2008 was a year of tragedy in Myanmar, as Cyclone Nargis crashed upon us. I helplessly watched my land wiped out by an earthly rage. Millions lost their homes. Hundreds of thousands lost their lives. In my journal, I wearily sketched the Catastrophe Escape Ball, an imaginary vehicle that would protect people in case of a natural disaster. The 8-year-old me innocently thought, “My invention would help people escape from the cruelty of nature.”
As I got older, I saw more devastation, like forest going down in flames and shorelines eroding, swallowing our settlements. Toxic air is entering and exiting our lungs as if it has found a new home. Extreme temperature increases, causing unprecedented cataclysms. Species are facing the threat of mass extinction—humans included. But is it really nature that’s the cruel one?
Truth is, I also see trees get cut down without second thoughts. I see resources extracted for personal wealth from the Earth that nobody owns. And I feel the boiling sun. I feel the weeping Earth. I feel the rage. How much have we taken the Earth for granted?
The saying goes, “Treat other people how you want to be treated.” But why should we limit this to humans when the way we treat the world shows apathy and savagery?
I have decided to dedicate myself to cleansing the air we breathe, look after the water we depend on, and guard the trees we sit under for shade. So, when I turned 17, I started my journey of painting the planet green. Together with nine friends and a mentor, we formed Air Quality Yangon— the first team in Myanmar to tackle air pollution-related issues. Save the Children chose to fund our work, and I was invited to speak about air pollution on national TV together with other experts. I also started the CARE volunteering group, fueled by the altruistic nature of Myanmar, where like-minded youths come together to help and spread kindness to those in need and the environment. Now, I am studying Mechanical Engineering at university to pursue my biggest dream: to save the Earth with my inventions.
But I also know this is far from enough. We are damaging the Earth faster than it can heal. So, I am hereby asking for all of you to join me. It is time we act. It is time we take responsibility for our actions. It is time we change our lifestyles to non-harming ways. Let us be considerate to our planet. Let us be as generous to the planet as it is to us.
(Note: This story of the dream was written before the February 2021 coup d’etat.)
———–
Get a copy of WE HAVE A DREAM 201 Dreams 201 Countries