Elijah Buol | Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) 2019
With extensive experience in the NGO and public sectors, Elijah is now the CEO of the Asylum Seekers Centre. Elijah spent many years in a Ugandan refugee camp before arriving in Australia as a humanitarian unaccompanied minor in 2002, and his experiences have shaped his philosophy and actions.
As a dedicated advocate, Elijah's work led to removing children from adult prisons in Queensland, and he has received numerous honours, including the Medal of the Order of Australia (2019), Queensland Local Hero (2019), and QUT’s Outstanding Community Services Alumnus award (2023). Elijah is committed to spreading hope.
Elijah's talk provides a framework for understanding how to maintain hope without denying reality, how to find strength in vulnerability, and how to transform personal struggles into collective healing.