Maimuna Zaman's community work in Wagga earns her Young Citizen of the Year title for 2023

Her family moved to Adelaide from Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, home to some 22 million people.

When she came to Wagga in 2014, she "could not imagine" living somewhere so small.

"For so long I was like 'I'm going to move to the city as soon as I graduate', and now I want to stay rural," she said.

"I think the major thing I did was do volunteering and just try to delve into the community."

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Last week, Miss Zaman was named Wagga's 2023 Young Citizen of the Year for her countless hours volunteering for multiple charities and organisations.

"I was just lost for words I guess, I was not expecting it at all," the 17-year-old said.

"It was a reflective moment for me... this is my community and I have been recognised [for my volunteering]."

Miss Zaman regularly spends her time helping out at Wagga's Ronald McDonald house with her friend, easing day-to-day pressures for families who have a sick loved one.

Sometimes that means making beds, looking after children to give parents a break, or making food.

Miss Zaman was also a member of Kooringal High School's Student Representative Council, and donated her time to other community organisations like Rotary.

Her mother Majeda Bhuiyan nominated her for the award, and said she was always striving to connect with her community.

"I couldn't believe when I heard her name on the stage," she said.

"I always [taught] my two kids to always help people - and she did a lot of things, social activities, charity work, everything."

Now, the Kooringal High School graduate is on her way to study medicine at Charles Sturt University in Orange.

"I just wanted to do something in the healthcare sector, especially after COVID," Miss Zaman said.

She said she wants to encourage other young people to become more involved with their communities.

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