Ashiana Humanitarian Network is pleased to announce that, with the support of the Department of Communities in Western Australia through its Women’s Grants for a Stronger Future, it will be launching a new program designed to empower women from refugee and humanitarian backgrounds to achieve enduring wellbeing, economic development and justice.
The project is aimed at strengthening social connections among women from refugee, asylum seeker and humanitarian entrant backgrounds and their families in order to:
- (a) listen to their needs and concerns
- (b) create opportunities to be part of a group that provides them with mutual support and understanding
- (c) facilitate their access to information and service providers aimed at addressing their areas of need and aspiration
- (d) activate their efforts to build greater resilience, safety, wellbeing, social and economic independence.
It will do this through a series of workshops undertaken with key partner organisations addressing the following themes:
- 1. Listen to her voice, which will be focused on storytelling and celebrating the resilience and cultures of refugee women
- 2. Economic independence, which will be focused on education, employment and financial counselling
- 3. Resilience through safety, wellbeing and justice, which will be focused on discrimination and abuse, and access to health care, justice and visa security.
Dr Mary Nangrahary, Chairperson of Ashiana Humanitarian Network, said:
‘We are looking forward to listening to and supporting women in a culturally safe space to learn about the opportunities for connection, safety, security and greater independence in Western Australia. There is so much to celebrate in refugee communities who come from diverse and vibrant cultures – and refugee women demonstrate incredible strength and resilience in striving for safety for them and their families. Being an organisation founded on International Women’s Day, we are so proud to be able to share this news and to continue our work in support of women from refugee and humanitarian backgrounds. We thank the Department of Communities for their support.’
Ashiana will announce further details of the workshops in the near future.
For more details about the Department of Communities grant, see today’s media release.