In response to an outpouring of community support for Tumezghi Tesfay, who was bashed soon after he arrived in Australia, a fund-raising page will go live on Monday to send him and other refugees on a trip to Canberra.
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The Illawarra Multicultural Services has partnered with the Mercury to direct community support to a trip Mr Tesfay believes will help him learn about Australia.
IMS executive manager Mohan Gunasekara said Mr Tesfay wanted to explore Australia and hoped to spend a night in Canberra to witness our political process.
"He would like to share this trip with other new arrivals so they can talk about it for many years to come," Mr Gunasekara said.
Although appreciative of community concern, Mr Tesfay told his case worker Jasminka Cicic he was too overwhelmed to participate in a community event.
Interpreter Michael Asf Asfah said Mr Tesfay was still recovering from the attack.
"I have interpreted for him every kind word," he wrote on Facebook. "At the moment [he has] not yet recovered emotionally and psychologically."
The Mercury and IMS have been inundated with calls for community action to show kindness to Mr Tesfay since CCTV footage emerged last week, which captured his horrific attack outside Wollongong train station.
His assailants Timothy Williams and Jaimee Lee Haynes were sentenced to nine and 2½ years' jail respectively last week.
Facebook user Kerry-ann Borg said she cried watching the video.
"It's purely embarrassing!"
Marisa Tubby said she hoped people in the Illawarra would help the refugee - a sentiment seconded by Graeme Jay, who wrote: "Maybe the Illawarra Mercury might be able to use this as an opportunity to spread the message of our community rage to minority groups who are targeted by such gutter-slime."
On the Mercury website, Sir Dragonfly welcomed him to Australia: "Please understand Mr Tesfay, Australians are not normally like the scumbag that you unfortunately came across. You are welcome in our Australia and our community."
Mr Gunasekara believed the attack and community support were timely reminders of the disadvantage refugees faced when coming to the country.
"It may not be as violent as what Mr Tesfay experienced, nevertheless it does make it very challenging for them," he said.
"Many newly arrived refugees have significant challenges with securing long-term housing, understanding and navigating the various government bureaucracies and completing documentation to access services."
To contribute to Tumezghi Tesfay's support fund click here.
He invited people to show their support during Refugee Week, beginning on Sunday, by signing up as volunteers with IMS. For more information, contact IMS on info@ims.org.au or 4229 6855.
