By: Ro Maung Shwe
In the bustling campus of Columban College in the Philippines, Liakat Ali Roshid sits quietly in a library corner, flipping through a social work textbook. To most, he looks like any other student—focused, determined, hopeful. But behind those calm eyes lies a journey that began far from any classroom, in a place where survival, not education, was the daily goal.
A Childhood in a Fragile Land
Liakat was born in Chin Kha Li village in Rathedaung Township, Arakan State, Myanmar. His early years were framed by political instability and the long shadow of ethnic tension.
“My childhood was relatively peaceful, but not truly happy,” he reflects. “Education was my way to fight back against injustice. The lack of it is what kept our community oppressed.”
That belief would define the course of his life—especially after 2017, when the Myanmar military’s genocidal campaign tore apart his world.
Fleeing the Flames
The night the soldiers came, his village became a sea of fire. Men and women were beaten, assaulted, and murdered.
“I escaped with only the clothes on my back,” he recalls. “We tried hiding in nearby villages, but each one was burned to the ground. Eventually, we ran into the mountains. We stayed there for nearly two weeks—no shelter, no food, no clean water.”
Crossing into Bangladesh was a last resort, and it came with a price: 10,000 taka per person to pass the border. “We didn’t have it, but somehow we managed,” he says. At first, he believed they’d return home in months. “It’s been more than eight years,” he says softly, “and I’m still in a refugee camp.”
Chasing Education in the Camp
Refugee life brought safety but stripped away opportunity. “There was no formal higher education,” he explains. Yet he refused to let his dream die. He completed his matriculation through community-based schools like Mayyu Light and New Moon.
Balancing studies with work to support his family was exhausting. But encouragement from his father kept him going. “He was my greatest source of inspiration,” Liakat says. “He reminded me that education was my way forward.”
A Door Opens
In 2022, Liakat applied for the RhEAP program under the Open Society University Network (OSUN) in collaboration with BRAC University. It was an 18-month academic preparation course—and a turning point in his life.
The selection process was grueling: multiple interviews, paperwork, and the challenge of achieving his target score in the Academic IELTS exam within just one month. “By the will of Allah, I succeeded,” he says.
He graduated from the program in 2024, earning a scholarship for further studies abroad.
A New Life in the Philippines
Arriving in the Philippines was like stepping into another world. “People welcomed me warmly, without judgment. I felt free—truly free,” he says. Adjusting to the language and environment had its challenges, but discrimination was absent.
Now studying for a Bachelor of Science in Social Work, Liakat has found his calling. “I want to be the voice of the voiceless, an advocate for refugees and victims around the world,” he says. “Social work is not just a career for me—it’s a mission.”
Carrying the Hope of a People
Liakat dreams of contributing to global human development and giving back to his own community. “I carry with me the hope of my people,” he says. “My pen is my weapon, my words are my bullets, and my target is equality, peace, and freedom.”
To refugee students, his message is unwavering:
“Never give up. Being a refugee does not mean you are weak or less capable. Keep working hard, keep learning, and trust in Allah. If my dream can come true, so can yours.”
To the Rohingya community, he offers both solidarity and encouragement:
“We have many talented students who deserve education. Please, never stop learning. Your time will come.”
A Story Beyond One Life
Liakat Ali Roshid’s journey is a testament to resilience, faith, and the transformative power of education. He has walked from the ashes of genocide to the open gates of a university campus. And with each step, he carries not only his own dreams but the unspoken hopes of an entire community—proof that even in exile, the pursuit of knowledge can be an act of defiance, dignity, and liberation.
