The Staging Post
The Staging Post – coming together as agents of change
Recently, in celebration of Refugee Week, our students and parents had the opportunity to view the impactful documentary The Staging Post and to hear from and speak with its producers and filmmakers Khadim Dai, a refugee from Afghanistan and Jolyon Hoff an Australian filmmaker. We are happy to share with you our student reflections below and hope you find the brief information about the Cisarua Refugee Leaning Centre in Jakarta, Indonesia and the film and its creators inspiring
Rabbi Daniel Siegel
“Know the heart of a stranger, for you were strangers in Egypt”
Sefer Shemot/Book of Exodus
Back row (R-L) Lucy Klein, R. Daniel Siegel, Coby New, Joshua New, Khadim Dai, Tara Linker, Rachel Turtledove and Matthew Joffe
Joshua New – Year 11
Having the privilege to see “The Staging Post”, the documentary telling the story of the Afghan Hazara refugee community in Indonesia, truly was a once in a lifetime experience. Even more so, the Q&A session held after the screening with the filmmaker Khadim Dai and Director Jolyon Hoff made it an unforgettable night. The film, whilst showing the immense hardships faced by refugees, both while fleeing their homes and also once arriving in transit, also showed a side less typically seen through the media coverage. A particularly determined group of Hazara refugees decided, against the will of the government, to educate the future generation being raised in transit. The spirit of community and willpower of these refugees is amazing. They have made the best out of their situation and never accepted no for an answer and, in doing so, have deservedly swayed the stance of the Government and started a refugee education revolution. However, this film not only provides insight into the lives of a small community in Indonesia, but opened the eyes of people around the world, civilians of other countries and refugees alike. For refugees, it served as inspiration, the first step toward a similar system in their own community. For the outside world, and definitely at least for me, it presented a very real opportunity to whole- heartedly support what this community is doing. Previously, I had misunderstood the plight of refugees in general, assuming that they immediately reached either detention centres that were extremely hard to leave or were turned back to their countries. This led to my having believed that there wasn’t a whole lot I could do to help. This film has inspired me to try and help wherever possible, for the community seen in the film, and many others in the same predicament to help create a foreseeable future for the next generation of refugees.
Rachel Turtledove – Year 11
We often hear of refugee in the media but are rarely able to personally listen to their individual stories. Understanding the hardships they face, or have faced, for years is incredibly difficult for most of us. However, the documentary The Staging Post, without a doubt, has increased my understanding of the struggle for peace, safety and security that so many people have to face every day.
Being able to hear the stories of Khadim and many other refugees in Indonesia, as presented by ‘The Staging Post’ was not only informative, but highly moving and unforgettable experience. The documentary itself was beautifully made, allowing everyone to feel fully immersed in the lives of those living as asylum seekers and refugees in Indonesia. There is so much to learn from this documentary, and so many events and actions that truly inspired me.
Throughout the documentary, I was deeply inspired by the work that the refugee community in Indonesia, including Khadim, had done (and continues to do) for the younger members of their community, especially establishing a learning centre in Indonesia. The strong communal desire to ensure that the younger generation receives an education and the overall success of the learning centre are incredibly moving. Further, the community’s overall bravery, perseverance, strength, determination and resilience in achieving what it has is something I strongly look up to.
All of this incredible work by the Indonesian refugee community shows how, despite many highly difficult years of struggle and horrific circumstances, people can still come together and create better futures for themselves and others. Thank you so much to all who organised this screening of ‘The Staging Post’, and to Khadim Dai and Jolyon Hoff for allowing us all to not only have an extremely special look into the lives of refugees, but to also learn so much from these incredible people
Ashne Amoils Year 12
It was an honour and a privilege to experience The Staging Post, and, perhaps more so, to hear first-hand from Khadim and Jolyon about their personal journeys and their visions for the future. The film was powerful; it is hard to put into words the profound impact it left on me. The intensity of emotion portrayed in the film – pain, joy, relief, desperation, determination, loss – resonated deeply, a raw and authentic documentary about people who made the most of their situation to improve conditions for posterity. It made me reflect upon how grateful I am that I live in a safe and prosperous country, with a whole and healthy family. That I have abundant opportunities and a privileged education with numerous resources at my direct disposal. That I have the opportunity to travel and experience the world, among other things that often we take for granted. As such, I am hoping to visit the Cisarua Refugee Learning Centre after I finish school, to learn as much as I can from such optimistic individuals and to give back to them for sharing such a moving reminder to more consciously appreciate my life and circumstances.
Mia Shapiro Year 11
At the conclusion of last term I had the honour of attending the screening of The Staging Post. This film opened my eyes to the incredible difference we can make through kindness and open-mindedness towards others. The thought-provoking documentary allowed us to reflect on the lives of refugees and to reflect upon ways we could help them and advocate for the human rights which many of these refugees aren’t receiving whilst seeking asylum. I personally connected to this documentary as only a few terms ago I visited the Villawood Detention Centre for Refugees and met many wonderful people who had gone through similar experiences. Together with Emanuel School, I shall keep supporting this cause and I look forward to working with my peers to raise awareness and assistance for those seeking and deserving better lives.
Matthew Joffe Year 11
The Staging Post, without doubt, is a film that altered my views on refugees and made me realise how they are often treated differently to other people.
Filmed and produced by both Khadim Dai, a refugee from Afghanistan and Jolyon Hoff an Australian filmmaker, the film depicted the lives of Dai and other refugees in Indonesia. Dai and his friends went about setting up a school to educate the youth of their community, which was against the rules for refugees. Despite all the obstacles, they succeeded in their mission and their school become a thriving and popular location for young refugees to learn and be treated fairly and with respect equal to everyone else.
