An enterprising Syrian refugee has embarked on her dream of starting her own beauty business.

Mnirfa Shakour has started a TAFE course to improve her English after arriving Australia in December, last year.

She plans to ultimately attain beauty qualifications before opening her own salon.

Mnirfa arrived in Australia alone with her family still in Syria. Before that – because of the war – she fled from Syria to Erbil, in Iraq, as a refugee.

“When the war came in my country, especially in the city where I was living, it made everything difficult. I used to work in beauty sector but during the war I couldn’t reach my work place because ISIS took control of that area,” Mnirfa said.

“For me life in Syria is divided into two parts. The first one, before war, was a time when we felt we belonged and we were safe. While the second part I would call a nightmare. We lived in fear all the time and we lost our basic needs,” she said.

But Mnirfa is now looking forward to her future in Australia.

“I appreciate this chance to live in a country like Australia. A country that supports me as a refugee and accepts us regardless of our background,” she said.

“Australia has provided us with everything the basic things we need. In my short time here I have learnt it is never too late for anything as long as you have hope. And you are working towards what you want.

“I’m a determined person, and I am planning to learn English and, after that, doing a course related to beauty sector which is something I am good at. After that I want to establish my own business. I’m also learning driving right now. I am moving step by step to reach my goals,” she said.

Mnirfa told how her life was upended by the arrival of ISIS.

“The situation changed for worse. When the terrorists arrived there were people who consider them as normal people – and we have to live with them like nothing happened and we should accept the reality,” Mnirfa said.

“All these things made me feel stressed, and living in fear the whole time.

“One of my neighbours was a family from this group who supported the terrorists.

“As a Christian women living by myself, they were trying in one way or another to convince me to cover my head when I was going out and they didn’t like the idea that I was from different a religion.

“When that happened to me I went to seek help from the security agencies but they did nothing other than say I had to accept that truth.

“On my way back to my house I found that they had attacked my own home, breaking everything inside it and burning all Christian icons I had.

“At that moment I decide that it is over I have to move to another country and seek for help. That was in December 2018,” Mnirfa said.

She said she was grateful for the chance to build a new life in Australia.

“I appreciate Australia giving me this chance to live in a country like this. A country that supports us refugees and accepts us regardless of our background,’ Mnirfa said.