Passion is a tremendous source of motivation and energy that helps people pursue their dreams and persevere in the face of adversity. To help foster strong interests and passions in young people, it is crucial to create opportunities and spaces that allow exploration, experimentation, questioning, and practical learning.
During the semester break from June to August, students at Parami University chose from diverse organizations and fields to undertake service learning for six weeks. Twenty-three undergraduate students from Parami University completed their service learning at 10 community-based organizations in different sectors, such as education, environment, and advocacy, including Purple Feminists Group (PFG), an innovative organization working with grassroots adolescents, girls, boys, and young women to promote awareness of sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Steven, a second-year student, undertook his service learning at Purple Feminists Group (PFG) because the organization aligns with his interest in gender issues. When he learned about the service learning opportunity at PFG, he decided to apply for it immediately to gain real-life experience working in the issue area he cared deeply about. “It is the organization I have always wanted to work for, so I could not let the opportunity slip away,” said Steven.
He expressed his excitement about being a part of a research project on how women perceive menstruation. The research studied women from an underserved community in Yangon. He found his service learning experience to be eye-opening. "It is interesting to learn how women themselves perceive their menstruation," said Steven, whether as a natural process or a distraction.
As a young man interested in studying and writing about gender issues, he was often asked the reason behind his passion and, now, his motivation to volunteer at a feminist organization. Steven explained that his interest in gender issues stemmed from his personal experience. Growing up in a Chinese-Burmese family, Steven was given preference over his sisters within the family. He noticed that gender bias existed not only in his family but also in the community, including the superstitious belief about women's clothes. In Myanmar culture, women's clothes are expected to be hung at the back of the house or below men's clothing on a clothing rack as it is believed that men will lose their hpone or strength if they walk under women's clothes, especially women's htameins (longyi) that women typically wrap around their lower body.
"I heard people saying this a lot when I was young. I didn't really like the negative generalization people made about women," Steven recalled.
As he got older, he started to question the gender roles and stereotypes he noticed in his family and community. His curiosity encouraged him to delve deeper into gender issues and women’s roles in society and politics.
In 2020, he conducted a research paper on women candidates participating in elections, which explored the main influence and motivation of the women who joined the election. During his study at Parami University, Steven used his assignments from classes to his advantage to expand his knowledge about gender matters, specifically women's participation in political and social revolutions. “This is one of the topics I am strongly passionate about learning at the moment,” he added. One of his essays, Women's Political Participation during Political Changes, was selected to be featured in the OSUN Global Commons Spring 2024 issue.
With the experience from working at Purple Feminists Group (PFG), Steven is even more motivated to continue learning and raising awareness about gender issues to promote a just and peaceful society for all. While studying in his undergraduate programs at Parami University, he continues to engage with community-based organizations and institutions, gain more knowledge and experience, and fuel his passion.
Comentários