Issue link: https://takingitglobal.uberflip.com/i/1477966
81 # R I S I N G Y O U T H C O M M U N I T Y I M P A C T V O L . 2 E h Doh Thaw Sar is originally from a refugee camp called Mae La Oon, near the border between Thailand and Myanmar, but is now part of the vibrant Karen community in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. His experiences as a Karen refugee have fundamentally shaped who he is today and the future he works towards. "The influences that I get from the community come from the desire of the older generation that came to Canada seeking a better life for their family," Eh Do explains. "Their desire is rooted in their war-torn lifestyle, which results in wanting to see the future generation prosper and eventually have the life that they couldn't have." Together with a few youth from the Karen community in Saskatoon, Eh Do organized a listening project that would help youth learn from the older generation. "We understood that we have a lot to learn and the older generation has so little time left and not all of them get the chance to speak out about what they think and hope for in the upcoming generation," shared Eh Do. "We thought that by asking questions about what their hope for us is, culture, life, and listening to what they had to say would be a very good opportunity for us to grow." Within six weeks, the youth group spent three weekends asking elders about their experiences in Saskatoon and what they hoped to see in the future. The elders shared priceless wisdom about the importance of learning the Karen language and culture to ensure that it continues to live on across generations. "We had grandmas that came out with props and showed us ethnic food, different religious beliefs, and clothing. We had a grandpa come out and tell us stories about life as a kid and we had a veteran who told us about his experience being one of the leaders in the civil war between the Karen people and Burmese military back in Myanmar." While the goal of this project was to listen and learn, what the youth and elders experienced far exceeded their expectations. They formed incredibly deep bonds that honoured the wisdom of the past, while carrying that on to create hope for the future. We understood that we have a lot to learn and the older generation has so little time left... Intergenerational Storytelling in the Karen Community Eh Doh Thaw Sar