“A part of our teachings in our religion is to appreciate the value of water and food,” Maha said. “Respecting our resources is central to our religion. It is why we fast for one month a year.”
It is a lesson she is eager to pass on with the help of Environment Victoria’s Green Town program. The program took 12 members of the Arabic and Assyrian Chaldean communities through issues in sustainability, including how to conduct a household audit.
Maha said she was most interested in hearing about the new renewable technologies. “I couldn’t believe how polluting brown coal is,” she said.
As a volunteer and leader of a ladies group for the Federation of Australia Muslim Students and Youth (FAMSY), Maha has already reached over 2000 people through her environmental work over the years. She is now keen to continue spreading her new knowledge through schools such as the Australian International Islamic Academy.
“I have three children,” Maha said. “I want to make sure they have good role models and that we set a standard for them to maintain a low environmental footprint.”