In the village of Lat Pan Kone in southeastern Myanmar, a 12-year-old girl is quietly showing what becomes possible when children are met with understanding, patience and care.

Naw Htwe was born with developmental delays. By the time she reached Grade 1, it became clear to her parents that she was struggling in school. Facing daily financial hardship and with little access to support, they made the painful decision to withdraw her. They believed education would not make a difference for their daughter.

For years, Naw Htwe stayed at home, increasingly isolated. Her family worked as seasonal labourers, and the pressures of poverty took a heavy toll. Like many families living under stress, support for children’s learning was difficult to prioritise.

Everything began to change when a Reading Club supported by the Education Cannot Wait (ECW) programme opened in their community and was implemented by World Vision Myanmar.

At first, even the facilitators were unsure whether Naw Htwe would be able to take part. But she was determined. She insisted on joining.

Before joining the ECW-supported Reading Club, Naw Htwe had been out of school for years. Her parents, struggling with poverty and daily stress, had little understanding of the role education could play in her life.

Launched in November 2023, the Reading Club in Lat Pan Kone village is one of many supported by the ECW project and implemented by World Vision Myanmar. These clubs provide safe, supportive spaces for children who have experienced disrupted education due to poverty, disability, or conflict.

Educators in Lat Pan kone received training on Unlock Literacy and inclusive education approaches, as well as child protection and gender equality, as part of the project’s commitment to safe and effective learning environments.

Reading Club sessions include group activities, read-alouds, drawing, storytelling, and basic literacy exercises. Each child receives education kits with storybooks and stationery.

With the support of these resources and a caring environment, Naw Htwe not only improved her learning but also rediscovered joy and belonging. Her parents now engage more actively in her life and in the educational events held in the community.

The family’s emotional distance, once deepened by hardship and alcohol, has softened into stronger bonds and mutual support.

Her story is one of many demonstrating how inclusive, community-based education can reach children who have been excluded or overlooked, and how education can strengthen not just individual lives, but families and communities as a whole.