Real People : A Little Girl with Gratitude

There are about 7,000 children without parents or guardians in the refugee camps.  Hhtee Shee, a 12-year-old orphan, is one of them. She stays in a boarding house with other 40 girls who share her destiny.

Hhtee Shee is now in Grade 5.  Her mother passed away when she was born. Her father died from alcoholism.  She then lived with her grandfather who later on also passed away and she was put in the care of her neighbour.

When Hhtee Shee was 8 years old, her village was caught up in frequent fighting between the Myanmar military and the ethnic groups.  A man whom Hhtee Shee considered as her uncle brought her to the Thai refugee camp.

“Uncle gives me a new life. I want to come to Thailand because I want to study.  If I stayed in Myanmar, I don’t think I will get a chance to study.” Hhtee Shee said.

“I want to be good at studying.  I want to be a doctor so that I can take care of my uncle who is getting old and feeble.”  Hhtee Shee’s message to donors: “I’d like to thank everyone so much for helping me go to school.”

UNHCR funds projects to monitor the well-being of orphans like Hhtee Shee protecting them from abuse and exploitation.

Photo credit : ©UNHCR/T.Falise