Rahmatullah

My name is Rahmatullah Bayani, and I am originally from Afghanistan.

In 2015, I came to Indonesia in search of safety and a better future. I would spend the next ten years there.

Ten years is a long time to live with uncertainty. There were many days of waiting, without knowing when my life might move forward or where I would eventually call home. Living in that uncertainty could easily make you lose your sense of purpose.

For me, things began to change when I found Refugee Learning Nest.

Finding a place to belong

I started volunteering with Refugee Learning Nest in 2016.

What began as a small step became one of the most meaningful journeys of my life. I discovered a passion for education, community building and teamwork, and I found people who shared my desire to create something positive for our community.

Refugee Learning Nest became much more than a learning centre.

It became a home filled with laughter, learning and hope.

For almost nine years, I volunteered there. I watched the centre grow and saw how much it could mean to people who, like me, were living through long periods of uncertainty.

I also grew alongside it.

I learned how to work with others, take responsibility, mentor people and lead. I began to understand that even while waiting for my own future to be decided, I could still contribute to the lives of others.

Learning to believe in myself

Same Skies was part of that journey too.

What meant the most to me was not simply the opportunities they provided, but the trust they placed in us. They worked alongside us and gave us the confidence to shape our own community.

That trust helped me grow—not only as a leader and mentor, but as a person.

A new chapter

In 2025, after ten years in Indonesia, I was finally resettled in Canada.

Leaving Indonesia was exciting, but also emotional. I was leaving behind people, friendships, experiences and a community that had shaped a huge part of my life.

I also carried something with me: everything I had learned.

My years in Indonesia had been filled with waiting and uncertainty, but they had also given me purpose, friendships, skills and memories that I will always carry with me.

I don't think of those ten years simply as time that passed while I was waiting for my life to begin.

They were part of my life.

And Refugee Learning Nest was a big part of making those years meaningful.

I am grateful for everyone who believed in me along the way, and for the people who reminded me that even when we don't know what the future holds, we can still create something meaningful together.