In 2009 Bwe Thay arrived in Melbourne as a refugee from Burma and was supported by settlement agency AMES Australia.

This week, he became a member of the organisation’s board of directors.

Bwe‘s journey in Australia has been one of advocacy and support for fellow refugees following in his footsteps.

Since arriving in Australia, Bwe has been an active member and leader of numerous community organisations. He is well known for his powerful advocacy and for connecting people from diverse backgrounds to create innovative solutions to community issues.

Bwe developed a successful career in the education sector before applying his governance and leadership skills as a director on boards, including as Deputy Chair of the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC), and a member of the boards GOTAFE, Careerseekers and the Bruce Wong Foundation.

Bwe said his arrival in Melbourne 15 years ago left a lasting impression on him.

“We were met at the airport by AMES and taken to our temporary accommodation. I remember the van driver was so patient in fitting a baby seat for our child,” he said.

“He was so kind and very friendly as he drove us to our accommodation in Ringwood. He was explaining to us the places we drove past – almost like tour guide. He took time to get to know us and was an incredible person.

“He was the first Australian we met, and that moment left us with a deep sense of being welcome.

“When arrived at the accommodation, we met our AMES case manager Andrea. My wife Corrie was six-months pregnant, so it was wonderful to know there was someone to guide us through the uncertainty ahead of us.

“The next day Andrea took us to Coles to buy some food. We were lucky to have come to Australia, which has a sophisticated settlement support system with bilingual language support.

“Andrea sat down with us for onboarding sessions explaining what was ahead. At that point we realised we would be looked after and would have a chance to survive and thrive in country where there was peace and prosperity – two things we had not experienced before.”

In their first days in Australia Bwe and Corrie were connected with Centreline, given a bank account, taught how to use public transport and saw a maternity nurse.

“It was a fantastic experience. Seeing trains go past Eastland shopping centre and knowing we could get on a train or bus and travelling wherever we want ted was a luxury that had we had been denied for a large part of our lives,” he said.

Bwe said the strength of Australia settlement system struck home to him when he met his AMES community guide.

“Our guide was from Iran and had arrived in Australia just two years previously. He helped us find our first rental house and he told us ‘this is a beautiful country and you’ll be OK’.

“We were overjoyed and excited to get out first proper home in Australia and we were supported on our settlement journey every step of the way. We faced challenges but we also had so much hope for the future.”

Bwe and Corrie studied English through the AMEP program and Bwe’s first job in Australia was as a youth worker in Melbourne’s south-east. Bwe then became a pathway counsellor at Swinburne TAFE helping other migrant and refugees begin their lives in Australia.

“Our case manager told us that it was important to master English because it would open doors and opportunities. We are forever grateful for that advice,” Bwe said.

He said he planned to bring to bear his lived experience as a refugee to his new role on the AMES board.

“I hope to use my lived experience and my connections to explore ways to enhance the programs we are delivering and to better support the communities that we work with,” Bwe said.

“And I want to use my experience as an example to our clients that, with a little support, anything is possible.

“I feel privileged to be able to contribute in this way and my message is ‘yes, the clients we at AMES support face challenges but they also have so much potential’.

“I also want to advocate to bring communities together. I know from personal experience that there is so much that unites us than divides us,” he said.

Bwe says his early life has informed his work and advocacy supporting other refugees.

As a member of one of Burma’s ethnic minorities, he was displaced by conflict and did most of his high school studies in India.

In his 20s, Bwe was a stateless person living one of the refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border.

“I was working for NGOs supporting people in the camps and it was at this time I realised the importance of self-empowerment,” Bwe said.

“It drove me to become an advocate for others. I realised ‘yes, help will come, but you have to help yourself to be able to help those around you. And education was always my platform advocacy.

“I never saw myself as a victim, but as an agent of change. And that kept my spirits up during my time in the refugee camp.

“I found a way of delivering education to people in the camps that, in small way, helped people reach their full potential,” he said.

Bwe said chance and the fact he spoke a little English were the reasons he ended up in Australia.

“The UNHCR representative in the camp said to me ‘you speak some English, so maybe you can go to Australia’. But at the time, Australia was not taking many refugees, so it was not a sure thing,” he said.          

“Before coming to Australia, my life was one of exclusion and limitations.

“When I was informed that I would be resettled in Australia, I experienced bitter-sweet emotions. On one hand I felt that finally I could be free but on the other hand I would have to leave my students, friends and relatives behind; and there was the fear of the unknown, the fear of the others that we all have.

“I had very limited knowledge about Australia and not knowing what lies ahead is a space that most of us fear.

“Four days after my arrival in Australia I was scheduled for my health assessment and walking through the doors at 75 Patterson Street, Ringwood East. It was an experience that will live with me for many years to come.

“After the assessment was done, the nurse looked at me and my wife and asked an extraordinary question. She said: ‘Do you have any other health concerns?’

“The tone, the expression; wow, the question was so powerful because for the first time in a long time, I felt that someone cared for my wellbeing.

“That question changed the way I looked at life in Australia altogether. It made me realise I was in the right country to rebuild my life. That sense of welcome and kindness gave me so much hope. It raised my aspirations, and it made me promise to myself that I would do whatever it takes to contribute back to this wonderful country.

“As volunteer advocates, my wife and I assisted many fellow refugee migrants, not only from Burma, but from other parts of the world.

“We all have a common story, and we’ve all had a wonderful experience. The feeling of welcome is a very positive and powerful feeling. It gives us new Australians the ability to dare and to dream big; to have the aspiration to live life to its full potential so we can contribute back to this wonderful country,” Bwe said.