Mona Shindy Foundation: Breaking barriers and building resilience

Captain Mona Shindy CSC addressing community members on “Values aligned leadership and acting with purpose to best support future generations of Australian Muslims”.

From migrant child to Navy trailblazer, award-winning leader and philanthropist, Mona Shindy is investing in the next generation of Australian Muslim success stories.

On a warm Sydney evening on Saturday 10 January 2026, surrounded by community members, supporters and future leaders, Captain Mona Shindy CSC stood before an audience united by a shared belief: that the future of Australia’s Muslim community depends on the opportunities we create for our young people today.

The launch of the Mona Shindy Foundation Inc was more than the unveiling of a new charity. It was the culmination of a lifetime of perseverance, leadership and service; a journey that began decades earlier when a young migrant girl arrived in Australia carrying dreams that few could have imagined would one day reshape institutions, challenge conventions and inspire thousands.

Today, that same girl is recognised nationally as one of Australia’s most accomplished Muslim leaders.

Yet despite the accolades, Captain Shindy remains focused on a simple question:

“How do we make the path easier for those who come after us?”

That question now sits at the heart of the Mona Shindy Foundation Inc, a newly established ACNC registered Public Benevolent Institution dedicated to empowering Australian Muslim youth through education, mentorship, leadership development and practical support.

A journey of firsts

For many Australians, Mona Shindy’s story is one of extraordinary achievement.

A retired Royal Australian Navy Captain with more than 30 years of military and business experience, Shindy has spent much of her career operating in environments where very few people looked like her.

As a Muslim woman, migrant and engineer working in traditionally male-dominated sectors, she often found herself navigating unfamiliar territory.

Rather than allowing those challenges to define her, she transformed them into opportunities.

Her career would eventually span engineering, strategic leadership, organisational transformation and intercultural advisory roles, earning her national recognition as a change-maker capable of bridging cultures, communities and institutions.

She became known for challenging assumptions, championing diversity and inclusion, and helping organisations embrace innovative approaches to leadership and workplace culture.

In 2015, she was named Australia’s National Telstra Business Woman of the Year, one of the country’s most prestigious business honours.

She was also awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) in the Australia Day Honours for outstanding service as a strategic intercultural advisor.

Yet those who know her best say her greatest achievement is not found in awards or titles.

It lies in her determination to create opportunities for others.

Turning success into service

The Foundation’s mission is deeply personal.

Drawing upon her own experiences growing up as a Muslim migrant in Australia, Mona understands the obstacles that many young people continue to face.

Financial hardship, limited access to networks, a shortage of visible role models and the ongoing realities of racism and Islamophobia can create barriers that hinder potential before it has a chance to flourish.

While many Muslim charities perform invaluable humanitarian work internationally, Shindy recognised a growing need closer to home.

“We have incredible young people with talent, ambition and the desire to contribute,” she explained during the launch.

“What they often need is access—access to opportunity, access to mentors, access to support systems and access to people who can help them believe that success is possible.”

The Mona Shindy Foundation aims to provide exactly that.

Its programs will focus on alleviating poverty, providing grants and scholarships, supporting access to technology and educational resources, connecting students with successful Muslim mentors and developing pathways to affordable Muslim student accommodation across Australia.

For many families, these initiatives address practical concerns that can determine whether a young person pursues higher education or abandons their aspirations altogether.

The power of representation

One of the Foundation’s most significant initiatives will be its mentorship program.

By connecting students with accomplished Muslim professionals, entrepreneurs, academics and community leaders, the program aims to provide guidance that extends beyond career advice.

It is about confidence.

It is about identity.

And it is about showing young people that success and faith can coexist.

“When young people see someone who shares their background succeeding in spaces they once thought were inaccessible, it changes their understanding of what is possible,” said one attendee at the launch event.

“It gives them permission to dream bigger.”

Investing in Australia’s Future

The Foundation’s emphasis is not simply on helping young Muslims succeed personally, but on equipping them to contribute meaningfully to Australia’s future.

This reflects a philosophy that has guided Mona Shindy throughout her life.

Her leadership has consistently focused on bringing people together, building bridges across difference and creating environments where diverse perspectives strengthen outcomes rather than divide communities.

Supporters believe the Foundation represents an important investment in social cohesion as much as community development.

At a time when discussions around diversity, inclusion and belonging continue to shape national conversations, the Foundation offers a practical model for empowering young people while strengthening their connection to broader Australian society.

Learn more and donate via www.monashindy.com