Metro Trains’ Authorised Officer, Ninah, features in the campaign. In the video created to support the campaign, she mentioned that passengers “do see us as just a uniform”.

“The kind of abuse that we’d receive on a daily basis would be, people might just drive past and yell out profanities.”

At six-years-old Ninah and her family made the long journey from the Democratic Republic of Congo to a Malawi refugee camp to escape the conflict in hopes for a better future.

Speaking about her experience, Ninah said, “My parents, they knew they wanted to move to a better place. My mom [left] with my older sister to travel to Malawi, because there was a refugee camp there and two years later, my dad and my siblings [had] to basically travel as well and find my mother and sister. We hitchhiked some of the way, in someone’s truck, and then in a military boat. Getting to Malawi was half of the battle. But when we finally arrived, everybody felt a sense of hope.”

Ninah’s story of courage and strength was embroidered onto a hi-vis by Melbourne-based artist, Sharon Peoples. The embroidered vest was unveiled during the campaign’s filming.

Ninah was touched to see her life story illustrated on the safety vest. “I think if people saw my story like it is on this vest, they’ll treat me a bit better,”

Take a moment to see the person behind the uniform and view transport workers’ life stories at www.ptv.vic.gov.au/respect