MORE than being the founder of Zara's House, Sister Diana Santleben is considered part of the family by the refugee women and children who attend the centre at Jesmond.
"Most of them think of her as their mother," said Farida Baremgayabo, a friend and colleague of Sister Di.
However, the mother of Zara's House is seeking a less hectic life. Sister Di, who has run the refugee education centre as a volunteer for five years, has revealed in the latest episode of the Voices of the Hunter podcast series that she is handing over the keys to Zara's House.
"I'm getting to be a tired person," said the 73-year-old. "And I know it's not good to have somebody run a joint as complex as that into her late 70s."
When the search for a new projects coordinator began, Sister Di and her team didn't have to look far. They turned to Mrs Baremgayabo, who is a leader in the Hunter African community. Originally from Burundi, the mother of seven, who also speaks seven languages, came to Australia as a refugee about 10 years ago.
"She's walked the walk with refugees, and she's walked the walk as an Australian," said Sister Di.
Farida Baremgayabo recalled an early meeting with Sister Di. She had just given birth at John Hunter Hospital, and the Dominican nun helped arrange a car to transport her and the new baby home. Sister Di continued to help her family, which was why, Mrs Baremgayabo said, she was honoured to work at Zara's House.
"Through the help I got I also got the courage to help others," she said.
Mrs Baremgayabo will have another coordinator beside her. Sister Di had also sought someone with financial expertise. Mrs Baremgayabo suggested Mary Amponsah, who had come to the University of Newcastle from Ghana, in east Africa, to study for her PhD in economics. So Sister Di gave Dr Amponsah a call.
"It was my dream to come here, to give back to the community" Dr Amponsah said. "I get to do something I've always been passionate about."
The new leaders intend to run more language and business courses to improve refugee women's chances of finding work, as well as establish youth programs.
Sister Di has secured for the centre a $200,000 donation by a benefactor, and that money will be used to employ the two new projects coordinators part-time for the next three years.
The founder of Zara's House said she would finish up at the end of the year, a time frame that seemed to surprise her successor.
Oh, that's so soon!", Mrs Baremgayabo said, who added the change had concerned some of the centre's clients.
"They say, 'Please, this is our home, this our Mum, always make us feel welcome'."
Mrs Baremgayabo has assured the women she would do her best, encouraging them to work as a team.
While Sister Di intends to spend more time in her beloved garden, she is not leaving Zara's House altogether. She will continue as a volunteer, working with the new coordinators - "just not 60 hours a week!"
"We still need Diana around," said Farida Baremgayabo.
With her arms around the new generation of Zara's House leaders, Sister Di said, "This is what I see as heading into the future."
You can listen to the conversation with Sister Diana Santleben in "Voices of the Hunter with Scott Bevan" on the Apple, Spotify and Google podcasts, and through newcastleherald.com.au
Read more: Scott Bevan's 2017 "Breaking Bread" profile of Sister Diana Santleben
