Akuch Kuol Anyieth was born in South Sudan and was just five when her family fled relentless tribal violence and settled in a refugee camp in Kenya.
Life in the Kakuma camp was tough - water and food were often scarce, tribal riots were common and venturing out at night or alone was dangerous for women and girls.
When Anyieth was 15, they were granted refugee visas for Australia and transported to a world turned upside down.
Anyieth, now a graduate researcher in crime, justice and legal studies, has written about her journey in a memoir called Unknown.
Photo: Supplied
Akuch tells Kathryn Ryan her earliest memories are from the Kakuma camp, where she moved as a toddler with her mother and siblings because of the war in South Sudan.
But there were many challenges in what they thought was a refuge, including a lack of food, shelter, and medical health facilities, she says.
“In the camp, our lives pretty much depended on aid … with the population in the camp, that was often not enough.
“The weather conditions are quite extreme so that prevented people from harvesting crops or growing anything that can be in addition to what we were already receiving through aid.
“A lot of people around us suffered a lot of health issues such as mental illnesses that were untreated which affected their daily life and their community around them.
“I should add … the camp was a very communal society and issues that were presented or issues that one person or particular family faced bleeds into the overall community.”
Often the intense conditions triggered fights and inflicted more trauma on the war-torn families who had to navigate their daily lives not knowing what the future held for them, she says.
The stresses took their toll on Akuch’s mother, raising the children alone while her husband fought in the army, and on her brother Anyieth, who was prone to violent outbursts.
Her brother’s behaviour stemmed from a variety of challenges, not least of all the trauma of the war he witnessed, displacement as a young boy, and a missing father figure, all of which manifested at the camp, she says.
“The life there [at the camp] was pretty much survival of the fittest.
“Mind you, there was little to almost nothing in terms of dispute resolution process or criminal justice system, people were just living in their own world and taking matters into their own hands.
“So, the majority of the young men in the camp, such as Anyieth, it was either you fight and protect yourself and your family or people fight you and you become the weak.”
Despite the struggles and challenges, their mother was determined they stick together and instilled that sense of unity in them.
“I think I spoke about when our visas were granted, and my little niece … was not included because she was born after the visas were grant and they were suggesting we leave her behind and then submit another process of bringing her to Australia.
“[My mum] was ready to throw away the opportunity to come to Australia if one of the family members was going to be left behind. She said it’s either we die together, or we survive and make it together.
“It’s beautiful to watch now, because I wouldn’t say we’ve made it but we are at a safe place and at a level of peace in the family and meeting our daily needs, and what else could we want in life?”
Akuch says the three countries she has lived in will always be home to her.
“I do feel at home here [in Australia], but I think I cannot say that one of the homes or one of the countries is where I belong compared to the other because I think [all of them] have impacted and shaped my life in very unique ways.”
