From refugee to RACS volunteer: this is Mosavar’s story
This National Volunteer Week, Mosavar shares his family’s powerful story of fleeing Afghanistan and Iran to find safety - a journey that led him here, to the RACS offices.
It’s autumn at the RACS office and Mosavar, one of our brilliant former volunteers, has returned to speak with us. Taking time from his busy day as a final year UNSW law student and part-time worker, his words paint a picture of a journey that many Australians could never imagine.
The best place to start is the beginning, with his parents and brother living in Afghanistan before he was born.
Mosavar explains that his family was forced to flee Afghanistan because at the time, the Taliban was a huge danger to their safety. The extremist values of the regime meant that his father’s education - which he received in Russia - was considered a threat. His father was deemed a Kaffir (/ˈkæfər/), a complex and somewhat racist term for those who don’t stay in line with the regime’s beliefs and expectations.
“It was like there was a target on his back,” says Mosavar.
The family moved to Iran, which is where Mosavar was born. Life there was challenging, with the family having to find a way to fit into a particularly rigid and restrictive society - especially for those who may not have a lot of money. That’s when his father sought protection for the family, via the UNHCR. His application was instantly granted - something that very rarely happens.
They were given two choices for where to migrate: Canada or New Zealand. Mosavar’s family chose New Zealand as it seemed a little warmer, and that was that. They travelled to New Zealand and lived at one of the North Island’s refugee centres. This was a huge turning point. With no English, and little understanding of how things like shopping centres and banking worked, the family needed to learn how to navigate through a whole new world.
Luckily, as part of the New Zealand Government’s protection powers at the time, Mosavar’s family had the help of key people who directly supported their transition and assimilation. It was now time for the family to focus on fully immersing themselves in a new culture, and, for Mosavar and his brother, a new schooling system. Mosavar’s family spent years learning English and finding their feet.
While in New Zealand, Mosavar’s mother gave birth to another sibling and life started to slowly come together - despite the harshness of having to leave everything they knew and loved behind. Soon enough, they were granted New Zealand citizenship. Safety, security and new possibilities were finally within their reach.
As time passed, however, it proved difficult for Mosavar’s father to secure consistent, well-paying work. His father was well educated, but needed to retrain once in New Zealand - something many refugees are faced with. And so he took another big risk: the decision to move the whole family to Australia for the chance of more opportunities.
It wasn’t a simple process. Mosavar’s father had to visit Australia to get a proper understanding of how to make the move. But, soon enough, the family were packing up their lives up once again and making their way to the diverse suburbs of Sydney.
Years on, Mosavar has forged a successful educational path. Now in his last year of a five-year law degree at UNSW, he is still figuring out where to go next. But he doesn’t take these considerations lightly. All the conveniences and privileges that come with living in a country like Australia are not lost on him, and he is deeply grateful.
He stresses what we must all recognise: refugees and people seeking asylum don’t leave their homelands through choice.
“It’s the last thing a family would want, it’s not something anyone would openly choose,” Mosavar says.
Most recently, Mosavar has wrapped up volunteering at RACS after almost five months of supporting the team. He feels like his experience has certainly helped him grow in confidence, especially in terms of dealing directly with people in need of legal help.
Volunteers at the RACS office
Our volunteers don’t just sort mail-outs or do small admin tasks - they work on the frontline. They are the first point of contact for those who call the RACS helpline in need of protection advice, a voice of calm and reassurance as the people we support navigate the challenges of seeking safety and security in Australia.
During his time as a volunteer, Mosavar was able to reflect on his own journey, and the sacrifices of his parents. Thinking back, he remembers not having electricity, hot water or heating.
“It’s just a huge reminder of not taking things for granted,” he says.
As our discussion starts to wrap up, it becomes clear that Mosavar’s story - and that of his family - serves as inspiration for how he plans to live his life. Mosavar is in awe of his parents’ strength and how they put everything on the line for their family to be where they are now.
He also shared his enthusiasm for what RACS does as a pro bono legal organisation.
“There’s no way we would be where we are now without the help of people on the ground, just like our experience at the refugee camp in New Zealand… the power of having people to directly help is everything, and the difference between being able to assimilate and not.”
It’s incredible that Mosavar undertook a journey that spanned years and multiple countries, only to be sitting down in front of me and sharing his experience as a RACS volunteer.
As we say our goodbyes, we can hear the murmur of voices from the RACS volunteer room. It’s the sound of more phones being answered. More information being shared. More help being given to those who may only be at the beginning of their search for support and justice.
A big thank you to Mosavar for telling us his story and for choosing to volunteer at RACS. You can find more information about volunteering at RACS here.