Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja is today teaming up with Woodridge North State School to launch a national campaign supporting young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds.
The program, run in collaboration with Settlement Services International (SSI) and the Usman Khawaja Foundation (UKF), will see local students treated to a special cricket clinic – learning batting, bowling and fielding – led by Mr Khawaja.
For many, this will be their first introduction to the game.
Mr Khawaja, who arrived in Australia from Pakistan at four years old, is the first player of Pakistani descent to represent our country in cricket.
“Cricket has long been an iconic Australian sport and an integral part of our culture,” Mr Khawaja said.
“Education and community sport play an important role in helping young people from migrant backgrounds engage and connect with Australian life and feel a true sense of belonging.
“Cricket is not just a game – it’s a bridge to new beginnings.”
Following today’s launch, the program will be run across the state, as well as in New South Wales and Victoria.
An SSI spokesperson said clinics were built on the “successful work” of the Logan-based SSI Multicultural Sports Club, which provides sporting opportunities to diverse communities and promotes inclusion through structured physical activity.
Over time, the program will expand to include youth mentoring programs, community events such as multicultural cups, and an innovation hub where young people from refugee backgrounds can co-design solutions to the unique challenges they face.
“Both SSI and UKF are strongly aligned in their values of empowering youth from refugee and migrant backgrounds to fulfil their aspirations and help shape a more socially cohesive Australia,” SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said.
“Sport has always been a powerful way to bring people together. Initiatives like this transform lives by creating pathways for children to connect, grow and thrive.”
Mr Khawaja said he was thrilled to be part of a partnership that inspires children to play cricket and gives them confidence, resilience, and “hope for the future”.
