STARTTS (NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors) approached us to create a training video series for frontline workers. The videos needed to explore how the experiences of refugees and asylum seekers can result in trauma that presents in different ways. The challenge was to communicate these sensitive stories with empathy and clarity, while providing frontline workers with a resource they could actively reference in their practice.

We developed a three part animated series that combined lived experience stories with expert commentary. Two refugee stories were illustrated in detail, showing how trauma can manifest and impact daily life. To create a distinctive and empathetic style, we worked with an illustrator who hand drew each frame, which was then brought to life through animation and sound design. Expert interviews added depth and context, ensuring the content was both engaging and practical for frontline workers. The series was later adapted into Dalal’s Story, which won an award at the WHO’s Health for All Film competition.