For Aziza, having a stable home has created the foundation she needs to care for her family, grow personally, and contribute to her community.
Aziza is a Home in Place tenant in Maitland. She is an Afghan woman, a mother, and a cultural and social activist who has lived in Australia for five years and recently became an Australian citizen.
“I have experience as a university lecturer, swimming coach, and journalist.” Aziza says.
Before arriving in Australia, Aziza served as the Cultural Section Secretary at the Embassy of Afghanistan in Tehran. Since settling here, she has continued her professional and community work, including being recognised as Woman of the Year by Zara’s House.
More recently, she started working as a swimming instructor, allowing her to continue building her skills and career in Australia.
For Aziza, her home plays a central role in making this possible.
“My home is a place of safety, stability, and peace,” she says. “It has allowed me to focus on my family, personal growth, and community involvement.”
She says the surrounding community has also been an important part of her experience.
“The community around me is diverse and supportive, and I value the sense of belonging and respect I feel here,” Aziza says.
A good day at home, she explains, is grounded in routine and calm.
“A good day at home means a calm and organised routine, spending quality time with my family, and having the space to plan, learn, and contribute to cultural or community activities,” she says. “Feeling safe and settled makes these days possible.”
Aziza says the support she received from Home in Place staff made a significant difference during her housing journey.
“The support from the Home in Place staff was extremely helpful,” she says. “They assisted me throughout the application process in cooperation with DCJ, and I am now living in a home where I feel completely at ease and able to work towards my personal development and contribute to my community.”
Moving into her home marked a major turning point.
“When I came to Home in Place, I felt like I had come back to life and achieved the independent life I had been hoping for,” Aziza says.
She also values the practical features of her home and neighbourhood.
“My home has unique features, such as good amenities in the home and neighbourhood, including proximity to shops and the hospital, as well as good, low-conflict neighbours,” she says.
Alongside her professional work, Aziza remains deeply committed to cultural representation.
“I am proud of being able to introduce, represent, and lead the promotion of the great, ancient culture of Cyrus the Great in a modern country like Australia,” she says. “Through performances of dance and song, as well as Afghan women’s embroidery.”
Aziza performed a traditional Afghan dance on stage at Home in Place’s 2025 Tenant Christmas party, as part of Tenants Got Talent. Home in Place Community Participation Officer and organiser of the event, Luke, says:
“The segment gave tenants an excellent opportunity to showcase their individual talents. For the rest of the attendees, it provided great entertainment and, hopefully, some inspiration.”
“I enjoyed Aziza’s performance very much, and I think the audience did as well.”
Looking ahead, Aziza hopes to continue building connections between cultures.
“I hope that in the near future I can be a useful bridge for cultural and artistic connections among all multicultural communities in Australia,” she says, “so that we can understand each other better and more fully.”
