Sajjad Malik, Humara Fiaz and their children Mohammad Arbab, Haneen Sajjad and Hadeel Sajjad celebrated becoming New Zealanders during a citizenship ceremony at the Dunedin Centre last week.
Mr Malik said their journey to citizenship began when the family moved from Saudi Arabia to New Zealand in 2016.
But it was not without its challenges, when the first company Mr Malik worked for, A&G Price in Thames, went into liquidation not long after he arrived.
This prompted the family to move to Dunedin, where Mr Malik found work at Bradken in Hillside Rd.
But the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic years meant this Australian company closed its Dunedin business about 2020.
So the family took a different tack, deciding to start their own businesses instead.
Mrs Fiaz set up HumS Beauty Clinic and Mr Malik set up an engineering company, Quality Control Services Otago.
Mr Malik said they also set up a taxi business last year called Fast Cab, and were opening a second beauty clinic branch in North Dunedin.
The couple said since setting up their businesses they had employed more than 10 staff, and at the moment they had about five to six staff.
Both were grateful for the opportunities that living in Dunedin had afforded them.
"Dunedin is home now, and Dunedin has treated us very well," Mrs Fiaz said.
During the March citizenship ceremony, 69 people from 27 different countries made an oath or affirmation of allegiance, marking the final step before becoming a New Zealand citizen.
In his speech to the new citizens, Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich said the country was blessed with an increasingly diverse mix of cultures and people who had come to New Zealand from all over the world.
"In the years that lie ahead of you, you will share with us the customs and traditions of the countries from which you have come.
"This sharing will create mutual understanding and respect within our community, and we will all benefit from that."
Business startup seminar
Members of ethnic communities in Dunedin will be given key advice to help set up their own business during an evening seminar.
The seminar is being run as part of Dunedin Race Relations Week which runs from this Saturday to March 23.
The event will include presentations from solicitors, accountants, bankers and others to help inform what is needed to start running a business.
The Dunedin Multicultural Council is collaborating with Business South, ANZ Bank, Deloitte and Wilkinson Rodgers Lawyers to run the seminar, which will take place at the Dunedin Public Library’s Dunningham Suite this Monday from 5.30pm to 7pm.
Visit dmec.org.nz/rrw2024/business to register to attend.
