Akuch Kuol Anyieth always had in the back of her mind that she would write the story of her life and that of her family and friends. She wanted to record an honest account of refugee life and resettlement in Australia. Her family would cry as she read each draft chapter to them, but she knew her task was important; a form of advocacy for greater understanding of the mental illness suffered by traumatised refugees who have been through war.
“In a nutshell, you bring yourself with you,” she says. “We receive them as refugees, yes; we understand they come from countries facing war or political disagreement … we’re very focused on service provision and a material-things level, [but] not on a ‘what-happened-to-you’ level: let’s talk about your history, your journey that made you move to Australia.”
