Going beyond the classroom

Refugee rights advocate: Henry is passionate about is ensuring self-sufficiency among refugee children and youth. — AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star

REFUGEE rights advocate Deborah Henry is on a mission to empower refugees in Malaysia

Having co-founded the Fugee School in 2009, Henry and her colleagues at the school have been working for more than a decade to secure education and opportunities for displaced persons living in Malaysia.

“We need to get people to realise that we are stronger when we work together, that refugees can also contribute economically to this country, ” Henry tells Sunday Star at an interview on Monday.

The school currently has 200 students between four and 18 years old. In total, more than 500 refugee and stateless children have been educated via Fugee School. This is in addition to the youth programmes hosted by the Fugee Academy.

Two big challenges faced by refugees in Malaysia is that adults are barred from formal employment and children have limited access to education.

Holding a degree in Political Science and Economics from Australia’s University of Queensland, Henry now focuses on equal access to education and poverty eradication.

“To me, giving people fair, equal access and opportunity to reach their full potential is the most critical thing that you could do for someone because you’re putting them in a position where they can thrive, ” says the former beauty queen who represented Malaysia in the Miss World 2007 and Miss Universe 2011 pageants.

There are currently about 178,580 refugees and asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR (the United Nations Refugees agency) in Malaysia. About 45,960 of them are children.

The work to further empower refugees extends beyond the school for Henry. It also involves equipping individuals with the ability to be self-reliant. Two years ago, Fugee School set up its sister social enterprise venture, Fugeelah, run by refugee girls.

“Fugeelah is an accessories brand that specialises in making jewellery. Our goal is to tackle the challenges we face in a sustainable way, ” says Henry, who points out the pair of stylish pearl earrings that she is wearing – they are from Fugeelah.

Fugeelah currently employs five young refugee women between the ages of 18 and 19, and part of its profits are channelled back to the school.

With Fugeelah, the young women learn how to make jewellery, learn basic administration skills and inventory and finance management in addition to business skills like sales and marketing. They also run all of Fugeelah’s bazaars in the Klang Valley.

One of the things that Henry is most passionate about is ensuring self-sufficiency among these talented young women.

“Fugeelah helps to tackle the challenges of employment, skills training for youth and funding the education of refugees through Fugee School, ” says Henry.

“It’s a great initiative because they are getting hands-on business training and it is an income opportunity. And the bigger picture is being able to contribute to the sustainability of education for refugees in Malaysia, ” says Henry.

“If we can give people the opportunity to work, to contribute and be productive, you will see positive changes, ” she adds.

Henry is not a newcomer to activism – she has been involved in volunteering and social justice work since her teenage years. She is also a World Vision Child Protection Advocate and has travelled the globe with the Christian humanitarian organisation, working on the ground to raise awareness of the plight of those in need.

It was while carrying out one particular project in 2008 that Henry found her calling.

The turning point happened when Henry was a host in a documentary by the UNHCR that interviewed four refugee families about their lives and their experiences. It was Henry’s first introduction to refugees in Malaysia.

Seeing how difficult it was for young refugees then to access something as basic as education, Henry decided to take immediate action.

“My university friend and I volunteered to teach English and Mathematics to the family of four for the rest of 2008.

“And then in May 2009, we partnered with one of the community members to open a little school called Fugee School, ” she says.

“When you can respect each other and understand that everyone has untapped potential, it changes how we interact with each other and I believe it can be a win-win for all, ” she says.