Back in Iran, people couldn't understand why Mohammad Ali Ahmadi was working so hard to give his daughters a future. Now in Australia, Fahima Ahmadi is proving that his efforts were worth it.
"He was telling us that there were times that he could only see water. … At one stage he didn't know if he would survive because it was a broken boat, there were many people there and a lack of food," she said.
"My parents didn't have the opportunity to be educated. But I'm so happy and lucky that they had that perception that 'they are my child and they can be who they want to be'."Ms Ahmadi was eight years old when her father left for Australia. It would be another eight years before she saw him again. Ms Ahmadi's older sister, 22-year-old Fatima, has become the first person in her family to attend university. She's studying a double degree in business and international relations. Last year she was the captain of Woodridge State High School.
"What we can remember from our childhood is only war and killing all the time. We didn't have childhood. It was only war and destruction and misery in Afghanistan and when we immigrated to Iran, there were many problems on our way."We now live in Australia and I wish that they become someone who would have a positive impact on society."Reflecting upon her own personal experience and aware of the plight of others, Ms Ahmadi has become passionate about social justice.
"If you reach out and take the hand of a person who's offering to help you, I think you will be much, much more successful, and Fahima has shown that.
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