Australia: Making a better future in south

Australia: Making a better future in south

They chose the southern suburbs to be closer to their community - the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association - which has 460 members in Adelaide, including about 300 in the south.

HAVING fled religious persecution in Pakistan 10 years ago, Shahid and Anmoila Talpur say their family now feels safe and welcome in Morphett Vale.

After arriving as a refugee, Mr Talpur, 38, moved around to find work before he and his wife bought their Morphett Vale home four years ago.

They chose the southern suburbs to be closer to their community - the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association - which has 460 members in Adelaide, including about 300 in the south.

Mr Talpur says the community members are tight-knit and enjoy their safe haven.


“The people are more friendly here and we haven’t seen any sort of racism here ... people respect you,” he says.

With parks, shops and schools nearby, Mrs Talpur says the area is the perfect place to raise the couple’s three daughters Zoha, six, Mahnoor, four, and Aleezah, 18 months.

“I go to the school and I know the people around here and the mums are easy to connect with,” Mrs Talpur says. She says the Ahmadiyya community also pitches in to help.

“If someone is sick we do their housework for them and make them food,” Mrs Talpur says.

“I have a car so I will transport people where they need to go, help them with their English or interpret for them when they are trying to find a house.”

Ahmadiyya spokesman Nasir A Zia says the south is the “ideal place” to call home.

“Mainly I think it’s because we all feel really welcome living in these suburbs.”

SEARCH ON FOR HALL SITE

THE Ahmadiyya Muslim Association says it has no plans to build a community centre on an Aldinga Beach site it bought six years ago.

The 8ha block on Main South Rd was earmarked by the group in 2005 to create a community centre for the 300 Ahmadiyya muslims living in the southern suburbs.

But spokesman Nasir A Zia said the group had since realised the site was unsuitable because it was too far from most members’ homes.

“We don’t have any plans as yet for the site,” Mr Zia said.

“Access to the location for women and children is very difficult.”

He said the association was on the look-out for affordable land in a more suburban area to build a hall.

At present the group rents space at the Byards and Clarence Gardens community centres for its weekly gatherings.



Read original post here: Making a better future in south
Tuesday, April 12, 2011