Camp life was harsh—overcrowding, disease, scarce food, and no security. In 1991, William and thousands of other unaccompanied children were told they would be taken to Kenya for schooling. Instead, they were organised into military units and forced on a months long trek across Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Sudan, often travelling at night to avoid bombardments. Food and water were almost non-existent.

At around age 12–13, William was forced into military training in Eastern Equatoria and spent three years as a child soldier. He describes extreme hunger, thirst, constant movement, bombardments, and combat. Despite the trauma, he emphasises that survival was as much mental and emotional as physical—hope kept him alive.

In 1993, he escaped again, this time reaching Kenya’s Kakuma Refugee Camp. Although conditions were still poor, the absence of gunfire felt like paradise. He began school, writing on the ground due to lack of materials. After eight years, he was resettled in Australia.

Arriving with limited English and few possessions, William rebuilt his life. He earned two university degrees - a Bachelor of Arts and a Master’s of Social Work, and now works in youth mental health. He tells young people that their past is not a prison but a classroom, and that trauma can be transformed into strength and purpose.

He shared that he is a husband, father of five, a committed Anglican, and a Hawthorn supporter. William concluded by saying that sharing his story frees both himself and others, and that he stands not as a victim or hero, but as someone who travelled from survival to service—grateful to Australia for giving him a second chance.

Thank you William for your amazing presentation.