Foster Mom Raises 9 Kids, Inspires Teen to Give Back

Jaharn Mundy-Drazevich used to watch other kids hug their parents on Mother's Day and wonder why he wasn't lovable enough. This Sunday, the confident 19-year-old will celebrate Selina Walker, the Indigenous woman who gave him something he never had before: a home that felt permanent.

Jaharn was removed from his birth parents at two months old and moved through multiple foster homes. At age two, after being badly burned in one placement, he arrived at Selina's door with six other young relatives who needed care.

Selina Walker was 29 when she became a kinship foster parent. She raised Jaharn as a single mom, spending more than a decade helping him understand one crucial truth: she wasn't going anywhere.

"I had to demonstrate to him that I'm not abandoning you," Selina said. "So he could actually just be a kid."

That stability changed everything. Today, Jaharn sits on youth advisory boards and meets with seasoned politicians to fight for kids like him. He's planning to study social work and become a caseworker for children in foster care.

His advocacy comes from hard-won wisdom. For years, Jaharn struggled with his identity, not knowing his Indigenous heritage or where he belonged. Seven years ago, he learned about his Yuin roots from Australia's south coast. Two years ago, at his grandfather's funeral, he finally met his extended family.

Why This Inspires

Selina has been a foster mother for over 20 years and currently cares for nine children. Her dedication earned her recognition as ACT's Barnardos Mother of the Year in 2017 and ACT Australian of the Year Local Hero in 2024.

She helped found Yerrabi Yurwang Child and Family Aboriginal Corporation, which supports Indigenous families and children through community-controlled care. Her approach reflects traditional cultural values: raising children together, supporting them through chaos until they find their feet.

Jaharn now works alongside organizations like SNAICC to address a troubling reality. Indigenous children are 10 times more likely to be in out-of-home care than other Australians, despite government commitments to reduce those numbers.

In March, he stood beside Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek at Parliament House, calling for Aboriginal youth in care to be supported by Aboriginal community-controlled agencies. Research shows that children disconnected from their families and culture face higher risks of self-harm and contact with juvenile justice systems.

"I've gone through a lot of mental health challenges," Jaharn said. "I want to help them and be a stable guide and mentor."

Selina raised a traumatized toddler into a young man who wants to heal others, proving that chosen family can be just as powerful as blood.