At just 16 years old, Shahida Khatun embodies the resilience of the human spirit. Forced to flee Myanmar due to military persecution, she arrived in Bangladesh with nothing but hope and determination.
Today, Shahida spends her mornings at ESDR Learning Center mastering both Rohingya and English languages. “Learning English feels like unlocking doors to the future,” she says with quiet confidence. “Every new word is a tool I can use to build a better life.”
In the afternoons, she transitions to tailoring training, where her steady hands and attention to detail shine. “When I sew, I’m not just making clothes,” she reflects. “I’m weaving together pieces of my future. Each stitch is a promise that I won’t let circumstances define my destiny.”
Shahida dreams of opening her own tailoring shop and becoming fluent enough in English to advocate for refugee rights. Her instructors describe her as exceptionally motivated, always first to arrive and last to leave, helping younger students along the way.
“I want to show the world that we are not just survivors—we are dreamers, creators, and contributors,” Shahida declares. At 16, she’s already changing the world, one stitch and one word at a time.
