Finding community and following dreams in Logan - Zarin's story

Heartbreak, fear, love, community: the past 2 years have been an incredible roller-coaster for Zarin Hakimi and her family. 

Born and raised in Afghanistan, 21-year-old Zarin has been in Australia since September 2021, a month after fleeing her home country as it fell under the control of the Taliban. 

Now she has a community, is a Bicultural Aquatic Assistant at pools across Logan and Brisbane and studies at TAFE. Her family has settled in Loganlea, and she says she feels Logan is truly home. 

Rewind 2 years, however, and Zarin was in the heartbreaking position of seeing her home and community change as the Taliban came closer. 

She and her family had previously had a happy life – although things for her mum were tough, as she raised 5 kids alone. Zarin’s father worked in Australia to provide for his family, while trying to get them over here.  

‘We tried to come to Australia but it was difficult to get all the permissions,’ Zarin says. 

‘When the Taliban came, we had to be in our homes all the time. We couldn’t go out even if we wanted to because some male relative needed to always be with you. 

‘We were scared. When we did go out, women and girls had to cover our body and face completely. Before that I wore only a hair covering. 

‘It was heartbreaking, to see what was happening in my country.’ 

The decision to go to the airport and get to Australia was a quick one. 

‘We made the decision at 4 pm one afternoon and at 4 am the next day we left for the airport and were there at 11.30 am,’ Zarin says. 

The family waited at the airport for 3 days in a camp-style setup with little shade or amenities.  

‘We told some soldiers our dad was in Australia and though we weren’t really told what was happening, we felt relieved that they seemed to be listening and trying to get us out,’ Zarin says. 

Zarin’s family, along with many others, flew first to Dubai, where they stayed for 10 days, before boarding a flight to Darwin. While in Dubai, the family heard that there had been an explosion at the airport just after they had left.  

The family was finally reunited with Zarin’s father in Brisbane.  

‘We felt so excited to see our father and to be in Australia. Everything was so green, that’s something that stood out to me,’ she says. 

‘It had been more than 10 years since I had seen my dad so that was amazing. It was so lovely for us all to be together again. 

‘There was such a wonderful welcome and support for us here – I really do feel that Logan is our home now. 

‘However, we are all worried about family still at home. 

‘It is getting worse. Our cousins are trying to leave but it is hard. What you see on the news here doesn’t explain everything that is still happening at home.  

‘It is hard to get out and so expensive.’ 

Despite the hardship, Zarin has found a new career she could never have envisioned – at swimming pools.  

‘I had only swum once in my life before – in a river in 2019.  I loved it.  So when I came here, I saw all these different pools and really wanted to swim,’ she says. 

‘I was put in touch with Swim Logan by my teacher at the TAFE Adult English Migrant program and started learning to swim with The Aqua English Project at the Gould Adams Aquatic Centre.’ 

Within just 3 months, Zarin went from student to teacher. 

Swim Logan ran throughout 2020 to 2022, offering swimming lessons to newly arrived Australians, many of whom had tales to tell similar to Zarin’s. It was funded by the Australian Government Department of Health. 

‘I loved swimming, and it is also great to be around people who have also come here from far away and gone through similar experiences,’ she says. 

Zarin is also studying for her Certificate III in Beauty Service. She and her family have also received their humanitarian visas. 

‘I am so happy to be a part of the Australian community – everything here is so amazing, the education, the respect for other people,’ she says. 

‘Every day my family and I thank God we were given this opportunity and this life here.‘ 

Zarin was a main speaker at the end of year Swim Logan celebration at Logan North Aquatic Centre. Logan City Council ran the Swim Logan program which was funded by the Australian Government Department of Health until December 2022. The Swim Logan program was delivered in partnership with Aqualogan, The Aqua English Project and The Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland.

You can see Zarin’s speech here:

Zarin was also one of the stars of Logan City Council’s Now I Can Swim campaign.