However, the new beginning is not the fresh chapter you envisioned. There is no formal access to employment. Your children cannot attend public schools. Healthcare is costly. Even renting a home can mean encountering wary landlords and closed doors.
It is a life lived among others, yet somehow on the margins. These are among the realities faced by refugees in Malaysia.
For Sana Elwen, who fled persecution in Lahore, Pakistan and arrived in Malaysia in 2014, the early years were filled with uncertainty.
But things began to change when she was introduced to PichaEats, an organisation that provides refugees here with a platform to offer their cuisine to others, while earning an income to support their families.
Partnering with chefs from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Palestine and more, PichaEats brings the world to your plate – whether for a special celebration, a corporate event or iftar gatherings.
Sana, for instance, cooks Pakistani dishes such as nihari – a slow-cooked beef stew infused with spices – along with fragrant biryani and creamy kurma, using recipes passed down from her mother. Along the way, she has also learnt to cook Malaysian favourites like ayam masak merah and mee hoon goreng.
For Sana, the experience goes beyond cooking. “Now, I can earn some money and help my family with rent, food and more,” Sana, 36, told FMT Lifestyle.
Through PichaEats, she has found more than just a way to put food on her own table. She has discovered a safe space where refugees are not defined by their status, but by their skills and strengths. And that shift can be life-changing.
“When life hits you so badly – financially, in terms of health and safety and especially for parents who feel they have failed their kids and are not able to give them a future – I think that hits your confidence very hard,” said Kim Lim, co-founder of PichaEats.
But at PichaEats, these very people are seen and supported.
Lim co-founded PichaEats with two others – Suzanne Ling and Lee Swee Lin – in 2016. All three were in their 20s then, united by a shared determination to make a difference in the lives of refugees in Malaysia.
“We were volunteering at refugee learning centres and realised that children were dropping out because they had to find odd jobs to help their families. We wanted to curb this challenge,” recalled Lim, 36.
“But eventually, we realised the core problem was the adults not being able to earn an income. So, we decided to tackle the root cause instead. We realised that if they could cook, then why not become the bridge between the food they prepare and the customers?” added Lim.
Beyond refugees, PichaEats also empowers the stateless in Malaysia, providing internship opportunities that equip them with skills and practical experience.
Among them is 20-year-old kitchen apprentice Laila Zain. Born in Malaysia but still without citizenship, Laila has grown up navigating the uncertainty that comes with being stateless.
“When I joined PichaEats, I didn’t have confidence at all. My communication was bad because I’m a person who gets shy very easily,” recalled Laila.
Over time, that began to change. “The team is very patient with people who are not good at something. They will teach you until you get it. And that’s what I like about PichatEats – the people and the culture,” added Laila.
That sense of belonging is something Sana treasures too, especially when homesickness creeps in. “The PichaEats team is like a family,” said Sana with a smile.
Indeed, in a country where it is easy to feel invisible when you’re on the margins, PichaEats offers something deeply human: a connection. It is found in patient guidance and in the simple act of showing up for one another.
And in those everyday moments, what begins as a simple order becomes something far more powerful – a reminder that no matter one’s circumstances, no one has to move forward alone.
Planning a celebration, corporate event or iftar gathering? Make your event more meaningful by exploring PichaEats and placing your orders here. For more information, contact 018-289 4353.