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Friends of the Billabong Program and Council Events: Savia and Vinod

Home > Our Community > Volunteering > Meet our Volunteers

27/08/2025

Savia Coelho describes moving to South Australia from Mumbai, India, as a “daunting experience”. While navigating immigration red tape, juggling being a mother to two young children, Savia and her husband Vinod felt a huge amount of uncertainty. This all changed when Savia and Vinod, of Payneham, choose to volunteer with the Council.

“My husband and I thrive around people. I started off as a Volunteer at the Payneham Library and then my husband and I became Volunteers as part of the Friends of the Billabong Program,” Savia says.

“We really love spending time amidst the gum trees with our two young kids... building a deeper understanding of the people and environment we live in,” she says.

“The only way you can make a new country your own is by keeping an open mind and open arms. And that's what I decided to do and I jumped into volunteering to find a sense of belonging and community.” Savia also uses her marketing skills to assist with Sustainable Communities SA as well as one-off events such as Pop-Up Wheel Park and Raising the Bar, in which she co-hosted a session at the 2021 event.

“I've loved every experience and my skills have grown so much. It’s hard to pick a favourite event as each bring out a different part of me and each teaches me something new and pushes me out of my comfort zone,” Savia says. “The Raising the Bar event in 2021 was a definite highlight—standing up in front of people and introducing the next speaker was equal parts excitement and nerves.”

“The Raising the Bar event in 2021 was a definite highlight—standing up in front of people and introducing the next speaker was equal parts excitement and nerves.”

Savia says that as new arrivals to Australia and then the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters, volunteering was the absolute gateway in building connections and making a home here. “We don't walk around like tourists. We've gotten our hands dirty and become one with the people."

“No matter if you're young or old, busy or relatively free, new to the City or lived here forever, whatever your situation — Volunteering is a great experience. “It is also the most humbling experience in a first-world country. All the inhibitions and mental hurdles I had just melted away as I discovered how people are willing to put their trust in you if you are willing to put your best efforts into something.”

Interested in volunteering with us?

Visit our Volunteer Vacancies and Programs page for information and opportunities.