"My love of Australia has started before getting here; what I heard about the people, weather and language encouraged me to seek refuge in Sydney," Mr Yousef tells SBS Arabic24.
The language barrier however can be a tough obstacle for Arab refugees and newcomers to Australia.
Despite his disability and the negative feedback he received in his local community about the difficulty of English language, he decided to give it a shot.
"Everyone tried to help me fit into Australia," Mr Yousef says. "I enrolled with English classes at TAFE to establish a connection with the local community."
He explains, "I did not want to add an extra barrier to my life after losing my sight."
"I did not want to add an extra barrier to my life after losing my sight.”
Vision Australia estimates there are currently 357,000 people in Australia who are blind or have low vision. They project that the number of Australians who are blind or have low vision will grow - up to 564,000 by 2030.
Mr Yousef now volunteers as a mathematics teacher at the Liverpool Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) after a number of schools refused to let him teach because he is blind.
“Love Australia and you’ll make it despite your disability.”
Coming from a war-torn country, Yousef felt he needed to find a media outlet to help him stay up-to-date with the news of the Arab world in addition to the importance of familiarising himself with the political and economic scene of Australia.
Yousef explains how the medium of radio is vital for vision-impaired people like him.
“In my case, radio enriches my imagination and gives me the chance to build my very own view," he says.
Explaining the importance of the medium to him, Yousef says, "Radio is straight-forward and leaves room for personal judgement away from visual aid distractions."
Yousef is also a big fan of SBS Arabic24 which he says provides a platform for everyone to contribute and have a say.
"Your talkback segment gives me the insight of different angles and views on a certain topic and I believe this is crucial to enhancing the culture of accepting others," says Yousef.
There are several institutions to support people with vision impairment including Vision Australia and Guide Dogs Australia.
However, Yousef believes the best way to support this community is to consolidate their efforts to live independently rather than helping them out through charity.
Yousef is now completing his Masters of Mathematics at UTS and says his breaks are well-spent listening to SBS Arabic24.
13th February is World Radio Day. Radio is a friend that keeps you company every day, offering information, entertainment and audience participation.
Read more here:
A day to celebrate radio and how it shapes our lives
