How do you define the successful resettlement of a refugee family? Among the many ways such as succeeding in school and having access to language and medical services, is learning to drive.
Public transport in the Northern Rivers is unreliable and refugee families need to be able to move around for all the same reasons as other residents. But as anyone who’s gone for a driver’s licence knows, it’s no easy feat.
Firstly, most of the lessons are in Tweed Heads (through a free driving program) and then you need volunteers willing to do additional driving lessons. These are all challenges that BR4R, the CSGs and the families have to overcome.
In the Mahmoud family, Essam has successfully been driving now for over a year. This enables him to travel to and from work as a chef, working odd hours (outside of the availability of public transport) and to take his family to and from medical appointments.
Douaa has never driven a car and has taken to driving lessons readily. It gives her the freedom to engage more with the community through her children’s school, English lessons, going out for picnics, medical appointments and just visiting her friends in her CSG in north Ocean Shores and Mullumbimby.
Driving is a must for the independence of women and Douaa is almost there: She has passed every test, with one to go.
