Tamil refugee Neil Para says he has prepared the best way he can for a month-long journey, walking 1,000km from Ballarat in regional Victoria to reach Sydney.
A Tamil refugee in regional Victoria is planning to walk to Sydney over 32 consecutive days.Para and his family arrived by boat in Australian waters in August 2012.He, his wife and child reached Malaysia, where they lived for four years before deciding to board a boat headed for Australia."We reached Malaysia, where we were found to be refugees by the UNHCR. But there is still no certainty for us in Malaysia, even though we were found to be refugees.
Neil Para is pictured with his wife, Sugaa and their three daughters. He says he and his wife learned English through their volunteering efforts."We use every single opportunity to volunteer," Para said, who received the Best Neighbour Award in 2020 through the neighbourhood network Nextdoor Australia.
The group's convenor, Margaret O'Donnell, said the community has rallied behind Neil, his wife Sugaa, and their three daughters aged between 10 and 15. "The uncertainty is just no good for people's mental health. They can contribute - and are contributing - to society. They've suffered long enough," she said.
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