Pawehmoo Thawtheet, known affectionately as “Ma” by friends and colleagues, came to Syracuse by way of Thailand in the fall of 2007. A native of Burma (now known as Myanmar) and member of the Karen ethnic group, Thawtheet spent the early part of her life in refugee camps in Thailand after her family fled Burma due to its ongoing civil war.
Together with her parents and six siblings, Thawtheet moved frequently among various refugee camps, where she learned the importance of building community, pursuing new skills and learning new knowledge to improve her life.
Read the full story at Syracuse University News.