Swollen, blistered feet.
640km to walk, 450km left.
Twenty-two women trudge along the side of Benalla Rd coming into Shepparton, ready to call it a day but not ready to quit.
These women live in limbo in a country they’ve called home for over a decade — but the Federal Government has yet to approve them for permanent residency.
Earlier this year, Prime Minster Anthony Albanese announced that 19,000 refugees could apply for permanency.
However, many others, including these women and their families, were excluded from the announcement.
These women are walking from Melbourne to Canberra, calling for permanent protection for 10,000 refugees and asylum seekers who have fallen through the cracks because of the fast-track system.
The fast track system has tight time frames, leaving a higher risk for refugees and asylum seekers needing protection being returned to their country where they’d face persecution.
They’re also asking for work and study rights for all refugees, the abolition of the Fast Track System and the Immigration Assessment Authority and permanent settlement in Australia for all refugees from the processing centres in Nauru and Papua New Guinea.
On Wednesday, September 28, these women made their way through Shepparton, stopping for a break on Thursday where they enjoyed an afternoon tea at the St Paul’s Africa House.
Each of these women have their own story, here are some of them.
Fahime Asgari
Fahime Asgari fled Iran in 2013.
She fled with her husband and two children.
Her children have spent most, if not all, of their schooling lives in Australia.
She just wants a better future for them.
“I came here for freedom and a good life for the future for my kids, but I have pain and stress for the future.”
Leaving Melbourne to go on this walk has meant Fahime, like many others in the group, left her children behind to fight for a voice in their future.
“My daughter is in Year 12, doing exams, and she has much stress, and she calls me and says mum, I miss you, and it hurts me,” she said.
“I said don’t worry, I will find a good way to keep you in school.”
Listen to more of Fahime’s story here.
Sayede Dehkordi
When Sayede Dehkordi’s parents died, she felt unsafe in Iran.
She fled to Australia and after marrying her husband, she soon gave birth to her son.
Her husband is on a permanent visa, her son is a citizen but Sayede is still on a temporary visa.
“I was not happy in that country. I didn’t feel safe, and I wanted a better life.”
She struggles to understand why she has had to wait in limbo all these years when other refugees around her who are in the same situation are getting approved for residency.
“Some refugees have got the permanent visa and their situation is the same as us, but I don’t know what’s different like how can they get the permanent visa that we can’t get.”
“We are also human, we have feelings too, please do something for us we’re tired 11 years is enough.”
Listen to more of Sayede’s story here.
Vijayaluxmi Mohanraj
Vijayaluxmi is a single mother of two children.
She fled Sri Lanka with her children, coming to Australia in 2012.
She is balancing two jobs, working day and night to look after her children.
“I never had any rest in my life,’’ she said.
“I have been running here and there to keep food on the table, and my daughter is doing VCE this year and I have left them alone, because I’m working for them for their future.”
She has no regrets about joining the walk, and despite suffering from several health conditions — she will keep going.
“I beg this government to consider all the refugees,” she said.
“I have all the health conditions — I’m really sick, I have diabetes, my legs are swollen and injured and I’m still walking.
“We want to complete this walk successfully, and I pray the government will help us.
Listen to more of Vijayaluxmi’s story here.