Australian in my difference

Women and migration in Australia since 1945

• Home
• Introduction
• Stories
• Support
• Gallery

Mahboba Rawi

Afghanistan

More information about the Afghanistan-born community in Australia can be found at the DIMIA website.

She devoted herself to teaching Afghan Women how to live the 'Australian Way' and to bring them out of some of the more traditional approaches to living, a unique experience for many of them.

Adjudged by a major Australian newspaper in January 2005 as one of fifty Australians 'who matter', Mahboba Rawi founded the aid organisation, Mahboba's Promise, in 1998 in order to assist Afghanistan's people as they rebuild their lives after two decades of war and oppression. A refugee from Afghanisatan herself, who now lives in Sydney, Mahboba promised the women and orphans of her homeland that she would assist in whatever ways she could to fulfil their hopes and the potential of their children. Mahboba's Promise provides financial and practical support to projects on the ground that focus on improving living conditions and education standards for women and children. In the words of documentary filmmaker Gary Caganoff, who visited Kabul in 2003 and witnessed Mahboba's Promise at work, 'Mahboba's Promise' work is of global significance in that, out of all the 800 NGOs in Kabul, only a handful are actually doing something useful'. Recognised in recent years by UNICEF, and a variety of Australian community groups and media outlets, for her work on behalf of some of the world's most traumatised people, Mahboba has made a difference to the lives of women in Australia and abroad.

Mahboba Rawi was born in 1965 in a middle class suburb of Kabul, one of nine brothers and sister who grew up in a happy home. She was still a high school student when the Russians invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Incensed, she joined fellow students in street demonstrations and became the leader of an effective protest group at her school, making her a marked young woman in the eyes of the new regime. Fearful that she would be captured and killed for her dissenting views, her family decided that she had to leave Afghanistan. Accompanied by her uncle and without much planning or preparation, she made the journey on foot to Peshawar, in neighbouring Pakistan, in 1982, where they were refugees for two years. The experiences and the knowledge she gained during this time were to shape her later charitable commitments.

In 1984, she married an Afghan man, who was also a permanent Australian resident. His sponsorship allowed her to move from the Peshawar camp to a new Australian home. She arrived as a young newly-wed, speaking no English, her best form of communication being what she now humorously refers to as 'Body Language'. Nevertheless, within two days of arrival, Mahboba had a place to live in north Sydney and a job as a cleaner. A year later the couple moved to Glen Iris in Victoria, where Mahboba was employed as a machinist for a clothing company. She did this work for three years, until the birth of her first son in 1987. The family returned to Sydney and in 1989, her daughter was born. The family was very close and starting to make headway in their country. Mahboba was in full-time work.

Disaster struck in 1992 when Mohbaba's son was one of a large group of family and friends who drowned in a freak accident at the Kiama Blowhole. This heralded in the most difficult time of her life. After experiencing the horror of war, and escaping from it to a safe and gentle country, her life was torn apart. Rather than sink into depression, she chose to move forward by reskilling and involving herself in productive community work. She went back to school to learn English, starting at the level of learning her 'A. B. Cs'. In 1993 she passed Year 11 and 12, and qualified for tertiary Studies. She completed an Advanced Community Welfare Course at Granville College in 1996. She completed the courses and did the homework. Mahboba's second son was born in 1996, when she completed her courses. However, the 1992 tragedy impacted on her married relationship and this broke down irretrievably.

Mahboba threw herself into community work. She started with the Afghan Women's' Group and this allowed her to practice her community welfare skills. She devoted herself to teaching Afghan Women how to live the 'Australian Way'and to bring them out of some of the more traditional approaches to living, a unique experience for many of them. She taught English through the Migrant Resources Corporation at Parramatta. Brought up in a landlocked country, none of the people who lost their lives at Kiama had learned how to swim, so she started swimming courses for migrant women with the sponsorship of the Parramatta City Council. Mahboba expanded her portfolio to teaching topics as diverse as 'Stress Management', 'The way to a healthy life' and 'How to deal with and combat domestic violence'. Through teaching Mahboba broke down barriers and gave unique experience and tuition to people who had never had such instruction.

Mahboba's reputation spread, and in 1998 she received a copy of a letter from Dr Nasrin Seddiqee in Peshawar from an Australian friend. In the letter, Dr Nasrin described the horror appalling state of the refugee camps, how there were hungry, naked children sitting outside her office, and how she did not have the resources to help them all. Another outstanding and compassionate woman, Dr Nasrin was doing all she could on the ground, dealing with the effects of the brutal Afghan administration and the war, but there were limits to what she could achieve. Mahboba read Dr Nasrin's letter to the students of one of her English classes and they immediately collected a small sum of money that was sent to Dr Nasrin. A quick letter of thanks was sent back in return, together with letters from the children carrying their signatures and fingerprints as authentication. Dr Nasrin pleaded for more assistance and told stories of horror, terror, sadness and hardship that had affected the lives of countless women who were also seeking her help.

Thus began the fundraising efforts in Australia of Mahboba's Promise. At the same time Mahboba's uncle Haji Fazal Ahmad Sabit, still living in Afghanistan, became increasingly distressed by the poverty around him, and its particular impact upon women and children. It was not hard to convince him to become the 'on-site' project manager, responsible for making things happen with the money raised by Mahboba and her team of volunteers. Presented with ever-changing challenges as the political environment in Afghanistan evolves, Mahboba's Promise is as relevant now as it was when it was established seven years ago.

Mahboba has travelled an extraordinary life journey, has had an effect on many thousands of lives and is only just forty years old! She has set fine examples; she is a humanitarian, and an outstanding human being. She has done work which has brought together all sections of the Australian community, but remains a global citizen. She is a single mother who has worked hard, sacrificed much and given much, to her adopted country and that of her birth. She is truly a woman 'who matters'.

Source of Image: http://www.forachange.co.uk/index.php?stoid=291

<< Previous | Next >>

© Australian Women's Archives Project, 2006
http://www.womenaustralia.info/exhib/aimd/aimd-13.html