NASHATAN
TANGPIROONTHUM

Born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand, Katie has experienced a multitude of cultures through her Thai-Chinese heritage, her British education at Shrewsbury International School, and the vibrant multicultural city around her. Influenced by her colourful environment, she has developed an intense curiosity about the world, diving deep into history, politics, social issues, and even art - all sources of information to help organise and make sense of her dynamic, globalised world. She is appreciative of her privileges and hopes to use the resources available to her to give something back to society as she enters adulthood.

 

Growing up, Katie had always been inquisitive. She often surrounded herself with reading of all kinds, spending her days consuming stories and relishing in the various fantastical worlds within fictional tales. However, with increasing access to the internet, she learnt that while protagonists in novels fought resolutely for their survival, that was the stark reality for others. Thus, she spent her time reading through the experiences of others around the globe - learning of their hardships and struggles. From the experiences she gleaned from all of her reading - ranging from fiction to current affairs, Katie learnt about the sheer bravery it takes to stand up for yourself and others as well as the empathy needed to develop a concern for the less fortunate. And, while becoming a hero like those in the stories is not realistic for most people, everyone can be a hero to someone, in some way, with just a little courage and generosity of spirit.

 

With her interest in art and creative endeavours and inspiration from her reading, Katie hopes to bring awareness to the narratives of children in conflict zones in order to help bring about change. One in every six children globally lives in instability, and while the media covers some, many remain hidden in the shadows, forgotten in the frenetic 24-hour media noise machine. As such, Katie has founded Narratives of Conflict in Colour, which aims to give children in active conflict zones or who have survived conflict a means of expressing themselves creatively in order to raise awareness among global youth. Through the medium of art, Katie hopes to raise funds to help those in need and engage youth politically.

 

Aside from her project, Katie is a dedicated student. In addition to History, Economics, and Mathematics A-Levels, she is also taking two electives: EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) and HSK (Chinese Language Proficiency Test). Katie stays in tune with her artistic side as the head of design in the student-led non-profit organisation, Crochet For Change, which crochets to raise funds for patients in local hospitals as well as produce care items. She also keeps in touch with the events happening around the world as part of her school’s Amnesty International branch, participating in fundraisers and spreading awareness.