My name is Shahida Win. I was born in Irrawaddy, to a Rohingya father and a Myanmar Muslim mother from the Bamar ethnicity. In 1996, my father, who was originally from Maungdaw township, was deported by the Burmese government to southern Maungdaw, Rakhine state, solely because he was a Rohingya.
A few years later, we joined my father and settled in Maungdaw. After finishing primary and middle school in my village, I attended high school nearby where I encountered kind and helpful teachers who taught me valuable life lessons. I graduated in 2012 but was unable to pursue further studies as my family had no income. To support them, I started working as a doctor's interpreter at MSF. Later, in 2015, I took a secret job as a journalist, documenting incidents faced by our community. It was a perilous undertaking, but it was my first opportunity to contribute to my community by bringing awareness to our struggles.
Following the events of August 25, 2017, my family and I were forced to flee to Bangladesh. This was the beginning of my refugee life. I now reside in Balukhali refugee camp in Cox's Bazar.
My hopes for my family
A father is like the main pillar of a house. My father, a respected religious scholar, passed away in 2020. In the absence of his unwavering support, we have felt vulnerable. My brother, once a volunteer at a humanitarian organization, lost his position due to funding shortages. Unemployed and unable to contribute to his family's well-being, he feels desperate for a solution. He contemplates following in the footsteps of other Rohingya youth who embarked on dangerous journeys to Malaysia to find opportunities. The stress has affected his mental health, and I fear the loss of his once positive and hopeful spirit.
I dream of seeing my younger sister, Omal Khair, graduate from university and become a role model for young girls in our community. I have watched her apply her photography skills to raise awareness of Rohingya issues, as a media fellow for Fortify Rights. She is talented and passionate, and loves learning. I do not want her to become another marginalized woman, deprived of the education she rightfully deserves. I refuse to see her forced into early marriage or a life of limited opportunities. I envision her flourishing, inspiring others, and bringing pride to our community.
The challenges faced by my family and my community weigh heavily on my mind. As I try to navigate a way forward, I am determined to honor my father's legacy. Like my father, I strive to be a voice for change. I miss him dearly, particularly when I encounter discrimination, face adversity, or hear hurtful words. Every morning, as I make my way to the centre where I work, I pass the cemetery where he rests. In those moments, I can almost feel his presence, as if he were urging me onward and praying fervently for our return to Myanmar — a dream he cherished deeply.
My poetry serves as the voice of the women in my community
In our society, females face significant discrimination: domestic violence, dowry, denial of equal access to education… As an NGO volunteer, I used to listen to the stories of women and girls who suffered from discrimination and mistreatment, and was inspired to write a poem about their resilience and courage.
My first poem, titled ‘Thami Maha' (Daughter the Great) was published on The Art Garden of Rohingya in 2019. It aimed to express the genuine voice of Rohingya women, one that needed to be heard, and emphasized the importance of gender equality. The response was overwhelming, and many people encouraged me to continue writing. I began dedicating my free time to poetry.
Empowering community through my photography
In addition to writing, I express myself through photography. Through my lens, I strive to authentically portray my people. As one of the few female photographers in my community, I take pride in representing the voice of Rohingya women. Sometimes, they question the purpose of capturing their images, and I explain that, to me, it is essential to document our lives, and that we can advocate for our rights, dignity and dreams through sharing our stories.
As a female photographer and storyteller, I am lucky to be encouraged by my family, friends, and colleagues. They motivate me to prove that Rohingya women are more than just vulnerable; we are talented, creative, and deserve to represent our community.
Marking World Refugee Day
When my photography and social activism make even a single person aware of the Rohingya crisis, it brings me great joy. My work has been featured in Rohingyatographer Magazine, a publication created by a collective of Rohingya photographers in the Cox's Bazar camps, and can be seen at the exhibition ‘Life Through Rohingya Eyes' now on display at the Liberation War Museum.
I hope you will visit this exhibition, which marks World Refugee Day, an occasion intended to celebrate the courage and resilience of people forced to flee their homes due to war, persecution, violence, and human rights abuses. The photos give insights into the resilience and strength of the Rohingya people, and our daily life in the camp as we face many challenges. The recent reduction in food rations has further exacerbated our struggles. But, despite the obstacles we face, we persevere with unwavering determination. Not losing hope. Not giving up on our dreams.
I constantly challenge myself to become stronger and make more significant contributions to my community. I urge people around the world to stand in solidarity with us and ensure that we are not ignored or left behind.
Shahida Win is a Rohingya poet, photographer and social activist. She has represented her community as a youth leader at the UN headquarters in Geneva in 2020, and as a poet at the Dhaka Lit Fest in 2023. She is a member of Omar Film School, contributes to Rohingyatographer Magazine, and volunteers at the Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre, where she works to preserve Rohingya traditions, culture, and history for future generations.
‘Life Through Rohingya Eyes,' an exhibition of Rohingya refugee photography, runs 20 June -- 10 July at the Liberation War Museum. It is presented by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and Rohingyatographer Magazine, in collaboration with the Liberation War Museum of Bangladesh.