Former Afgan Refugee Speaks to Liputan6.com 'Inspiring People'

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - For a woman who spent most of her childhood years fleeing the country from the undesirable images of violence and hostility, Noor Sabah Nael Travik knows very well the struggle of an asylum seeker. Seven years, the approximate length of time she has to bear running from one location to another together with her family.

She was only 6 then, when her family woke her up from her deep sleep and shocked her with the news that they all have to depart from Afghanistan due to uncertainty over their overall safety during that period of volatile times.

She knew that something major has caused for her family’s decision to flee, but she knew only very little at that time of the long risky journey that had to be taken in trying to find actual solace.

Fleeing from her country or origin, Noor Sabah and her family travelled through hills under the subjugating ray of sun in the absence of food and water and firstly embarked on Kandahar. The burden was becoming real for her as she had to carry her baby brother along the mountainous route with whatever strength she had left.

“Even now I don’t like to go out or travel during nighttime because it reminds me of the night where we had to travel a long road,” Noor shared to Liputan6.com during special interview held for ‘Inspiring People’.

The journey for her and her family does not end there. They had to make furtherance of their walks and stays up to 7 years with countries ranging from Iran to Pakistan were among countries they have to settle in to seek refuge. Fortunately, after years of finding consolation, they were able to find a place they can finally call home in Norway.

In Norway, she did not close her eyes to the past which continues to haunt her hitherto. She unwaveringly decided to become an activist and later married the man who now assumes role as Norwegian Ambassador to Indonesia, Stig Travik.

Now that she is in the archipelago state accompanying her husband, her humanitarian side continues to define her remarkable ambition of preventing children from reliving the past akin to hers.

In 2014, she held an event called ‘Voice of Children’ where focus was placed primarily on giving aids to children in conflict zones. Her ambition is continually being translated as the second ‘Voice of Children’ theming ‘Listen, with love’ successfully carried out this year and supported by front-liners of Indonesian celebrities.

According to her, the suffering is not only felt by the children who are or who have been put in a conflict zone, but also those who have to travel here and there in trying to find happiness and comfort. These children have been given the life challenges too early and to complex that even many adults would find it difficult to accept mentally and therefore Noor claims to have been moved by her own experience to do something that could help these children from trauma that they have to face from such undesirable experience.

“Sharing about the past is like a healing process for me,” she said.

Listen to more of her remarkable story through Liputan6.com ‘Inspiring People’ sharing session below:

(Akp/Tnt)