Wai Hnin was born in Rangoon, Burma (Myanmar) and is the daughter of Mya Aye, one of the leaders of the 88 Generation student group in Burma.

Throughout her life, Wai Hnin's father was imprisoned for political involvement, meeting him for the first time through bars.

Shortly after arriving in London, her father was arrested for taking part in events leading up to the "Saffron Revolution" in Burma and sentenced to 65.5 years in prison.

In 2010, after meeting Wai Hnin, former British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, remarked that he was "struck first by her bravery and strength in leaving her family for a new life to study here in Britain, and secondly by her determination to bring about change in Burma."

She has been studying Global politics and International Relations in Birkbeck, University of London since 2013 and in 2016, she obtained her bachelor's degree.