The Broken Fridge

Mariam cannot explain her situation in English. She relies on a trusted community advocate to speak for her, to fill in forms, to translate a life shaped by displacement, bereavement, and the daily weight of four children.

She came to Australia after years of upheaval. Her husband has passed away. She is a widow and does not drive. She does not speak English. Her four children are aged fourteen, eleven, ten, and eight. Her youngest has a severe disability. Mariam is her full-time carer. This means she cannot work.

Her income is $5,000 a month, all from Centrelink. Her rent alone is $2,540 a month. After rent, groceries, electricity, gas, water, and transport, she has roughly $300 left for everything else.

Four children. One parent. Three hundred dollars of margin.

When the fridge broke down, that margin disappeared entirely.

Without a working fridge, food cannot be stored safely. Buying in bulk, which is how families like this manage costs, is no longer possible. Every meal has to be planned around what can be purchased and eaten the same day. For a household of five, this is not simply inconvenient. It is an ongoing risk to health and food security.

The family is also dealing with a severe cockroach infestation. Pest control costs money she does not have. She has applied for more affordable housing but has been turned away repeatedly because she has four children.

Her youngest daughter has medical appointments coming up. Some costs are covered by Medicare. Others are not. The gap between what is covered and what is owed is a gap Mariam cannot bridge alone.

Caseworkers who reviewed her situation described it plainly: she is under considerable stress. She demonstrates clear motivation to improve her circumstances. She simply does not have the resources to do it without support.

NZF caseworkers recommended $1,000 toward a replacement fridge as the most urgent need. This is not a large amount in the context of what this family carries. But it means safe food storage for a disabled child and her siblings. It means one less impossible thing.

Her other needs continue. But a fridge, this week, means that five people eat safely.

Your Zakat, Their Right