The journey
I was born in Afghanistan and migrated to Sydney in 1999. But my journey started in the mid-1980s when I was fortunate enough to be given a scholarship to study abroad. I travelled from Afghanistan to Yugoslavia, (modern-day Serbia) to study. During this time, the situation in Afghanistan became unstable with the invasion by the Soviets. I made the difficult decision to leave my home country and move to Germany. From there I came to Australia, which I have called home for the past 23 years.
Arriving in Australia
From the moment I arrived in Australia, I made it my mission to work hard. By mid-1999 I was running a shop in Sydney’s CBD, which led to a successful expansion. I spent the next decade working with numerous refugee and community-based organisations across NSW.
Giving back
I wanted to take on this role as Refugee Ambassador for The Refugee Council to give back. I want to be help raise awareness of what a refugee’s journey means and the hardships they will meet, but also the value they bring to society.
