Bakhit Dhoud RYLA Awardee

Bakhit Dhoud, a young 21 year old refugee from the city of Darfur in Western Sudan was guest speaker at Rotary Club of Hyde Park meeting 1731 on Wednesday 7th November 2016. Bakhit is a student at Thebarton Senior College where he is learning English. He was supported by Marie Noel Koulemoul (another TSC student and the Club's RYLA representative in 2015) and Nick Antoniades, a teacher at the College. Bernie Boxer, who has been a volunteer at the College for the past seven years, introduced Bakhit as the Club's RYLA representative for 2016 Marie.

Bakhit told us he had witnessed the war in his country, caused by poor education rights, and that his daily trip to school by donkey or walking would take 2 to 3 hours. He thanked the Club for sponsoring him to this year's RYLA and used a PowerPoint presentation to tell us what he got out of RYLA:

1 - Follow your passion and never give up on your dreams. Try different ways (illustrated by a cartoon of a helmeted mouse approaching a trap). But realise, Bakhit, that the second mouse gets the cheese.

2 - The importance and benefits of Teamwork. He said that he learnt team work skills and how to cooperate as part of a team and to respect other people's opinions (illustrated by a photo of a penguin colony with adults protectively crowded around the tightly packed chicks)

3 - Communication Skills. The ability to interact with people on a personal level and how to speak in public. He also said he had gained effective listening skills.

In conclusion he said he had leant how to give back, to donate and live for others. He has worked in the community and volunteered at Mercy House and Uniting Age Care.

Bakhit, Marie, Nic and Bernie are members of the Thebarton Senior College Rotaract Club.

For a new arrival learning English he spoke very well.

Nic Antoniades thanked the Club for it's support of TSC students into the RYLA program and indicated that the TSC Rotaract Club is keen to help out at any fundraising events.

Delighted with that offer, President Mike gave the vote of thanks.

Another visitor tonight was Geoff Hudson, who Bernie met while selling raffle tickets. Perhaps a future member??