Diversity Club News

Hello MGC Community!

 

This Saturday, 20th June, is World Refugee Day! The COVID-19 pandemic and the recent anti-racism protests have shown us how desperately we need to fight for a more inclusive and equal world: a world where no one is left behind. Every minute, 20 people leave everything behind to escape war, persecution or terror. 

 

There are several types of forcibly displaced persons: Refugees (fled his or her home and country owing to “a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, or political opinion”), Asylum Seekers (claim to refugee status is not yet definitively evaluated in the country to which they fled), Internally Displaced Persons (people who have not crossed an international border but have moved to a different region), Stateless Persons (do not have a recognized nationality) and Returnees (former refugees).

 

The theme for this year is Every Action Counts, so the Diversity Team decided to contribute to the ASRC’s (Asylum Seeker Resource Center) Freedom Birds Initiative - where we as a Team folded origami birds with messages to save Medical Evacuation (doctors ability to give proper medical treatment to people detained offshore) and posted them to the House of Representatives in Canberra, to Prime Minister Scott Morrison. More information of the initiative at: https://www.asrc.org.au/craft-hope-with-a-freedom-bird/

 

In order to embrace the unique stories of refugees in Australia, here is Youl’s story:

 

Yuol: Of Life After War

 

Yuol Akoy Yuol was one of thousands to flee the Sudan civil war. He grew up in the Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya, with one of his two siblings and an uncle after being separated from his parents at age 2.

 

At age 15, a decade after joining the camp, he was gratified to know that he was able to be resettled in Sydney, Australia with his sister, three younger cousins, uncle and brother-in-law.

 

Yuol was a tireless volunteer, working alongside charity organisations, joining the Student Representative Council, speaking at refugee conferences, police headquarters and primary schools. It was in a course to help newly arrived refugee students develop their skills in technology where a passion for computers blossomed, leading for him to pursue a career in IT.

 

In 2006, Yuol began a TAFE course in IT and Networking.

 

Yuol was also keen to continue supporting refugees and wanted to start his own youth organisation. At first, he was too anxious to take on such an overwhelming challent, but a youth worker at the MRC (Migrant Resource Centre) instilled belief within him.

 

“I always think that I can’t do anything but when I met a youth worker at Blacktown Migrant Resource Centre and she kept saying you can do it. Then I began to think, maybe I can do it.” -Yuol

 

With newfound confidence, Yuol co-founded the Australian United Refugee Youth Association, an organisation that aims to assist newly-arrived refugees to settle successfully in Australia. ​

 

We believe in sharing and celebrating these stories and invite you to do so too. If you would like more information or to get involved, please come to room 103 at Thursday lunchtimes, or contact either of the Co-Captains Ruby Upfield (@upf0001@mgc.vic.edu.au)​ and Myrah Shahid (@sha0068@mgc.vic.edu.au). 

 

Thank you, 

The Diversity Team ​