Rising above challenges: Khant’s transformation

Khant is a 9-year-old registered child attending Grade 3, living in a small village of Thanlyin Township. His father, who worked as a bricklayer, had an inconsistent income and had to leave for work when Khant was only 4 years old. He lived with his mother, who sold food to support them, but they often didn’t have enough to eat or buy the clothes they needed.

Khant said about the struggle, “Being an only child, I could see how much my parents struggled, which made me sad. I wanted to help them, but it was hard to concentrate on school with so many worries. My mother was always busy with work and didn’t have time to check on my studies or how I was feeling. Our health was another concern—sometimes we got sick, but we couldn’t afford treatment, making it even harder to attend school. I also didn’t have many friends, as most children in the village faced similar difficulties. It was hard to feel confident in a place where everyone was struggling.”

World Vision transformed Khant's life and his family’s well-being. One of the most significant changes was the introduction of a reading club in his village. Before this club, he had few opportunities to improve his reading skills. At home, he was often distracted and his mother didn’t know how to help him with his lessons. A World Vision volunteer invited his mother to a community meeting. At this meeting, World Vision shared plans for the reading club and workshops for parents on supporting their children’s education. His mother felt hopeful and signed him up for the club.

The reading club transformed Khant's learning experience. He now enjoys reading and feels more confident in school. The volunteers and teachers are supportive and help him develop the skills he needs. They also improved their access to healthcare, so they could get medical treatment when needed. This support has made him healthier and more focused on his studies. Thanks to World Vision, he now has more friends at school and feels much more confident about his future. He understands that education is key to helping his family and community, and he is excited to keep learning.

Additionally, his mother is involved in the Saving and Transformation Programme, where she saves money with a group and learns about saving practices. She has opened a small restaurant in the village, selling rice and curry, which has significantly supported Khant education. As a registered child, he participates in awareness sessions with other registered children. World Vision has taught him about child protection, children’s rights, and using phones and the Internet safely. He has gained a lot of knowledge through his participation as a registered child in World Vision. To share what he has learned, he has been giving reading materials to his friends at school, and now they are happily reading together with him.

Life has greatly improved for Khant and his family. In the past, there were many things he didn’t understand about education, and his family didn’t know how to help him with his studies. Most people around them weren’t sure how to support their children in school, or even how to talk to them about what they were learning. For example, his mother encouraged him to go to school, but when he came home, she didn’t know how to help him with his homework or check if he understood his lessons.

Everything changed after he joined the reading club organized by World Vision. His mother learned how to support him in his studies, and she started reading with him and helping him with schoolwork. He noticed her making more of an effort to ensure he was learning and doing well. Now, they read storybooks together, and she even teaches him new words while she cooks, which has helped him learn a lot outside of school too. He has also started doing his homework regularly and practising his reading, which makes him feel more confident in school.

At home, Khant now has more time to focus on his studies because his mother is involved and can help him when needed. Even when she’s busy selling food, she still finds ways to support his learning. He is also able to help her with cooking and household chores, which makes her happy. His confidence has grown so much, and he feels like he’s on the right path for his future.

Khant shares his dream, “My dream now is to become an engineer. I want to help my family and give back to my community, just like World Vision has helped us. With my mother’s support and what I’ve learned in the reading club, I feel ready to achieve my goals. I’m excited about the future and hope to use my education to make a positive impact one day.”