It has been four long dangerous years of waiting for Ethiopian refugee Tiki, since Sanctuary submitted her visa application.

When her innocent husband was kidnapped, brutally tortured and murdered by rebels her nightmare began.

Suddenly arrested, she refused to testify against others, and suffered brutal physical torture for 3 months at the hands of security agents. Crushed both physically and psychologically, she was released with warnings, but soon realised that her life was in grave danger again. She decided to run for her life and began the long and treacherous journey alone across the border into Kenya. Living for eight years as a refugee in Nairobi has been a horrible experience, including attacks and violence against herself and other refugees and corrupt police.

Finally we received the wonderful news that she had been accepted for a humanitarian visa! Sanctuary provided an interest-free travel loan and booked her flight and she has just arrived in Melbourne to join her 
cousin’s family and begin a new life (Photos of arrival above and below).