Ten-Year-Old Ukrainian Refugee Honored with Bravery Award in Australia

A ten-year-old Ukrainian refugee, Zlata Bilous, has been honored with a gold medallion bravery award for her courageous act of saving a friend from drowning at Hillarys Boat Harbour, Perth, in Australia.

According to the Government Website in Western Australia, Zlata, who arrived in Australia in 2022, faced the challenges of being unable to speak English and lacking swimming skills at the time of her arrival.

Since settling in Australia, Zlata and her mother, Iliana, have received significant support from the local community. Chris Chapple, a resident of City Beach, sponsored Zlata for swimming lessons at Challenge Stadium in Mt Claremont for the past 18 months. Chapple emphasized the importance of her learning to swim, stating that Zlata’s progress had been remarkable, aided by instructors who addressed any language barriers.

On a hot day last summer, Zlata and a friend jumped off a jetty into the water. When her friend began to struggle, calling for help, Zlata immediately responded. Despite her friend panicking and trying to climb on top of her, Zlata remained composed. She instructed her friend to float on her back until she calmed down, after which Zlata was able to assist her back to safety.

Zlata was one of sixty-eight recipients of Royal Life Saving WA bravery awards presented by Governor Chris Dawson.