Refugee Health Advisory Group
Supported by Mater Refugee and Multicultural Health Service, the Refugee Health Advisory Group are 11 Refugee Health Consultants who are all regarded as natural leaders in their respective communities from South Sudan, Eritrea, Rwanda, DR Congo, Somalia, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Myanmar (including Rohingya community).
The group is a mechanism through which health services can have access to the voice of refugee background communities. The group also participate in training, research projects and increase health literacy with communities via the Health Literacy Project.
More information:
- Refugee Health Advisory Group – Focus areas for 2026
- Community engagement with refugee-background communities around health: the experience of the Group of 11 – Paula Peterson, Samira Ali, Alie Kenneh & Ally Wakefield – Australian Journal of Primary Health Care (2019)
- E: ally.wakefield@mater.org.au Ph: 07 3163 6355
Samira Ali
Samira Ali is originally from Eritrea and is a mother of three children. She has lived in Australia for over 10 years.
Evelyn Pe
Evelyn Pe is originally from Myanmar and speaks Burmese and English. She has lived in Australia for over 35 years.
Amiel Nubaha
Amiel, former Rwandan refugee and former Chairperson of the Federation of Rwandan Communities in Australia Inc.
Sara Yousif
Sara Yousif is originally from Iraq and has been a member of the Mater Refugee Health Advisory Group (known as the ‘G11’) for 7 years.
Michel Ghazal
Michel Ghazal is originally from Syria and speaks both Arabic and English. He has lived in Australia for over 7 years.
Sanam Ahmadzada
Sanam Ahmadzada is a PhD candidate in the School of Public Health at The University of Queensland (UQ) researching co-designing a Mental Health Promotion Framework for refugee and migrant communities.
Samuel Kimanuka
Samuel is originally from Democratic of Congo and moved to Australia in 2005. He is involved in community development and community advocacy.
Faiza Abdurahman
Faiza Abdurahman is originally from the Somali region of Ethiopia and speaks Somali, Amharic and Oromifa languages. She has lived in Australia for over 14 years.
Rahim Mohammadi
Rahim arrived to Australia as a refugee from Afghanistan and is a Psychology graduate from QUT. He currently works as an Engagement and Project Lead in lived experience roles with MHLEPQ and NMHCA.
Mohib Ullah
Mohib is originally from Myanmar (Burma) and has been living in Australia since 2010. Before coming to Australia, he lived in a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh for 18 years.
Affiliated Members/Consultants
Maria Phaltang
Maria is originally from South Sudan and has lived in Australia for over 15 years. She is currently on sick leave from the Refugee Health Advisory Group.
Last Updated – 1 week ago