“For us, studying means continuing the fight for our rights to life and freedom, and the quest to maintain our identity,” says Laura, a graduate of the Ecotourism programme.

Laura is a member of the Waorani Indigenous community and lives in Dikaro, a village in Yasuní National Park (Ecuadorian Amazon) – one of the most biologicall diverse places on Earth. She and fellow young women in Dikaro are working to maintain and raise awareness of their culture and traditions, as well as as defend their rights and environment. Laura has been elected as one of the Community Leaders.

“If you could maybe rewind time  back maybe a decade ago, or maybe two decades ago, access to higher education was almost impossible for many refugees,” says Isaac, a BA in Sustainable Development graduate in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya. “But JWL came in with a blended learning system where refugees could study higher education within the camp – and that has been the biggest change.”

Through these studies, Isaac gained knowledge, grew confident about his potential,  connected with a global network of learners and menotrs, and developed a sense of responsibility. He activitely advocates for refugee access to quality education through a range of initiatives and is currently undertaking an MSc in Human Rights and Humanitarian Action at Sciences Po, Paris.

“Because of our geographical area and our situation and political issues, we as Kurdish people have rarely experienced lasting peace. So I was really interested in knowing what is making peace,” shared Lana, a Peace Leader graduate in Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

In Sulaymaniyah, opportunities to study peace and conflict academically are limited. Through the Peace Leader programme, Lana came to realisations which changed how she perceives conflict and gained insights which influenced both her personal and professional life. Lana is now a Peace Leader programme Onsite Facilitator, and involved in a number of peace initiatives and peace-building projects.

“Our community has a strong foundation for peacebuilding. So we as peacebuilders should not try to bring a non-native model to impose on our community,” says Esmatullah. “Rather, we should help our society to indentify those native peacebuilding potentials, and we invest in them and nurture them in order to build a durable peace.”

Esmatulah currently works in finance at Cornell University, and is passionate about promoting artificial intelligence literacy among students at the margins. Back in Afghanistan, Esma worked on local peacebuilding, and completed the Peace Leader programme.

The Peace Leader programme experience led to the development of a strong sense of commitment to contribute to JWL’s mission. Esmatullah is building an artificial intelligence foundation course for JWL’s newly-established AI certification programme.

“To me, sustainable development is about making better choices, not wasting things, and being able to help each other whenever you can.”

A proud descendant of the Macushi tribe, Monica lives St Ignatius, Guyana. She decided to enrol in the BA in Sustainable development to better understand the topics and take action. “It gave me knowledge and confidence and now I’m able to share what I know.”

Monica works with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security as a survivor’s advocate for domestic violence, where she helps and assists victims of domestic violence.

“I wanted more than a qualification. I wanted education that would help me to understand the world and also to contribute meaningfully to my community,” said Desire, a Diploma in Liberal Studies graduate in Dzaleka Refugee Camp, Malawi. “Like many other refugees, I found myself in a situation where potential exists but access did not. The Diploma in Liberal represented an opportunity to change that reality.”

For Desire, the most important lesson learned during these studies was that education is not just about gaining knowledge. It is also serves to develop wisom, empathy, and to contribute positively to society.

Desire pursued his higher education journey as is currently undertaking a doctorate in of education at the University of Nairobi. At the same time, Desire he supports learners as Academic Manager at JWL in Dzaleka.

“Yes, life is full of darkness and difficulties, but education is the light that can transform the world,” says Kyaw Htet, a Learning Facilitator graduate in Taunggyi, Myanmar. “If you love your community, change it through education. Learn to lead and learn to serve.”

As Kyaw Htet progressed on his journey as a learning facilitator, he realised that he needed to develop his skills in order to be more effective – and so he enrolled in the Learning Facilitator programme. This experience helped him uncover his talent, grow in confidence, and connected him with a global community of learners. It gave him energy and reminded him that “education challenges are global, but determination is universal.”

“I grew up in a community where girls’ education was not highly valued but I would hold my books even more proudly and continue studying,” said Masuma, a graduate of the BA in Sustainable Development. “It was a way of showing that I would not allow other people’s opinions to decide about my future.”

Masuma, originally from Afghanistan, never gave up on her education. She chose to learn at JWL, as it made learning accessible for her and programmes were offered through respected universities. When Masuma and her family moved to Kenya, she found that her studies had prepared her for the transition to a completely different environment and culture. to  She is currently undertaking a master’s degree at University College in Nairobi.

“When I started, I was simply a student. Today, I’m a graduate, educator and an onsite faciltator supporting other learners,” says Anitta, a BA in Sustainable graduate from Mannar, Sri Lanka.

Her quest for higher education wasn’t easy, as such opportunities are limited in Mannar – until she heard about JWL. Through her studies, she learned that education is a lifelong journey, how it changes the way we think and respond to challenges that surround us, and discoverered ways in which she could support her community in meaningful ways.

It also provided her with the opportunity to meet and learn with students from different communities in Sri Lanka and around the world.

Overall, the experience motivated her to become an onsite facilitator. “I know how meaningful it is when someone encourages you, supports you when you struggle, and reminds you not to give up. So now, I want to be that person for someone else.”

“Being a girl doesn’t limit you in accessing higher opportunities or other opportunities,” says Nilwa, a BA in Sustainable Development graduate in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya. "As a girl, you need to be committted and you need to work on your vision and goal you set, in order to become a successful person in your future.”

Nilwa once believed that she wouldn’t be able to access higher education and that she was meant to stay at home to take care of household chores. JWL provided the opportunity to realise her dream of accessing higher education and fufil her potential.

During her studies, Nilwa co-founded an initiative to address malnutrition in the community, and is actively engaged in initiatives to encourage youth – especially young women – to pursue higher education and connect them with opportunities to do so.