At just 29 years old, Dorothy has lived many lives, a former journalist, a women’s rights advocate, and now a Communication Arts student at Rangsit University in Thailand. Her journey is a remarkable evidance to resilience, courage, and the belief that education is never too late. Until May last year, Dorothy describes herself as “a lost girl in a mid-life crisis.” After years of working as a journalist in Myanmar, her career was suddenly disrupted by a deadly military coup that jailed.torchered and killed journalists. She had dedicated her life to reporting, women’s and LGBTQ+ rights advocacy, and amplifying the voices of others since 2016, when she first entered the field as an online manager and a junior reporter. Journalism wasn’t her childhood dream, she admits, but through opportunities and circumstances, she discovered a deep passion and enthusiasm for storytelling, especially photojournalism and capturing the lives of diverse communities. But her passion came at a cost. After being arrested by the military government in 2021, she was forced to sign a pledge never to engage in journalism or politics again. “What am I supposed to do next?” she recalls thinking. “I want to secure my safety, but at the same time, I don’t want to give up my career and passion.” Walking out of that interrogation room, Dorothy felt a bit discouraged, yet she refused to let go of her passion and ambition. “I still have a lot to learn. I love and feel powerful with what I was doing. I believe I can do anything since the day I survived that moment”, she says.
Growing up in a household led by a single mother, Dorothy never had the privilege of a strong academic foundation. Education was simply a luxury her family could not afford, and she had no English tuition or higher education opportunities, she did not even go to private tutoring and cram schools back in her traditional Burmese school days. Instead, she taught herself most of what she knows today while working to support her family. When she first learned about the Daughter Rising Scholarship, she saw a glimmer of hope. “I had nothing to lose”, she remembers. “With some doubt in myself, but with a strong will, I applied. And I won.” That moment, she says, felt like a miracle, a second chance at life.
While her friends had pursued education in their early twenties, Dorothy had been on the frontlines of journalism. Now, as some of her friends are busy working, she finds herself back in the classroom. “It’s awkward and slightly difficult to study again at my age”, she admits, “but it is never too late for education.” At Rangsit University, Dorothy is determined to excel. She works hard to maintain her grades, improve her interpersonal skills, and push through the challenges of studying in English, a language she largely self-taught. Her goal is ambitious yet clear : to establish her own media channel that will amplify diverse community voices, especially women’s stories. “I believe I will fully reclaim my freedom of speech”, she says with conviction. “Whenever I feel like giving up, I remind myself of two things: walking out of that interrogation room alive, and winning this scholarship. If I made it through those moments, I can make it through anything.” Dorothy’s story is not just about survival; it is about reclaiming power, passion, and purpose. From a disadvantaged background to a fully funded scholarship abroad, from being silenced by force to pursuing her dream again, her journey is proof that resilience can turn even the darkest chapters into a future worth fighting for.
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