A fresh start for Syrian refugee Kinda through CareerSeekers program partnership

Kinda Assayegh smiling at the camera while wearing a smart suit.

A decade since it began, the Syrian civil war has caused the largest refugee crisis in history. The war has torn the country apart, and many Syrian families have faced unimaginable adversity.

Kinda Assayegh – a successful professional from Syria who came to Australia to escape the conflict – has benefited from GHD’s partnership with CareerSeekers, a program that creates employment opportunities for asylum seekers and refugees.

Starting a new life in Australia

Kinda grew up in Damascus, Syria’s capital city. She completed degrees in English Literature and Interpretation before embarking on a successful career that involved work for the UN, the European Union Delegation, and the Jesuit Refugee Service.

When the Syrian War erupted in 2011, Kinda’s life changed dramatically. In 2014, she was one of 10 people who survived a terrorist attack on a bus. The incident killed 30 people and left Kinda unable to walk for a month.

“I lived with rockets falling everywhere like rain, explosions, shootings, bullets flying in the street and even into our living room at times. I experienced the loss of loved ones and at one point I was trapped in a bathroom for 13 hours while ISIS fighters 400 meters away tried to infiltrate the capital,” said Kinda.

Kinda eventually felt she had no choice but to leave her home and she fled to Iraq. Helping refugees in Syria, Kinda was now a refugee herself, six years later. In Iraq, she applied for a Humanitarian Visa that allowed her to move to Sydney, Australia.

Despite her impressive academic and professional background, finding a job in Australia was no easy task for Kinda. But after taking part in a CareerSeekers workshop, which involved an internship with our Sydney marketing team, Kinda quickly gained experience across multiple aspects of marketing.

Opportunities for those who need them

As part of our longstanding commitment to inclusion and diversity, we were one of the first companies in Australia to partner with CareerSeekers. Since forming this partnership we have welcomed more than 40 CareerSeeker participants across our offices in Australia. As well as providing people like Kinda with the opportunity to start their careers again, the program is a great way to bring valuable skills, experience, and diversity into our organisation.

In my life so far, I’ve learned that another day isn’t always guaranteed, and that embracing change is an imperative. I’m so excited to continue to learn and contribute and grow with my wonderful team at GHD in the gift of today.

Kinda Assayegh