Wollongong teenager Jean Marc Bukasa is exactly the reason we launched our campaign, Opening Our Hearts and Our Minds.
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Outside the original custodians of this great land, we have all come to it in some way shape and form from across the sea.
In Wollongong many of the great industries of this region have been formed by immigrant families.
There are many great stories out there of refugees coming to this nation and making wonderful contributions.
The same is true of the region.
As Kate McIlwain’s piece explains Jean Marc - known as John - came to this country and wanted to make a contribution.
John arrived in Australia as a refugee from Democratic Republic of Congo in 2010 and spent seven years waiting in Zambia to be granted refugee status.
Four days after his citizenship came through on February 12, John joined the Defence Force.
Amazing.
Especially when you consider their history and associated memories of armed forces.
John’s father remarked: ‘’Here they save and help people, but in my country soldiers are the reason we left.”
The Opening Our Hearts and Minds campaign was launched with the planned arrival into our region of hundreds of extra Iraqi and Syrian refugees this year.
We have featured a number of stories.
Another was wate last year the Illawarra Mercury featured the story of Syrian refugees Johnny and Carol Bilouna.
It explained how the couple had fled their war-torn city to relocate to Wollongong and within a year had joined the local SES, working to fix the houses of strangers with storm-ravaged houses.ey
They spoke about what it meant to be in Australia as well as volunteering for the Corrimal SES.
“I was happy because I wanted to go somewhere to give my children a better life. This is why we applied for Australia,” Mrs Bilouna said.
“It’s a good way to be involved with Australian people, to be part of Australia and also for Australia by itself – we’re doing something.”
The story was shared nationally, a beacon in a cavern of darkness around refugee stories in the media at that time.
We will continue to open hearts and minds.
