Abuk’s home and work create a stronger future for her family
When Abuk thinks about what has changed most over the past 3 years, the answer is simple. She feels calm in her new home. For a long time, calm felt out of reach.
Abuk is a refugee who moved to Australia from Egypt when she was 18, living in NSW for a time, then relocating to Melbourne with her young family.
A single mother of three, Abuk was working night shifts while trying to keep up with school drop-offs, childcare and caring for her son, Doong, who has high support needs. Before connecting with Unison, Abuk was living in costly and unsuitable rentals that had become increasingly unaffordable. When she could no longer keep up with rising rental costs, finding another home proved almost impossible.
“I was going through being homeless… it’s quite hard with rentals when you have children, especially when one has a disability. They just keep rejecting you.”
After almost three months of moving between motels and hotels, Abuk and her family were connected with Unison’s emergency housing program in 2023. Soon after moving into emergency housing, Abuk’s Place Manager, Michelle, introduced her to Unison’s UPC Social Enterprise team, which provides work for people with barriers to employment.
The opportunity offered work that could fit around caring for her family, something she had rarely experienced before working in hotels and warehouses. Instead of overnight shifts or inflexible hours, Abuk now works in her role as a cleaner from 10am to 2pm, allowing her to meet her family commitments. She enjoys being part of the team and appreciates knowing exactly what each shift involves.
“I wouldn’t get someone accepting me to work from 10 to 2. If something comes up for my kids, other places were not understanding — but here they help me a lot.”
Today, Abuk no longer worries about unexpected rent increases, and just as importantly, her children have stability. Her son, Doong, attends a specialist school nearby, and remaining in the local area means he can continue learning in an environment that understands his needs. Unison’s Maintenance Team worked with Abuk to implement modifications to make the home more suitable for Doong’s needs. This included additional security locks and shower modifications. The changes have brought enormous peace of mind to Abuk.
“Before, I never used to sleep — four or five days with no sleep. Once they fixed the locks, I started settling down.”
As her children grow, her caring role will continue with supporting Doong. But today she feels more confident about the future than she has in years. When asked what she would say to others experiencing homelessness or housing stress, her answer is simple.
“Don’t give up. Keep trying. Nothing comes easy. But if you keep pushing and asking for help, one day you can help other people too.”
