Refugee Camp in my Neighbourhood… a moving experience!

By Nafissa Abdallah, Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education (Secondary)

Refugee Camp in my Neighbourhood… a moving experience! From the second I received the email about applying for this experience, I knew I needed to be there. The application process was a breeze, as I was answering the questions I realised how heavily the refugee experience resonated with me.

Whilst completing the modules I was shocked by how much I was learning about the people of my own country, Sudan. Stories of those who’ve migrated several hours, days, weeks and sometimes months seeking asylum. I felt connected to these stories in a way I never knew.

Before...

The night before the excursion, I was struggling to fall asleep out of excitement and nervousness. What should I expect? How do I stop myself from crying in front of this group of people? The next day I entered the destination on my maps and was taken aback by the location. Western Sydney Campus? Eagerly, I drove to the location and was met with signs displaying statistics of refugee students around the world! One sign read, “ The highest rate of refugee university graduates come from South Sudan.” This statistic made me smile and was the beginning of a life-changing tour experience.

During…

The initial briefing was the Afghanistan/Ughyur talks from two refugees who had to overcome such harsh and dangerous conditions to make it to Australia. Both of the presenters spoke and I was brought to tears by how intense they were. I remember thinking, “How are you so strong?”

Retelling traumatic events that happened and that are still happening today. After listening to voice recordings and watching videos the stories that were almost fictional came to life and I felt a part of their world for just a mere second. I was there. After that, we were given small sheets of paper and told to write down just 5 things to take with us in under 1 minute. We were then hurried out and confronted with the “border officers.” 

They took out papers and ripped off what they felt like taking. Some took water and passports, some took money and food and some didn't even allow students to cross the border. Everyone was confused. A foreign system and a foreign language, are a recipe for disaster. It was through this activity that we learnt how hard crossing the border to a new country could be.

It raised questions like:

What if a refugee's things are taken even though they’re refused entry?

 How can one survive being stuck in a new country without knowing the language/ culture?

How can one escape without a passport or documents?

This all led to a lengthy discussion before we entered the large field display of life in a refugee camp. Some stations had information about the bathrooms/ hygiene, food, hospitals, schools, etc. A refugee camp survivor presented each station and they were able to incorporate their own experience into the presentation. We took part in back-and-forth questions and answers that allowed us to satisfy our curiosity. Our questions led to meaningful discussions with the presenters and new friends!

After the long journey through the refugee camps, we had the opportunity to speak with some UNICEF representatives who did some roleplay with us. They helped to explain what certain statistics look like. For example, “only 7% of refugees are interviewed for possible visas per day.” We were then able to discuss and question why.

Finally, we went into the boat room with life-saving jackets and crates for us to sit on and “experience” travelling to a new country by boat. The Afghani boat survivor told us his story of migration. With voice recordings and pictures to accompany his stories. We were able to learn and discuss the life-threatening experience of seeking asylum, this later led to discussions about refugee camps like Cockatoo Island and the extremes that people face there. 

After…

Debrief circle with the staff of the STAR and the SSI. The bright side. We were able to sit in the moment, reflect on our day and gather emotions. We were also refreshed by the news of the positive side of refugee assistance in Australia. The support was made readily available to refugees. Whether it’s having a place to call home, food, appliances, clothes and support in the community. These organisations presented us with their duty in alignment with government policy. Of course, this triggered discussion and we were able to ask all our burning questions! 

Overall, despite taking part in many GLP activities this one touched me the most. There’s nothing like understanding traumas first-hand from the victims.