A refugee who was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his service to the local community is helping launch a new foundation for grassroots action.
Elijah Buol fled Sudan for Australia alone at age 16, after losing his parents in a civil war in the early 2000s
Since then, Mr Buol has kept his hands full leading multiple organisations and movements for refugees in and around Logan, earning himself multiple community service recognitions.
Next on his agenda: to direct the Refugee Communities Association of Australia RCAA) Foundation, a not-for-profit aiming to support, advocate for and build refugee communities across the country.
The foundation will aim to give refugees – particularly those in Logan – with a voice to government.
“Our mission is to support refugees and people seeking asylum and to empower them as well as to provide resources and financial support so they can achieve their goals and aspirations and fulfil their potential,” Mr Buol said.
Fellow director Parsu Sharma Luital said the RCAA Foundation’s aim was “to incorporate the authentic, grassroots voices of refugees directly into key national discussions”.
“The foundation aims to make our community work sustainable. We want to create opportunities to source resources that support refugee communities and empower them to have a voice in decisions that affect their lives,” he said.
“Many people don’t understand that refugees are making positive contributions to Australia economically and socially. Part of the work of the foundation will be to change that.
“Many people also think that refugees come with problems and challenges. But they also come with solutions, skills, expertise and the opportunity to put forward and implement those solutions could materially benefit many lives,” Mr Sharma Luital said.
The foundation’s constitution states its object is “to provide direct assistance” to people – particularly migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and people from a culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds – disadvantaged by poverty, illness, suffering, distress, misfortune, disability, destitution or helplessness.
