New prostheses for Almar May San have been funded!

Living with a disability

Almar May San is a young woman in her twenties who was born without hands or feet. With the unwavering support of her siblings and her mother, she received basic foot prostheses, which allowed her to continue her education with courage and determination and successfully complete her secondary school studies.

During the Covid crisis and the subsequent coup, she had to put her studies on hold and find work. She became a volunteer teacher at the informal school in the displaced persons’ camp of Hsi Hseng (Kayah State), living with the Zetaman Sisters, who ran a nearby boarding house supported by Children of the Mekong. May San had long dreamed of studying abroad, driven by her love of education, her desire to share knowledge, and the personal challenge it represented.

In November 2023, charity staff visiting the area recognised her potential and encouraged her to join the PSIE, a respected private training programme for aspiring teachers in private schools and boarding houses. She enrolled in January 2024 for a year-and-a-half programme.

During a visit by Singaporean donors, she was offered the chance to replace her leg prostheses, which were no longer suitable. The project, involving custom-made prosthetics, a month of medical care, and living expenses in Singapore, proved costly. Her training supervisors turned to Children of the Mekong to fund half of the medical and living costs.