DESIGNED BY REFUGEES,
FOR REFUGEES

Our Story

In 2013 we found ourselves in an indefinite limbo in Indonesia. Unable to work or study, there was no possibility of resettling in Indonesia. We had a lot of skilled and educated people within our community and we decided to do something for ourselves. Education was our first step to bring people together and we started the Cisarua Refugee Learning Centre (CRLC), the first refugee-led school in Indonesia.

The CRLC was more than a school; it was built on respect, friendship, sharing, and mutual support. It was designed by the whole community – from children to teachers and adults, from different religious and cultural backgrounds –  to meet our needs. We all worked together to create a safe space where everyone was welcome and encouraged. Education helped us to keep hope alive and for a refugee hope is the most important thing.

Many of our students are Hazaras from Afghanistan. Here we are raising our voice to protest the Taliban's brutal regime.

Many of our students are Hazaras from Afghanistan. Here we are raising our voice to protest the Taliban's brutal regime.

Our voice supports refugee advocacy efforts around the world.

Our voice supports refugee advocacy efforts around the world.

We educate students from early learning through to Adult literacy.

We educate students from early learning through to Adult literacy.

With the help of supporters around the world we raise money to support our schools.

With the help of supporters around the world we raise money to support our schools.

Women are the heart of our community.

Women are the heart of our community.

Cisarua Refugee Learning Centre (CRLC)

The Cisarua Refugee Learning Centre (CRLC) is our flagship program and the first refugee-led school in Indonesia. We provide all expenses and staff stipends, and are directly engaged with the management team. Learn more about the CRLC and our other initiatives

community-led

Many of the initiatives of Cisarua Learning and the CRLC are refugee-led with a support network that spans worldwide. As the CRLC is an incubator program where new ideas are tried and tested, many programs and experiences are then shared outwards as examples for more refugee-led schools in Indonesia and elsewhere to follow.

our Board Members

  • Muzafar Ali

    Former Hazara refugee from Afghanistan, Muzafar Ali was co-founder of the Cisarua Refugee Learning Centre and Cisarua Learning. He is a respected advocate for refugees and human rights.

  • Tahira Rezai

    Tahira started teaching the first day the Cisarua Refugee Learning Centre opened and became the first female manager. She was resettled to Canada in 2017 where she supports refugee resettlement.

  • Ali Mahdi Payam

    Ali Mehdi established the financial and bookkeeping structure for the CRLC. Resettled to Australia in 2023 he manages the finances across all the refugee-led initiatives.

  • Khalil Payeez

    Khalil was the manager of the CRLC between 2017-2019. Since resettling to Canada he coordinates our Canadian Resettlement program.

  • Dr. Farkhondeh Akbari

    Dr. Akbari is a former Hazara refugee from Afghanistan. She is a well known advocate for the rights of refugees, women and minority groups in Afghanistan.

  • Professor William Maley (AM)

    Professor Maley is a widely-published author and a renowned expert in refugee and Afghanistan issues.

  • Dr. Lucy Fiske

    Dr. Fiske is a Senior Lecturer at UTS who has worked for over 20 years in refugee and human rights areas.

  • Professor David Kinley

    Professor David Kinley is the Chair in Human Rights Law at the University of Sydney Law School.

  • Jolyon Hoff

    Filmmaker and Co-founder of Cisarua Learning. Jolyon has been working with the community in Cisarua for over 10 years.