By CASEY NEILL
WHEN Imtiyaz ‘Minty’ Saberi came to Australia in 2005, he couldn’t swim and spoke little English.
Today, the 20-year-old from land-locked Afghanistan has become Australia’s first Afghani lifesaver and passes on the water safety message to youths and new migrants.
“People who come from overseas, they may be able to swim, but they don’t know much about water safety,” he said.
“They don’t know about the currents and the rips over here which can be really dangerous.
“Next time, when they go to the beach their eyes open up, because they see the dangers they didn’t know about before.”
So great was his contribution that Life Saving Victoria put Mr Saberi forward as a National Volunteer Week ambassador.
His image will appear in a social media campaign throughout the 13 to 19 May celebration for the six million people who volunteer across Australia each year.
“It feels good,” he said.
“It makes you want to do more stuff for the community, especially when people actually recognise the work you do.”
Mr Saberi was born in Afghanistan. His dad fled in 1999 and arrived in Australia on a boat.
“For the first six to eight months when he left, we weren’t sure if he was alive or not,” he said.
“He was in a detention centre for about nine months. He had a hard time contacting anyone.”
The family moved to Pakistan before their patriarch sponsored their move to Australia.
“It was the start of a new life, basically,” Mr Saberi said.
He made his way through Dandenong North Primary School, Dandenong High School and Rowville Secondary College, discovering his love for life saving at a school beach safety session.
He’s now a volunteer life guard with Edithvale Life Saving Club and works for Life Saving Victoria and Dandenong Oasis.
Mr Saberi was named a People of Australia Ambassador at a Harmony Day ceremony at Parliament House, Canberra, in March.
He was among 10 people from Victoria and 53 from around Australia named inspirational people who’d helped promote inclusion, strengthen ties and build their communities.
“Volunteering work’s great,” he said.
“It doesn’t pay you, but it gives you that joy that you’re helping out people.
“I would encourage anyone to volunteer.”
Mr Saberi is so committed to the community that this year he plans to apply for a place with Victoria Police or Federal Police.
“Hopefully in the police force, I can do more work for the community,” he said.
“The people in and around Dandenong, I want to help them, I want to do so much for them.”
Visit www.facebook.com/volunteeringaus and www.twitter.com/VolunteeringAus and use #NVW2013 to post thank you messages for volunteers.
