Ghenwa's Story Journey Path Story Journey Path
“The hardest thing about this story is that I left behind my parents along with all my memories with my friends…”
“The hardest thing about this story is that I left behind my parents along with all my memories with my friends…”
I was born, raised and educated in Syria. My interests in health led me to study a Bachelor in Health Sciences and I worked as a dietitian and nutritionist in my own private clinic in Syria before the war. My refugee journey to Australia was via Erbil, Iraq where I lived almost one year with my husband and my brother before arriving in Brisbane, Queensland in May 2018.
The hardest thing about this story is that I left behind my parents along with all my memories with my friends. I can understand how another refugee feels. Life is not easy, for safety I had to make sacrifices and leave my family, friends, job and everything that I have built because of the war. My welcome to Brisbane was great, in my opinion there is nothing I would change.
I found everything well because I had people here to welcome me. One of the best things that helped me to settle here more quickly and feel more comfortable is World Wellness Group.
This place is where I could find the best health providers and best staff where I got an amazing opportunity to meet wonderful people. Some advice I would give other refugees or new comers to Australia is to be patient and do not give up. Finally, they are safe in a wonderful country. Try to integrate with the community, doing volunteer work, try as much they can to improve their language. I have recently gone back to university so I can re-start my career as a dietician and nutritionist.
I started out as a patient at World Wellness Clinic. My first impression as a general practice patient was that WW clinic provided me with all my medical needs and with the best health providers. It is the perfect place because with a lot of health programs you don’t have to go from place to place all of your health needs are in the one building. Then I realised WWG could be a perfect place to do volunteer work and I liked to be as part of this centre because I appreciate their help especially their work with refugees. By joining their team I can help other people who are like me and I can relate to them.When I started volunteering with WWG I was placed in the acupuncture clinic as my first step. During this volunteer work I got good experience, I have helped people and had opportunities to meet enthusiastic and effective people who really care about refugees. Then I started as a cultural support worker with the cardiac program, Wellness @ Heart and as an assistant with an asthma project, Culture Well. All these projects are about helping people to settle more quickly, understand their health concerns and integrate into their community. My role now at WWG is to present nutrition topics to help people eat well and make their life better. Because I understand how people were suffering before coming here and I could understand their feeling I really enjoy this job. I believe it will be a useful and positive contribution to help people to integrate into this community.
Administration & Reception Worker
“Due to lack of safety and instability caused by the war, I had to resign for a while…”
Practice Nurse
“I lived in a Tanzanian refugee camp with my parents, seven siblings and one uncle…”
Co-Founder & Board Director WWG
“Due to the war, my family spent a few years in Austria as refugees prior to coming to Australia…”
Multicultural Peer Engagement Coordinator
“My journey starts in my late teenage years when my physical health began to decline…”
There are many ways to be part of the solution. Contributing monetary gifts, expertise, social capital and time are just some of the ways you can be part of our work to create health equity in Australia.
World Wellness Group acknowledges that the space we occupy and the place we conduct our work, has and always will be the traditional lands of the Turrbul and Yuggera people.
We understand that the connection between this land and its indigenous people has a special and spiritual significance that benefits social and emotional wellbeing. We pay our respect to the elders past, present and future of this ancient land and recognise that delivering equitable healthcare requires that we understand, appreciate and reflect our respect for both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We commit to growing and nurturing our relationship with Indigenous Australians, to assuring their rightful place in the journey that is better health outcomes for Australia and to exploring the opportunity for partnerships and collaboration to benefit all.
