The First Step Toward a Brighter Future

The scene of a seven-year-old girl, Nan Kham Sett, walking proudly to school in her green and white uniform, laughter spilling into the morning air, is not an ordinary sight in Naung Kyin village. 

The sunlight catches her yellow hair ribbons as she greets her friends, each step a reminder of how far she has come. 

Two years ago, such scene would have seemed impossible. Back then, Nan Kham Sett could only watch other children walk to school, her small legs scarred and stiff from an accident that changed her life almost before it began.

She was just one year old when a pot of boiling water tipped over her, leaving severe burns that damaged her legs and made it impossible for her to walk.

“My daughter wanted to go to school like other children. I wanted that for her too — to learn and play with them,” said her father, U Shwe Kyar, his voice catching.

“But the school in our village could not accommodate her because she could not walk to the toilet or take care of herself without help.” 

Nan Kham Sett’s story began to change when a UNICEF team visited their village to conduct disability screening. 

A few weeks later, help finally arrived. The family began receiving regular cash assistance, home visits, and physiotherapy sessions through a UNICEF-supported local volunteer network. One of those volunteers was Ma Wutt Hmone — a physiotherapist whose gentle voice and steady patience quickly became a source of comfort for the anxious parents.

She visited their home again and again, bringing not only treatment but encouragement. Each time, little Nan Kham Sett would greet her shyly, and her father would watch closely as his daughter attempted small stretches, tiny steps, and the slow fight against the stiffness in her legs.

Every visit offered more than exercise. It gave the family hope that one day, their little girl might walk into school on her own.

Then came the day when doctors recommended surgery — a procedure that could help Nan Kham Sett walk again. For her father, those words cut deep. The memory of the accident returned in flashes: the scream, the boiling water, the smell of burned skin. The thought of his daughter going through pain again filled him with fear.

But Ma Wutt Hmone didn’t give up. Visit after visit, she patiently explained how the operation could change his daughter’s life — how it could help her stand, walk, and go to school like any other child. The idea of surgery terrified him, yet the possibility of seeing his little girl walk gave him strength.

Eventually, he agreed.

The operation went well, but recovery was slow and painful. The days that followed were marked by bandages, tears, and small, determined steps. Pain and effort became routine, but so did hope — growing a little stronger each day.

Her mother, Daw Aye Pwe, shared her joy and gratitude. 

“When I first saw her walk,” she said, her voice trembling, “I was so happy that I couldn’t hold back my tears. She had never been able to walk since she was one year old. We are very grateful to UNICEF for the great support. Without it, my daughter would never have been able to walk.”

Now, Nan Kham Sett walks and plays with friends. 

“I like going to school every day,” she says softly and smiling. “Before, I could only sit and watch my friends. Now I can go to school with them, and I can do many things by myself.”

At home, she still uses the toilet seat provided by UNICEF, which helps her live more comfortably and independently. 

Through partners, UNICEF provides regular cash assistance to help cover Nan Kham Sett’s education and ongoing medical care, ensuring that she can keep learning, healing, and dreaming.

UNICEF Myanmar’s cash assistance programme for children with disability helps children like Nan Kham Sett across the country. 

Nan Kham Sett’s journey is a powerful reminder that every child has the right to education and inclusion. When those rights are protected, every step becomes a step toward a brighter future.