A dream life for Afghan refugee family
AN AFGHAN FAMILY OF EIGHT, THE NAMAZI’S CAME TO TOOWOOMBA AS REFUGEES IN 2013 FROM IRAN AND HAVE EMBRACED EVERY MINUTE OF THEIR TIME HERE SINCE
We are very grateful for being in Australia. SAMIRA NAMAZI
“Australian children were born in heaven… now, we have come to heaven,” Samira grins, smoothing out her beautiful pink dress that her older sister Ziba made.
A family of eight — five daughters, two boys, and their mother, the Namazi family came to Australia in 2013 as Afghan refugees from Iran knowing one word — hello.
After just six months of being in Toowoomba, the children could all speak English.
Sisters Sakineh and Samira have just finished studying their first year of biomedical science degrees at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ). Their younger brothers, Esmaeel and Amir are attending high school.
Two of the five daughters, Ziba and Fatemeh, are studying English at TAFE, and another sister, Sharifeh, is studying a business and commerce degree at USQ as well.
“It was eight years ago that we lost our father, we were just small girls and boys, so we are so happy that we are in Australia,” says Sakineh, her blue dress also a creation of her older sister, Ziba.
“If we were in Iran, we couldn’t study biomedical science or business, because most of the Afghan people are not allowed to study those courses.”
“We are very grateful for being in Australia,” Samira chimes in, smiling.
In Iran, the Namazi family lived in downtown Tehran — the country’s capital city.
They were very poor, and all of them lived in one bedroom.
For the family to leave Iran, they were required to write a letter about their life and circumstances to the United Nations.
After several interviews at their home from government officials and having their physical and mental health checked over six months, the Namazi family was accepted as refugees, and could finally come to Australia.
“We are so thankful to the Australian Government and Australian people because they accepted us,” Samira says.
“In the future, we want to finish our studies and become someone important and help people.
“We want to pay back Australia because they have given us so many things… we want to thank them.”
For the Namazi family, it’s the small things (as well as the big things) that they appreciate.
“We love the birds,” Samira smiles, nodding at me.
“They will catch the birds in the street in Iran but here, all the birds are free — it’s so amazing.
“Also, Australia is so green — the yards are green, the trees — everywhere, there is more green than Tehran.”
For the Namazi family, coming to Australia has allowed them to do so many things for the very first time, such as using a phone, the internet, a laptop — even seeing the ocean.
“The first time I saw the Pacific Ocean, I was screaming for an hour, I was so happy - I cried happy tears,” Sakineh laughs.
“When we were in Iran, this kind of life was just a dream for us… but now, in Australia, it’s real life.”
Sakineh has big plans after she completes her biomedical science degree.
“I would love to join the army or the airforce, and become a doctor there,” she grins, her eyes wide.
“I would love to help all the people around the world — it’s my dream.”
Sakineh and Samira have volunteered at Darling Heights State School and are looking for jobs. When Fatemeh has completed her English studies at TAFE, she would like to study nursing.
Similarly, Ziba would like to go on to study both nursing and beauty.
The Namazi family has been supported in its move to Toowoomba through Positive Empathy and Community Engagement — or, in other words, PEACE. Director of PEACE Genevieve Allpass emphasises that the
organisation is about changing the dialogue from hate speech to understanding.
“PEACE is not religiously or politically aligned, and has no agenda other than peace and understanding,” Genevieve explains. “PEACE formulates ideas to assist refugees, people seeking asylum, homeless, and at-risk locals.”
Genevieve says that most of what is provided by PEACE is friendship, security and help to those who need it.
“People arriving here without family or social fabrics, people who already live here but who have lost their family and social fabric need, want, ask for someone to be their ‘tribe’, their ‘group’, their ‘friend’ and PEACE provides that (and more) with positivity, empathy and engaging with the established community sectors,” she adds.
PEACE also provides items for community charities, and offers assistance and home visits helping with anything from school work to cooking.
They also assist the homeless and less fortunate, providing ongoing services to local charities and service providers.
The unfunded and volunteer-based organisation is primarily working with women and children at-risk, and relies purely on donations.
“Anyone can be involved in PEACE just by coming along to our various groups and events and logging on to our website or Facebook — volunteering is the most important way to help others,” Genevieve says. “One thing that I want to make crystal clear is that we can help new comers to our country AND help our homeless and less fortunate in our community. “You don’t need to choose. “There are community sectors who, together, help everyone.
“No one human being is less, or more, worthy of help than anyone else — we are all intrinsically the same.
“For example, as parents, we all worry about our children, how they are going with school, their friendship groups, are they safe, regardless of where we come from or what we look like.
“Think of what we need, as humans, safety, food, water, love, security — we all need that. Change the negative or hate speech to understanding — it’s as easy as instead of saying a disabled person, change it to a person with a disability — see how that changes things?”