African refugees turn trauma into theatre

A group of African refugees in the north-western Sydney suburb of Baulkham Hills is turning their experiences of the horrors of war into an entertaining story of resilience.

The Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe brings together women from different parts of Africa who have ho have survived abuse, kidnappings and war.

They are now using song, dance, rap and drumming to share their stories in the hope that it will help other women deal with their trauma.

"I felt responsible for what happened to me for many years actually," one of the singers, Yordy Haile-Michael told SBS. "I feel comfortable enough to say now rape isn't normal."

"I'm not sure whether we can stop it but at least we can have open discussions - we can just talk about it instead of just hide it," she said.

After two years in production, the Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe opens on May 9th.