Home has never been a constant in Abraham Abraham's life.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
But no matter where he's been, soccer has been a way to connect and find solace.
“Growing up in Australia, I was very shy, my English was very limited,” he says.
“But through sports, the one language used is not French, or English, or Arabic ... it's just football.
“Through football I was able to make friends, connect with others and build up my confidence. Now I'm able to go into any new groups, engage and communicate.”
Now Football Victoria's multicultural programs officer, Abraham helps a new generation of young boys find their feet through "the power of sport".
But it hasn't been an easy road.
Born in Ethiopia, Abraham migrated to Sudan with his family before arriving in Australia as a refugee in 2003.
“I was about four and I didn't understand much about what was going on, but I do remember my parents telling us that the reason they moved was for a better life,” he says.
Abraham is one of three siblings, with few memories of life in Africa.
“Mostly I remember playing football every day after school. That was what brought joy to all of us in the neighbourhood . . . there was no other sports anybody else knew, and it's a memory I always hold on to,” he says.
Arriving in Townsville as a young boy, Abraham and his family stayed in Queensland for two years before eventually moving to Melbourne.
“I found I related more to the indigenous kids in the area,” he says.
“Growing up in a small town, English is 99 per cent of the language, but I had an understanding with the indigenous kids, we realised you don't need to speak the same language to get along.”
Over time, it became easier to assimilate, as Abraham grew older and became fluent in English.
Nowadays he feels "fortunate" to have arrived at a young age when it was easier to fit in.
“I got to learn the culture and the language and the system. That's helped me out now,” he says.
Abraham's now deep-rooted connection to Shepparton began after he moved to Melbourne in 2011 and landed a job with the Shepparton English Language Centre.
“Driving there I was a little bit nervous, because I thought it was going to remind me a little bit of Townsville, where it's not going to be very diverse,” he says.
“But as soon as I got there, I realised the community is very diverse and the council is very supportive of the multicultural community.”
For a decade, Abraham has returned to Shepparton to volunteer his time between the Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District, the English language school and Sirius College.
During lockdown last year, Abraham donated 100 soccer balls to Shepparton through his work with Melbourne City FC.
Most recently, he has helped new arrivals to the Goulburn Valley build up their social skills by connecting to their cultural roots.
“Two months ago, I dropped off some soccer balls and equipment because there was a young girl who wanted to take her own initiative through sports,” he says.
“She decided to make an impact within the community . . . and they're now able to run their own initiatives and programs and take leadership within their own community to empower their people.”
Now working with Football Victoria on a multicultural settlement program, Abraham finds Shepparton is once again a key site for his work.
“This project involves getting kids into soccer clubs through an eight-week program . . . to help them feel more part of the community in Shepparton, to engage,” he says.
“Then we plan to work with Shepparton soccer clubs to get those kids a pathway into a club so they feel more connected through sports.”
One thing Abraham has learned while navigating two different worlds is the importance of community.
“For me and my younger siblings, we've got friends from different races and backgrounds, whereas my parents find it hard to engage with other cultures,” he says.
“But being a part of a big African community in Melbourne has helped me learn more about my culture . . . connecting to things like religion, music and movies back home.
“I think a lot of groups and communities now are tending to be closer to each other, so they feel more connected to home and have support. When you're not with your own community, you just feel isolated, you feel alone.”
From his travels across regional Victoria, Abraham has recognised Shepparton as one of the most diverse communities in the state.
“I've seen different ethnicities hanging around with each other, they're always engaged together, I feel connected there,” he says.
“From what I've seen in Shepparton, communities are a lot more connected together.
“At the English Language Centre, they have a similar understanding of where they came from. They know they've gone through the same struggle.”
Listen to our Refugee Week podcast series:
● Episode 4: Ali and Hanifa's story
Cadet journalist