With the rising cost of living, pursuing both has proven challenging financially for Razan, who turns 19 at the end of this month.

That's why she was "so thankful" to the Housing Trust who today presented her with a Tylah West Education Scholarship.

Razan, a second-year accounting student at the University of Wollongong, said the scholarship support was welcomed and much needed.

"This scholarship is going to help me with excelling my uni degree, especially with being able to afford text books," she said.

"The average is about $150 per textbook per subject. It adds up big time every single time you do a different subject every semester.

"There are also costs to purchase general office supplies and stationery and also for accounting softwares that might assist me in learning.

"Knowing I'm getting support to achieve my educational goals allows me the freedom to do things that are good for my health and wellbeing, namely triathlons.

"I want to thank the Tylah West Education Scholarship and the Housing Trust. It has been a difficult couple of years with the pandemic. I'm so thankful for the support."

Razan was one of 32 Housing Trust tenants who received Tylah West Education Scholarships to help them achieve their educational and training goals.

Named in honour of a young Aboriginal trainee who tragically passed away in June 2015, the scholarships were developed to encourage social and affordable housing tenants to pursue opportunities in education, training or employment.

Now in its sixth year, the program has supported 92 tenants and distributed almost $100,000 in funds. Scholarships have been used to offset the costs of school, university and TAFE fees, laptops, equipment, internet services, tools, textbooks and work boots.

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Housing Trust CEO Michele Adair said the scholarship program has grown from supporting three tenants in 2017 to 32 tenants in 2022.

"The Tylah West Education Scholarships have become an important component of the support structure Housing Trust offers to our tenants," she said.

"Rising costs of living, coupled with the ongoing need for improved technology and home-based resources, make it harder for people on low incomes to take advantage of educational and workplace opportunities.

"With the ongoing support of our key sponsors and the success of our inaugural fundraising golf day in 2021, Housing Trust has the ability to expand the program and reduce some of the disadvantages confronting more of our tenants."

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