Life as a refugee child in Malaysia: Thang's Story.

Meet Thang*, an 11-year old who loves school and enjoys maths.

Thang is a bubbly and effervescent 11-year old who lives in Kuala Lumpur. Thang loves going to school to be with her friends, and quickly adds that “I also like to learn”.

Thang’s favourite subject is maths. She says, “I like adding up, multiplying and playing with the numbers. It’s fun to get the right answer.”

Thang is very proud of her school uniform. “I like to put my uniform on in the morning because I get excited about going to school” says Thang. She also shyly says, “Mum sometimes gets grumpy if I get my white shirt dirty”. That doesn’t happen too often though, Thang says, because her dark blue dress covers most of her shirt, leaving only the short sleeves and collar of her shirt showing.

Thang’s family are originally from Myanmar but came to Malaysia five years ago and now live as illegal immigrants. As an ethnic minority, Chin people they are discriminated against by the Myanmar Government as they are Christian rather than the ethnic majority that are Buddhist. Safety is a major concern for Chin people who are regularly forced by the Government to take part in dangerous jobs ranging from road paving to human mine-sweeping.

Thang’s family are amongst 48,000 Chin refugees living in Malaysia. Refugees from Myanmar are not allowed to work in Malaysia, but businesses pay them cash in hand as it is cheaper than paying Malaysians to do the same work.

Thang’s Mum works as a cleaner whilst her Dad works at an Indian restaurant. Thang says that sometimes he brings home left over food. Thang really likes it if he brings home kulfi ice-cream, “but that doesn’t happen too often” she says.

At home, Thang lives in a three-bedroom apartment with a different family in each room. She occupies one room with her 9 year-old brother and her parents. Her family share the kitchen and bathroom with the other two families that live in apartment. In total there are 13 people living in the apartment.

The children of refugees from Myanmar are not eligible to attend Malaysian schools however the Chin community have established Learning Centres and this is where Thang goes to school. As well as receiving an education, the school provides Thang with lunch and a safe place to be during the day while her parents are working.

Westgate Refugee Support provides funds to Learning Centres in Kuala Lumpur, organises volunteers to teach at the Learning Centres. and also supports the training of refugees from Myanmar as teachers.

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Thang* is a pseudonym.