February 2019

Wan came to work as a house mother at the New Life Center (NLC) in 2011.  It quickly became apparent that she had a gift for listening to adolescents and providing wise and supportive guidance.  In 2016, Wan summoned her courage and approached the NLC administrative team to share her dream of becoming a professional counselor.  She applied to Chiang Mai University (one of the top five schools in Thailand) and was accepted into the Faculty of Humanities.  She was the only Akha tribal person in her class.  Wan was granted a NLC scholarship that covered about 70% of her tuition and expenses and negotiated a flexible work schedule that enabled her to continue working at NLC and going to school simultaneously.  She also received extra training and supervision from Peggy, a missionary from Malaysia who was serving as NLCF’s psychological counselor at that time.  Wan recently graduated with her Master of Science in Counseling Psychology and stepped into Peggy’s position as NLC’s full-time counselor.  She is one of just a handful of Akha tribal people in Thailand with a master’s in counseling and is highly respected by her peers.  The NLC is privileged to empower tribal women to be agents of change in their communities.  Congratulations, Wan!

Thank you for your prayers, financial support and encouragement that enable people like Wan to achieve their dreams.