Refugee Week Hub Stories – Nawal’s Story

Nawal is a participant at one of our hubs in regional Victoria. She learns English in the hub, and brings her son to playgroup.

This is Nawal’s story in her own words.

“I am from Sudan, at school we learnt Arabic but we have our own language where I am from. I left Sudan because it’s not a safe place, especially my state, Dafur, it has a lot of problems – so I came here. We had to find a safe place, as there was violence. Before all the trouble (prior to 1989) Sudan was so nice. All the people lived together happily. But the violence has continued – it is still happening, all over Sudan. It is very bad… it’s hard to explain. It’s hard.

I came to Egypt in 2007, I stayed for six years. Then I came to Launceston – Sudan, to Egypt, to Launceston. In 2017 I came to Shepparton. There was no jobs in Launceston, and we wanted to work, so we came to Shepparton. All my family are still in Sudan, it’s just me and my husband, and my four kids.

When we arrived we didn’t speak English, this was vey hard for us. A case worker helped us. Arriving in Shepparton was hard, I had a little baby, no driving licence, so I stayed home all the time. But when I started to learn in the hub, I am happy. I’ve met a lot of friends, we talk together, laugh together. I am so happy – really really happy. Everything is ok.

In the hub we learn English, sewing, gardening, playgroup, sometimes we go on a trip, walk and talk. The hub has made me happy in Shepparton because I made new friends – they are like sisters. My son is happy, before the hub he was very shy because we just stayed home but then we went to the hub, and he is not shy anymore. He is also happy.”