20 July 2022
Young Achiever – Macham Bak Macham
Macham Bak Macham, 22, made quite an impression at the AMRC Youth Forum for speaking up and sharing his insights on some of the challenges facing young people.
“I would like to be a role model and inspiration to Sudanese young people because of what had previously happened to my country and also recently in South Australia. For example, as young people, we can give our help to people who need our help, like the Ukrainian new arrivals. I have experienced racism, felt discouraged. So far, when people look at me differently, it made me unsure of myself. The main point is making friends with these people, letting them know and understanding that we have had challenging experiences and are learning to adapt to a new culture. However, about dealing with racism, I believe I’d introduce myself to let other people get to know me, to give them and myself a chance to extend a hand in friendship.”
Born in Sudan in 2000, and having fled war, Macham grew up in Kakuma, Kenya, and was resettled as a humanitarian entrant with his relatives in South Australia in 2004. He completed Year 12 and is currently doing Cert IV in IT at TAFESA. During the forum, Macham was approached by MEGT about an apprenticeship and was the winner of the top prize: a pre-loved laptop. His dream is to become an IT specialist.