The New York Times' Southeast Asia bureau chief visited Mae Sot, Thailand, where a nonprofit called PlayOnside was empowering Burmese women migrants through soccer. The initiative aimed to provide a platform for female empowerment amidst the civil war in Myanmar. The bureau chief met with program manager Naw Laura Htway and learned about the upcoming Borderland Women's League, the first women's soccer league in Mae Sot. The league not only focused on soccer but also provided a space for women to share their stories and struggles as exiles in Thailand. Through interviews with players and coaches, the bureau chief highlighted the impact of soccer as therapy and the need to challenge cultural norms that hindered women's participation in sports. The article concluded with the bureau chief finding a central character, a woman with a remarkable story of serving as a jungle medic to rebel forces and discovering soccer for the first time in exile. The piece captured the resilience and empowerment experienced by these women through the beautiful game.