Refugee Heroes Amazing People from Ukraine, Afghanistan and Across the World

The world is facing the largest human displacement crisis in history with more than 68 million people forced to leave their homes because of violence, conflict or persecution. Each year Australia accepts around 18,000 refugees through the United Nation’ s humanitarian settlement programs. Many of the refugees who settle in Australia have experienced trauma, torture or the loss of loved ones. They bring with them memories, traditions, culture and history. They also bring with them hopes, dreams and ambitions for their children. They are, by definition, resilient and ingenious people who have overcome challenges and dangers just to get here. Refugee Stories is about the experiences and the hopes and aspirations of refugees who have made Australia home; and also about those in our society who have tried to make them welcome. These are inspirational stories of ordinary people forced by circumstances beyond their control to make extraordinary physical and emotional journeys to safety and freedom.

Laurie Nowell has been a journalist and writer for 25 years working for publications in Australia and the United Kingdom. His work has appeared in The Age, the Herald Sun and The Australian in Australia and The Times and the Guardian in the UK. Recently, he has been writing about the migrant and refugee sector while also working with migrant communities to help them engage with mainstream media.

Foreword: Protecting refugees is a responsibility and a privilege Introduction 1 Surviving ISIS — a refugee’ s story 2 Stories of the Rohingya 3 Welcome to Carlton: Syrian family the latest chapter in an enduring migrant story 4 Finding family — a refugee’ s journey back 5 Bombs, threats, executions — life under ISIS 6 Rising above tragedy to become the heart and soul of a refugee community 7 Forced to flee a lifetime of work: the story of a WWII veteran turned refugee 8 Escape from the ‘ killing fields’ — a refugee journey 9 Conflict, cancer and cruelty — a refugee family’ s journey 10 The business of settling in to a new community 11 New school English program reaches out to parents 12 Saving a culture from extinction 13 Feeding a passion for self-reliance 14 Refugee doctor’ s story of courage and persistence 15 Syrian refugees between a rock and a hard place 16 Refugee’ s ordeal sparks a passion for justice and fairness 17 Refugee’ s smile hides long and tortuous journey to safety 19 Refugee musician reaches out across the globe 20 From Persia to Parade College — an unlikely refugee journey 21 Standing up for truth in the face of torture — a victim’ s story 22 Asylum seeker wins national poetry prize 23 A musician’ s battle to be heard 24 Six years on the run from the book burners 25 One woman’ s refugee journey 26 Looking for a promised land — the Hazaras of Dandenong 27 Capturing diversity through a camera lens 28 The Karen of Nhill: an experiment in regional settlement 29 Singing a song for freedom 30 Noor’ s story — paying a price for educational equality 31 From killing fields to mansion gardens 32 Batoor’ s journey — award winning photos highlight a people’ s plight. 33 A new lease on life for refugee family 34 Refugee’ s art provides economic and emotional sustenance 35 Blood feuds, battles and bandits — a refugee’ s journey 36 Courage and resilience revealed in a smile 37 Escaping the horrors of the Syrian conflict 38 Small acts of kindness making a big difference 39 Overcoming abuse — a woman’ s journey to self-reliance 40 Mums on a mission to help journey 42 Of cows, women and war — a refugee’ s story 43 Refugee doctor wants to contribute 44 Refugee’ s long, difficult journey ends in Melbourne 45 Studying and striving in wartime — a refugee’ s story 46 Voyage to freedom 47 Surviving genocide 48 Long walk to safety — a Sudanese refugee’ s journey to manhood 49 Finding safety and opportunity — a refugee’ s journey 50 Refugees and migrants in Australia — how we got here