsu, motivated by her passion for sharing knowledge and empowering her friends.
Hsu’s passion and dedication go beyond her village. She has participated in national-level child participation meetings with World Vision, joining other child leaders from across Myanmar. In these meetings, she has advocated for greater involvement of fathers in raising children. "I spoke about how fathers should be more involved in parent meetings at schools and in the community, as it is often seen as a mother’s role. Since then, I have seen some positive changes in my village," she shares.
Despite her achievements, Hsu is well aware that gender discrimination still exists in subtle ways. While she doesn't face obvious discrimination in her daily life, she has noticed differences in education. "In general, boys often get more opportunities for university admissions, while girls have to work harder to achieve the same results," she explains.
Hsu dreams of a world where girls and boys have equal chances. "I want to see a world where there is no gender-based discrimination, where everyone has equal rights, and girls’ voices are heard — regardless of their age," she says passionately.
Hsu’s vision for her future is clear: she wants to become a doctor, not only to support her family but also to improve the health conditions in her village. "There is still a lack of health knowledge in my community," she says. "When I become a doctor, I plan to provide both health education and financial support to my village."
Her dream is bigger than just her own success. She imagines a future where women’s voices are respected, and girls like her have equal chances to lead and succeed.