At 15 Mohamed Semra made headlines. At 27 he’s making history

Sometimes, when the online abuse for being a young, African-born, Muslim mayor gets brutal, Mohamed Semra turns to the lesson he learnt on the back of a donkey in Sudan.

He was just 10, a city kid from Melbourne on his first trip back to the country his mother fled with her six children when Mohamed was three.

His family needed water, so his uncle propped up Mohamed on a donkey loaded with barrels and sent him off, alone, to the well about two hours away.

He gave Mohamed this advice: do not get off the donkey until safely back at the village with the water because the beast could get spooked and spill the water.

Mohamed has made several visits back to Sudan since moving to Australia. (Supplied: Mohamed Semra)

After the daunting desert trek, Mohamed was close to home when the donkey made a beeline for a tree covered in sharp thorns, the branches of which hung too low for him to safely pass underneath.

He assessed his options: get off, save himself but risk losing the water, or cling tightly to the donkey's neck and hope for the best.

"I made the decision that I was going to go through the tree," Mohamed, 27, tells Australian Story. "Obviously, I had a lot of scratches on my face but the water made it home.

"It taught me that sometimes … sacrifices need to be made in the service of others. And while I had a few scratches on my face, my family could enjoy water that day."

Becoming mayor of the City of Maribyrnong, in Melbourne's inner west, last year has caused Mohamed a few metaphorical scratches.

Since donning the mayoral robes, he has been called all sorts of names online, but being subjected to racism is not new for Mohamed.

One incident at an Apple Store when he was 15 caused international news but also led to changes at the global company, so enduring some abuse as mayor in order to advance the community that helped him thrive is something he is willing to do.

"There are people out there that are not comfortable with a Black man, a Muslim, in the position I'm in today," Mohamed says. "And it's my job to make them more comfortable.

Social media is another way for Mohamed to connect with constituents. (Australian Story: Andy Ware)

"As mayor, I see my role as representing the entire community … I have lived in the community for 20 years. I wouldn't have put my hand up if I didn't love this community and didn't believe that I can add value."

Mohamed (centre) with school friends Abdulahi Haijiali and Mabior Ater. (Australian Story: Andy Ware)

Mohamed is the first person from sub-Saharan Africa to be elected mayor in Australia, representing