Ah Bo
Ah Bo is 19 years old. He was born in Moe Kel refugee camp. He has only attended primary school and has not been to school for many, many years. In 1999 Moe Kel camp and Hway Ka Lote camp were combined and relocated to form Umpiem camp. Ah Bo has not attended school since his family moved to Umpiem.
Five years ago his mother died. She committed suicide in the camp. Ah Bo’s father remarried and moved out of the camp with his new wife to live in Thailand. Ah Bo stayed in the camp and lives with his two older sisters (40 and 38) from his mother’s first marriage, and their families. In the camp food is provided for their family. Ah Bo says he tries to find daily work when he can and that if he is really stuck for money sometimes he asks his other sister (22) who works at Mae Tao Clinic for help.
Ah Bo does not remember when his eye became twisted, however his sisters have told him that when he was a baby he had a fit and that his eye has been like this ever since. He says he does not feel pain very often but cannot see very well out of his eye and he does not have a full range of sight as the eye does not move.
Ah Bo feels shy with his friends because they tease him. They call him names and make fun of his eye. He has grown his hair long in the past to cover his eye. He says that sometimes when his eye is painful it goes red and blotchy.
Five years ago his mother died. She committed suicide in the camp. Ah Bo’s father remarried and moved out of the camp with his new wife to live in Thailand. Ah Bo stayed in the camp and lives with his two older sisters (40 and 38) from his mother’s first marriage, and their families. In the camp food is provided for their family. Ah Bo says he tries to find daily work when he can and that if he is really stuck for money sometimes he asks his other sister (22) who works at Mae Tao Clinic for help.
Ah Bo does not remember when his eye became twisted, however his sisters have told him that when he was a baby he had a fit and that his eye has been like this ever since. He says he does not feel pain very often but cannot see very well out of his eye and he does not have a full range of sight as the eye does not move.
Ah Bo feels shy with his friends because they tease him. They call him names and make fun of his eye. He has grown his hair long in the past to cover his eye. He says that sometimes when his eye is painful it goes red and blotchy.
When asked about his future and if he would like to get treatment, Ah Bo says that he has had this problem since he can remember and has always been teased. As he has lived in the camp all his life he has never had the opportunity to get treatment, he says he is very self conscious and would like very much to get his eye fixed. He says that he wants his eye to be normal, he likes to play football and thinks he will be a much better player once his eye is fixed. Ah Bo says that he also likes listening to rock music and playing the family guitar when he is in camp to alleviate boredom. He says his dream is to one day be a professional football player.