Sam’s eye-opening trip to Burma

Sam Davys (front, right) with fellow representatives and Aung San Suu Kyi (front, centre), opposition leader and Nobel peace prize winner

MEETING Nobel peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi was a highlight of a trip to Burma by a Chadderton-born student representative.

As president of Liverpool John Moores University Students’ Union, Sam Davys (23) travelled more than 5,300 miles to the country now known as Myanmar to meet politicians and discuss educational reform in the former military dictatorship. Sam was chosen alongside representatives from Nottingham and Oxford student unions to take part.

They had the chance to meet the Nobel prize winner and national opposition leader, who spent almost 15 years under house arrest.

Sam, a former pupil of Christ Church and Crompton House schools, said: “On the first day we were thrown in at the deep end as we met members of the parliament and Aung San Suu Kyi, discussed education in the UK and asked questions. It was an incredible experience.”

The group then travelled across the country to meet representatives from universities to discuss the UK system and student representation.

Sam, who also studied at Oldham Sixth Form College, added: “I can attend regular meetings with the university vice-chancellor, lobby them or work with local MPs to make changes, but students in Burma are leading demonstrations and protests that often lead to violence and arrests. They are hoping for democracy and to have appropriate platforms to get their voice heard.”

Sam and her group hadn’t realised how important their visit was to their Myanmar colleagues.

“Seeing how much us being there meant to these students, giving them hope that in the future may be they can be seen as leaders and recognised in a positive light or create positive change for the future of education, was eye opening and humbling,” she said

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