| aidemia--modules-storywrite_request | Write a story |
| What topic | Sixteen-year-old West Papuan girl seek asylum in an unknown country in Australia. Due to ongoing human rights injustices in West Papua, many people have been displaced from their land, country, villages, communities, and families. As a result, this young girl had to leave her home country and family behind. In addition, the immigration department/government sent her to a Christmas Island detention center where she was waiting for her protection visas from Australian government. |
| Which subject | No subject |
| What age group | College |
| How many pages | 3 |
| Add references | |
| Any other preferences | The journey was originally expected to take 6 hours, but it ended up lasting 5 days and 4 nights lost in the Arafura Sea. The waves were higher than a three-story building, and she was in a small Melanesian outrigger canoe |
In the heart of the lush, green mountains of West Papua, where the sun kissed the leaves and the rivers sang, lived a sixteen-year-old girl named Sari. Her world was woven from the threads of vibrant culture, family bonds, and a fierce love for her homeland. But Sari’s life was soon to change forever. For years, she had watched as the injustice against her people grew more severe, unfolding under the shadow of a repressive regime. Families were torn apart, communities crumbled, and the cries of the dispossessed echoed like a haunting melody.
One fateful night, after hearing of a planned military raid that would displace many villagers, Sari knew she could no longer hide. With a heavy heart, she bid farewell to her family—her mother’s warm embrace lingering in her mind and her father’s solemn nod etched in her memory. She took only her most treasured possessions: a carved wooden bracelet made by her grandfather and a small bundle of clothes. Faced with an uncertain future, Sari set off into the night, seeking refuge across the ocean.
Her journey was filled with trepidation as she managed to secure passage on a small Melanesian outrigger canoe. What was meant to be a six-hour voyage turned into an ordeal that would stretch across five days and four nights—a nightmare of crashing waves and gut-wrenching despair. The canoe, barely able to withstand the ferocious Arafura Sea, tossed and turned like a fragile leaf in a tempest.
As the days blurred together, the ocean’s anger roared around her. Waves rose taller than three-story buildings, threatening to swallow her whole. Sari clung to her faith, whispering ancient prayers for guidance, but her body fought against weakness. Hunger gnawed at her, and dehydration became an ever-looming spectre. Each night, the vast darkness combined with the elements served to steal even the hope that this journey would lead to safety.
It was during one particularly terrifying storm that Sari felt as though her life was slipping away. The canoe threatened to capsize, and with all her strength, she bailed water with her hands, praying for the dawn and a glimpse of salvation. In those moments of despair, thoughts of home flooded her mind—her parents’ laughter, the vibrant market stalls buried in the scents of spices, and the rhythm of her people’s dances that felt like a warm embrace.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the battered canoe drifted towards the shores of an unknown land—the coast of Australia. As the warm sand met her bruised feet, Sari collapsed, tears streaming down her face. She had survived the boundless ocean, emerging from it bruised but unbroken. As she lay on the beach, the dawn kissed her weary body with warmth, a symbol of rebirth and intuition that her journey was just beginning.
Sari’s arrival was met with mixed emotions. Almost immediately, officials took her into custody, transporting her to Christmas Island detention centre. Confined within stark metal walls, she felt a different kind of fear creeping in—fear of the unknown and the fights that lay ahead for her protection visa. The detainees, a mosaic of displaced lives like her own, shared stories of loss and trauma. In a way, her heart felt stitched together, knowing she was not alone in her suffering.
Days turned into weeks as Sari navigated the bureaucratic maze. She learned English through whispers and conversations with fellow detainees. Each new word felt like a key, unlocking doors to the outside world. Through letters she sent, she tried to keep her family’s spirit alive, promising them she would fight to create a better life, not only for herself but for all her people.
Through her ordeal at the detention centre, Sari became a voice for the silent, advocating for justice and the rights of her people. She wrote to human rights organisations and participated in discussions, determined to shed light on the plight of her hometown. The waves of time had not washed her spirit away; rather, they had refined it, sharpening her resolve to survive and reclaim her identity.
As she awaited her fate, Sari gazed out at the vast ocean, a mix of fear and hope blossoming within her. In the depths of uncertainty, she stood steadfast—a survivor, a Dreamer from West Papua, ready to face whatever lay ahead, determined to turn her struggle into a legacy for generations to come.