From child soldier to refugee lawyer: Deng Adut's remarkable story

Deng Adut's story is remarkable. He was separated from his family and then shot in the back in war-torn Sudan. But now he has become an international hit.

Mr Adut has lived in Western Sydney for several years and is now the face of Western Sydney University's campaign to raise awareness about the plight of refugees.

Mr Adut did not have an easy start when he first arrived in Australia. He taught himself to read English while living in his car.

But the hard work eventually paid off and he graduated from Western Sydney University with a law degree.

Mr Adut now works for AC Law Group in Western Sydney, with the company describing him on their website as someone who is " committed to making a positive difference and in doing so, devotes many hours of his personal time every week to activities such as mentoring, advising and supporting members of the community".

His rise from refugee to refugee lawyer has inspired many.

The university launched its remarkable refugee campaign last week through an online video posted to YouTube and in just a few days it's had more than 650-thousand hits.

Mr Adut's story has spread all over the globe. It's Been reported from Canada to Europe to Africa and the video has gone viral.

"Deng Adut's story about what a uni can offer with the support of a community is what's resonated around the world," Western Sydney University's Prof Peter Shergold told 7News.

Inspired by its success, the university wants to help more people like Mr Adut by setting aside half a million dollars for new scholarships for refugees. It's also calling on businesses and the community to donate.

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