'Surprised by their curiosity': Refugee group helps migrant women learn English

Hundreds of refugee women from Malaysia and Indonesia, some of them in their late 50s, are being taught how to read and write. The initiative has been taken by a small refugee group started by two law students to empower woman and make them capable of integrating into the society and being more than just passive wives, AP reported. The group currently organizes weekly classes for the migrant woman just outside the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.

It all started after 23 year old Arissa Jemaima Ikram Ismail, who was a volunteer with a relief agency, was requested help from a refugee leader to uplift women in his community. Ismail, then teamed up with fellow law student Davina Devarajan and met some of the woman who wanted to learn English and Malay languages. “For most refugee women, education is often viewed as a low priority”, Ismail told AP adding that she was surprised by their curiosity.

Image: AP

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Women for Refugees

The duo then formed Women for Refugees and started recruiting teachers via Instagram. After two months of  hardwork and persistence, they now have about 20 volunteers, giving weekly two-hour literacy classes in English and Malay in a rundown two-story block that houses some 50 families.

Initially, the woman used to bring their children along causing distractions. Catering to the same, the group later started separate classes for the children, making it easier for their mothers to learn. According to AP, the classes are free and available to all migrant women.

Image: AP

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However, after the Malay government increased restrictions put in place in Kuala Lumpur and surrounding areas  in October to curb a fresh surge in coronavirus cases, the classes were forced to close. The restrictions have been expanded to most of the country forcing the refugee center to shut down till the end of the year.

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