On Langkawi island, educator Arafat Mohammad teaches Rohingya refugee children to overcome their fear of the sea, a symbol of their traumatic past. Many of these children fled violence in Myanmar, where their families faced severe persecution. Arafat shares his own harrowing experiences with the military and the humanitarian work he engaged in before seeking refuge in Malaysia. His mission is to transform the perception of the beach from a site of death into a safe space for joy and learning, helping the children to heal and reclaim their childhood.
Arafat Mohammad elaborates on the trauma experienced by his students, stating, 'The sea is where their relatives died during their boat journeys. So the children have trauma.'
He emphasizes the significance of changing the children's perception of the beach: 'I am trying to show them the beach is where they can play, and the sea is not only a place of death.'
Reflecting on his own past, Arafat shared, 'People were so frightened. In front of our eyes, babies were killed. Women were raped.'
Arafat's story illustrates the struggle of Rohingya refugees, as he mentioned, 'I was targeted by the military...they took everything, even my books.'
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