She looks calm and composed. Her cheerful smile can bring life into the dullest of the moments, and she makes everything look and sound so easy. Meet Shazia Sagheer Choudhry– the first Pakistani female to be appointed as the Australia Day Ambassador.
When asked about her recognition as the Australia Day Ambassador, Shazia clearly does not want to take the entire credit to herself.
Australia Day Council organises multiple events for CALD communities (people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds). Shazia was recently invited to two of their consultation events in South Australia – ‘Australia: A Country of Belonging’ and ‘Australia: A Country of Opportunities’, where she raised several issues.
“I think it is the spirit of unity that we demonstrated as a Pakistani community and not as individual associations that also quite impressed the Council.”
She says it was because of the issues that she had raised at the two events for women, migrants and international students that caught the eye of the organisers that later led them to monitor her activities, and several interviews and discussions later, it all helped them assess her to qualify for the role of the ambassador.
What also led to this selection was that for the first time ever all the present Pakistani associations in South Australia participated vigorously in the Australia Day celebrations. Shazia brought them all together as a group instead of individual representatives of the Pakistani community.
Shazia regrets that the social work careers in Pakistan are not taken seriously or as careers at all. There is a dire need to come out of that mentality.
“I think it is the spirit of unity that we demonstrated as a Pakistani community and not as individual associations that also quite impressed the Council,” she adds.
But it is not as simple as she makes it sound. Shazia is a multi-tasker. Currently, she is engaged in teaching, counseling, event management, and higher studies all at the same time, while also managing her family life. She talks very fondly about her family, especially her father.
Shazia says social work runs in the family. She remembers growing up watching her father spend most of his time in charity and social work. Her dad, she says, is indeed her role model.
Shazia says her dad is her role model. Source: Author
“I feel like all this is worth my hard work when I hear my father appreciate my efforts.”
Social work and the Pakistani community in Australia
Shazia regrets that the social work careers in Pakistan are not taken seriously or as careers at all. There is a dire need to come out of that mentality.
One cannot achieve success and credibility in the social work industry if it does not come from the heart, she says, adding great stress on “taking initiative” and a "strong spiritual connection with God".
The social work career is a sustainable career in Australia and one can easily make a living out of it: Shazia Choudry
When asked about other Pakistani migrants working in the same field, she takes a pause to think, but unfortunately cannot remember many names, except for three others that she said she had met in the last few years.
She says the social work career is a sustainable career in Australia and one can easily make a living out of it.
One hat, many feathers
Shazia has also been very active throughout her school life in organising charity and social events, and later various events and activities for multiple Pakistani associations – first in the UAE and now in Australia.
She is also a permanent organising committee member of the Peace Convention, one of the largest Islamic conferences in the world to be organised in the UAE every two years.
"As a hijabi woman, I feel proud to be breaking stereotypes around women from Muslim communities. We can achieve anything if we work hard."
She is a Vice President of Pakistani Australian Connections of SA (PACSA) and has also designed and been delivering free ‘Job readiness programs’ for new arrivals and job seekers in Adelaide, for past two years.
According to her profile, Shazia has the honour of being selected as the only Muslim female mentor on the SA Governor’s First Intercultural Futures (Youth leadership development) program in 2018. She was also seen recently as the only Pakistani and Muslim female participating in the SANFL Inter-Nations Cup 2019, to promote and encourage female and particularly Muslim females’ participation in sports in Australia. She has received special accolades from SANFL for her participation and breaking the barriers. She is also the only Pakistani to be a member of the management committee.
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