From Syria to Serenity: Four Women’s Courageous Journey to a New Life in Dunedin
From Syria to Serenity: Four Women’s Courageous Journey to a New Life in Dunedin
Picture this: One day, the peaceful sounds of birds are replaced by the terrifying roar of explosions. The air, once fresh, is now filled with the acrid smell of smoke and death. Your safe haven, New Zealand, is no longer secure. Bullets and bombs have become a part of daily life. What would you do?
The Global Displacement Crisis
In the last decade, the world has witnessed an unprecedented level of displacement. A staggering 80 million people have been forcibly displaced globally. More individuals are fleeing their homes than ever before, surpassing even post-WWII numbers. Behind these statistics are ordinary people who have faced extraordinary circumstances—children, mothers, fathers, grandparents—people who had no choice but to flee.
The Syrian Conflict
Since March 2011, the conflict in Syria between state and non-state armed groups has resulted in massive destruction and loss of life. Over the past decade, more than five million people have fled across borders, and millions more have been displaced within Syria. Many are still in desperate need of assistance. As the war rages on, hope is dwindling.
New Beginnings in Dunedin
Thousands of kilometers away, in the peaceful landscapes of New Zealand, we meet Manahel Haroura, Nisrine Zarzar, Rahaf Almabaid, and Alia Al Mohamad—four remarkable Syrian refugee women now living in Dunedin, each with a unique story of survival, courage, and determination.
Rahaf Almabaid: Aiming for the Stars
On an unusually warm and bustling day in Dunedin, the University of Otago campus is alive with activity. Among the students is 20-year-old Rahaf Almabaid, who stands out with her confidence and familiarity with the campus.
Rahaf has always been ambitious. From a young age, she dreamed of attending university. Even when the war in Syria forced her family to flee, Rahaf never gave up on her goals.
“I never thought the war would happen to us,” Rahaf explains. “My parents had a plan for me—they wanted me to get educated, go to university, and graduate, all in the same place. Somehow it didn’t happen, but things are still good.”
As the conflict reached her neighborhood, her grandfather decided it was time to leave. “Most of us moved to Lebanon in 2013—it all happened in 24 hours,” she recalls.
Life in Lebanon was relatively normal for Rahaf, who could attend school. However, the future for most Syrian refugees there is bleak. When the opportunity to settle in New Zealand arose, Rahaf’s family was thrilled.
“Once I heard about the possibility of moving to New Zealand, I did my research. The first thing I found was the University of Otago—I got excited and thought, ‘Maybe it will be my university one day,’” Rahaf says.
Little did she know that the University of Otago would indeed be where she pursued her dream of becoming a doctor. When Rahaf settled in Dunedin in March 2016 with her family, she picked up her high school studies where she had left off in Lebanon and worked hard.
“I dream to be a doctor and help the community. I want to do it for my parents, who sacrificed everything for me and my brother. They wanted us to have these opportunities and they get so excited whenever we do something new, so I’m going for it,” Rahaf shares.
Thanks to her dedication and excellent grades, Rahaf was accepted into Health Sciences and won two different scholarships, all while working part-time. Although she passed all her first-year papers, she didn’t get an offer from the medicine program. Undeterred, she enrolled in Biomedical Science, majoring in functional human biology.
“After the two years, I will try to apply again to get into medicine. I’m still very keen to pursue this. I am passionate,” Rahaf asserts.
Manahel Haroura: Stitching Together a New Life
A low hum echoes across the floor of Elco Apparel in Dunedin. The only sounds are of needles punching through fabric, garments sliding across tables, scissors slicing through material, and the occasional soft tap on a foot pedal to activate a sewing machine.
The buzz of sewing machines was new to Manahel Haroura, but she has become very familiar with the sound since she started training as a machinist. It’s a sound she has learned to appreciate—one that reminds her of how safe she is in New Zealand, far from the noise of bombs in Syria.
“I don’t want to talk about the war; I am going to start to cry,” says Manahel, who grew up in Damascus among a large family with lots of relatives. “I had a nice life and lots of love and happiness.”
The single mother fled Syria with her three children across the border to Lebanon. Like many others, she doesn’t like to talk about her experiences and wants to focus on the future—one that she hopes will bring peace and contentment to her family. In 2017, the family was offered resettlement in Dunedin—a new life Manahel has embraced with both hands.
“It’s nice, safe, quiet, and with many friendly people,” Manahel says. “Dunedin is such a nice city. I’m happy here.”
Initially, she focused on learning English and approached the New Zealand Red Cross to help her find employment. She was introduced to the people at Earth Sea Sky clothing company in Christchurch, which owns Elco Apparel. The business was struggling to find machinists and had approached Red Cross to inquire about potential refugee workers.
Manahel met the team, fed them delicious home baking, and asked many questions about the machines. They felt she would be a great fit and that training her would be worth the effort. “The first time I came to the workshop, I was so surprised and wondered, ‘Oh my God, how am I going to work with these big machines? I have never seen these before!’” Manahel recalls. Nevertheless, she picked it up quickly.
This is the first job Manahel has ever had. In Syria, she maintained her home and supported her kids. Finding work in New Zealand has meant becoming more independent and has brought a lot of joy to her children.
“With this job, I feel like I am doing something good in life,” Manahel shares.
