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April 21st, 2013 
Peter Nolan
Updated
Four African women who have experienced abuse, kidnapping and war have teamed up with one of Australia’s top theatre directors to tell their stories of survival.
For the past two years the Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe have been preparing for an inspiring show of song and dance, and now they are set to hit the stage.
The women are telling their shocking stories in the hope they will inspire others to speak out.
Yordy Haile-Michel, originally from Eritrea, is one of the troupe’s members.
She was a child soldier from the age of six to 16, and is using theatre to tell the story of her stolen childhood.
“I was a child soldier. I was kidnapped as a child and that was my life until I escaped,” she said.
“I was around six so I escaped from there when I was 16 and then I went to a refugee camp in Sudan.”
Ms Haile-Michel, now a mother-of-four, came to Sydney with $500 and was taken to a women’s refuge.
“I focus on my kids. I feel I have been given a second chance to have a family. I feel I am responsible for how I take my life from here,” she said.
But she says the pain never goes away.
I know that I can’t change the world but I think I can change once person’s life and for me that’s why I’m here.
“I live with it every day. It still hurts, but I use my anger in a positive way to better my life and my children’s life,” she said.
The troupe is due to perform for the first time next month in Sydney.
They will also be joined by professional actors.
“When I first started doing this it was more about meeting other women,” Ms Haile-Michel said.
“Then through the process I felt powerful healing – I thought I had a voice.
“I think we have to say rape isn’t normal and it’s not OK.
“I like to be seen as a woman, not as an object that if you like me, you can rape – that’s wrong.
“It hurts, it destroys a human life and it destroys you for life and it takes a huge part of you, and you have to work every day to fill that hole.
“I know that I can’t change the world but I think I can change one person’s life and for me, that’s why I’m here.”
Aminata Conteh was the first refugee to come to Australia from Sierra Leone in 2000.
She says life was good in Sierra Leone – until the war broke out.
“I wanted to come to a place where people didn’t know me or what had happened to me I didn’t want to feel pity,” she said.
As a teenager Ms Conteh was kidnapped by rebels.
It took five years for me to make friends and get used to people because even though it’s not my fault what happened to me I just felt this incredible shame.
“I think during that time in my head it’s about surviving just the moment, not really a day,” she said.
“They used us as human shields so when the government was fighting with them the rebels they would put us at the front so they would not shoot at them.
“You don’t know whether you’re going to survive the second or the moment.”
Ms Conteh recalls the shame she sometimes feels.
“On my first day at school when the teacher introduced me I felt sick inside, now they know what happened to me,” she said.
“It took five years for me to make friends and get used to people because even though it’s not my fault what happened to me I just felt this incredible shame.”
Ms Conteh says telling her story is very difficult, but worthwhile.
“I feel like I’m re-living every moment, I visualise everything, I’m living the moment every single time I talk about it,” she said.
The net effect of the piece is of absolute inspiration.
“But being silent is not the way to heal yourself”.
She says life these days is dramatically different.
“I have so much joy in my life, this really amazing beautiful husband, my daughter, she’s the light in my life, she has taken away all that darkness that I went through,” she said.
The Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe writer and director Ros Horin describes the show as the “most delicate and challenging theatre work” she has ever done.
“People will be shocked and deeply moved by them but I think there’s enough hope, lightness and humour in the show that will help the audience stay on the whole journey,” she said.
“I think the net effect of the piece is of absolute inspiration.”
Topics:
refugees,
theatre,
sydney-2000
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Source Article from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-20/refugee-women-dance-group/4640116
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