Home to School helps children of refugee and migrant families to achieve their right to a quality education and the chance of a brighter future
11-year-old Othni and little sister Eunice have big smiles. Even bigger than the challenges they’ve had to face in their short lives.
Like many girls their age Othni and Eunice are happiest when reading, drawing and playing with friends at school.
But it wasn’t always this way for them. Having left Sri Lanka in traumatic circumstances, they landed in Australia with mum, dad and baby sister. With little English or understanding of Australian culture, they found life in Perth hard.
Othni and Eunice have shown courage and resilience in meeting the challenges of settling in to their new life in WA.
“At first school was difficult. I didn’t know the language, and…it makes you feel embarrassed,” Othni says.
The family’s temporary visa status meant the parents were unable to work, and as a result the young family also faced financial difficulties, even struggling to feed the growing girls.
That’s where Kazim, who works with Othni and Eunice as their Home to School Family Support Specialist, was able to help.
Home to School helps children thrive and families to get back on their feet
The Home to School service supports newly arrived refugee and migrant families to settle in to life in Western Australia.
Depending on the situation, this may take the form of food and clothing, assistance to communicate with teachers, or supporting the children to catch up on foundational skills through a homework club. In this way, the service supports the children to develop confidence and succeed at school. The program is delivered by 54 reasons, which is part of the Save the Children Australia Group.
“We're trying to help the child…get that quality education that they're entitled to.” - Kazim, Family Support Specialist
with Home to School.
“At 54 reasons, we are focusing on the rights of children…in order to send the child back to school and provide a peaceful environment at home for the child, we have to sometimes help the entire family in order to make that happen”, Kazim says.
Othni explains that through the Home to School service, Kazim, “helped in getting new clothes for us for school. He has given us things like food…. and given us the courage to help make our family live happier.”