By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
GREATER Dandenong’s young citizen of the year has recently won a national prize but still struggles for recognition in some local quarters.
Sahema Saberi, who leads a Dandenong-based volunteer tutoring group to help migrants in mainstream schools, recently won the Creating Pathways category at this year’s National Youth Awards.
It’s the latest fillip for Ms Saberi, who says such wins inspire others in her community, including new arrivals, to make a difference.
She’s been feted among the Hazara community since winning her Greater Dandenong Young Citizen of the Year award on Australia Day.
“It definitely gave me a name in the community. When they see me, people say ‘she’s the one, she’s the young achiever.’
“However there are also many people that don’t know these awards even happened.’’
Her recent win coincided with a council investigation into ways to widely celebrate its citizenship award recipients “not just on one special day” but in future years.
Cr Matthew Kirwan, who instigated the investigation, said award-winners such as Ms Saberi could have on-going “ambassador-type” roles at community events, and be acknowledged on plaques.
He said their upgraded roles could encourage other residents to increase their community involvement.
He also pushed for new categories that would honour community groups, events and projects, volunteers, senior citizens and those that bring diverse people together.
“I want to see the achievements of both individuals and community groups celebrated not just on one special day but throughout the year and in future years their achievements and commitment to their community are not forgotten by making sure their award is recorded in a prominent public place.”
Ms Saberi said wider recognition could help foster more community-mindedness.
“It makes the award winner a role-model in the community so other people can look up to them.
“People say if she can do this in so many years, I can do it as well.”
Ms Saberi’s tale is worth telling. She arrived in Australia as an Afghani refugee without a word of English, battled through an English language course, high school and then successfully completed year 12 and tertiary-level physiotherapy studies.
She founded the Australian Hazara Students Group in 2008 to help younger people overcome the same battle.
The homework club’s 14 volunteers provide free tutoring for up to 40 students at a time from Afghani, African and Sri Lankan communities. Ideally more volunteers are needed to level out the tutor-student ratio.
It has so far provided free tutoring about 250 year 7-12 migrants and refugees, helping many map out a plan for further studies at TAFE or university and a subsequent career.
Many families could not afford the commercial tutoring rates of up to $80 an hour for VCE subjects.
New challenges also exist. Ms Saberi says asylum seekers on bridging visas, who arrived after 30 August last year, were being forced to exit school when they turn 18. It has created a “flood of students” seeking help from the club.
The group is also sponsoring refugee students in Pakistan, and advocates for refugee and asylum seekers rights.
As well as being president for the group, Ms Saberi is a volunteer interpreter at Dandenong Hospital and health project worker.
The homework club meets 1-5pm on Saturdays. To volunteer, email batoolali90@yahoo.com.au.
