An Accomplished Dream

Last week was my birthday. It was my first birthday as someone who’s no longer a student. Is this special? Sort of.

Since I got to Canada, birthdays have become just another day. Nothing special; at least that’s what I feel. Back home with my family, we’d cut a cake and eat it together. Then we’d go to a restaurant for dinner. The last time that happened was in 2020, so it’s been five years. Do I miss it? Sometimes. But I’ve grown to a point where I don’t feel the need to celebrate like I did as a kid. I feel that I no longer crave the attention I used to get from friends and family on my birthday. Still, I do appreciate that every single one of my friends from MISY wished me a happy birthday, despite all of us being busy with our lives.

This recent birthday was a little special for me, though. All the birthdays I remember vividly are the ones I had as a student - as a kid, as a teen. Back then, there were many things I wanted on my birthday. I’m not talking about physical gifts, but the desire to do something meaningful. I’ll tell you about one thing I never got to do but had always wanted.

There were many stray dogs around my school, and I’d always wanted to feed them. I had this whole plan: buy dog food without letting my parents know, then tell them I had football practice so they’d pick me up late. That way, I could feed the dogs with the help of the security guards who knew them well. But as a kid, I’ve always had questions in mind; How would I get the dog food without my parents finding out? What if I got bitten? Should I tell them or not? Those questions lingered, and they stopped me from doing it. I didn’t have much freedom for things like that - my parents were very strict.

Now that I’m a grown man, I’m free from those limitations. Being away from home has its downsides, but it also means I can pursue the things I’ve always wanted to do. There were dreams I had as a kid, and this birthday was the one where I got to fulfill one of them.

As a child, it always hurt me to see other kids my age working on the streets - selling flowers, water bottles, snacks, toys, you name it. I was lucky to have been born on the better end, but I’ve always had a soft spot for these kids. They should have been in class learning alongside me, but for reasons beyond their control, mostly economic, they were on the streets just trying to survive. I’vev always made a promise to myself that one day, when I was able to, I would help these kids get back to where they belong and enjoy life without worrying about money.

It’s been almost three months since I started working. I pledged myself I’d donate part of my monthly earnings to wherever it’s needed. My second paycheck coincided with my birthday, which made it the perfect time to act on that childhood dream to ease the financial burden on these kids, even if just temporarily.

I’ve been researching some organizations in the past few months that help street children - ones that support them through part-time learning or teach them basic life skills like sewing or bike repair, skills they can turn into careers back in Myanmar. I found two good ones, but Yay Chan Sin (ရေချမ်းစင်) was unique to me. They organize regular classes for street kids and provide education. They also help families with things like house repairs and some monthly financial support. What I understand about them is that they’re underrated - they do the work without showing off much, which is what I like. In Myanmar, there’s a culture of needing to show off your charity for recognition. While that has its place, I don’t think it’s what charity should be about.

I donated 1,000,000 kyats to the organization. They were really happy to receive it - they’re building a small wooden classroom for 30-40 street kids and a few volunteers, and the donation will help them finish it sooner and start teaching earlier.

A day like this is one I’d always wanted as a kid. The opportunities I didn’t have back then have only made me more determined to achieve what I missed out on. I’m going to keep setting aside part of my earnings for people and animals in need. This world has plenty of opportunities, and I want to help others access them too. I’m thinking an animal shelter might be next - I want to help those souls get good meals for days or even weeks. That’s my next goal. :)