17 August 2007
Every Saturday morning, Sydney University's Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies opens its doors to an assorted group of people from every corner of the world.
They come to take part in a language class for refugees, set up three years ago with funding from the University Senate. Inside the classroom, 37-year-old Sudanese student Emmanuel Daklo talks animatedly about a prized love poem. Nearby, 60-year-old Indonesian student Soleman Murat, nicknamed Bak, chuckles over the differences between Australian and East Javanese food and the August weather. Listening to him is 24-year-old Ethiopian student Fikirte Bezabah. She is wearing bright beaded jewellery in the Ethiopian national colours of red, yellow, green and black.
Both Emmanuel and Bak have permanent resident status, whilst Fikirte is still waiting for her paperwork to be processed. Others refugees, like Lewis from the Congo, are not so fortunate. Still in limbo, he lives in a homeless shelter nearby.
The coordinator of the Refugee Language Program, Lesley Carnus, says its aim is to give refugees the opportunity to education.
"It's about giving back some rights to people who have had almost all their rights taken from them. It's about the right to education."
Since its founding, the program has offered a diverse range of free services to refugees and asylum seekers. These include on-campus classes, home tutoring, a mentoring program for medical professionals, and a referral service.
Based at the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, academic writing classes are held on Wednesday afternoons, whilst general English and creative writing classes are held on Saturday mornings.
The classes are taught by volunteers from the University staff and local residents who are qualified in English language instruction or creative writing. "We have amazing teachers. These people are so busy and yet they still take the time to go that extra step," said Ms Carnus.
Emmanuel attends both classes every week. "The classes have helped me a lot," he said. "It has given me a chance to practise my English. I also learn some basics things like grammar, how to write a personal letter, and essay writing".
For many students the classes are the only education services they can access. "The biggest challenge is keeping students coming regularly in spite of their often desperate lives and huge financial barriers," Ms Carnus said.
In an attempt to keep costs for students as low as possible, the program provides lunch and refreshments every week.
Over coffee, sandwiches and chocolate cake, the students use this time to socialise with one another. For Columbian student, Rosa Ruiz, this is one of the highlights of the classes: "Every week I come, I look for the faces, I chat. I listen for news of my friends," she said. Rosa has now attended the program for two years. She lives in Australia with her 11-year-old daughter. Both are still waiting to be granted permanent residency.
Ms Carnus says the social gatherings and supportive peer network are among the most important aspects of the program. "It's a meeting point for students to share experiences and make friends," she said.
Yet for Ms Carnus, the greatest satisfaction is when students go on to work in their chosen professional fields. "We've had students who have passed their IELTS [International English Language Testing System] and have gone on to become psychologists and doctors," she said.
Having put his past life in the Sudan behind him, Emmanuel attends classes in the hope of building a new life in Australia. He is currently working towards the IELTS, and following this he wants to study chemical engineering at university.
"It's what I plan to do and I will keep doing it. Even though the way is going to be long, life is always about journeys. You have to keep going until you reach your destination."
Contact: Claudia Liu
Phone: 02 9351 3191