After surviving abduction and torture, Salhe is thriving in Australia via a new venture

When Salhe Siraj fled Eritrea to escape forced conscription, he was seeking freedom from conflict. Instead, he was abducted by a criminal gang, held hostage and tortured for ransom. Like many refugees starting over in Australia, Salhe's tenacity is helping him overcome new challenges.

Salhe Siraj at his market stall Credit: SBS / Scott Cardwell

Key Points

• When Salhe Siraj fled Eritrea to escape forced conscription, he was seeking freedom from conflict.
• Instead, he was abducted by a criminal gang, held hostage and tortured for ransom.

It’s early morning, and Salhe Siraj is hanging brightly coloured clothing at his clothing stall in Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market. Called African Elegance, it is a new venture for the refugee, and a great source of pride.

“I like to work with my own business because it gives me more freedom,” the 29-year-old says.

Freedom is a recurring theme for Salhe. In 2011, as a 19-year-old he escaped forced conscription in Africa’s Eritrea, fleeing to Sudan in search of the relative security of a refugee camp.

“Back home in Africa there is always fighting, always problems. So I left the country, to find peace for myself,” he says.

Salhe's African themed clothes are made in Melbourne Credit: SBS / Scott Cardwell

Salhe’s search for peace led instead to his kidnap by a Sudanese gang. He says he was held captive for four months in Egypt's Sinai Desert, and repeatedly tortured by his captors.

“There were people there, they paid them $150 a month and they hit you, they beat you all day” he says.

“They also used to burn plastics and then put it on our back in our shoulder and they used to do electric shocking as well."

Salhe was held hostage until his family raised $50,000 Australian dollars for his release.

“Some of my friends they died there. I am lucky that I left from that place,” he says.

Salhe Siraj (right) with a customer at his market stall Credit: SBS / Scott Cardwell

Salhe was taken to the border with Israel, where he spent the next four years as a refugee. It was there that Salhe started his first business, selling African-style clothing at markets.

In 2015, he was finally able to join his wife Khadija and their children in Australia.

Saleh is now among refugees starting small businesses at the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne, as part of a new partnership with not-for-profit organisation Thrive Refugee Enterprise.

“The great thing about the market is that it provides businesses with cash flow pretty much from day one,” says Arie Moses, Thrive’s new business relationships manager.

“The market wanted diversity and new stall holders. And we were looking for new business opportunities for our clients.”

Since it opened in 1878, the Queen Victoria Market has maintained a diverse clientele.

Among its 600-plus stallholders are multi-generational family ventures, some started by refugees and asylum seekers.

“Their resilience, determination and energy, are key ingredients that you require to be successful,” says Thrive’s Arie Moses.

Soap vendor Salma Chami Credit: SBS / Scott Cardwell

Salma Chami is another new market vendor and her business ‘Salma by Nature’ sells organic hand made soap, drawing on family traditions.

“I learned to make soap from my grandfather and grandma. They grew olive trees in northern Lebanon, and harvested olives to make oil and soap,” she says.

“I am happy to share my culture. And the communication between me and the other people in the market makes me feel part of Australian community.”

However, like many who arrive with limited English skills, she faced barriers getting started.

"When I came to Australia, I did not know English, not even one word. I faced a lot of problems, a lot of problems," the 52-year-old says.

“I had a business idea but I couldn't find a way. Thrive listened to me and supported me.”

A low-cost market stall is an ideal start for refugees and asylum seekers, since many struggle to raise startup capital to open a bricks and mortar shop, according to the Refugee Council of Australia.

"As humanitarian entrants, refugees typically arrive in Australia with nothing," CEO Paul Power says.

Despite the challenges, refugees are the most entrepreneurial group in Australia and contribute to the economy in many ways, says Professor Jock Collins from the University of Technology Business School Sydney.

“Around 18 per cent of refugees set up a business in the first 10 years of settlement, at a much greater rate than in any other immigrant group," he says.

Professor Collins is writing a book titled 'Minority Entrepreneurship in Australia' which is due to be published next year.

Research commissioned by Thrive suggests the rate of refugee entrepreneurship could be even higher, with up to 30 per cent opening a business in their first decade.

Vendor Tahla Gok at the market Credit: SBS / Scott Cardwell

Turkish-born pastry vendor Tahla Gok is among those succeeding in his own venture, which is backed by Thrive.

The 32-year-old arrived in Australia via Mozambique and South Africa, after serving in the Turkish Army for three years.

“I was looking for a business loan, but I didn't have any history in Australia, especially in the bank or business history,” he says.

With Thrive’s help, Tahla bought an established Turkish baked goods business in Melbourne’s Campbellfield. It now supplies his market outlet with baklava, shortbread and talumba.

 “The biggest challenge is actually to educate refugees to how business is done in Australia,” Mr Moses says.

“Thrive exists to help not only with finance, but also with setting up new ventures, making sure businesses are legitimately established, that founders have proper support."

Tahla Gok's Turkish pastries Credit: SBS / Scott Cardwell

Tahla’s stall, Mediterranean Pastry, is now set to expand into a bricks and mortar market shop.

“This is a fantastic achievement,” Mr Moses says.

“We are really looking forward to seeing how these people progress over the next 12 months.

“And it is something that we hope to build for other generations, and other waves of refugees such as the Ukrainians who are now coming.”