Born and Bred in Myanmar: A book of Five Short Stories

Born and Bred in Myanmar is about the life and struggles of rural dwelling youths in Myanmar who, at an early age, have to work to supplement the household income or work alongside their parents to support the family.They often find it difficult to even complete their basic formal education and thus find it hard to break the poverty cycle that their parents have been trapped in. The book portrays the lack of a support system from the government or even support from the family for young people who dream of pursuing a good education in life.Some of the youths whose stories are told in this collection are: Khin Soe from Mon State, who drops out of primary school due to his father’s deteriorating health and has to work as a carrier transporting the cargo of pilgrims making the trip to the top of the mountain to visit the famous holy pagoda; Moe Kyaw from Kyaukpadaung town, who volunteers to help his father who became ill working as a long distance bus driver, yet is never recognized for his help which is instead dismissed as a mere excuse for not wanting to go to school; Ma Nyo Pyar from Baw Lel village, who quits her studies to help her struggling mother in the paddy fields as well as look after her newborn sister, after turning down an offer from her mother’s friend to put her through school.Although these are stories of youths who lived in Myanmar in the 1980s, these stories still reflect the lives of youths in rural Myanmar today.