ANNUAL REPORT 2014-15

Progressive people l Abak

 

 

 

 

 

Her voice sounds like freedom, her face brightens when asked about respect and her whole story speaks of change.

 

Coming from Kenya, Abak recognizes education as her most valuable asset. “It’s the bridge between ‘that life’ and ‘the life’ that we all wanted,” she says.

 

She’s only 17. She feels comfortable in her own skin; she wants to be a journalist and she is more than ready to take on her new role as a Youth Ambassador for R4Respect, YFS’ new domestic violence prevention and education strategy for young people aged 12 to 24 in Logan.

 

“I always talk about respect. I was raised with respect being a massive part of my culture and tradition. As a human being, I can’t relate or connect to someone if there’s no respect between us.”

 

As a young person, Abak feels like there’s a lot of pressure to do what’s wrong rather than what’s right. But she’s optimistic. She believes she can make a difference and that the impossible can still be achieved.

 

“I do believe that the pressure that we feel today is stopping people from being respectful. R4Respect is very important because it’s a project that doesn’t just approach domestic violence; it goes to the core of all types of relationships which is respect."

 

“It teaches about what we need to fix; the foundation of what’s causing these broader issues and it really targets them within young people. If we can do that, then R4Respect is bound to change something.”

 

Abak knows that there’s a lot of work to be done. “It’s going to take a community effort, schools, families, organisations and everyone to join together in order for the impact to be great and to be effective.”

 

"We need to paint a clear picture because you can’t teach something that you haven’t completely established. It’s about rebuilding those respectful relationships; it’s about giving respect and receiving it in return.”

 

Abak even uses her background to encourage discussion about Respect. She’s committed to ensuring that R4Respect reaches every young person in Logan and its surrounds.

 

“Logan is very multicultural; we all have very different multicultural backgrounds. We can’t change a culture but we can compromise with the culture. I want to see Logan unite and the only way that’s going to happen is if we respect each other.”

 

“R4Respect would not be just in Logan. In three years’ time, you’re going to see young people across Australia stepping on to

this; it’s going to be a movement.”

 

 

 

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“R4Respect is very important because it’s a project that doesn’t just approach domestic violence; it goes to the core of all types of relationships which is respect. It teaches about

what we need to fix, the foundation of what’s causing these broader issues and it really targets them within young people. If we can do that, then R4Respect is bound to change

something.”

 

 

 

“We’ve never actually put together something that’s so well thought out that has a purpose, that has a goal and is delivered by young people. So what you are going to see is an impact of something new. I don’t even think this would be just in Logan. R4Respect is going to be preached around the country and internationally.”

 

 

 

“I want to learn about the people within my community; I want to learn what they want, why they don’t speak, the different cultures, the different boundaries that they have. After I’ve learned and I understand that, I expect them to start to listen and to understand me and what my objectives are and what we’re trying to do as Youth Ambassadors, all of us, and the difference that we’re trying to make.”

 

 

 

 

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