ESOL
 

ESOL Home Tutors' award

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    • 18 October 2007

    Mar Mar Kyi Maung arrived fom Burma with little English - ESOL Home Tutors enabled her to build a new career.

     Mar MarMar Mar was recently honoured with the Exceptional Achievement Award - presented on September 8th, at the end of Adult Learners' Week 2007. Mar Mar left Burma in 2000 with her three children to join her husband who had arrived earlier as a UN refugee. She applied to learn English with the community-based volunteer service which provides English language and social support to about 7,000 adult learners each year.

    Starting all over again 
    "The first year in New Zealand was very hard," said Mar Mar. "My Burmese accountancy qualifications were not recognised, I could not communicate very well and I lost my self confidence. "ESOL Home Tutors taught me so much more than language skills. There were many cultural and day-to-day things you could not learn from a book or even in a classroom. It was the key to getting qualifications and a job. I am very honoured to receive this award and I hope more people will train to be ESOL Home Tutors."   

    A high achiever
    Mar Mar's achievements also included being awarded a New Horizons for Women Trust scholarship in recognition of her excellent academic results.   She aims to complete her double degree from Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology by 2008, is a member of the association's Ethnic Advisory Group, treasurer for her local ESOL Home Tutors committee and a volunteer helping Burmese refugees.

    Asad Abdullahi, chair of ESOL Home Tutors' Ethnic Advisory Group, said the service was the key to unlocking meaningful settlement in New Zealand.  "Home tutors often work with people from marginalised groups, women and refugees," he said. "Many will not have had the opportunity to become literate even in their first language. "Home tutors can give them the language tools they need for specific tasks such as paying bills, and going shopping. They bring order to the lives of learners. Their effect on their mental wellbeing is considerable.   It unlocks possibilities and Mar Mar epitomises how much you can make of those opportunities."