People who have been forced to leave their home countries and seek asylum deserve the chance to take charge of their own lives, their own dreams. The reality that many are denied the right to do so has long frustrated Suzanne Ling from Malaysia — so she acted. In 2016, she co-founded PichaEats, a social enterprise that empowers refugees to earn stable income as food entrepreneurs.
Malaysia, home to some registered 192,800 refugees and asylum-seekers as of end March 2025, is not party to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol. There are neither legislative nor administrative framework to address refugee issues. Thus, when Ling sought a better understanding of displacement, identity, and economic resilience, she had to look beyond her country’s borders.
That would lead Ling to apply and win a Chevening Scholarship to SOAS University of London — the only institution in Europe to emphasise de-colonialism, and the voices of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
Meanwhile, in Tanzania, another Chevening scholar would mirror Ling’s journey. Daniel Anthony Haule attended the University of Dar es Salaam, earned himself a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and a master’s in intellectual property a couple years after.
After serving as a parliament member in the South African Youth Forum in 2023, and receiving the Humanitarian of Africa Award last year, he too won a Chevening Scholarship to SOAS.
London’s rich culture gives way to exploration. Haule visited many libraries, development talks and events, gallery exhibitions, and more. Source: SOAS University of London
A cosmopolitan experience in central London
Haule pursued the MSc Global Development programme, ranked third in the world for development studies (QS World University Rankings 2024). At Russell Square, London, he dove into the transformations of society, economics, politics, and culture throughout the Global South and how they shape power and inequality today. “It shapes my understanding of the global civil society and aid sector as well as how international organisations work and fund development programmes in least developed countries,” Haule says.
These were not classes as he knew them. They were diverse in representation, and even more so in views. It was a first for him.
“From my classes and beyond, SOAS has immersed me in a truly global environment,” Haule says. “From lectures to tutorials, the teachers are doing a great job in explaining while using case studies to make sure that we understand the topic.”
The SOAS community is as cosmopolitan as the capital city it’s in. Haule’s professors come from all backgrounds, bringing insights that invigorate debates and discussions during tutorial sessions. This is when around 15 students exchange their views on topics across the Global North and South with evidence from extensive readings or case studies – one of Haule’s favourite moments at SOAS.
Life in London is just as mind- and horizon-broadening for the Tanzanian. “The university tries its best in all newsletters to share what’s happening in the city that is directly linked to your course for you to take the chance of participating and increasing your knowledge outside the classroom,” he says.
SOAS’s diverse, open-minded class groups allows Ling to engage with the topics of migration, identity, and policy more deeply and critically. Source: SOAS University of London
Diving into real-world contexts
Coming from a hot and humid country, London’s four-season beauty was a sight to behold. Ling took strolls along River Thames, discovered rows and rows of museums, bakeries, libraries, theatres, markets, and parks. These moments of serenity juxtaposed with the buzzing energy of London have been uplifting for Ling, even as she ponders how to improve the grave realities of refugees.
“By leveraging the insights and networks I have developed during my UK studies, I will work toward influencing positive changes in the legal and social rights of refugees,” says the MSc Migration and Diaspora Studies student.
This programme centres the voices of migrants, activists, practitioners, and artists — those who understand it best — allowing students to engage in critical conversations about the politics of migration and diaspora today. Having built a strong network of experts, researchers, and organisations all dedicated to migrant issues, Ling’s able to apply her new knowledge to her decade-long career.
“SOAS truly lives up to its global outlook,” she says. From the lived histories of her peers, she’s learnt “about the Baluch of East Africa, the Chōsen-seki — stateless Koreans in Japan, the Annexation of Hyderabad, and more.”
From start to end, Ling’s SOAS experience was rich with real-world content. She attended lectures on anthropology in sustainability by Dr. Alice Rudge, each one closing like a thought-provoking TED talk. Research was required for her courses, so she took the opportunity to explore topics like Malaysia’s refugee policies from a political and anthropological standpoint. She serves as a student creator for SOAS and got to participate in the social entrepreneurship programme as a speaker and mentor.
“This has been a space not just to learn, but to reflect on my own work with refugee communities in Malaysia,” Ling says. “it’s an experience that has expanded my understanding in ways I never expected.”
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