Helping refugees saved my life
A childhood of racism and bullying left Kon Karapanagiotidis with deep scars. But as a young man he decided he would help others to try and heal himself.
Kon Karapanagiotidis has always felt like an outsider. Growing up as the child of poor Greek migrants in rural Australia, he was bullied and subjected to racist taunts that left deep scars. But as a teenager he discovered a book by Dr Martin Luther King that changed his life. Spurred by the words he read, he decided to try and help others to heal himself. He volunteered at charities every day of the week - working at a homeless shelter one day and a suicide helpline the next. In his late twenties, he started a little food bank for asylum seekers and refugees living in Melbourne. The organisation grew in response to huge demand and eventually became a lifeline for thousands of people. The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre is now one of Australia's largest and best-known charities helping refugees and after 20 years Kon remains its outspoken leader.
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com
Presenter: Emily Webb
Producer: Kevin Ponniah
Picture: Kon Karapanagiotidis
Credit: Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
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