Citizenship dream fulfilled at Nepean Hospital
Becoming an Australian citizen is a deeply emotional and proud milestone, the culmination of a long journey for many.
For Awet Tsegai, that moment almost felt within reach until an unexpected hospital admission put it just out of sight.
But thanks to the persistence and compassion of the clinical teams at Nepean Hospital, Awet’s dream didn’t have to wait too long.
Social Worker William Kokay was one of the staff members determined to help Awet complete his journey to citizenship, even from his hospital bed.
“It took a lot of phone calls and emails, but eventually we reached someone at the Department of Home Affairs,” William recalls.
“From there, everything moved really quickly. Soon we were preparing to host a citizenship ceremony inside the hospital.”
The team transformed the physiotherapy gym into a small ceremonial space, complete with images of the Australian Coat of Arms and His Majesty King Charles III, creating an atmosphere as close to an official ceremony as possible.
After a short address from officials, Awet was formally presented with his Australian citizenship and, of course, his Australian flag.
“Awet was in disbelief and incredibly humbled,” says William.
“It was an honour to witness and be part of something so special. A truly memorable experience.”