From running a bakery in Syria to washing dishes in Dunedin, it has been a long journey for one former refugee.
Walid Abd Aziz Suleman (38), who spoke to The Star through Red Cross cross-cultural worker and interpreter Marwa Othman, left his homeland of Syria for Lebanon more than three years ago.
Mr Suleman, who arrived in New Zealand with his wife Zainab and their two daughters Malik (10) and Iman (13) in April this year, was now working part-time washing dishes at Stuart St restaurant The Jitsu.
He said he was ``very happy'' in his work and was thankful to ``the Red Cross people and God'' for providing him the job.
He hoped to eventually open a bakery and get back into the work he had done in Syria.
Red Cross Pathways to Employment Dunedin adviser Jarrah Cooke said Mr Suleman was ``an extremely talented baker''.
His boss, The Jitsu owner George Magnuson, said Mr Suleman did a ``good job'' washing dishes.
``We're happy he's here.''
Mr Magnuson said he had approached Dunedin Refugee Steering Group chairman Gerard Aynsley about possibly getting one of the former refugees to fill in a part-time role in the restaurant and Fr Aynsley had referred him on to Red Cross.
Mr Suleman, who began working to support himself at age 9, said Syrians were not ``used to relying on somebody else'' for support.
He planned to contribute back to New Zealand society as much as possible and said he felt safe and comfortable here.
``We consider it our home after our first home country, Syria,'' he said.
- Greta Yeoman
