“My father said, displacement should not stop your education! start learning informally, one day the opportunity will come.”-Ayas, a Forcefully Displaced Myanmar National.  

The mass atrocities of 2017, when the Myanmar military unleashed a campaign of violence against the Rohingya minority in Rakhine State, forced nearly one million people to flee across the border into Bangladesh. Among them was a teenage boy, Mohammad Ayas, who arrived in Cox’s Bazar’s refugee camps with his family, carrying with him shattered dreams and unhealed memories. 

At the time, Ayas was 15 and preparing to complete his 10th grade in Rakhine. But it all ended when violence erupted in Rakhine and Ayas embarked on a journey of survival to Bangladesh. Ayas, his parents, and siblings travelled for 12 perilous days to reach to the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh on Sept 6, 2017.  On his way, Ayas witnessed violence that no 15-year-old should see – he shakes up to this day when reminded. 

Soon after arriving in Bangladesh, survival quickly became the family’s foremost priority. Reflecting on those early months, Ayas recalls: “In 2017, I saw many aid agencies come to support us. But often, we couldn’t express our needs because of the language barrier. If we were educated enough to speak directly with them, so many things would have been easier.”

Yet Ayas was determined not to let displacement end his education. A year later, he was able to reconnect with his former teachers who had also sought refuge in the camps in Bangladesh. Within no time, Ayas joined small private study sessions, continuing his learning informally for six to seven months. Soon after, he discovered the power of online learning - through social media and YouTube, Ayas began teaching himself English, and by 2022 he had completed numerous free online courses. For paid ones, he contacted providers directly, explained his vulnerable situation, and secured access.

From 2022 to 2025, Ayas tirelessly searched for opportunities in formal higher education. His persistence paid off in April 2025, when he discovered the University of the People (UoPeople), a tuition-free, accredited online institution. With support from the university, he began studying business administration. He received a scholarship of USD 2,250 and he began his official higher education in July 2025. He now devotes three to four hours daily to his studies.

But Ayas’s ambitions extend beyond personal success. In the camp, he co-founded the “Rohingya Inspiration Network”, an organization of more than 100 members that organizes awareness activities for the community. He also runs a small informal education center called “Education Plant”, where he teaches young children. In addition, Ayas is also a WASH volunteer with CARE Bangladesh, working daily from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. His days are filled with study, service, and leadership - actions committed to his personal growth and his community’s. 

When asked about future, Ayas shared, “One day we will return to Myanmar with full dignity, and I am preparing myself for that day. I want to work for my Rohingya people as a government service holder.”

From a boy whose education was interrupted to a young man pursuing higher studies while leading his community, Mohammad Ayas embodies resilience, determination, and hope - a testament to the Rohingya community’s unyielding spirit.