For many refugees in Malaysia, the journey of survival is intertwined with the search for belonging, education, and purpose. For Mohammed Ayas, a 22-year-old Rohingya refugee from Myanmar, that journey led him to The Blue Ribbon (TBR), a grassroots initiative blending permaculture, peacebuilding, and community empowerment.
Ayas arrived in Malaysia as a child, separated from his parents and navigating years of study, bullying, and uncertainty. He longed to learn English and dreamed of higher education. During the pandemic, he joined an online course led by Norani, founder of TBR. What began as a shy step into virtual learning soon opened doors to climate action programs, permaculture training, and an internship. Today, Ayas is a full-time TBR staff member, supporting volunteers, bookkeeping, and tending the garden.
Permaculture, he explains, has been transformative. “In Myanmar, people farmed with chemicals. Here I learned new concepts, like mulching and observing nature. I realised permaculture is not just about growing food, it is a way of life. It’s about sharing with neighbours, caring for the community, and respecting nature.” Practical lessons, such as building drainage to prevent erosion during floods, have helped him reconnect with the land in healthier ways. “By doing, I really learn. The garden teaches me.”
His dreams now stretch toward finishing high school, pursuing university, and one day studying engineering or business. But above all, Ayas wants to weave his education with the values he has discovered in permaculture: ethics of care, cooperation, and abundance.
For Norani, TBR, is the fruit of years of work in education, intercultural dialogue, and ecological regeneration. Based in Kuala Lumpur, she and her team cultivate a garden filled with more than 300 species of plants.
TBR began as a way to support refugee learning centers with peace education and later evolved into deeper permaculture training. Today, it connects refugees, Indigenous people, companies, and universities in a shared landscape of learning. From reforestation projects with the Temuan people, one of Malaysia’s Indigenous groups, to corporate social responsibility programs where staff volunteer in the garden, TBR demonstrates how ecological work can nurture social cohesion.
The benefits extend beyond food. Refugees often face isolation, stress, and depression. The garden provides a space of healing and dignity. “For young refugees, it is a way to connect with their homeland,” says Norani. “They see plants that remind them of where they come from. And they learn skills in English, in gardening, in teamwork, that help them navigate their lives here.”
The work is not without challenges. Refugees in Malaysia lack legal recognition, often struggling to earn livelihoods and support their families. “We sometimes assume what they need,” Norani reflects. “But we must listen, be patient, and let programs evolve with them. It’s about touching each other’s humanity.”
As Ayas and his peers nurture the soil, they are also cultivating resilience, skills, and a sense of belonging. For Norani, this is the heart of The Blue Ribbon’s mission – fostering harmony between people and planet, and reminding us that even in displacement, gardens can root us in purpose and possibility.
This article is written by Trudy Juriansz from an interview with Norani Abu Baker and Ayas Sayed, The Blue Ribbon.