Following the stories of the refugee community in Indonesia, during the question and answer session with both Dai and Hoff, I learnt a vast amount about the lives of these people who have fled their homes in search of a better quality of life and are still selfless being devoted to ensuring that their community is looked after, before themselves.
The Staging Posthas influenced me to continue to garner support for refugees worldwide, who are simply searching for a life of peace, away from the terror and wrongdoings of the country in which they were born. I highly recommend that everybody watch this film to learn what life is really like for refugees and be inspired by how they can rise to the challenge and achieve great things.
The Staging Post has influenced me to continue to garner support for refugees worldwide, who are simply searching for a life of peace, away from the terror and wrongdoings of the country in which they were born. I highly recommend that everybody watch this film to learn what life is really like for refugees and be inspired by how they can rise to the challenge and achieve great things.
About The Staging Post
“A story of hope, courage and connection…powerful, emotional and uplifting it proves that refugees are not just the problem, but can be a part of the solution as well”.
In 2013, when Australia re-instigated the stop the boats policy, filmmaker Jolyon Hoff drove up the hill from Jakarta to the boats’ staging post in Cisarua, Indonesia. He wanted to find out who the refugees were and what they planned to do now. Almost immediately he met Muzafar Ali and Khadim Dai.
The film follows these Afghan Hazara refugees, Muzafar, Khadim and Tahira as they build a community and start a school which inspires a refugee education revolution.
Muzafar Ali
A photographer and human rights activist, Muzafar was born in Afghanistan and grew up in Pakistan before returning to Afghanistan to work for the United Nations (UN). His stunning photographs showed the Hazara people and their lands in central Afghanistan. After being threatened by the Taliban, he escaped to Indonesia where he was the instigator of the Cisarua Refugee Learning Centre. He has recently resettled with his family in Adelaide, Australia, where he works for the non-profit organization that supports the school.
Khadim Dai
Seventeen-year-old Khadim, left Quetta, Pakistan when his school was bombed, killing 126 people, including his best friend. He was standing beside their mass grave when a voice pounded in his head ‘I have to raise my voice, I have to raise my people’s voice, I have to raise my voice’. He smuggled himself to Indonesia where four times he unsuccessfully tried to enter Australia by boat. Denied a humanitarian visa to Australia he was resettled in the US. He is currently living in Los Angeles. Through his filmmaking, he has met with CEOs, Oscar-winning filmmakers and famous actors. He is currently making a film about LBGTI refugees living in America and is studying at a film school.
In Indonesia, Khadim had been using his mobile phone to record intimate and compelling footage of life as a refugee. Khadim is a co-founder of the Cisarua Refugee Learning Centre.
Jolyon Hoff
An Australian filmmaker, Jolyon has worked in Washington DC, Nigeria, Indonesia and West Africa. His films explore themes of identity, place and belonging, and the role of heroes, rituals and story in binding these communities together. The subjects of his films have included a schizophrenic Australian surfing icon; tsunami survivors in Aceh, Indonesia; Afghan Hazara Refugees in Indonesia; and traditional Kings, Chiefs and Yoruba ritual in Nigeria.
Coming Together
At their first meeting Jolyon, Muzafar and Khadim decided to start a project together. The three of them made a series of films, which were watched tens of thousands of times. Through their films and photographs they started to give voice to a forgotten community.
When Muzafar and Khadim told Jolyon they wanted to start a school, he agreed to support it. A few months later, he was on a holiday in Bali with his family when they rang to say they had found a space. Jolyon and his wife agreed to go ahead and, a week later, he was still in Bali when Muzafar and Khadim called again – they had fifty students and five teachers.
One of those teachers was Tahira. She had travelled from Afghanistan to Indonesia with her two children and her husband. The last time she had heard from him, he was about to catch a boat to Australia. She had been living in Jakarta when she heard about the school and she immediately moved nearby, volunteering as a teacher.
Soon the school grew too big and Muzafar and Khadim found another building. This one was perfect and even had a yard for the children to play. The cost had also increased dramatically but, impressed by the progress of the refugees, Jolyon and Caroline set about building the coalition of Australian supporters to fund the new space.
The rest of the refugee community in Indonesia watched the success of the Cisarua Refugee Learning Centre.
Jolyon still can’t believe that one small trip would change his life forever.
The Cisarua Refugee Learning Centre
The Cisarua Refugee Learning Centre (CRLC) is a refugee established and managed school located just outside of Jakarta, Indonesia. It has been operating since August 2014 and now has six classrooms, 18 volunteers who serve as twelve teachers, six administration staff, and nearly 200 students – all refugees.
In the afternoons the school offers basic English classes to 59 older women, many of whom are illiterate even in their native language, as well as online classes, supported via Skype by Australian teachers, for older students. The CRLC also provides extra curriculum activities like football and excursions for the students.
The refugees were buoyed by their achievements. They could not work, had little money, and were stuck in a years-long and uncertain ‘queue’ at the UNHCR. Still, each day they laughed as they went to the school – proud and happy. Parents would drop their kids every morning. Fathers would clean the school; mothers would pack lunches. The women even started playing soccer, something not possible in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The energy of the entire community changed.
While the Centre has more than 100 children on its waiting list, it has prompted the creation of proud of six other refugee schools in Indonesia. Over 1000 refugees in limbo getting some level of education, all inspired by the Cisarua Refugee Learning Centre.
CRLC has attracted support from Australia and around the world. The school is regularly visited by Australian University students, academics, teachers, artists, authors, filmmakers, journalists and other interested individuals. Education is a two-way process. The refugees invite the visitors into their houses and feed them traditional Hazara foods, allowing them to connect and interact in a personal and meaningful way.
Magic Ballerina #1: Delphie and the Magic Ballet Shoes by Darcey Bussell Located at JF BUS
