Sudanese refugee inspires all with journey to be GP
Although a doctor in Sudan, Zahra’s credentials weren’t recognised in her new home, she didn’t speak any English and she had left everything behind.
Despite this challenging start, she gathered her courage and, inspired by three young children, passed her medical exams with spectacular results.
After commencing as a GP in 2011, Zahra has recently taken up a placement at Atticus Health in Drouin to gain experience working in a rural community.
“I had heard good stuff about the people of Drouin,” she said. “I’m really enjoying it.”
“I feel like GP is the core of the medicine. You feel like you are looking after a community, a family, generation after generation.
“Everything they go through, you can help them with.”
As well as helping Drouin families, Zahra is keen to change the image of Sudanese refugees.
“Not all Sudanese are bad people like you see in the media. They don’t have people to give them guidance. The trauma they went through, the war, is reflected in their life.”
She believes engagement and learning English is essential for Sudanese refugees to prepare for their futures in Australia.
For Zahra, starting from nothing after arriving in Australia was difficult but worth the challenge.
“I thought wake up and do something for yourself, something for your family,” she said of her motivation. “I have to be strong. I put that aim and worked hard to reach that aim.”
As an example, she quickly identified learning English as the key and watched television, visited libraries and interacted with neighbours to fast track her learning.
Originally from Darfur in western Sudan, Zahra worked in rural villages where female genital mutilation was widespread as well as in hospitals where trauma was rife, doctors were overworked and money to pay for treatment was low.
She also fell into the categories of indigenous and educated – both of which are heavily targeted by the country’s government.
Ordered to work in a war zone area, Zahra refused.
“They send me the last letter, a warning letter that I had one month to go work in war zone area or face jail. I didn’t have any option.”
Zahra immediately left for Egypt in May 2000 and applied to the Australian Embassy with her husband in November 2000.
She is now mother to three boys, aged 17, 15 and 12, who were all born in Australia and says, “they are my life” and “Australia is our home”.
However, the pain of leaving her parents and other family behind in Sudan to face questions and attacks over her leaving still brings Zahra to tears.
Eventually, Zahra was able to save the large sum required for her mother to join her in Australia to help care for her young children. As a result, she could focus on her medical studies.
Such was her exam success, she was invited to teach clinical medicine for international medical graduates before re-commencing studies to become a GP.
“I know what it is to start from zero. It’s really hard and you need a lot of support.”
Zahra has returned to Sudan, a 2010 visit, but was saddened by the lack of progress.
“We are still part of Northern Sudan and the president has been there more than 30 years. There is no election, there is nothing. You can’t say anything.”
“There is nothing different. Everything is the same. No new road, nothing. The people struggle to have the basic life supply.”
“It’s very sad to see that.”