Summary

Waeza Osman migrated to Melbourne from Mauritius via Kuwait in 1996 and conitnues to advocate for Muslim women's health, education and a multicultural Australia.

Coming to Australia:

Waeza Osman, a Muslim woman from Mauritius, left her country as a young girl for Kuwait to study nursing. There she worked as a 'child life specialist', pioneering this kind of program in Kuwait. Being a self-described 'citizen of the world', she decided to explore further and Australia fulfilled her requirements. Waeza reflected that 'Australia was my dream as a country, full of greenery and nature to contemplate and the diversity of the wonderful God's creation - rivers, mountains, lakes, seas, fish, birds, flowers and many good people.' (2024)

Waeza arrived in Melbourne in March 1996, settling in Eltham. For her, Australia was a country of opportunities, diversity, and inclusiveness, a place where she could achieve anything she wanted. She reflected that 'it was a give and take journey. I came along with multiple skills, knowledge and money.' (2024) As a polyglot, she spoke five languages and hoped to contribute to her new homeland. 'I was determined to excel', she stated (2024).

Early Challenges:

'However, the first five years were a challenge for both me and my husband. We came to Australia as skilled migrants and thought securing jobs should not be a barrier. I volunteered at the Royal Children's Hospital (as a play therapist). After attending interviews, the only response I received was "I regret to tell you that you are unsuccessful." I thought what could be the reason for rejection, my skin color or a scarf on my head?' (2024)

For Waeza, struggle was not a struggle, but a challenge. After her inquiry about the reason for rejection, within a week she received a letter congratulation for securing the job. At that point, she already had three successful offers and was considering 'which one to choose.'

Further Studies:

Waeza is a registered nurse and hospital coordinator and also an interpreter, masseuse and aromatherapist. Working in a hospital, in the health industry is dynamic, sensitive and demanding in a fast-growing multicultural environment of people from walks of life. 'I am a Muslim, I treat ill or injured people in hospital as patients equally. I follow procedure; I practise my faith, and also respect and provide facilities for other faiths.' (2024)

Approaches to Faith:

Waeza believes that Australia is a country of freedom of religion, reflecting 'not once I have felt that the Islamic tradition was threatened. I was able to pray during my shift in the hospital where I started.'(2024) Being a person thirsty for knowledge, Australian education fully opened the opportunity to satisfy her thirst. 'I seek education for, as the Islamic Prophet said, "Seeking knowledge is mandatory for males and females." At ISRA, Charles Sturt University, I studied Islamic studies and the language of the Qur'an. This is again the goodness of Australia that the university has a prayer room.' (2024)

Supporting Women Health and Education:

She completed a Bachelor Degree in Islamic studies, a Master in Classical Arabic and a Certificate in Chaplaincy. Waeza is also a Licensed Facilitator in 'Teaching on the run and learning on the run', In her spare time she supports the community providing health teaching at the Preston Mosque and visiting and supporting elderly folk. Waeza advocates for women to be assigned female nurses for vulnerable procedures. She is attending interfaith dialogues advocating for spiritual rooms in the workplace not only for people of the Islamic faith but for all faiths. From Waeza's viewpoint 'Australia is open and prepared for diversity but there is still a lot of work to be done for the future generations.' (2024)

Hobbies:

Waeza is very sociable, she played volleyball in Kuwait for 14 years but replaced it with hiking in Australia with her many friends. She loves the music of natural sounds such as those of water, wind, waves and rain: 'relaxing and spiritual, and the music of silence'. (2024) Waeza enjoys listening to the Qur'an because 'Arabic is also like a beautiful melody.' Waeza also enjoys fishing, 'my funny hobby. While fishing I enjoy to seeing the bait, but fish always run away which is fine with me. Actually, I have never caught a fish but I really enjoy the ocean.' Interview between Waeza Osman and Dr Dzavid Haveric, 2024.

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