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Have you ever tried juggling a soccer ball for a whole 14-kilometre course? Meet Frank Truong, the man transforming this personal challenge into a powerful message of support for people seeking asylum.
Frank, finance, and football
Frank works as an accountant for the Asylum Seekers Centre (ASC). As part of the finance team, he maintains an accurate database to measure ASC’s impact on the people we support. “For people seeking asylum, I also ensure financial payments are processed accurately in a timely manner to support them in housing and living assistance,” he says.
But before Frank became a finance whiz, he was actually a national football player in Vietnam! He started playing the game at the young age of nine, taking his passion all the way to represent Vietnam in the national youth team..
Frank reminisces, “At that time, I played football on the road with my neighbours. If there were vehicles approaching, we would jump to the kerbside to avoid collision, then we continued to play. … Then, I went to play football for my schools, district club, Ho Chi Minh City club and the national youth team.”
Despite stepping away from professional football to focus on his education, Frank’s passion for the sport never waned. Today, he plays futsal every Thursday and 11-a-side football every Saturday. His love for soccer is a way to stay fit and to connect with others.
$10,000 for 10 years in limbo
This year, Frank is taking his love for soccer to the next level by juggling a soccer ball for the entire 14km City2Surf marathon to raise $10,000. For Frank, it’s a symbolic act representing the multiple burdens and challenges people seeking asylum juggle daily, as well as the thousands of people who have juggled impossible odds for more than a decade.
“For me, ‘juggling’ the soccer ball is an expression of empathy towards those people seeking asylum in the community who have to ‘juggle many balls’ over years, while they wait for a decision on their refugee status,” Frank shares.
People seeking asylum often juggle limited or no work rights, lack of access to income support, fluctuating access to Medicare, language and learning barriers, and punitive laws. Without any safety net, the burdens people seeking asylum carry are even heavier. And they can never drop the ball.
“These are just some of the unjust ‘balls’ that people are forced to juggle for more than 10 years, while they wait in limbo. It is full of distress. Even after their application is approved, it might have left a scar on their psyche. People cannot choose where they were born, but we all should have the right to live in peace,” Frank adds.
Inspiration and determination
The idea to juggle for City2Surf began when Frank was thinking of creative ways to fundraise for the ASC. He came across an old news article about Chris Henderson who ran the 2015 Rottnest Marathon backwards to fundraise for Beyond Blue. He also read about John Farnworth, who holds the world record for juggling a soccer ball across the Sahara Desert.
“I thought about how amazing people seeking asylum could cope with multiple challenges in their life with limited resources.…I connected the dots between, ‘juggle’, my passion with soccer, City2Surf and Handerson running backwards in the marathon. This was how I came up with the idea of juggling the soccer ball for 14km.”
Frank’s preparation for the City2Surf marathon has been nothing short of rigorous. Over four months, he lost 9.4kg by maintaining a balanced diet and an active lifestyle. His training regimen includes boxing, futsal, outdoor 11-a-side football, and football training.
“I think the hills and the slopes will be the real challengers for me on the City2Surf track, but I have prepared for them…. My estimated completion time is around 4-5 hours. The key to success is to focus on maintaining the rhythm of juggling to create a smooth flow,” Frank explains.
Scoring the goal for people seeking asylum
Frank’s City2Surf marathon is more than a personal challenge; it’s a call for empathy and support for people seeking asylum.
“Every day at the Asylum Seekers Centre we see the physical and emotional effects of our unjust system. And my colleagues and I work tirelessly to provide support where we can.”
He is determined to use his personal passions and skills to raise $10,000 for ASC – representing the thousands of people who have been trapped living in limbo for more than 10 years.
“Today, I am blessed to have a good combination of good health, fitness, and skills to be able to challenge myself and to juggle the soccer ball for 14km to fundraise for people seeking asylum. … I think my support is most needed during this time of cost of living crisis. City2Surf will be a great opportunity for me to show my dedication to support people seeking asylum.”
You can support Frank in his mission to raise awareness and funds for the ASC, and stand with him in advocating for a more compassionate society. Together, we can help lighten the load for people who need it most.
Donate to help Frank raise $10,000 for people seeking safety without a safety net.
Visit Frank’s City2Surf fundraising page HERE.
