Where she comes from:
Maimun was born in Somalia. When the Somali Civil War (1991-present day) started she fled to Kenya where she lived in an UNHCR refugee camp. In 1999, she came to Australia together with her husband.
The beginning:
When Maimun arrived in Australia she knew nothing about her new country, nor did she know anyone living here. She was faced with the challenge of figuring out what her future holds, but she was also full of ambition and vision to become somebody. Slowly she made connections and figured out the way things are done. At first she worked as a receptionist and gradually moved into community work where she developed a niche for assessing the employment needs of disadvantaged communities, including refugees. Through her hard work and perseverance, she started her own business venture and today is a successful businesswoman.
Education:
Maimun completed Year 12 in Somalia. She strengthened this qualification with several certificates, including a Certificate in Training and Assessment. She is currently completing a Bachelor of Social Sciences at La Trobe University.
Current occupation:
Maimun has lived in Australia for 11 years and has chosen to leave the past behind and focus on the future. She is interested in helping herself by helping others. Through her work, she recognised a gap in finding appropriate employment for resettled refugees and decided to address this need through her business venture: Innovation Recruitment Agency Pty Ltd. She is positive, energetic and uniquely placed to assist the employment needs of former refugees. Her professional devotion takes up much of her time and she does not waste a moment focusing on the negatives of the past.
Through her business, Maimun finds work for disadvantaged community members, particularly refugees.
Achievements:
Through her business, Maimun finds work for disadvantaged community members, particularly refugees. She is a member of the National Australia Bank recruitment panel and successfully assisted the employment of 12 refugees from an African background under NAB’s Workplace Development Program. She is pleased that the Bank was innovative and gave former refugees an opportunity to learn and become part of the Australian working community.
Hobbies:
Maimun enjoys socialising and sometimes she intertwines this with supporting causes that alleviate hardship and help community members become self-sufficient. Her main interests lie in working directly with communities to assist them in finding employment opportunities.
Family:
Maimun is married and does not have children.
What she likes about Australia the most:
Maimun feels fortunate to be an Australian citizen and live and work here. She believes that as long as a person has a vision that they pursue, they can fulfil their dreams and become a part of the diverse Australian community. Finding a job, working hard and becoming self-sufficient is integral to growing and becoming a successful Australian citizen.
Hopes and dreams:
Maimun hopes to remain pro-active and continue to encourage employers to provide employment opportunities to disadvantaged job seekers and to see the person rather than a “resume”. She believes that the Australian workplace needs different perspectives and diverse talents and employers need to look at the potential that can be achieved through providing training and education to former refugees. This need is evident in the Somali community, particularly amongst young people, mothers and other disadvantaged groups. She knows that working in this field is a big challenge, but she likes to be challenged and tackle what may seem impossible; it keeps her going, smiling and positive.
Concluding message:
“I feel that we have to help ourselves to be successful. There is no point in blaming someone else if I can’t do something for myself.” Maimun’s goal is to use her business to inspire youth and disadvantaged communities to be constructive and make the “transition” to work and success themselves, rather than waiting for things to happen. She also hopes that employers are willing to see the potential of disadvantaged community members and give them a chance to prove their capability.