“I like to clean here at ASRC. Everyone is nice – my manager, the other workers. 

I am from Ethiopia. I’ve lived  in Australia for seven years now. Before COVID I came to ASRC Foodbank for a short time because I had no work. I came to ASRC for English classes and also to do a short cleaning course. I was in the women’s program and Veronica sent me an email about this job with ASRC Cleaning. 

So now I clean at ASRC. I have another cleaning job at Royal Melbourne Hospital, so for me it’s convenient as ASRC is close to Royal Melbourne Hospital. I finish there early and I come straight here. It only takes about fifteen minutes. 

This job gives me financial security. I have to pay my mortgage and it’s expensive. I’m a single mum. I have two boys – one fifteen and one sixteen years old. They are both at school. I have to work two jobs to survive.

Before I came to Australia I was a hairdresser. My qualification isn’t recognised here, so I need to study to get my papers but, before that, I need to study English because it’s important. Hairdressing is about communicating with people so I have to improve my English before I can do hairdressing here.

English is hard to learn. I took English classes for two years because, before I came to Australia, I’d never heard English. Now I can understand a little bit.

I like working here. Before I worked here, the ASRC accepted me – I ate food here, I learned English here and the lawyers helped me. I’ve had a lot of support here. That’s why when I am working here I feel very nice. It feels like home.”