When life threw challenges her way, Anna turned to Social Futures for the support she needed to rebuild her life and provide stability for her family.
Growing up in war torn Sudan, Anna is no stranger to difficulty. After losing her husband in the conflict, she sought safety in Australia as a refugee with her children. Yet, while Australia provided a safer environment, the path to stability wasn’t easy.
Living in Northern NSW, Anna’s situation took a turn when her daughter-in-law suddenly passed away, leaving her as the primary caregiver for her infant twin grandchildren. Without a permanent place to call home, Anna and the twins were forced to move between family members’ houses and temporary hotel accommodations, struggling with homelessness for nearly two years.
“When I was moving with the children from hotel to hotel, it was so hard. It has been a difficult journey,” Anna shared.
Anna was referred to the Family Connect and Support Program (FCS) at Social Futures, and her Support Worker, Susan McGeever, recognised the unique challenges she faced.
“In addition to housing instability and significant grief from past trauma, there were language and cultural barriers to overcome. Low literacy and limited IT skills further complicated matters,” Susan explained.
One major hurdle was acquiring official documents. Anna’s grandchildren, aged four, didn’t have birth certificates, which prevented their enrolment in preschool. At the same time, Anna had lost her citizenship papers, making the process of applying for replacements particularly overwhelming for someone navigating English as a second language.
“I worked closely with our Connecting Home program and also collaborated with the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTSS),” Susan said.
“I knew we needed to take small, focused steps over time to support Anna to achieve her goals.”
A turning point in their lives came when Anna and the twins moved into a house with support from Connecting Home.
“Finally, they had a space they could feel safe in, and we were able to purchase curtains, bedding, toys, and household essentials to make it feel really homely,” Susan said.
Once settled, the focus shifted to the twins’ education. With Susan’s advocacy, priority preschool placements were arranged, along with participation in the ‘Ready Set Go’ program to prepare them for school. Birth certificates, a long-standing barrier, were secured through consistent effort.
“The first improvement happened at school. After that, we got the birth certificates—that was a big thing,” Anna said
Another significant achievement was reclaiming Anna’s citizenship papers. Anna had struggled due to barriers with online applications. Social Futures liaised with the Department of Home Affairs to secure a special arrangement allowing Anna’s application to be completed on paper. When the papers finally arrived, Anna was overjoyed. “I shared my excitement with you when I received my citizenship papers. That was a big moment for me,” Anna recalled.
With stable housing, support services in place, and community connections strengthened, Anna and her grandchildren are doing well.
Social Futures linked Anna with Brighter Futures for ongoing, intensive support, and the grandchildren are also supported through Social Futures Mijung Jarjums Kids in Mind Program.
While challenges remain, Anna is optimistic and presses forward with hope, “I will keep looking for what is good for the children’s future,” she shared.
“I want to say that the work and the support you provided was sincere and from the heart. It is running through your blood. I want to say thank you to you from the bottom of my heart.
“The things that you have done for the children is huge. You helped us with everything we needed to settle here, I am so grateful.”
If you or someone you know needs support, Social Futures is here to help.
Contact us on 1800 719 625 or visit our Family Connect and Support program page to learn more.
