17/06/2024
Meet our HSP Client Kubra and Explore Her Incredible Story
Refugee Week welcomes and celebrates everyone seeking safety, regardless of how they arrived here. This year’s #RefugeeWeek theme is “Finding Freedom”.
To mark Refugee Week, we share the story of Kubra, one of our Humanitarian Settlement Program clients.
Kubra came to Australia in September 2023 as a refugee from Pakistan. Even Though she is Afghan, she and her family fled their homeland in 1995 due to the war and conflict with the Taliban during their first occupation. In Pakistan, she continued to live as a refugee and attended a refugee school. Her dedication and good grades allowed her to apply for a scholarship to study dentistry in 2013, which she successfully got. She spent part of her early life in Pakistan but missed her homeland. So, she decided to return in 2019 when the situation improved.
However, when the Taliban regained control, Kubra was in Kabul working as a dentist. Her mum and sister were in Daikundi. In 2021, they decided to pack up their lives once again and flee to Pakistan. “It was hard for women and girls to live alone under their regime, as we couldn’t study or work.”
In Pakistan, they applied for a Humanitarian Visa to Australia and arrived on the 8th of September. “When we arrived here, we felt protected, safe, and relieved. Our lives changed drastically as we gained freedoms as women we didn’t have back home. I remember all the support MCCGC provided us in settling, such as teaching us how to open a bank account, visit a GP, and other important daily tasks. The organisation guided and inspired us through the process.”
Kubra was very happy to be in Australia, but deep in her heart, she knew she wanted to continue her dentistry career. She started by having her qualifications recognised through the Australian Dental Council (ADC). After much effort, she received a positive outcome.
“Now, my challenge was finding a job related to my professional background. I went to many clinics, handing my resume, and did many online applications. However, they asked for Australian experience, which I didn’t have. Until someone gave me the opportunity and employed me as a dental assistant. I was so happy.”
The policies and procedures for dentists in Australia are different from those in Afghanistan, so she started a journey to learn new things and was passionate about it. “My boss is very supportive. He guides me on how dentists work in Australia and introduces me to the technology used here, which is much more advanced compared to what we used back home.”
“I overcame many challenges to get to where I am now, but everything is about persistence and consistency. Even though the Australian work environment for dentists is different, you can self-learn. I did it, and my journey has been amazing. The amount of knowledge you can gain using internet platforms is incredible. The first two weeks at my job were challenging, but now I’m improving daily.”
Kubra shared some advice for all migrants coming to Australia, “Here you have many opportunities, so you need to work hard and make the world a better place for everyone. Don’t rely just on the government and give back to those who need you.”
She dreams of becoming a dentist in Australia, running her clinic, and, more importantly, giving back to the community. She wants to work in research for the public health sector and help the community.
Thank you, Kubra, for sharing your beautiful story and inspiring us to follow our dreams.
