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National Monument to Migration
Hedayat Osyan photographed in 2012 with his sister’s handkerchief, which he has donated to the museum’s migration collection. When asked why he did so, Hedayat explained that he was in high school at the time. Because he was moving around a lot, he was scared he might lose this precious memento. Hedayat felt that it would always be safe in the museum, where he could always access it. Photograph Andrew Frolows/ANMM
Constructing a new life with Hedayat Osyan
Survival in modern Afghanistan can be fragile, especially for the region’s Hazara minority. Casandra Traucki shares a story of one young Hazari’s journey to Australia, and his contribution to building our nation.
HEDAYAT OSYAN WAS BORN IN A RURAL VILLAGE in Ghazni province in central Afghanistan. In 2006, Hedayat’s father, a high school teacher, was kidnapped by the Taliban Islamic fundamentalist movement and disappeared. As members of the Hazara ethnic minority group, the family risked persecution by both the Taliban and Mujahadeen guerrilla fighters. When the Taliban attacked again in 2009, Hedayat’s mother urged him to leave Afghanistan. Even though he was just a teenager, Hedayat was the only surviving male in the family. Aged only 16, he left with just two mementos of home – his mother’s ring and a traditional Hazara handkerchief made by one of his sisters. She gave it to him so that he would always have something to remind him of his family and his homeland. Hedayat travelled first to the Afghan capital, Kabul, where he enlisted a people smuggler to obtain a false passport. In June 2009, he flew from Kabul to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. From there he travelled by boat to Medan, Indonesia, with a group of 15 asylum seekers. On arrival, the group was arrested as they did not have the necessary documents to enter Indonesia. They were put in gaol for six months, but managed to escape and head for the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. Hedayat spent about six months there, but circumstances were harsh and it was uncertain whether he would be formally recognised as an asylum seeker. Although a friend had died trying to reach Australia by boat, Hedayat’s only hope was to risk the over-water journey. In December 2009, having secured funds from Pakistan, he joined 44 other asylum seekers on a small, old boat crewed by two Indonesian fishermen. The organisers had promised food, water and a GPS, but when the asylum seekers reached the boat they found only water. Increasingly unwelcome in Indonesia – and with all their funds gone – the group had no choice but to try to reach Australia.
It was a frightening and dangerous journey. Afghanistan is a land-locked country, so most Afghani do not know how to swim. Hedayat recalls that they were scared, seasick and unable to move in the overcrowded boat. After seven days at sea, the boat’s engine failed and it began to sink in international waters. The group was rescued by the Royal Australian Navy and taken to the Australian territory of Christmas Island for offshore processing. Hedayat spent two months on Christmas Island while his refugee status was assessed by Australian authorities. While others complained about the food and living conditions, Hedayat only felt gratitude. Once accepted as a refugee, he was sent to Melbourne, later moving to Sydney where he eventually received a permanent Australian visa.
Hedayat (Nick) Osyan (right) is the founder and managing director of CommUnity Construction. From left are former employee Hussain Jamshidi, who now runs his own tiling business; John Shadab, the company's co-founder and operations manager; and trainee Ali Ashrafi, who is studying IT at the University of Technology, Sydney. They are pictured on a work site at Chatswood, NSW, 2021. Image courtesy Hedayat Osyan
Reflecting on his difficult journey to Australia, Hedayat says: When I was in Afghanistan, I hadn’t this freedom and here I have everything. There’s massive opportunity for people, there’s equality, there’s freedom and the life is really easy here. I have lived in one of the most dangerous places in the world, persecuted and always being considered a second-class citizen so I’m really happy to be here. I really appreciate the Australian Government, the Australian people who saved my life and I’m always trying very hard to give something back to Australian people, that’s my responsibility because they saved my life. Of course, his early years here were not easy. When he first arrived as a 17-year-old, Hedayat was able to enrol in high school and receive English classes. In 2013 he enrolled in a Bachelor of Politics and International Relations, and completed Honours in Arts and Design at the University of Canberra. It was hard to find work, and even when he could, it was difficult to manage. ‘When I was at university I struggled to get a job and relied on $250 of Centrelink, which left with me $50 to pay for everything else after rent.’ In vacations he worked in the construction industry and saw first-hand how some refugees and asylum seekers were exploited and underpaid. Many of his co-workers received only one month’s pay for two months’ work. As he could speak and write in English, many Afghanis asked for Hedayat’s help. After he started working with the community, Hedayat kept hearing the same stories, the same worries and the same need for greater support. Common problems were unemployment, casual construction jobs and insufficient income to cover living expenses. At first he thought following a career in education or politics might be the best way of helping his people. However he soon realised that there was a need for more practical assistance. The most important factor in ensuring that refugees integrate into society is finding employment. Yet a poor command of English and a lack of local work experience prevent many Afghanis from securing jobs. As a result, Hedayat decided to postpone his PhD studies and set up a social enterprise to train and employ refugees. Research showed that the construction industry was growing fast and was reporting labour shortages. Yet within his community, there were many men who were skilled tilers. In 2017, with assistance from Settlement Services International’s Ignite Small Business program, Nick Tiling Services was established by Hedayat and Johangir (John) Shadab, a tiler friend. ‘The word Nick, in my language, is very meaningful’, Hedayat explains. ‘It means something good, something beneficial to the community. This is why I chose it. It is also a slightly easier word for Australians to pronounce’. Thereafter, Hedayat became known as ‘Nick’ to his clients.
Hedayat’s mentorship provides refugees with local experience, award wages and benefits. The company also provides English lessons, helps workers with official correspondence and is akin to a family. All of his employees have grown in confidence, two have set up their own tiling companies and others have bought homes and commenced the process of bringing family members to Australia. In 2018, Nick Tiling broadened its services to include painting, waterproofing, air conditioning and cleaning, and was renamed CommUnity Construction. By 2021, it had employed 65 refugees, giving them and their families a fresh start. Despite his achievements, Hedayat still misses his homeland, particularly the beauty of the countryside and the quiet village life. Fortunately, the Internet has enabled him to keep in close contact with loved ones in Kabul. In Australia, Hedayat really likes being in nature and going camping – with no internet! ‘Australia is a very different society’, he explains. ‘I come from a very connected society, where things are much more shared as a community. Here it is much more individualistic, but I have adapted. I like it here because it has allowed me the freedom to do things.’ Hedayat is proud to be the first Afghani added to the museum’s National Monument to Migration. However, recent events in Afghanistan have left him very worried about his loved ones. The Taliban, who have now taken control over much of the country, have a history of persecuting the Hazara ethnic minority. Now an Australian citizen, Hedayat is desperately seeking to obtain a humanitarian visa to bring a family member to Australia.
