IT WAS a gifted baby cot that sparked a friendship between a Newcastle sreenwriter and an Afghan woman, but an unbreakable bond was formed when the pair worked tirelessly to bring refugees to safety.
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Newcastle's Vanessa Alexander and the network she built brought hundreds of men, women and children to Australia after Kabul fell to the Taliban in August 2021.
She had become friends with Hamaira Hamaira, of the Sadat family, in Newcastle when she gave her a baby cot.
"She was a bit lonely and she started coming along to my ukulele orchestra, and one night she showed me a picture of her sister's house being burnt down," Dr Alexander told the Newcastle Herald.
Dr Alexander knew the capital of Afghanistan was going to fall to the Taliban, and she knew her friend had unmarried sisters still in the war-torn country.
She called on her own sisters to start buying plane tickets to India, and her mother soon stepped in to buy Ms Hamaira's mother a ticket too.
But, the Sadat women never made it.
Kabul fell and escape became further from reach.
Dr Alexander worked out how to hire a "fixer" - a person on the ground in Afghanistan who could speak the language - and members of the ukulele orchestra began to pitch in as well.
About 25 members of the Sadat family spent three days camped between the last Taliban checkpoint and the Pakistan border before they made it out.
"I learnt the power of reaching out to a group," Dr Alexander said.
"When we work together, we are incredibly effective."
The Sadat family group made it to Australia in September 2021, just in time to attend Ms Hamaira's nursing graduation at the University of Newcastle.
But the work didn't stop.
Dr Alexander's group of supporters - including writers attached to projects like Dance Academy, Love Child and Vikings - continued to assist other educated women, men and orphans flee Afghanistan.
Canberra activist Susan Hutchinson became involved and the network was connected with politicians.
Afghanistan-based "fixer" Darwish Ahmadzai and the greater network have helped 300 people escape, and more are on the way.
Mr Ahmadzai himself managed to get to Australia too, and now lives in the Hunter.
Social workers in Newcastle have continued to make sure refugees are cared for.
Dr Alexander said her connection with Ms Hamaira was stronger than ever.
"We're really close, we love each other," she said.
She said the experience had made her aware of the incredible privilege people have being born in a safe country, especially as women.
"It made me really aware how important it is that women that have gone before us have fought for rights, and how important it is that we hold onto those," she said.
"The award does not belong to me," she said.
She said it was for all who joined the network, and the heroes who put their lives on the line to help others.
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Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
