Saja Al-Sabti was just 18-years-old when she was forced to flee her home country Iraq in 2006.
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War was raging, and Saja lost her uncles, had her home taken by forces, and face threats to her safety.
"It was a horrible time ... I still feel sad when I remember it," Saja said. "I was only 18-years-old, I was losing family members, and had to leave all these things that used to be mine behind."
Saja, now 34, managed to escape to Syria with her mother, two brothers and sister, but their new life wasn't without its challenges.
"Although we spoke the same Arabic language, there were still many differences between us," Saja said.
"We had to look for a new place to live, and when you're from a place with war and such a horrible situation, you become scared of the people you don't know. My brothers and I couldn't continue our studies, we had to work to gain money and I had to look after my family."
Saja couldn't believe the day she received the call her family could begin their journey to Australia to start a new life. They arrived in Wollongong, all together, in 2013.
"After six years in Syria, the Australian Embassy accepted our documents to become a part of the Australian community," she said.
"We just couldn't believe it, after all the hard times, we were able to start a new life."
Saja's desire to help others with their resettlement journey shone through as she began her studies at Wollongong TAFE, and became a support worker for the Australian Red Cross.
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"I was familiar with services that linked refugees and new arrivals to what they needed when arriving in a new country," she said.
"The community in Wollongong helped us to bust that barrier and become more comfortable and independent in the community.
"So to do the same for others makes it really enjoyable work for me, it's so rewarding, and I'm able to communicate with people from different backgrounds."
Refugee Week takes place from June 19 to 25, and for Saja, it marks an opportunity to celebrate the resilience of those who have been forced to flee their homes.
"It's kind of a celebration," she said. "It helps us remember our stories each year and to be proud of how we came all that way, facing all these risks to be here in Australia, living safely."
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