Aiming high

Thawng Sian Mung was one of the first children to come into the Stand by Me Sophia Home in 2003, he was studying in grade three at the time. Due to financial difficulties with his family, he had to leave school to try to earn some money to help his parents. When we heard Thawng Sian Mung’s story, we welcomed him into our home and covered his tuition fees, to allow him to return to school.

He was a quiet boy, and always keen to learn. He never failed in his exams, and as he approached grade 11 we sent him to a nearby boarding school where we knew he would receive a high quality education. There he passed his matriculation exam, allowing him to go on to university. Last year he told us,

“I went out to make money on the weekends to buy school equipment. I could not earn enough money for my education. One day the need was so great that I happened to steal a pen from a store. Unfortunately I was caught by the owner. She pitied me and gave me the pen and told me not to steal again. I did not like to steal. I hate stealing. I had committed a great sin. I did not enjoy school. I did not want to go to school without school equipment.

Now things are different. What I need is here. I have school equipment in full. I enjoy school. I try hard at school. I matriculated in 2010. I am now attending Education College in Monywa. I will be graduated next year. I will become a school teacher.”

This year, Thawng Sian Mung graduated with a diploma in teaching and he has been employed by the government as a primary school teacher. He is the first child from our Sophia Home to get a job and we are extremely proud of him. What a wonderful story that demonstrates how your help, as a Stand by Me supporter, really is changing lives.

To find out more about sponsoring a child through their education, please visit our Child Sponsorship pages.