Kbora Ali is the first female Hazara refugee to join the Australian Army…
“Be Curious”
In 2007 at the age of nine, Kbora arrived in Australia as a refugee after spending three years in a refugee camp in Pakistan when her family fled from Afghanistan due to violence against Hazaras. During her schooling, Kbora’s passion for harmony and acceptance of diverse cultures motivated her to organise and coordinate cultural events. This also led her to playing a pivotal role in the #achildlikeme initiative, raising awareness for children in detention centres across Australia. When Kbora left school she decided to pursue a career in defence, becoming the first Afghan woman to be a part of the Australian Army.
“When you are curious you have the urge to explore“
This is what Kbora had to share when we asked her our Fast Four questions!
How do you stay motivated?
by realising there are so many untouched opportunities. When I am feeling down it is usually when something is not challenging me enough or I am feeling extra comfortable in my current situation. I know this means it’s to explore what is out there to seize. I ensure I am always eager to keep eye out for new ways, new adventure and new ideas; this will serve my motivation to keep burning.
What is your biggest tip for keeping a tip together, accountable and on track?
Communication. A team is a combination of strong personalities of individual people. When working as a team on any task, it is crucial to talk to each other, to keep everyone updated and to ensure everyone is tracking what needs to be done in order to get the task completed. When communication is utilised it provides an effective foundation of holding everyone within the team accountable and on track.
What was a recent challenge you experienced and how did you overcome it?
One recent challenge I crossed paths with was trying to complete heaps of work within short time frame. To overcome it, I stepped back to assess the situation then created a plan to execute it. This plan then outlined a clear pathway I needed to follow to reach the outcome within the timeframe. It also helped reduce my stress levels, which in turn resulted in producing better work!
If you had one piece of advice to give someone graduating high school, what would it be?
Be curious. when you are curious it enables you to be flexible in planning out what you want to venture on to after you graduate. When you are curious you have the urge to explore, learn and find other ways some thing may work out for you. It also takes off a lot of pressure as you are giving yourself the permission be spontaneous and if whatever you try does not work out then at least in the end you will be resilient and eager enough to get up and try something different.
