When John Omtha’s family was fleeing persecution by the brutal military regime in Myanmar, little did they know that one day John would be helping other refugees settle in Australia.
The Omthas are from the Chin tribal group, which has a history of persecution by more powerful forces in Myanmar. John arrived in Australia as a boy and is now studying for a Community Welfare degree at Southern Cross University.
As part of his course he is undertaking a placement helping a Syrian family start a new life in the Byron Shire. The placement was organised through Northern Rivers For Refugees.
Abdul Jahjah, his wife Kamar Tinnayi, and their sons Ibrahim (17) and Ahmed (12) were settled earlier this year in Ocean Shores after fleeing Syria and living for 12 years as refugees in Turkey. They were granted permanent residence in Australia under a community sponsorship scheme whereby a group of local residents supports the refugee family for a year.
The local group, known as a Community Supporter Group (CSG) has found the family accommodation, enrolled the children in school, organised English classes, as well as being on call for a myriad support needs.
The coordinator of the Ocean Shores CSG, Natasha Reddrop, said John’s placement had been invaluable: “He has a lot of great skills to connect with and support people, but the real bonus for us is that he has had the experience himself of coming to Australia as a refugee.”
The connection between John and the family is obvious. It’s cardamom coffee, Tim Tams and smiles all round as John chats with the family, often using a translation app. He helps with daily tasks and improving the family’s English skills.
“The difficulty of learning English is a big barrier for refugees,” John says. “It makes it hard to get a job, which Abdul is desperately keen to do. He is a butcher, as well as having experience in raising livestock.”
So English classes at TAFE are essential. For the boys, being thrown into the mix at Mullumbimby High School has brought their language on faster.
Abdul expresses his thanks through the app: “We are grateful to Australia. Life was hard in Turkiye. In Australia, life is much better and Government services are good.”
For John, the experience has been an eye-opener. “I got involved because I just want to give back. There are so many gaps for new families. They are socially isolated, they need to work and get on their feet financially,” he says.
He uses his own family’s experience as a positive example: “My parents arrived in Coffs Harbour and started out with nothing, and now they have their own business. It takes time and hard work, but you can get there.”
To find out more about refugee settlement in the Northern Rivers, visit Northern Rivers For Refugees website www.nrfr.org.au
Pictured: The Jahjah family, from left, Ahmed, Kamar, Abdul and Ibrahim, with SCU student John Omtha.
