The School That Saved Us: Help Us Keep It Alive

Dear friends,

Five years ago, my sister and I were teenage refugees in Indonesia. We were invisible, no right to study, no right to work, no right to hope for a future. Each day was a lesson in waiting, and the world, by and large, looked away.

But then, a small miracle happened: the Refugee Learning Center (RLC). It wasn’t much, just a few borrowed rooms and a handful of battered desks, but it became a lifeline. I helped co-found it, and my sister became one of its first students. For a few hours each day, we could set aside the labels and the endless waiting, and simply be kids learning, laughing, and daring to dream again.

That school changed us. It taught me leadership, public speaking, and confidence. It helped my sister catch up in school, and when we finally made it to Canada, she won a full scholarship to one of the world’s top universities, UBC. The Refugee Learning Center gave us back our futures.

Now, the school serves more than 400 children. It’s run entirely by refugees, people who know, firsthand, what’s at stake. No one earns a salary. Every dollar goes to keeping the doors open.

We’re hoping to raise funds to cover a year’s rent and to provide supplies. The need is real, and the impact is immediate.

If you’re reading this from a place of comfort, with your rights and your children in school, I hope you’ll consider helping. Even a small donation can make a world of difference. Because behind every statistic is a story, a child, a dream, a future that’s still possible if we choose to care.

With love and gratitude,

Abdullah and Muhaddisa Sarwari.