The achievements of some of Victoria’s most inspirational refugees were celebrated at the recent Victoria Refugee Awards.

Held at the State Library during Refugee Week, the annual awards recognise people, businesses and organisations who have excelled through their study, work, entrepreneurship or volunteering.

Among the recipients of the ‘Achievement Award’ were:

Akuch Kuol Anyieth is a public speaker and community advocate on anti-racism, a family violence and trauma-informed practice educator, and author of several books on contemporary refugee and diaspora topics.

In 1996 when Akuch was five, she fled from South Sudan to Kenya’s Kakuma Refugee Camp along with her mother and siblings while her father stayed to fight in the civil war. They spent nine years in the camp, where despite many difficult challenges, Akuch did well at school. In 2005, Akuch’s family were granted a humanitarian visa to Australia. However, Akuch and her family faced further challenges in their transition to life in Melbourne, Victoria including isolation, racism, and family violence, Akuch recounts these journeys in her biography, ‘Unknown: A Refugee’s Memoir’.

Akuch is an active advocate on behalf of her community and holds many positions. Since 2017 she has been a Youth Bible-Study facilitator in the South Sudanese Church, and sits as a board member of the Co-health Bi-Cultural Workers Board and the Australian Feminist

Law Journal Editorial Board. She started a Respectful Brothers group with Brimbank City Council, aimed at reducing social isolation of young men in the Brimbank area by promoting self-esteem, inclusivity, gaining independence and social mobility.

Akuch holds two master’s degrees: one injustice and criminology, the other focused on domestic violence in Victoria’s South Sudanese communities. She is now writing a PhD dissertation on the use of family violence intervention orders within the South Sudanese community and the application on customary laws on contemporary legal issues, including the adaptation of Western rules of law in the diaspora.

Danijel Malbasa comes from a country that no longer exists. He was a refugee twice over; in 1993 during the Croatian War of Independence, and in 1999 during the Kosovo War. As an Internally Displaced Person, Danijel, lived in a war-zone, where school was a risk and he worked as a child labourer before arriving in Australia at age 12.

Danijel holds three degrees and is a Senior National Legal Officer for a large national blue-collar union where he represents workers. He has helped reinstate unfairly terminated employees and recover over $3 million in unpaid wages and entitlements for workers. Many were non-English speaking refugee workers, and those who suffered workplace bullying, sexual harassment, and discrimination.

For around 11 years, Danijel has been advocating for refugees. He spoke at six conferences in the last two years and his work has been published in The Guardian, The Age, Road to Refuge, Australia for UNHCR, The Balkanist and three anthologies. Danijel’s writing shed a light on how white refugees from Eastern Europe managed to assimilate into Australia while not fitting as the stereotypical ‘refugee’. His book ‘In the Land of Milk and Blood’ sold in the thousands and funds went to organisations such as the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.

Danijel volunteers at Refugee Legal Inc. as a migration agent, where he has helped secure visas for Afghan and Sri Lankan refugees. He is also Deputy Chair of Forcibly Displaced People Network; Australia’s first LGBTIQ+ refugee network where he raises funds and highlights the plight of queer refugees.

Refugee Awards Attendees

Among the recipients of the ‘Leadership Award’ are:

Gulghotai Bezhan has spent 20 years contributing to community services and international aid, largely as a volunteer.

Gulghotai is described as a strong advocate for human rights (especially women’s rights), and as being passionate about equality and representation for refugees; often going above and beyond expectations.

Since arriving in Australia, Gulghotai’s professional work involved supporting newly arrived Afghan women. She established the Afghan Women’s Organisation Victoria after recognising that they often needed additional resources and support. As its President, she is sought out to speak on social issues, advise on policies and raise awareness.

Her leadership has encouraged many Afghan women to recognise the importance of education and seek out paid employment. Recently, Gulghotai was appointed onto the Federal Government’s Advisory Panel for the settlement of Afghan nationals in Australia.

Homaira Mershedi fled Afghanistan during the Russian war in the 1980s. Now in Victoria, Homaira is the manager of Afghan Gallery; a restaurant in Fitzroy, Vice President of the Afghan Australian Development Association, and a key leader in Victoria’s Afghan community.

Homaira dedicated many years volunteering and advocating for her community from a young age. She has been instrumental in leading Afghan representation by launching the first Afghan Youth Dancers for Hope when she was a teenager. Homaira has been involved throughout her life representing Afghanistan in many cultural dance and fashion events held at venues including The Famous Spiegeltent, Immigration Museum, Arts Centre Victoria, Federation Square and more.

