HACN NEWSLETTER Horn Of Africa Communities Network Inc.
DECEMBER 2015 ISSUE # 14
Ethnic Business Awards Pg 3
Multicultural Mental Health Care Pg 4
Africans Buying More Homes Pg 5
Community Outreach at HACN Pg 6
Melbourne Coming Events Pg 7
Community Profile: Sudanese Pg 8-9
In This Month’s Issue:
A CHRISTMAS AWAY FROM HOME
Continued page 2
In your rush this Christmas, to get the
decorations, presents and celebrations organised,
spare a thought for those spending their first
Christmas in Australia.
For many of us, Christmas has become more
than just a religious holiday. When we think of
Christmas, we automatically think of family, friends
and celebrating the passing of the year that has
been. However, for many refugees and migrants,
this Christmas may not be the celebration it was in
previous years.
Often having to leave their family, friends and
homes in war-torn countries and starting their lives
over, in a whole new country, can leave many
feeling isolated, depressed and disconnected from
the community around them.
As a multi-cultural country, Australia has made
many efforts to embrace the many new cultures of
it’s refugee and migrant communities, however, for
many of those new to the country, it can still leave
them missing their connection to their home country
and it’s traditions.
We need to offer our support, caring,
compassion and understanding to those who feel
lost, in all the lights, wrapping paper and
celebrations, they find going on around them.
Gesëende Kersfees
Een Plesierige Kerfees
Rehus-Beal-Ledeats
Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu
Shen Tan
Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Shub Naya Baras
Selamat Hari Natal
Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu
Omedeto
Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Hristos se rodi
Sawadee Pee Mai
Chung Mung Giang Sinh
MERRY CHRISTMAS
FROM THE HACN STAFF & VOLUNTEERS
2
Also not to be forgotten, is that Christmas can
be a doubly hard time of year for those that are
already struggling to get by. When many arrive
here in Australia, they come with (and to) nothing -
no money, no home, no job, no support, but with a
family provide for.
So this Christmas, say Hello to that new family
that just moved into your street, have a
conversation with that new employee in your office
and consider donating to one of the many charities
that DO support these new members of the
Australian Community, and help make it a Happy
New Year for all!
HACN wants to wish all the refugees and
migrants, who have enriched Australia with their
arrival and inclusion in our communities, a Happy
Holiday Season and a Prosperous Year Ahead!
Choose a gift from Australia for UNHCR and help
refugee families in crisis. Your gift can ensure that
refugee families overseas are safe, warm and
provided for this Christmas season.
With gifts ranging from as little as $12, a UNHCR
package is perfect for presents ranging from office
Secret Santa right up to gifts for friends, family
and loved ones. Be it the gift of a Jerry Can,
Malaria Treatment, Sports Equipment, New
Mother’s Pack, Emergency Survival Kit or even a
Family Tent, every little bit helps!
For further information and to make a donation,
check out the ‘Get Involved’ page on the UNHCR
website www.unrefugees.org.au and make a
difference to those in need around the world this
Christmas.
A CHRISTMAS AWAY FROM HOME
Continued from page 1
Give a life-changing Christmas gift this year
Free Migration Services and Consultant
To manage your immigration journey to Australia through our commitment to a personalised and world class service that ensures the
best possible visa outcomes for our communities. Contact HACN to arrange an appointment!
Visitor Visas
Student Visas
Family Visas
Business Visas
Skilled Visas
Employment Visas
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: (03) 9689 2586
3
A FAMILY who fled war-torn Lebanon, to create
a new life in Australia, has taken out one of the top
prizes at the Ethnic Business Awards of Australia.
The prestigious awards, held recently in
Adelaide, are one of Australia’s longest running
national business awards programs, which
recognise the achievements and entrepreneurialism
of Australia’s migrant communities.
The founder and Chairperson of the awards, Mr
Joseph Assaf AM, said the awards aim to promote
an awareness of the economic contribution of
migrant communities, the benefits their business
endeavours bring to the broader Australian
community and the potential for harmony.
“We all have the responsibility of sharing and
celebrating our many differences and of working
together to build a great and harmonious
multicultural society,” said Mr Assaf.
The awards are comprised of three categories –
Small Business, Medium to Large Business and
Indigenous in Business.
Joseph Kairouz, who won the Medium to Large
Business category, started out working with his
brother in the meat industry to support their 10
siblings. Today, Cedar Meats Australia, based in
Brooklyn, Victoria, employs more than 400 people,
exporting to the US, EU and China.
“Multiculturalism is not a passing fancy. It is not a
hobby. It is not a government policy. It is not just a
‘nice thing to do’ or a marketing opportunity.
