Her own family’s story of displacement has driven Lena Torus’ passion to help refugees find their first homes in Australia.
Torus is a Senior Client Manager with the Ray White real estate agency in Noble Park and Springvale, an area where thousands of migrants and refugee have settled in recent years.
She has been working with refugee and migrant settlement agency AMES Australia to find appropriate housing for newly arrived refugee families.
“As a property manager, I am committed to helping new migrants in Melbourne,” Torus says.
“Many years ago, my family came to Australia under tough circumstances. They did not have the support network that AMES now provides.”
AMES delivers services such as English training, employment services, community engagement and settlement support.
However Torus’s family relied on “the kindness of strangers and the strength of our community to help navigate a new and unfamiliar country”.
“My family came here to Australia 40 years ago under tough circumstances.
We are Armenians from Turkey, and my family was subject to persecution. In the early 1900s my family was forced to change our last name to protect themselves from the Ottoman Empire.
“My grandfather on my father’s side moved to Australia in the late 1970s.
“My mum’s family, also Armenians, came from war-torn Lebanon in the 1980s. My uncle had a disability – a cleft palette – and it looked like the Australian Government would not let him in.
“But mum’s family managed to come here, leaving everything behind. They had to sell everything the owned to support themselves because they received no government support.”
As a result, Torus says she feels a personal connection with people she’s supporting into housing.
“I really respect people who take a leap of faith, especially in coming to a country where they don’t speak the language.”
Coming to Australia has meant opportunity for everyone in her family.
“I’m thankful my grandparent took that risk and came to Australia. It has meant we have able to do well and my son, who is three, has the opportunity to have a great life,” she said.
Lena said that working with AMES had given her new insights into the migrant and refugee experience.
“Overall, our experience working with AMES has been wonderful. The team has been really supportive of me in helping the right families get into the right properties,” she said.
“The families have been so grateful and so respectful and getting them into their first homes in Australia has been really rewarding.
“I can see that when they go to sleep at night, they don’t have to worry about their safety or about their kids. Seeing the relief in their faces in unbelievable.
“One man invited me to his home for a Ramadan celebration to thank me for helping his family find a home.”
Her workplace now has Dari and Farsi speakers on staff to make it easier to communicate with clients and make the transition into their first home in Australia as easy as possible.
She told of her interaction with one client family.
“Recently, I had the honour of welcoming the lovely Ahmadi family to their new home.
“Like many others, they had fled the violence in Afghanistan, seeking safety and a fresh start in Australia.
“When they arrived at their new house, I could see the mix of relief and worry in their eyes.
“I guided them through the basics of their new home – how to use the appliances, where the nearest grocery stores were, and how to get around the neighbourhood.
“The children, initially shy, soon began exploring their new surroundings, their laughter a hopeful sign of new beginnings.”
The family shared the daily fears of their difficult journey and their hopes for a new life.
“(Their) words touched me deeply, reminding me of my parents’ stories of strength and hope.
“This is more than just providing a roof over their heads; it is about offering hope, security, and a chance for a new beginning.
“As Melbourne continues to welcome those in need, I am reminded of the power of community and the difference I can make.”
She said that refugees and migrants made excellent tenants and often became homeowners and landlords themselves.
“My advice to landlords about housing refugees is that most renters are so gracious and humbled that you have opened up your home to them that they treat it with utmost respect.
“You will be part of their first memories of bringing up their family in Australia and they will cherish this for a lifetime.”
