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[Text appears on screen: Disclaimer. This video contains personal accounts that may be confronting or distressing to the viewer. Viewer discretion is advised.]
[Text appears on screen: Tell us about yourself?]
Tetiana Pyshna: Hello, I'm Tetiana Pyshna, I'm Ukrainian. I come from Ukraine one year ago.
Badri Rashid (speaking in Arabic): I'm Badri Rashid, I'm from Syria from Yezidi background. I arrived in Australia in 2017.
Zara Ashfaq: My name is Zahra Ashfaq. I arrived in Australia in the year 2001 as a refugee under the humanitarian visa, escaping the war and persecution of the Hazara people in Afghanistan.
Banan Turkan Ahmad (speaking in Arabic): My name is Banan Turkan Ahmad. Iraqi from Iraq, and I arrived to Australia 9 May 2013.
[Text appears on screen: Under what circumstances did you travel to Australia?]
Zara: I belong to the people of the Hazara group in Afghanistan and it was not safe for me and my family to stay there especially because my father was killed in the war when I was eight years old. So we had to escape and make our way to a safer country, which is now Australia.
Badri (speaking in Arabic): Due to the war in Syria, as a Yezidi community, we were persecuted badly. We came here to Australia to protect my family and myself.
Banan (speaking in Arabic): In the beginning we were not feeling safe, because we were 5 females in the family. We were not able to move around freely, not able to go to university, not getting a job. We were under suppression and discriminated against based on wearing or not wearing the Hijab.
Tetiana: We come to Australia, me and my daughter, because war start in Ukraine.
It was very hard journey, very scary, very hard time in all my life.
[Text appears on screen: What does 'Finding Freedom' mean to you?]
Badri (speaking in Arabic): Here in Australia, we have our freedom, it's safe and free medical treatment at the hospital. We feel safe anywhere we go here, no one is bothering us. I thank Australian people, police and hospital, they helped us a lot.
Zara: Finding freedom to me means that being able to let go of the past and instead focusing on what's in front of me and create a better future for myself.
Banan (speaking in Arabic): It means a lot to me, we felt safe and secure, which we didn't have back home.
Tetiana: I think Australia is really freedom country. I watch this everywhere, I feel this everywhere. That people can be beautiful and be themselves. It's amazing. I like this, I like Australia and people here and we really find freedom in our heart, in our soul in Australia.
[Text appears on screen: What does 'Finding Freedom' mean to your mental health and wellbeing?]
Zara: It means I will no longer blame myself for the past traumas and suffering that I had and accept myself for who I am, but also to be kinder to myself.
Banan: First thing you feel that you have a piece of mind, you feel that you don't have fears or worries and you are not afraid of anything, you are not surrounded by certain group of people who would have influence on you regardless of your opinion or thoughts. In addition to that, you have freedom of speech, you can express your opinion freely. You have free choice of education and living, and can move around freely.
Tetiana: It's choose what I like. Choose what's good for me. And it's amazing. It's nice in Australia. It's everywhere. Freedom. You can be vegan, you can be different culture, a different religion. I never shy in Australia.
Badri: I have freedom in Australia. I am comfortable, thank God; compared to the stressful times that we had in Syria and Iraq. I am very happy here with everything.
[Text appears on screen: What would you like to tell others who have been on a similar journey to you?]
Banan: I would like to tell them to live in peace together, the peace which we all didn't have in our countries. Tell people you see, to respect and love each other. Respect and love the country you living in now, because its this country which gave you the freedom, including freedom of speech, and freedom of choice and living. The real freedom by its definition.
Tetiana: Open your heart. People very kind in Australia, in Sydney, they try to help, they support they very tolerant and understanding. Really it's amazing people. I hate war, but this war show me how kind people and amazing this world. We can find something really beautiful.
Zara: If you have experienced trauma or any suffering in the past, you are the one and the only one who can rewrite your story and there's always hope. Sometimes it may not be anyone or anything outside of you. It could just be you. Be your own beacon of lighting and create a better future for yourself.
Badri (speaking in Arabic): I wish all refugees who arrive here to Australia respect Australian Government, people and respect the Australian culture. You must be patient and you get all the services that you need.
[Text appears on screen: What made a positive difference to your settlement in Australia?]
Banan (speaking in Arabic): The people who help us most to settle in Australia are my auntie and her husband, the help and assistance provided by them is beyond description. When it came to the services we were getting help by SSI, they helped to register with Centrelink and to open a bank account and they provided us with the most useful information about Australia life. Also been helped by MECA community.
Tetiana: We can start new life. It's nice to and we can create something beautiful, amazing, and be happy and make happy other people, try to help someone else. It's help you. It's what I do. If I feel bad, I think, okay, how I can help someone else who may be feel more bad than me and this helps me be more happy and feel that I live.
Badria (speaking in Arabic): I'm happy here in Australia, and I'm grateful to Australian government for the great help and support.
Zara: Settling in a new country is not always positive. However, for me, gaining education and having access to free education helped me a lot. From not know any more than he is a boy and she is a girl, to know after having four kids, I'm studying full time Bachelor of Nursing and this what I've always dreamt of. There's nothing else that I could ask for and I hope for a similar, even better future for my children.
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[Text appears on screen: A very special thank you to the participants who have generously shared their diverse journeys in 'Finding Freedom' and safety, as well as celebrating the contributions made by refugees to our community.]
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[Transcultural Mental Health Centre logo with a graphic of globe with many pictures on it appear along with a website link and number]
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