Refugee Week’s theme this year, ‘A Million Stories’, is a reminder that behind every statistic is a deeply human experience, and that no two journeys are the same.

For many people who arrive in Australia seeking safety, the journey does not stop when they step off a plane. It is the beginning of a journey to rebuilding a life – learning a new language, navigating unfamiliar systems, and finding belonging.

Sauri Sherwani, Coordinator of AnglicareSA’s Settlement Engagement and Transition Support (SETS) and Family Connect programs, said it was important to recognise and help refugees feel they belong in the community.

“Every refugee or migrant, no matter where they come from, brings something from their own cultures and experiences to the community,” Sauri said.

“They add to what we have and bring something new to Australia that we did not have in the past.”

In his role, Sauri helps new arrivals settle into their new life in Australia – support that he wished he had received when he arrived in Australia as a refugee in 2000.

“When I came to Australia, all I had was $20 and a small suitcase,” Sauri said.

“It was a rough start, because there wasn’t much government support. When I arrived, I was picked up at the airport and taken to Victoria Square and was left to find my accommodation without knowing any English.”

 

Building resilience

“In all the time I can remember, I was a refugee,” Sauri said.

Around the time Sauri was born, his Kurdish family was fleeing from the Iraqi regime and conflict.

The family moved to Iran as refugees, where they experienced hardship.

“It wasn’t an easy life being a refugee in a third-world country. The treatment by the government and some of the Iranian citizens at the time was harsh, and you had to be mentally tough.

“I was a refugee in Iran, which was at war with my home country, Kurdistan – it wasn’t easy.”

Sauri’s family eventually moved back to Kurdistan, which was completely different to how they had left it years ago when they sought asylum in Iran.

“It felt like going to a new country, even if it’s your own homeland,” Sauri said.

“They had to start everything from scratch again.”

Sauri said the decision to leave for Australia and leave his family behind was not an easy one.

“Moving towards the unknown to a new country was challenging,” he said.

“I didn’t even know if I could reach where I wanted to go. Leaving the rest of the family behind and not knowing what’s going to happen to them, how they’re going to survive, and not knowing the next time I would see them was tough.”

 

 

Life in Australia

Sauri has now lived in Australia for 26 years, but a piece of his heart is still in Kurdistan with his family.

“I am a proud South Australian, but I have my extended family overseas, so both are my home,” Sauri said.

“I wanted to live in South Australia and have a successful life here.”

After working full-time in factories and owning a pizza shop following his arrival in Australia, Sauri transitioned into interpreting and translation work.

“For 15 years I have been helping refugees,” Sauri said.

“Someone helped me when I first arrived, and I had it in the back of my head that if I can in the future, to help someone else start their new life here.”

In his role at AnglicareSA, Sauri assists newly arrived people to create a resume, build job interview skills, find education courses, receive emergency assistance, or link them to other AnglicareSA programs or service providers.

He also helps plan community events in the northern suburbs, including for International Women’s Day and Refugee Week, with recent attendee numbers reaching 400.

He said belonging was a motivator for why he planned these events.

“If you feel you belong in the community, then you feel like you’re at home.

“We have clients who thank us for the support we provided to them and their family that they needed, which is rewarding.”

 

Honour the strength of diverse communities with this Refugee Week community event, organised in part by Sauri and AnglicareSA. Details below.