DescriptionThis interview consists of one audio recording and transcript. Fatima Elzibar was interviewed on 16 April 2010 at the Whitlam Library, Cabramatta by Shirley Kingsford McLeod. Interview SummaryFatima Elzibar was born at Rombek, South Sudan in 1961. She comes from a large family, headed by her father who owned a clothing shop.
Fatima went to school from the age of seven until she was twenty. She speaks Arabic, English and Dinka and was able to obtain employment as a teacher when she finished her formal education. The main subjects she taught were Arabic, geography and various sports including volleyball and basketball. The school at which she taught was for girls only.
She taught for two years and then married. Her husband was also from Sudan and at the time of this interview they had three children. One of their sons was sent to the army in Egypt in 1998 and two years later the family went to visit him. They would never return to Sudan. The family remained in Egypt before being assisted by the United Nations to migrate to Australia. Her husband was not granted permission to migrate and at the time of this interview remains in Egypt while trying to reunite with the family.
Their migration to Australia was by plane via Dubai and Singapore and when they arrived in Sydney they were met and escorted to the home of relatives in Belmore where they remained for a year. From there the family moved to Fairfield. One of the daughters married and started a family there.
In the interview Fatima shares her memories of working at the Migrant Centre adjoining Cabramatta Library where she worked for three years. She also talks about the discrimination she and her family have suffered here.
She is very interested in teaching migrant children and assisting them in settling in Australia without losing their Sudanese culture.
