This is Eleanora. She’s a BYU Online High School student. Like other stellar scholars, she’s passionate about her education. Unlike other BYU OHS students, though, she’s been a victim of the civil violence that has ravaged her home country of Myanmar. Through BYU Online High School, Eleanora is forging a path forwards amidst mortal danger and instability of just about every kind.
Nestled between China, Thailand, and Bangladesh, Myanmar (unofficially Burma) is a nation with a rich history and a vibrant culture. Its language, cuisine, and arts have all been shaped by Buddhist and Bamar influences, and its everyday life revolves around venerating and connecting with the divine. Lively gatherings known as pagoda festivals are commonplace throughout the country, bringing communities together over religious observance, bazaars, and traditional entertainment. You’ll find street vendors nationwide selling mohinga, a hearty fish soup with notes of lemongrass, turmeric, and herbs.
However, on the global stage, Myanmar has long been handicapped by its volatile government and recurring insurgencies. Beginning with the country’s independence from the United Kingdom in 1948, this conflict is primarily ethnic, involving military control and civil war.
Myanmar’s narrative hit a climax in February 2021. The military, locally known as the Tatmadaw, seized power from Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s elected State Counsellor (equivalent to a prime minister). Suu Kyi was unjustly imprisoned on politically motivated charges in a bid to establish an uncontested military reign.
The people responded. Pro-democracy militias, known as the People's Defense Forces (PDFs), formed in response to the coup. Ethnic armed groups, including the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, the Arakan Army, and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, also joined the fight, sparking a conflict that has ravaged the nation.
To date, the conflict has killed over 50,000 people and displaced around three million. The U.N. Refugee Agency estimates that over 2.5 million people have been displaced internally in Myanmar, and over 100,000 have been displaced into neighboring countries. The military has lost much of its power, but the shattered state is struggling to find unity as it careens towards total collapse.
Eleanora was one of many caught up in the fray. Her family ran a successful hotel business in their hometown, but the conflict drove them from their home and their livelihood.
Ripped from her education, Eleanora realized how much her schooling means to her. BYU Online High School offered her the flexibility she needed to pick up where she left off despite the destruction of civil war. She’s been saving up money for tuition and is taking advantage of her education once more.
Eleanora is a living example of benefitting the world through lifelong learning. It’s situations like these that truly put the BYU Continuing Education mission statement to the test. For Eleanora, BYU Online High School’s Adult program has given her a path forward where most would see none. In a situation of absolute uncertainty, the light of learning has lit her way.
Through accessible, meaningful offerings, BYU Continuing Education hopes to benefit more students like Eleanora. Benefitting the world through lifelong learning isn’t just a marketing phrase or a catchy motto. It’s an achievable goal that is coming to fruition in big ways.
