West Welcome Wagon (WWW) hosted its annual open day on August 29 with a morning tea and a tour of the warehouse.
WWW chief executive Colette McInerney said the event is about thanking volunteers and making connections with other organisations, politicians and community members to better support refugees and asylum seekers.
Dr Abdul Saber Barak, a refugee from Afghanistan, spoke at the event about his lived experience.
Dr Barak arrived in Australia nearly two years ago after enduring years of hardship and displacement.
“Back in Afghanistan, I was a medical doctor and had dedicated my life to serving patients. Medicine was not maybe a profession for me, it was my mission and my identity,” he said.
Dr Barak said that when he arrived in Australia he had to undergo a process to have his medical qualifications formally recognised.
“Despite my efforts to get equivalency I have not yet received a response. This has meant that I must once again begin from zero,” he said.
Dr Barak said WWW has been a tremendous source of support to him and his family.
“Without their support, I would not be standing here today before you,” he said.
“I do not share my story as a complaint but as an expression of hope for the future. Despite the challenges, I am determined to return to the medical profession, and still serve the Australian community which has welcomed me with open arms.”
WWW is a not-for-profit organisation in Melbourne’s west that provides donated items and support to asylum seekers and refugees.
