Branda Assoufi sits on the far left. Here she is embracing a new identity while enjoying the view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge with her friends.
Photo: Provided by Branda Assoufi
In an ideal world, children spend their childhood surrounded by family under the safety of one roof. They joyfully celebrated birthdays and holidays, and went about their lives without fear of the future, but not Branda Assoufi. Branda carried a heavy burden that reminded her of two facts she never wanted to hear - she is homeless and her family have been displaced by the civil war.
As a nine-year-old, Branda spent her childhood without a home. She could barely remember what it was like to sleep in her own bed, and play in her own backyard. Her memories of her house in Iraq were replaced by images of bombs, guns, and masked men. Branda desperately wanted to escape reality but even her dreams started to haunt her.
In fact, she was consumed with fear when her family exited Iraq. Shaken at the thought of her parents being killed if Saddam Hussein’s government were notified of their escape, Branda realised the risk of leaving Baghdad, and the pain of sacrificing her happiness for a freedom that was not guaranteed.
“Life was beautiful. Colours represented my world. It was the worst way to learn the colours through the bombs exploding around me…I was feeling the pain of the colours,” she said.
Branda’s world was turned upside down when she woke to sounds of doors being slammed, wheels dragged across the floor, and loud whispers in the hallway. She remembered one night in 2000 her parents announced their escape from Baghdad to Jordan. With fake passports on one hand, and food and clothing on the other, her family fled their home without contacting their relatives or friends.
“I had to say goodbye to my bedroom, window and to the stars I was watching and talking to every night. To do this I needed time. But there was no time. I had even less time to see my friends and relatives.”
Confined in a car for 24-hours, Branda and her family were secretly driven to the nearest airport. Within the next hour they were on the first flight to Turkey.
Twelve years later, at the age of 21, Branda is studying medical science at the University of Technology Sydney. She attributes her success to her parents who made the ultimate sacrifice for her freedom.
“Here I am starting a new life, with a new language, place, and people. Everything will be new,” she said. “I’m here, and I’m happy. I have a chance to start again.”
Before she arrived to Australia, she lived in rundown hotels chosen out of desperation, and houses that belonged to strangers when money was scarce.
“Some hotels were really bad,” she said. “When they see people who don’t speak Turkish, they charged more.”
Despite being rejected five times for refugee visas in Australia since 2003, Branda believed her strong bond with her family gave her the strength to persevere while searching for a new home.
“I learned that difficulties make you stronger,” she said. “Though it was hard because we were the only ones who struggled to fit in a new country.
Branda spent most of her time travelling or in hiding. She remembered days were longer, especially when her family was stranded in Istanbul after being flown from Jordan.
“My body started to get weaker,” she said. “Suddenly it rained, and we had nowhere to go. We were staring at the rain. We were all wet and cold. I thought would be stuck here forever, and my heart was filled with fear.”
Branda felt vulnerable in a foreign country, and her inability to understand the Turkish language further alienated her.
“My family didn’t know what to do. I was just a kid. Istanbul has 30 million people, and was a small place,” she said. “Because I didn’t understand the language, I couldn’t tell people what I needed or how I felt.”
However, Branda adapted to life in Istanbul when she came across a village that became her home for seven years. Her perception of Istanbul as a threatening country vanished after she adopted the Turkish language as part of her identity.
“Because we were Christians they refused us, but now they’re nice people,” she said. “They gave you stuff, and shared what they have even though they had little.”
Branda, now living in Sydney’s south-west, saw life in Turkey as a challenge to remain strong, and taught her to always be positive in the face of adversity.
“I learned how you should behave and communicate with people, and to accept things in the end,” she said. “I also learned about myself. I didn’t think I would make it. But I did and I’m proud of it.”
Eventually in 2007, Branda was informed her visa application for Australia was successful, and an interview was scheduled in August with the United Nations.
“We felt lucky. We use to see Australia in magazines and TV. We would say ‘One day we will be going there,’” she said. “We would think of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, and put pictures on the wall.”
Five years later, Branda is celebrating her sixth year as an Australian citizen. With a new hope and future, Branda is determined to “give back” to Australia the life she regained.
“There are a lot of opportunities in Australia. I have a future here and I’m planning to pay back for everything,” she said. “The government provides a lot of things like Medicare and pension. We feel like we’re in safe hands, and secure. This is now our country where we belong.”
Feel free to check out my other websites and social media accounts.
