This is one of my favourite pictures I’ve taken. Aqudit was born in Sudan and ws one of the first families to move to Australia as refugees. Her family has been living in Australia for the past 8 years.

When I met Aqudit she was only 11 and did all the cooking each day for her family of 7. She has had no ‘real’ childhood, and often when I’d visit her, she would have to prepare meals or do chores while her bothers and sisters played. Sometimes she was made to stay home from school to work at home.

She made me laugh one day when she innovatively peeled a whole bag of onions so she could save time on meal preparation and spend a little more time playing outside with her brothers and sisters – or when I’d visit.