Two Delahey siblings have been given a leg up in settling into Australian life thanks to a STEM scholarship provided by Western Chances and Toyota.
Joseph and Julie Alkarra, originally from Damascus, Syria, moved to Melbourne in 2016.
The brother and sister duo have both settled into Australian life perfectly, with Julie undertaking a Bachelor of Pharmacy (honours)/Master of Pharmacy at Monash University and Joseph studying a Bachelor of Science/Master of Engineering (mechatronics) at the University of Melbourne.
Joseph said the scholarship had gone a long way to helping them achieve their dreams.
“Our Western Chances scholarships are more than just money…. the organisation has provided us with money to cover some of our study expenses like textbooks, electronic devices, and Myki money.
“We also got the opportunity to get involved with community camps through Western Chances where we now volunteer yearly.”
Julie also had the opportunity to participate in a mentorship program as a mentee through the Western Chances, and also participated in a Victorian Multicultural Commission Meeting and helped provide advice to the government departments and agencies on how best to ensure critical information is available to multicultural communities.
After receiving a helping hand, Julie said the siblings are keen to give back.
“We try our best to help new arrivals experience the best things about being here,” Julie said.
“It is very scary to leave one’s country and come to a new place where you do not know anyone or the language, you see people from different backgrounds and cultures, therefore we take part in a camp called ATLAS with an organization called the Lord Somers Camp & Powerhouse.
“ATLAS is a weekend camp for refugees and immigrants aged between 12 and 17. We volunteer with amazing other people to help those kids settle in and feel welcome in their new community.”
Tate Papworth
