A tireless volunteer who braved his own challenges as an asylum seeker has been highly commended in the volunteer category of Greater Dandenong Australia Day Awards.
Mohammed Akram Yusofi came to Australia by boat in 2012 and like many others, faced the freshly-elected Coalition Government’s hardline approach toward asylum seekers which included limited or no work rights and ineligibility for HECS to apply for higher education studies.
Meanwhile, asylum seekers like Akram survived by immersing himself in the community starting off volunteering at the old Dandenong Library site as a teacher aide and interpreter at English language classes.
“I wanted to keep myself busy and also give back to the community because I didn’t have work rights.
“I started realising Australia has a lot of volunteers to be honest.
“So many people to help refugees like SMRC, that really propelled me towards becoming a volunteer, even though at that time, the policies of the Coalition government weren’t favourable to refugees.
“I realised the community was welcoming towards us, refugees.
“Once I was involved, I realised it provides me a sense of fulfilment, and motivation to go further.”
Not knowing what comes next after high school, unlike many, he was fortunate enough to secure a scholarship to study Biomedical Science at Monash University.
But his dream of becoming a doctor remains short-lived when he faced fees of $83,000 to be able to study medicine.
He continued to volunteer with Monash University, Monash Health and also the Hazara Shamama Association where he led a team of 50 volunteers to support bushfire affected farmers in New South Wales in the Black Summer 2019-2020 fires after raising $10,000 and distributed equipment and aid to vulnerable families during Covid-19 lockdowns.
It is considered Australia’s most catastrophic and intense fire season on record.
After 14 years of calling Australia his home, Akram finally became an Australian citizen last year meaning he can finally bring his parents and siblings out of danger from Afghanistan, and he has made the application.
While he continues to volunteer within the community, Akram holds immense concerns for his family who he says are advocates for human rights and girls education.
