Clothing Voucher - $20

Now in his early 50s, this man reflects on a life shaped by loss and hardship. Born into grief, his mother died giving birth to his younger sister, leaving their father to raise three children alone. The weight of that trauma followed him through a childhood marked by sorrow. Originally from Western Australia, he sought stability working in the mines harsh, demanding work that mirrored his internal struggle. But a traumatic incident on the job left him emotionally scarred. At 24, he faced another devastating loss when his father passed away. He later married a younger Vietnamese woman and had two children, but when they were just 3 and 5, his wife left, taking everything. He turned to alcohol, lost his job, and eventually ended up in the ACT with nothing but the clothes on his back. Despite it all, his story is one of survival and resilience.