It’s what drives him to support them in any way he can.
The 26-year-old has been nominated for the Saward Dawson Community Service and Social Impact Award, part of the 7 News Young Achiever Awards.
His community involvement began at the age of 14 as a soccer coach after his brother’s coach pulled out at the last minute.
“Sport was a massive part of growing up,” he said.
“That was one of the ways we interacted with the community.”
More recently, Mr Kitungano has been part of the Gain The Edge program, which aims to teach young migrants resilience and problem-solving.
He’s also been an advocate for the Victorian Multicultural Network, as its regional Victorian member.
This involves consulting with members of parliament on the needs of young migrants.
His community involvement is driven by a desire to help migrants, especially young people, overcome the many challenges they face.
He said a lot of the challenges that new arrivals to the country faced were ones that might not be expected.
“It’s the unwritten stuff,” he said.
“It’s the unspoken things we take for granted.”
For example, he highlights that many new arrivals to Australia may not understand the concept of sarcasm.
Meanwhile, many culturally diverse young people face challenges around identity.
Mr Kitungano explains that many of them want to assimilate but don’t want to lose their culture at the same time.
His message to them is simple.
“Being a part of everyday life does not mean you have to abandon your culture,” he said.
He hopes being nominated for the award will set a positive example for other young people in the area.
“I’ve not done anything special or out of this world to be nominated for this award,” he said.
Nominations for the 7 News Young Achiever Awards close on Tuesday, December 15, with the winners announced on May 7, 2027.
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