Rawia came with her family as a refugee to Australia from war-torn Sudan in 2003.
Earlier this year, Sudan broke out in mass civil protests across the country with some of the largest protests ever seen in the nation’s history. After decades of iron hand rule by Omar al Bashir, Sudan stood at the crossroads between continuing dictatorship and a more democratic system. During the unrest, scores of civilians were killed by government troops and militia loyal to Bashir. With rising tensions, a power sharing agreement was finally reached in August, allowing a 3 year transition to democracy. Doubts remain, however, as to if the agreement will hold and if Sudan will ever see free and fair elections.
Despite the tragedy of her father’s recent death, Rawia and her family have thrived in Australia. She and her 3 siblings have all gone to university. Her brother is an aspiring top tier soccer player. Meanwhile, Rawia is currently nurturing a successful career in the public service and maintains an interest in fashion, design and photography.
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