In 2021 Homaira played a key leading role in supporting newly arrived Afghan refugees to Australia due to the conflict in Kabul. Working closely with AMES Australia, she took the initiative to lead her community in gathering resources such as clothing and toiletries, fundraising, and providing culturally appropriate food. She was a strong advocate for the Afghan Womens’ National Football team, helping their resettlement in Australia by liaising with sponsors for gear and equipment and coordinating introductions to Melbourne’s soccer clubs. Homaira’s leadership in supporting and advocating for refugees and the Afghan community has led to many positive outcomes for vulnerable and displaced community members.

Among the recipients of the ‘Business Award’ were:

In 2010 Luz Restrepo arrived in Australia from Colombia seeking political asylum, with little knowledge of English, no friends and no support. In 2011, along with 25 other migrant and refugee women who were experiencing similar challenges, Luz founded SisterWorks.

SisterWorks provides women (sisters) from migrant, refugee, and asylum-seeking backgrounds with a safe, friendly, and nurturing space to learn, share, support and grow. The non-profit social enterprise supports women to seek employment and training, develop employable skills and participate in mentoring and other programs.

Since their Employment Support Program launched in September 2021, it has registered 185 women, 43 of whom have gone on to gain employment in various industries including hospitality, manufacturing, and IT.

SisterWorks believe that work empowers women, a unique model that is centred around empowerment, fostering a sense of independence, and providing opportunities to refugee, asylum seeker and migrant women.

Wellsprings for Women’s CEO, Dr Dalal Smiley, escaped civil war in Lebanon in the 1970s. With this experience in mind, she strives to lead Wellsprings for Women to be a culturally safe and supportive organisation for vulnerable women from multicultural, refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. Wellsprings aims to empower and support women via educational classes, recreational activities, and employment support.

Some classes and activities on offer at their Dandenong centre include conversational English, learning about obtaining Australian citizenship, cooking culturally diverse cuisine and outdoor activities like bike riding. Wellsprings for Women’s holistic employment support program includes an employment practitioner working one-on-one with women to help write resumes, enrol in English language classes, and engage with community businesses to seek employment.

Wellsprings supports women from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds to transition into life in Australia by teaching the skills to be an active community member, empowering them to gain independence, and contribute back into community by supporting others.

Among the recipients of the ‘Youth Award’ were:

Altaf Hussein is founder and chairman of Victorian Afghan Youth Association, a public speaker, mental health advocate and is considered a role model among Afghan- Australian youth in his community. He builds understanding of the migration and refugee experience in Victoria by sharing his own story.

Altaf strives to build the mental, social, and community health of Victoria’s Afghan- Australian youth through civic engagement, community leadership, mentorship and opportunities for young people to express their voices and be heard. He helps his community celebrate events such as a Nowruz, Eid and Ramadan.

He operates a Dari language school every Saturday, where students not only learn the Dari language but socialise with members of their community. He seeks to further empower people through a family violence program, free driving school for women and teaching English language skills.

During the COVID-19 pandemic Altaf supported his community with health information in Dari and relief packages. In 2021, he and his community welcomed new refugees from Afghanistan and guided them to find employment, education and housing.
He personally supplied more than 100 people with clothes, toiletries, hygiene products, food and gift cards.

Hsa Blu Ko arrived in Australia as a refugee, and after learning English and completing secondary and tertiary education, he saw the need to support his community. Today, he is seen as a pillar and leader within local sporting clubs and associations.

Blu Ko is a strong advocate for the integration and collaboration of place-based soccer clubs and their diverse communities. He volunteers for two different soccer clubs and the Karenni Association of Victoria where he plays an important role engaging young men through coaching and mentorship. He encourages them to look after their physical and mental health and find their path in life. He is a proud mentor to many and encourages a love for the sport.

Through volunteering, Blu Ko has encouraged young former refugees to join their local soccer club, build connections, and ultimately integrate into the wider community through active participation. He has helped coordinate soccer competitions in the Karenni, Karen, and Chin communities and is currently leading a community soccer competition.

Blu Ko has helped organise Karenni National Day celebrations, and tutors secondary school students with refugee backgrounds. His own story is an example to others of overcoming challenges to achieve success. He advocates for the power of education in making a difference.