How must it feel if home is not somewhere you feel safe, comfortable to laugh and chat freely with others?
When your children are refused an education based on their gender, or mistreated because of their faith?
When jobs are denied, leaving you and your family to survive with what money you can scrape together?
With police and military swooping into the house at any time, checking for anything. Sometimes just to let you know they are there, watching. People are taken away. No questions or process. Phones are tapped, your movements are monitored, everyone watches everyone.
No passport or other identity documents. These are usually denied when you are deemed to be of the wrong faith, ethnicity, sexuality, or too loud for the comfort of the government. So, with hope in your heart, you flee – but you have no identity, and often no possibility of ever returning home.
These are some of the details of the stories my refugee and asylum seeker students have told me. Those who have felt they could share. Many have been silent.
I recall a particular student who was always quiet. However, one day she burst into a fit of rage and then crumpled onto the floor at my feet sobbing so hard she was gasping for air. Sobs which would not stop. Somehow news had gotten to her that she would never see her mother and sister again.
She was taking part in an English language course. From that day, we worked on her survival, and regaining trust in humanity. Grammar rules and vocabulary lists were set aside. We did this until one day she did not return anymore.
She was one of many refugees and asylum seekers I used to teach in my early career days. In fact, they were my teachers. They revealed to me things about the world I wish I did not know. They also taught me the power of hope. I share these learnings with you, dear reader.
As Bwe Thay, a former refugee from Burma said, hope is all that remains for refugees to hang on to.
Bwe Thay is the Deputy Chairperson at the Victorian Multicultural Commission. He is a passionate advocate for refugees as is the Chair, Vivienne Nguyen, whose own family fled Vietnam in perilous circumstances.
They epitomise the strength of character, community spirit and power of hope that refugees and asylum seekers bring with them to their new countries. They also offer refugees and asylum seekers a chance to live and connect with the community in a way that was not possible at home.
On June 20, International Refugee Day, the VMC hosted the Victorian Refugee Awards. The Awards celebrated the achievements of many who may have come as refugees but are truly remarkable in their contributions to their new country.
Jacob Thang took out the Leadership Award. He fled Myanmar’s Chin State and made it to Melbourne where he has turned a small gardening business into a thriving commercial landscaping company called AusChin. Further, he is the founder of Chin-Myanmar Community Care which provides support for the community.
The Afghan Women’s Organisation Victoria (AWOV) received the Business Award for their work in empowering Afghan women and girls through a range of programs.
Thuy Vinh Bui fled Vietnam, and, despite her own hardships, she has drawn on her experience to help hundreds of refugees over many years. This earnt Thuy the Achievement Award.
The Hon Colin Brooks (right), Bwe Thay the Deputy Chairperson of the VMC (left) with Thuy Vinh Bui, Winner of the Achievement Award
Athraa Yousif received the Young Leader Award. Athraa is a refugee mental health advocate and works as a Peer Career Advisor at Victoria University. She fled Iraq at a very young age and is now focussed on policy change to improve support in mental health for refugees.
Fittingly, the event took place at the Immigration Museum where the nominees, friends, families, and many in the multicultural community gathered to acknowledge extraordinary achievements.
Bwe Thay explains:
These awards allow Victorians and the VMC to show our appreciation for the efforts and achievements of people with a refugee and asylum seeker background. We thank them for sharing their culture, their innovations and their stories and note their enormous contribution to Victoria's rich cultural and social fabric.
The Hon. Colin Brooks, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, whose nonno migrated from Italy and understands the importance of not severing family and cultural links, provided a thought-provoking presentation. He invited guests to consider “the true value of freedom, what it means to explore passions, aspire to lead, to dream and to be able to excel without imposed constraints.” These are things denied to refugees and asylum seekers.
Wayne Farnham MP, Parliamentary Secretary was also in attendance representing John Pesutto MP. He spoke about the important contribution refugees make to the Victorian community.
Just recently there was news of another boat packed with hopeful refugees which sank in the Mediterranean Sea. These occurrences are not uncommon. This time the body count is shocking. Yet, in Europe, and across our own territories closer to home, refugees and asylum seekers, sometimes called “the undocumented”, continue to gather what little possessions they can and take their chances in the name of hope. The little Italian island of Lampedusa has become synonymous with the desperation of those who flee persecution.
Some make it to a host country. They are the fortunate ones who do find their way, often after many years of languishing in poor conditions in refugee camps. Finally, somehow, they find that one morning they can wake up and they don’t need to be on high alert in case someone knocks on the door. They can get clean water from a tap and walk around without being followed.
Creating a new life is not easy. Learning a new language, new systems, processes, ways of doing things. It is all exciting as well as overwhelming. Many will deal with their trauma behind locked doors.
This week, being International Refugee Week, provides an opportunity to reflect on the power of hope. The hope that drives many to trust that the world away from their home country might offer something better. The hope that they will be treated fairly and that they too can share in basic human rights offered to others. Somewhere they can live in peace, nurture their children and watch over their grandchildren without fear.
Migrants have some understanding of what it is like to leave their countries, they know something about the difficulties. However, the refugee and asylum seeker experience is so much more complex – and tragic. Something I learnt through my refugee students.
This year, we are reminded to consider the power of hope. The power of having a peaceful home and how the human spirit can rise to create a better life through community connection. Certainly, the winners and nominees of the Refugee Awards provide us all with inspiration. They teach us about the power of having a peaceful home in unlocking potential and the strength of the human spirit.
