Mando Ido, Queensland

Mando was 19 when he and his family migrated from Turkey, where they had lived as refugees from war-torn Iraq. Only able to get to Year 11 in Turkey, Mando sought pathways to further study as an adult.

With the responsibility to act as an interpreter for his family, Mando completed three English Language qualifications and then completed a Community Pharmacy course at TAFE NSW Coffs Harbour.

This helped him gain employment at a pharmacy in Coffs Harbour, while he studied for a Certificate III in Career Preparation, a one-year HSC equivalent that provides NSW students with a Tertiary Entrance Score. After applying to several universities, he was delighted to be accepted into Griffith University.

Mando hopes to be able to become a psychiatrist and help people who face similar struggles with education roadblocks. A #ALW2024 scholarship would assist Mando with the financial strain of studying full-time, which has been affecting his mental health.