Muhaddisa Sarwari

Muhaddisa Sarwari

UBC, Refugee & Education Activist | Loran scholar 2023 | TEDx Speaker

Muhaddisa Sarwari is an activist and public speaker for refugee rights and women’s education studying Political Science at the University of British Columbia. Before arriving in Canada four years ago, Muhaddisa lived as a stateless refugee in Indonesia for five years, with no access to formal education. Having arrived in Canada, Muhaddisa’s sheer determination and perseverance has led her in becoming a high-achieving and remarkable member of her community. Muhaddisa is a 2023 recipient of the $100,000 Loran award, which is Canada’s largest undergraduate merit-based award on the basis of character, commitment to service and leadership potential. In January 2023, Muhaddisa delivered a moving talk at TEDxSurrey titled “What It Takes To Be a Refugee” highlighting the resilience and hopes of refugees. She is the VP of Operations at the nonprofit organization Youth of Canada, and the Fundraising Coordinator for the UBC Mental Health Network.