With the help of an author, the 23-year-old submitted a piece that went on to win the 2020 Eastern Riverina Arts Ash Dust Air competition, and her work is now featured in a published book.
Ms Khodedah's story is based on three events that have had devastating impacts on the country and her refugee community - the 2019/2020 drought, last summer’s horrific bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her account details how the panic around the bushfires evoked memories of her family's terrifying journey fleeing Sinjar - her hometown in northern Iraq – when IS militants attacked in 2014.
She said the "fear, horror, and the unknown" of the bushfires, which touched Wagga Wagga in late 2019 and early 2020, drew close similarities to her own experiences.
'Ash Dust Air'
After fleeing Iraq and entering Turkey, Ms Khodedah arrived in Australia in 2016 at the age of 19.
Her family was one of the first families to arrive in the regional NSW town of Wagga Wagga, which welcomed hundreds of Yazidis following the IS attacks.
“It felt the same as Turkey, I faced difficulties again, being a refugee again, learning a new language, a new life, taste new foods, new seasons,” she said.
“I was very confused between night and day in Australia.”
After arriving, she commenced a TAFE course to learn English, but she didn't manage to finish due to pressures to secure employment.
Since 2016 close to 700 Yazidis have settled in Australia, many in regional NSW. Source: AAP
“I felt that I was not learning the language because there were many students from the Yazidi community in the class, we were always speaking in our language, hence I left and found a job in a restaurant packaging frozen food.”
It was around that time that she saw an advertisement on the Eastern Riverina Arts website calling on young people to enroll in a competition to write stories about the bushfires and COVID-19.
“I liked the idea, so I participated in the project, and when I submitted my story, they accepted it and published it in the book.”
The book, titled ‘Ash Dust Air’ is a curated anthology of writings by people from southern regional NSW.
“This book is about COVID-19 and the bushfires and how my community suffered at that time,” she said.
“Old people, young people and children in the Yazidi community found it very difficult at the time.”
Ms Khodedah began writing her story during the lockdown, and it took a month to complete.
The book project was driven by Gabrielle Tozer. Via Eastern RIverina Arts. Source: Facebook
“When I completed the story, I showed it to my friend who is an author and has experience in that field. He checked it all and did some editing, then I published it on Eastern Riverina Arts website which they accepted to publish in the book. Writing the story gave me the confidence to continue writing for the rest of my life."
She said the COVID-19 pandemic impacted Wagga Wagga’s Yazidi community significantly.
Social distancing meant families were not able to visit each other and important celebrations and remembrances could not take place.
“COVID-19 and the bushfires impacted Wagga Wagga’s Yazidi community in many ways, including keeping distance between each other, such as families, friends and relatives. Also, they lost their important celebrations that were always celebrated.
“It also impacted their education schedule, work, and daily routine. COVID-19 stopped a lot of families from coming to Australia and they are still waiting.
“The bushfires impacted the community as well; they had a fear and it reminded them of fleeing during the IS attack. Many families had their bags packed in car boots just in case they needed to escape the fires.”
Away from writing, Ms Khodedah works as an NDIS support worker, helping people from different communities with mental health issues and disabilities.
“I feel very joyful and confident to help them as I have experience on how to make them happy.”
