DescriptionThis interview consists of two audio recordings and transcripts. Rosalia Nahimana was interviewed on 22 April 2010 at the Whitlam Library, Cabramatta by Shirley Kingsford McLeod. Interview SummaryRosalia was born on 15 December 1953 at Lambumbashi in Congo. She spoke French and Swahili and before coming to Australia she knew no English.
Her father was in the mining industry and mined gold, diamonds and copper. He was born in Uganda and her mother was born in Congo. Their marriage finished and Rosalia remained with her father. She was educated until the age of 15 and later married. Her husband was from Rwanda and sadly died in a refugee camp in Tanzania where the family lived for 10 years after leaving Congo. They had 8 children together.
Whilst in the refugee camp Rosalia had been given the opportunity to learn various hand crafts including crochet and knitting. She was able to teach these skills to others when she came to Australia. While in the refugee camp Rosalia also worked doing counselling and was able to assist women in particular who had suffered sexual abuse.
She migrated to Australia with six of her children. They flew to Australia via Johannesburg. On arriving in Sydney she was met by a case worker and taken to a unit in Fairfield where they encountered many problems. She and her children moved to various addresses and at the time of this interview they were living in Bossley Park.
She studied English and was doing work as a volunteer at one of the Migrant Resource Centres. Some of her children found it difficult to adjust to living in Australia. Rosalia hopes that will change as she likes being here.
She traveled back to Burundi and Uganda in 2009 but at the time of this interview wishes to remain in Australia.
