ADRA Thailand offers 6 advanced Vocational Training (VT) courses to refugees in 7 camps along the ThaiMyanmar border. Upon completion of one of the VT courses, graduates of the program who are interested in continuing to advance their skills and apply their knowledge in a real life work place are eligible to apply for internship placements. Mu Sue Yai is one of 76 interns to date who has completed a two-month internship placement in Hpa An, Myanmar through the ADRA Thailand VTRR internship program. Sue Yai was accepted into the internship program after graduating from the advanced VT Hair Dressing Course.  

She is a wife, a mother to two, and a valued member of the community in Nu Poe refugee camp. Before joining the VT course Sue Yai worked as a school teacher for 6 years at a primary and nursery school and volunteered at camp-based organizations such as Handicap International and War Child. To earn money for her family she was selling CDs and DVDs out of her home. On a good day, she was earning 50 THB per day, a value equivalent € 1.30. She was constantly kept busy with work and family but as time passed she began hungering for more. At 26, after serving the community for over 6 years, Mu Sue Yai started to seriously consider her future career options. It was then that she realized her real dream was to open her own hair salon. 

Eager to begin pursuing her career, she wasted no time and signed up for the next open VT session, joining the Hair Dressing course. During an interview with Mu Sue Yai, she reflected back on her life in camp and on her decision to attend the VT program, “After I considered carefully and chose to attend VT, I began to have purpose in my life. I realized what I needed to do in order to improve my future life.” 
Mu Sue Yai completed the intensive 225 hour advanced course on Hair Dressing; a curriculum developed together with a team of experts and recognized by both Thai and Myanmar governments. The advanced VT courses not only include technical and practical skills but also include an integrated life skills component where trainees learn about necessary job skills such as time management, financial management, communication in the work place, and how to apply for jobs.  

May Sue Wai washing her customer’s hair.

After graduating from the VT program Mu Sue Yai applied for the internship program and was offered a placement in Hpa An, Myanmar. Through her two-month placement at a hair dressing salon in Hpa An she worked closely with her supervisor improving her skills and learning new techniques. During internships business owners apply special attention to coach and teach interns, helping them to absorb and adjust to the realities of working in a business atmosphere in Myanmar. When asked about her internship experience and the usefulness of the VT course Sue Yai said, “The VT course taught me the basic skills and with the knowledge I learned from the Life Skills component, I was able to adjust to the working environment and work professionally. I could communicate and cooperate with others in the workplace and from working in a busy shop I learned how to manage my time effectively.” She went on to say that during her internship she gained useful career and life skills; learning new competencies, dealing with customers, and managing the everyday challenges of working in a service-based work industry. As Sue Yai mentioned from the onset, she had aspirations of opening her own shop but at the time didn’t have any of the technical proficiencies or business skills required to do so. 

Mu Sue Yai again demonstrating her motivation and stick-to-itiveness has now opened up a shop of her own in Nu Poe camp.  In just a short span of less than a year, Sue Yai has completed an advanced course, a twomonth internship, returned to her family in camp, began working on opening her own shop, and has now successfully opened and operates her own beauty salon in camp. When asked about how she was able to do all of this- opening up a shop in such a short period of time- she replied simply and thoughtfully, “I was more confident to open my own shop after the internship. I applied what I learned from the VT course and life skills module. I offer a reasonable price, focus on customer satisfaction, and am trying to gain a positive reputation in camp in order to continue attracting more customers.” 

In Mu Sue Yai’s camp based-beauty salon one can spend a day getting pampered with stylish haircuts, hair coloring and styling (i.e. straightening, extensions, curls, etc.,) makeovers, and even a manicure-pedicure combination. She beamed confidently as she described her learned and applied skills, her up-andrunning business, the popularity it has experienced, and as she spoke of her future plans of opening a bigger salon- employing more people and continuing to advanced her skills, “I know that I can carry these skills with me and continue to apply them in any setting that I may find myself in.”                                                                                                                   

Mu Sue Yai’s is the main provider for her family. With the success of her new business she has increased the family’s earnings tenfold; from 50 THB per day to around 500-600 THB (€13.00-€16.00) per day. While Mu Sue Yai continues to grow her business, flourishing as a young entrepreneur, her husband supports her by caring for their two girls and assisting with customers when the salon is busy. Mu Sue Yai is currently developing a plan of expansion for her shop as since opening it has continued to gain success and popularity amongst the camp community.  Her years of working for the community as a school teacher, and volunteering with organizations, combined with learned VT and Life Skills, have created a path to success. Mu Sue Yai also mentioned a plan to ‘pay it forward’. With her expansion, she plans to create a space to hire on and take interns from the VT Hair Dressing course, creating opportunities for others refugees, like herself, to continue building up their technical and business skills after completing VT programs.