Crochet volunteering group helps scholar to adjust to life in Australia

While Australia Awards Africa does everything in its power to prepare and equip new scholars with the necessary tools and information for their transition to life in Australia, the reality of settling into a new country and academic life can still present significant challenges.

For Iolanda Guilaze from Mozambique, her journey began when she decided to engage with the Crochet for Bravery Blankets volunteer group through the Curtin Volunteers! program. Despite the initial hurdles of adjusting to university life and a new culture, Iolanda found solace and support through volunteering, forging new friendships, and actively seeking out opportunities to aid her adjustment process.

Currently in her final semester of pursuing a Master of Science in Mineral and Energy Economics at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia, Iolanda reflects on the difficulties of navigating cultural differences, and adapting to a different country and system. She says: “it is difficult to deal with the cultural shock, find housing and adjust to an educational system totally different from your own country.” She acknowledges the initial feelings of loneliness and isolation but remained determined to utilise every available resource provided by Australia Awards and her university to ease her transition.

Introduced to Curtin Volunteers! through the university’s Introductory Academic Program (IAP), Iolanda wasted no time in seizing opportunities to develop her interpersonal and leadership skills while acclimating to her new environment. The IAP takes place during the first weeks of a student’s enrollment at university and aims to provide important information about the university and to inform new scholars about their new life in Australia.

Joining the Crochet for Bravery Blankets group during her second semester in 2023, Iolanda actively contributed to crafting patches that were later donated to those in need. Additionally, Iolanda participated in various activities, including a short film showcasing her cultural heritage, fostering a sense of belonging within her community. Embracing her passion for community service, Iolanda applied for and received a leadership position within Curtin Volunteers! earlier this year, dedicating her time to assisting fellow students at the university’s volunteer office. In this role, she helps other students at the university’s volunteer office once a week for two hours.

Her commitment stems from a desire to make a positive impact on others’ lives while reinforcing her personal values and beliefs, a sentiment deeply ingrained from her extensive volunteering experience in Mozambique. “The volunteer group appealed to me because I have the desire to contribute to the community and make a positive impact on people’s lives while at the same time fulfil my personal values and beliefs and make friends along the way”, she says.

Through her involvement with Curtin Volunteers!, Iolanda had the opportunity to engage with diverse communities across Australia, including a recent trip to Merredin, part way between Perth and Kalgoorlie, where she and a group of Curtin volunteers assisted with the Merredin Show. This event is an annual celebration of the community, agriculture and entertainment.

Iolanda is intensely grateful for these unique experiences that volunteering afforded her to interact with Australians and learn more about their rich culture, habits, and stories. “Being a part of this community allows me to learn more about Australia, the country that welcomes me to pursue my dreams”, she says.

In her capacity as Deputy Director of the Mozambique Revenue Authority’s Tax Collection Unit, Iolanda leverages her scholarship to explore opportunities within the mining sector, aiming to contribute to her country’s sustainable economic growth. Currently, Iolanda is completing research on the social and economic impact of the mining boom in Mozambique. She hopes  this research will help her move into the study department of the Mozambique Revenue Authority where she can advise policy makers on taxes and royalties.

She hopes to also use this newly acquired knowledge to find ways Mozambique can apply policies and mechanisms to effectively and sustainably use natural resources in supporting the country’s development that will benefit future generations. In Australia Iolanda develops her research skills and forms networks with academic and scientific lectures and classmates from many countries to understand how mineral and energy resource development impacts local communities’ socio-economically. Taxes and royalties can provide a significant source of revenue for local governments which can be used to fund infrastructure like public schools, hospitals and roads improving quality of life for residents and creating job opportunities. When she returns home later this year, Iolanda hopes to further research tax policy as an employee of the Mozambiquan Revenue Authority.

Drawing from her active involvement within the Curtin community, Iolanda emphasises the abundance of extracurricular activities available to scholars beyond the confines of the classroom. She encourages fellow scholars to remain vigilant for opportunities within their universities and communities, highlighting the support structures in place to facilitate their participation. Whether through campus media, student support offices, or direct inquiries, Iolanda stresses the importance of proactive engagement to maximise the benefits of their scholarship experience and to speed up their own initial adjustment to the Australian academic life.