By Gladys Barreta
On a mission to become the best version of himself is Hammad Agog who is paving the way for young men in his community.
The South Sudanese man has lived a life of triumph, self-development, and growth and wants to change the narrative of his African community.
The drive and motivation to chase after his dreams and goals are qualities instilled in him by his parents, who didn’t always have it easy.
Born in South Sudan, in Khartoum, Mr. Agog and his family moved to Australia in 2005 and later settled in the small country town of Shepparton, where he spent all of his schooling years.
Mr Agog is the eldest of five siblings: Achoung, Sunday, Deng, and Kueth, who all still live in the countryside.
Mr. Agog gives praise to his parents, Aliza and Alnour, for being his biggest inspiration when it comes to strength.
“My childhood has shaped me in a way where I always wanted the best for myself and the people around me, which my parents have always taught me,” he said.
“I come from a war-torn country, and even though I have not experienced it firsthand, I’ve learned from my parents and the hardships they endured. They moved us to a new country, and now I get to reap the benefits of living here and essentially having a better life.
“I want to become the best version of myself in life and help my parents by providing them with the best life as well.”
Itching to experience the chaos of the city, Mr. Agog moved to the small community of Cairnlea, 17 kilometers northwest of Melbourne, in 2022.
After working in hospitality, trade, and traffic control, Mr. Agog now finds himself wearing a suit to work most days of the week.
He has been working as a real estate agent for Professionals in Caroline Springs for about a year and said the role has helped him grow professionally and fuelled his love for connecting with people from different communities.
“I love this community, and it’s one I’ve grown to understand since moving here,” Mr. Agog said.
“It’s a diverse community that is very generous, and I can really feel the humanity here. “I’ve always had an idea of being in business, and with my personality traits of being an extrovert and being good with people, real estate seemed like the perfect decision.
“At the beginning, I was fitting into a completely different world, and it was very different from my previous job in traffic control. But like any job, it has its ups and downs, and I am so confident in my career path.”
With an interest in youth crime, Mr. Agog’s focus has shifted in recent times, and he is currently working towards being more involved with the youth in African communities.
“I’m trying to live life like everybody else and just want to be a good example for other kids to keep pushing and do what makes them happy,” he said.
“I want to shift the mindset of people about my culture and change the narrative surrounding African people in my community.”
“I’ve experienced firsthand the negative connotations that come with being from a diverse community, being part of a minority. The main motivation for youth is being able to see one of their own as a role model, inspiring them to realise what they can achieve to reach their goals.”
“I want to help kids not lose their purpose and find meaning in life through personal conversations and community engagement.”
