Chamila Baddesvitha – Victoria

At 51, Chamila is inspiring others with her dedication to improving her English and to continuing her lifelong learning journey in Australia. Originally from Sri Lanka, Chamila has a Bachelor of Science and 27 years experience as a maths teacher.

In mid 2025, she started the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) at Djerriwarrh Community & Education Services. AMEP is funded by the Department of Home Affairs and helps eligible migrants to learn the English skills they need to participate in Australian society.

Chamila quickly demonstrated her dedication and commitment to improving her English skills, recently receiving the Anita Cutler Award for Most Improved Student in Djerriwarrh’s AMEP program. She gained confidence and learned not to be afraid of making mistakes, with the support of a very kind teacher.

Passionate about continuing her career in education, Chamila has been working towards becoming an education support worker. Alongside her daytime AMEP classes, she studied education support two evenings a week and has recently undertaken her placement at St Albans Primary School.

Chamila’s story reflects the power of adult learning to build confidence, create new opportunities and support people to continue contributing their skills and experience in their new communities. She sees herself as a small snail at the bottom of a tree, but she is determined to keep learning and growing until she reaches the top.