She was part of a panel of inspiring women that included Isha Knill and Nina Field who had also moved to Australia after being born overseas.

The sadness of Eugenia’s story, her gratitude to the people of Wollongong and how she is using all she has been through to help others touched everyone’s heart.

She started by talking about the culture she grew up in and how she did not attend school until she was 10. She explained that was part of her culture at the time.

“Girls were just people to be married at a very young age, have children and then the rest of the housework is yours,” she said.

But at the age of 10 Eugenia said her beautiful dad died and her mother told her she could go to school.

Eugenia was 20 and in Year 10 in 1989 when the Liberian civil war started. That is the reason she came to Australia 16 years later.

“I left Liberia in 1996 with a very broken heart because the war took the lives of many of my family...my husband-to-be, my two year old daughter who died of starvation and it goes on,” she said.

Eugenia’s village was set on fire and became a graveyard.

After that she was able to escape to the Republic of Guinea with her two sons Tom, 3, and Bill, 1.

She lived in a refugee camp in Guinea for nine years.

A daughter arrived during that time but she said she had to watch her “beautiful little girl die” from a fever when she was just two years old.

There was no penadol or medicine to help so she put her in a bath of cold water to try and cool her down but that did not work. She just watched helplessly as her little girl died.

“There was nothing we could do,” she said.

After nine years in the camp Eugenia said she and her two boys still felt like strangers.

She does not know why or how it happened but in 2005 someone came running towards her tent shouting her name had come up. She was asked if she would like to do to Australia. Her reply was “Australia! Where is Australia?”

Eugenia ended up on a plane with her two sons, a younger brother and other women who were single parents.

“We landed in this beautiful land,” she said.

Eugenia thanked God for giving her and her two remaining children hope. She was grateful they would get an education and live a better life.

“Wollongong has been beautiful,” she said.

But it was not long until Eugenia was watched another of her children die. This time to a blood cancer. She was just getting used to living in a house when she was told the news no mother wants to hear.

“In 2006 on the 24^th of July my little boy Tom at his 15^th birthday didn’t feel well after a piece of his birthday cake. He fell sick. Two days later I took him to hospital. He was sent off to Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick and the result was Tom had leukaemia,” she said.

For the next four years Eugenia stayed by Tom’s side. She said that was possible because of wonderful Wollongong and people such as Sue Gates who ensured her other children were cared for.

Tom had four years of chemotherapy and Eugenia recalled how when he needed a bone marrow transplant there was no match found. Not even his brother.

Eventually someone was found in Queensland and he had a transplant in June 2010. But a week later an infection struck and Eugenia watched her 19 year old son die.

Eugenia has been through much in Liberia, Guinea and Australia but she is so grateful for what she has found in Wollongong.

That is because of the support she has had in what she describes as a beautiful city. 

It is why she is so willing to speak about her journey to encourage others. And do things to help others in similar situations.

“Life has been difficult. But I thank God I was able to spend four years with Tom in hospital,” she said. 

“I didn’t have any money to pay. But because of our being here we had the privilege of the good medical staff we had at Randwick. It was beautiful. 

“Thank God for the Leukeamia Foundation.”

Eugenia was helped with accommodation and bills and transport to and from Wollongong up to three times a week for Tom’s treatment. 

After he died she wanted to help others going through a similar situation. She wanted to help charitable organisations that help the community. 

And in 2015 had her hair cut off to raise money for the Leukaemia Foundation as part of the World’s Greatest Shave.

Eugenia said she loved living in the Illawarra. She said during the nine years as a refugee in a camp in Guinea she felt a stranger. 

But in Wollongong she was immediately made welcome and feels at home.

“My son Bill and the rest of my nephews and nieces are all doing well,” she said. 

“Bill has finished high school. And guess what? Eugenia who was from a background where she was not in the right place to be educated … is (now) just entering her second year in a Bachelor of Social Work at UOW. 

“I just want to give back.” 

As those in the room stopped wiping away tears to applaud her for her strength, courage and achievement Eugenia said, “I thank you all. And I thank you to Wollongong..the best place to be on earth.”