Refugees' studied approach to success
A young woman who fled war-torn Sudan and spent three years in a UNHCR refugee camp is one of 15 refugee students to be awarded a scholarship in recognition of academic and community achievements.
The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, today presented the Canberra Refugee Support scholarships to the young refugees who have overcome great adversity and are now studying or about to take up studies in Canberra.
'In the last two years more than 60 per cent of humanitarian visas granted were to young people, under 25 years-old,' Senator Evans said.
'These are young people who are in their productive years with so much ahead them who can who can make a significant contribution to Australia.
'The scholarship recipients are living proof of how much people can achieve when given the chance to overcome hardships and to start new lives free from fear and persecution.
'Refugee Week (June 14 – 20) is an opportunity to acknowledge Australia's generosity in giving vulnerable people a new life and the contribution that refugees can make to our society.'
Scholarship recipient Atuna Chol witnessed the atrocities of war in her home country of Sudan as a small child and suffered persecution and homelessness before resettling in Australia under the humanitarian program in 2004.
Ms Chol is now studying Office and Business Management at the Canberra Institute of Technology and is employed as a liaison officer and tutor in the Sure Program that assists Sudanese refugee students.
The not-for-profit Canberra Refugee Support scholarship program is supported by organisations such as the ACT Office of Multicultural Affairs, Calvary Health Care and the South Woden Uniting Church and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship's ACT and Regions office social club.
Scholarships this year have been awarded to 15 refugees from Burma, Thailand, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Iran. All are either students at the Canberra Institute of Technology or an ACT English centre, or who are community members who would like to begin studying in the near future.
URL: http://www.minister.immi.gov.au
/media/media-releases/2009/ce09051.htm
Last update: 15 June 2009 at 14:18 AEST