Billy Yap and Giao Hoang know what it’s like to be the new kids on the block.
Both men came to Australia at a young age and struggled to adapt to a new life, country and language.
Mr Yap, who arrived from Malaysia aged five, found there was not much support for new migrants at the time.
Mr Hoang, who was only three when his family fled Vietnam and arrived in Australia as a refugee, doesn’t remember much about the experience, but said it was important that young migrants were looked after.
The pair, who are now co-owners of Specsavers Sunshine, have chosen to support the Centre for Multicultural Youth as part of the eyewear chain’s community program.
The company donates a percentage of each frame sold to the Fred Hollows Foundation or an organisation of the store owner’s choice. Customers are given a token and can choose where the donation goes.
Mr Yap said the Centre for Multicultural Youth (CMY), which helps young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds build better lives, was a perfect choice. “We’re both migrants … and I thought, if I found it hard growing up, how do the other migrants find it?,” he said.
Mr Hoang said they knew what it was like to be in the minority. “It can be hard to fit in, especially when your parents don’t speak the language.
Kids can adapt a lot quicker, but when you’re a bit older it’s a lot harder with the language and the cultural issues.”
