For refugee and author Abdi Aden, the journey from Somalia to living on the streets of Melbourne aged 15 and eventually becoming a youth worker was more than enough preparation for whatever life may throw at him.
“It wasn’t easy for me at first – I used to have nightmares and headaches from what happened in the war,” Aden said. “But then I would try to do at least one thing that makes me happy for the day. Maybe just have a nice cup of tea, maybe just talk to my family or a friend I haven’t seen in a while.”
Aden went on to complete secondary education and later a university degree.
He became a youth worker, won 2007’s Victorian Refugee Recognition Award and appeared in the second season of SBS television’s Go Back To Where You Came From. His book, Shining: The Story Of A Lucky Man, was recently published.
St Albans library will host a talk by Aden as part of Refugee Week this afternoon. He will talk from 1-30-2.30pm about his experiences fleeing war-torn Somalia and travelling through Kenya, Romania and Germany before coming to Australia.
Library talk details
– Brendan James Kelly
