By Min Ni Kyaw - Apr 19, 2024

Pu Kywe doesn’t feel anything wonderful although his father is saying that today is the new year of the Burmese lunar calendar. He only knows hazily what Thingyan is. He sees the kids playing happily with water in every Thingyan but the last time he participated was when she was 5. He didn’t have a chance to enjoy anymore since then. 

The reason for this is he has to work during Thingyan which makes him even forgets what Thingyan is.

The covid-19 pandemic broke out when he was five. Later the military seize power in the next year and the whole country stroked for it. He had to stay home full time when the military is cracking down the protesters. He only could fill her stomach only by her mom’s seamstress job at a garment factory.

It was memorial for him and his father to finish their meal only with rice or boil rice with rotation if the boiled beam dealer didn’t come. His father can’t work while the schools reopened and his mother salary alone would not cover the school’s expenses.

Pu Kywe’s father is an unemployment alcoholic and having a liver disease. But their shutter is provided by the construction company his father worked for. According to the rules, those who don’t work anymore could not stay there. Therefore, his father is no choice to go back to exhausting construction jobs with his heavy bellies to let them stay there. He was unfortunate on the first year the Junta reopened the schools. His family couldn’t afford.

But luck was at his door the next year. His mother get paid well and can support him to go to school for a year. He became the burliest kid in the class and school days were enjoyable.

He is around 10 years old now. Slim and brown due to working under sunlight. He has heat rushes around his face and forehead too. His father is quite pale and mother is brunette. Both of his parents are quite tall, so no one believes that Pu Kywe is just 10 years old. He too taller than other kids around her age thanks to genetic from his parents.

But he inheritance not only genetic but also their jobs. He have to go with his father 3 or 4 days a week to the construction site to get allow to continue staying at the shutter.

The contractor give him a job to earn extra money as his father is suffering from a disease. He have to pull water buckets, carry the plasters and bricks which may only get paid for little wages but it help his family a lot.

He collects plastic bottles before this job but his mom soon forbids him to do that in order to prevent him from being looked down by others.

Those working under heavy sunlight have difficulties in Yangon’s April. They have to make their hands wet as their hands to use the construction tool all day. They are battling against the sunlight and sweat. But they can’t grieve until they get paid at the evening.

He pulls the water, mix the plaster and carry it all day to finish the projects in a few days which will makes the contractor benefits. He would be given favor only if the contractor likes his workload.

They have to work for a small house redecoration project as the companies close during Thingyan holidays. Pu Kywe only get paid 5,000 kyats although 6 people are working there. He get paid the same in the construction company but he get paid for overtime but not exceeding 1,000 kyats.

The most important things for construction workers are to have stable projects and to get wages every day. The only thing they can pay for the expenses is by these. They can’t complain whether the overtime wages are quite low or not and they can’t ask for double wages for working in holidays. They have to get favor from the contractor to get free transportation and to be called for next projects. Because they would be in trouble if the contractor doesn’t.

 Pu Kywe’s mom got pregnant in this year which makes him to continue working. And his mom’s factory don’t give well anymore. Lack of overtime and the wages becomes insufficient for the family.

His mom doesn’t dare to miss the work even the factory calls to work in holiday which should be paid for double but not. If she miss it, she would not get paid the annual tips which is around 50,000 kyats too. Therefore, although being a pregnant woman who had to work daily and Pu Kywe also have to work for the sake of the birth and household espances.

Pu Kywe see kids playing with water in Thingyan but he couldn’t enjoy he have to work for the family during the 10 holidays.