Keep Mikey in Australia

Hi everyone, I'm Mikey! I'm asking for your help to fund my visa application for Permanent Residency (PR) in Australia. This is my story.

I was born in Zimbabwe and had to leave with my family in 2001 due to the economic and political crisis the country was facing. We moved to the US and struggled to make our home there as immigrants in a post-9/11 America. After five years there, our lives had not improved and we tried again to establish ourselves in Ireland. I was lucky enough to finish my education there, but I still felt I had not found my place. My journey eventually led me to Australia eight years ago. As soon as I arrived here, I knew I wanted to call Australia my home. I fell in love with the people, culture and lifestyle and I made it my mission to earn my place in this country. So I went to study furniture making and began working in the furniture industry as my pathway to qualify for PR. But it has been a long and difficult journey.

In 2020, Covid brought financial hardship to many of us. My industry suffered heavily due to people having less disposable income to buy handmade furniture. This was particularly scary for me as I have to maintain work in the furniture industry in order to be eligible for my visa. I barely managed to stay employed through these last few years, funding myself through hard work, with no Medicare, government support or employer sponsorship. Many of my peers were forced to abandon their journey and leave Australia. To make matters worse, I knew that at any moment the government could decide to remove my industry from the list of PR pathways and undo all the work I had done. But I kept fighting; taking on additional work as an African Drumming teacher, where I have found joy in bringing people together through the power of music. This deepened my love for this country and only made it clearer that this is the place I want to be.

Now, I have made it to the final hurdle. After countless bureaucratic struggles and over $50,000 in education and visa fees, I have fulfilled all the eligibility requirements to apply for permanent residency. In June 2024, I made it to the top of the waiting list and received my invitation to apply for PR. And now I'm asking for your help. With my savings depleted amidst the cost of living crisis, I need $5,000 to cover the cost of my visa and the associated fees charged by my immigration agent for their assistance.

I have so much to offer this country. If I can stay here, I will be honoured and thrilled to give back to the community which has shown me so much love and support. And with your help, I can cross the final barrier to calling Australia my home. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story.

Much love,

Mikey