From Looms to Momentum: A Dream Woven with Persistence

My name is Maipheng or Nou, a girl from Huaphanh province. Even though my family are farmers, my mom chose the hard way. She moved to the big city and started her own weaving business. That's why I grew up watching her run a business, working all day and all night. I always admired her and wanted to be just as good as her someday.

As time passed, the popularity of traditional Lao skirts started to decrease because fabrics from other countries became more common. Because of this change, my mother's business slowly had to close down. Now, only she continues to weave.

I still hope to maintain and grow our weaving business, because fabric work is an important part of our culture and identity. After graduating from high school, I set my goal to study business management in Japan. Japan has a unique way of combining modern technology with traditional methods, an approach that helps companies maintain their cultural identity while expanding around the world.

I truly believe that Japan would provide me with the kind of guidance in management that I cannot find anywhere else. But reality isn't always as sweet as a dream. Regardless of all the effort and hard work I had put in, and the countless nights I spent preparing for an exam, I still got rejected.

“You did not pass the exam.”

I read the email with tears in my eyes. I could not believe it. 108 emotions attacked me at the same time, sadness, disappointment, anger, and so many more. I reread the email more than 20 times and cried all day and night for three days. I was so heartbroken that I knew I had to seek help. That's when I started to engage more with my community, and I learned something important: being academically strong might not be enough. Maybe I wasn't the strongest, above every sky, there is still another sky. We have to push further and go the extra mile.

I started joining workshops and volunteering, with P2P, UNFPA Laos, and I even managed my own project, Dāna Education Laos. There, I learned how to think more clearly and act more sharply.

I gained a lot of confidence and knowledge over the years. I kept applying for other exchange programs, including six Japanese programs, and still got rejected by all of them. By that point, I had cried countless times lol.

I wanted to give up. I kept doubting myself and questioning everything: What else do I lack? What's wrong with me? Am I walking the wrong path? But at the end of the day, I had fallen in love with the work I was doing. I loved learning new things. I enjoyed meeting new people. I felt fulfilled every time I taught at P2P. I felt excited every time I was in charge of organizing events. And lately, I felt loved and like I belonged, with my Dāna team, my classmates, and the true friendships I had made along the way.

I could say I had already lived a full life, but a goal is still a goal. I couldn't really give up. And if there was a chance, even just 0.01%, I was willing to give it one more try. And finally, I got it. I got the MEXT scholarship to study business management for three years in Japan.

A dream came true. Not as a miracle. But as momentum. Receiving the scholarship was not just a personal win. It was validation that grassroots action matters. That youth initiatives matter. That small beginnings count.

So to whoever is reading this, or feeling like giving up, it's okay to feel awful. But please, do not stop. Keep fighting, until your muscles memorize it and you can fight without feeling tired.

And you have to believe in timing. Believe in hard work. And believe in yourself, too.

with love Nou