An advocate for social inclusion
My experiences in fleeing my home country make me passionate about advocating for the rights of others, including refugees and LGBT minorities. I know it’s impossible to change things overnight but I do believe small steps accumulate and make a difference over time. I also believe that contributing to the community and setting a good example for refugees is a great way to pay back Australia. My family and I are really grateful to many Australians who helped us settle in this wonderful country. Right now, I am thinking of becoming a lawyer, specialising in human rights and international law, so I can expand my role in helping others.
I would love to one day work for the United Nations.
Fairway and Future Students UWA: a vibrant community
Fairway UWA is a program that supports Year 12 students facing challenging circumstances, encouraging them and creating a pathway to university education. It's really rewarding to see the amazing impact Fairway has in increasing students’ confidence and study techniques. Over the years it has become more than just a program for me. I’ve made very good friends with the staff and other ambassadors. An important part of Fairway is that, even after you've completed the program, the people in the Fairway community are always willing to lend a hand, especially to help former participants studying at UWA. The program creates a vibrant community for students and ensures they feel comfortable with the transition into university life. It was definitely an impact I felt coming to UWA from Fairway.
Through UWA's Future Students program I get to present my experiences to high schools interested in UWA. I enjoy building rapport with the students and helping answer their questions about university. The idea of going to university can be so nerve-racking for many and its important to emphasise the welcoming and vibrant atmosphere at UWA.
Crossing the fence
I think one of the biggest challenges facing refugees coming to Australia is settling in. I remember it was quite difficult for my mother to do basic things like filling out forms or going to the doctor because everything was such a radical transition from what we had known. We were lucky because we had a support group called Caritas that sent a volunteer to help my mother for the first few months.
There are a lot of misconceptions about refugees. I think it’s important for people to meet refugees and get to know them and realise that they are genuine human beings too. It can be easy to sit on the safe side of the fence and criticise others without knowing them. I hope people are encouraged to have empathy and to look at circumstances from someone else's perspective. I commend and thank alumni who, through UWA Alumni Fund and initiatives like Pursue Inclusion, are helping people who are experiencing challenges.
About Mehdi
Mehdi is a third year Arts student majoring in Political Science and International Relations. He is originally from Afghanistan and came to Australia in 2003 as a refugee. He went to Woodlands Primary School and then later to Bramfield Park Primary School. He attended St Norbert College high school.
In year 12, Mehdi joined Fairway UWA, a program that assists high school students facing challenges to transition to UWA. He later became an ambassador for Fairway. He has joined Amnesty International UWA and the Perth Global Shapers Hub, part of the Global Shapers Community, an initiative of the World Economic Forum, through which young leaders make a contribution to their communities.