“My recollections of growing up in the refugee camp are hazy, but I can recall my world being very small. The jungle, which I called home, was the only place I knew existed.”
Boh spent her early years growing up in a Thai refugee camp after her family escaped war torn Karenni, a small region inside a country named Burma, in South East Asia. Camp life was active and she enjoyed playing with many friends and at night watching movies in households that could afford batteries and TV’s. The movies, she described, seemed from another world as the characters and places were so different to what she knew.
Boh’s mother escaped barefoot with her small but mighty children through the jungle fleeing the Karen War. Boh describes her as a fantastic, strong role model to look up to, always smiling for the children despite the hardships. Growing up with a mother like this it is no surprise that Boh has grown to be an incredibly warm and compassionate young person. She has drawn on her strengths of hard work, kindness and enthusiasm to become an important member of the Karenni community in Australia.
Relocating to Australia at the age of 9 years old, Boh only then learned that her family had fled from a war-torn country and that she had been a refugee all her life in Thailand. She commenced school in year 3 as her first formal year of education and all classes were in English, a language she did not speak. With extra work and assistance learning with her studies, Boh went on to thrive at school.
“When I look at my mother, I feel inspired and empowered, and she encourages me not to lose hope during tough times”
As a small but mighty young adult Boh has done her very best to help and support other young people just like her. She received the Year Advisor Award at the conclusion of her final year of school last year for being a positive role model and achieving academic success. Her award was also for being committed and dedicated to others to ensure that they are treated with respect.
Rising to all the challenges she has faced, including completing schooling during the COVID 19 pandemic, Boh is not afraid of setting more challenges. She has set calculated goals of completing a university degree in Social Science and helping yet more people as a role model.
