The heady scent of jasmine brings back memories of pleasant evenings in Damascus before John, 64 was forced to flee war-torn Syria.

On this visit to the Bunnings Warehouse Garden Centre at Mile End, Khalil, 72, buys a jasmine plant. He will place it in a pot in the backyard of his rented home. And take time to smell the flowers that recall his lost home in Syria.

Meanwhile, fishing off the jetty at Henley Beach reminds Moneer of fishing in the beautiful Nahr al-Asi River in Syria.

Jasmine and fishing are bittersweet memories for John, Khalil and Moneer. Now, these experiences offer healing and hope as these men make South Australia their new home.

They are among more than 70 older men from a refugee background discovering fun, friendship, and new skills through the Zimala Project.

This creative ‘respect and resilience’ service is being delivered by the Australian Refugee Association (ARA), with support from Office for Ageing Well, SA Health. The project’s spotlight on strengthening diversity and resilience reflects South Australia's Plan for Ageing Well 2020-2025.

‘This is so good,’ John says of Zimala, which means ‘fellowship’ in Arabic. ‘I’m always inside my home and only go out to my local shopping centre. When I see my friends here, I am so happy.’

Keeping in touch and taking part in new cultural and social experiences goes to the heart of the project. The men are at an age when many older Australians look forward to retirement at home, catching up with friends and enjoying family. But these men have experienced trauma and loss in war-torn countries, including Afghanistan, Syria, Ethiopia, and South Sudan.

‘They grieve the opportunity to grow old in their homeland and must now navigate ageing in a culture with different values and attitudes than their own,’ says Mohsen Abdel-Meseh, who coordinates Zimala for ARA. ‘Growing older in a different country is a tricky process.’

Bush walks at Morialta Conservation Park, a game of chess, woodwork at a men’s shed or a stroll on an Adelaide beach all pave the way for building friendships, chatting in English, and making connections with practical information about health, digital literacy, and volunteering. Already the project is being expanded to include men from more cultural communities. ARA volunteers like Mulugata, originally from Ethiopia, also contribute as volunteers. And Moneer has already reached out to volunteer his jewellery skills at a local charity Op-shop.

Says Mohsen: ‘Our most important aim is to provide a place where people feel safe, valued and respected.’

Says one Zimala man: We’re coming together like the good old days. I can feel at home.’

For more information about the services ARA provides people from a refugee background click here.

The Australian Refugee Association is supported by a Positive Ageing Fellowship Grant from Office for Ageing Well, SA Health to deliver the Zimala project. Click here to read more about Office for Ageing Well’s Community Grants.