Meet Alliance

Alliance spent the first five years of his life in a refugee camp in Tanzania before his family settled in Wagga Wagga in regional NSW. His father, who studied biomedicine, found it difficult to find work in Wagga, so lived in Sydney for long stints at a time. As the eldest, Alliance took care of his three younger siblings so his mother could work longer hours. He helped them get ready for school, made lunches, and helped around the house, all while excelling academically.

Alliance was, and still is close with his Smith Family support worker Christine, who has supported his family since he was little. It was a proud day when he told her he had been accepted to study law. Alliance has wanted to be a lawyer since he was a teenager, and his dream is to work for the United Nations. As refugees, his family found it hard to navigate a new country and legal system, so he’d like to be able to have the power to represent people who don’t have the money or resources to stand up for themselves.

He is grateful to have received support from The Smith Family and says the letters he got from his sponsor, as well as birthday messages and vouchers, made him feel like someone out there cared about him. He says this was particularly important for a new Australian, who had to leave most of their family behind.

Alliance is currently working in aged care while he finishes his studies.