Multiculturalism is a way of life - these awards
celebrate all of that,” said Mr Assaf.
For more information on this year’s awards, or to
nominate someone you think deserves to be
celebrated, check out the EBA website at
www.ethnicbusinessawards.com.
A new book celebrating the work of Victorian
refugee and migrant writers was launched last
week by Mr Ross Alatsas, Deputy Chairperson
of the Victorian Multicultural Commission.
“Home Truths: An Anthology of Refugee and
Migrant Writing”, is a collection of stories, essays
and poems written by a diverse group of writers,
mostly from Africa and Asia.
The anthology is filled with first hand
experiences of war and dislocation and of feeling
at odds in a new culture. “Sharing our stories
not only honours the diverse voices and
experiences of new Australians, it also helps
capture the hearts and minds of the wider
community,” said Mr Alatsas.
Jill Parris, a counselling psychologist and
herself a refugee who initially worked with many
of the authors, using writing as extension of
trauma counselling, says the project was about
giving people a voice. “We wanted to introduce
our fellow Australians to our home countries. We
wanted them to understand how and why we had
to flee and why we needed their goodwill to
flourish in our new homes,” she explained.
Importantly, all sales proceeds of this
book will be donated to charities that support
refugees.
“Home Truths an Anthology of Refugee and
Migrant Writing” is available for $20 from
Readings bookstores or online at
www.readings.com.au. Grab one for your
friends - and one for yourself!
LOOKING FOR A GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING?
4
The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils
of Australia (FECCA) welcomesd the
Government’s recent announcement on a
complete mental health reform, following the
National Mental Health Commission’s Review of
Mental Health Programme and Services.
FECCA Chairperson Joe Caputo said, “We are
very pleased the Government has taken steps
towards a comprehensive mental health system. It
is encouraging that all Australians suffering from
severe and complex mental illness will have
access to person-centric integrated care packages,
which will be rolled out in local communities.”
However, as Joe Caputo has said, “While the
reforms make reference to multicultural
communities, it is our recommendation that a
strong focus is placed on these communities in the
implementation.”
According to the National Mental Health
Commission’s Review ‘Contributing Lives, Thriving
Communities’, people from diverse cultural
backgrounds may be less likely to disclose signs or
symptoms and may not feel comfortable seeking
help. Also identified in the Review were gaps in
culturally competent, sensitive and appropriate
mental health and suicide prevention services and
programmes.
FECCA urges the Government to ensure that
culturally and linguistically diverse communities are
recognised as a vulnerable group in the mental
health system and considered as a priority,
requiring their unique mental health needs to be
met in a culturally sensitive and appropriate
way. The knowledge and insights developed
through the Mental Health in Multicultural Australia
(MHiMA) project are essential in this regard.
Special consideration in the reforms
implementation should be given to new migrants
and refugees, particularly in view of the additional
humanitarian intake and refugee experiences of
torture and trauma. FECCA also acknowledged
that with current measures around countering
violent extremism, there is a need for access to
tailored mental health services for individuals and
families.
“We are committed to working with the
Government and the key stakeholders in
multicultural community mental health to ensure
that these reforms achieve positive outcomes for
our constituency”, said Joe Caputo.
We want to feature more stories and information about multiculturalism and our community!
Whether you are from an agency or service, or you are just an individual within the
community with an inspirational story to share, we would love to be able to provide the opportunity to help you share your knowledge,
experiences and services!
Please contact us, if you have stories or content you’d like to share,
Calls for Multicultural Communities to be a priority
in coming Mental Health Care Reforms
5
According to Africa Media Australia, the city of
Wyndham in Melbourne’s West is not just the fastest
growing municipality in Australia, it is also home to
increasingly more African-Australians.
The suburbs of Tarneit, Truganina, Hoppers
Crossing, and the surrounding areas, now have one
of the highest concentrations of African-Australian
homeowners in Melbourne and probably in the
whole of Australia. It’s an encouraging sign for this
new and emerging group of the Australian
population whose members have often come from
quite challenging backgrounds.
Moses, a South-Sudanese Australian resident of
Tarneit since 2008 says that “African-Australians are
moving in the Wyndham area in big numbers and
they are not just renting, they are buying houses
because there are more affordable house and land
packages that are made available here, compared to
other areas of Melbourne and beyond”.
Whilst there are no official statistics about home
ownership within African-Australian communities,
anecdotal evidence suggests that the percentage of
Africans now living in their own mortgaged
properties is probably the highest it has ever been
since Africans started entering Australia, en masse,
approximately 30 years ago. The city of Wyndham
in Melbourne’s West, the city of Greater Dandenong
in the South-East, as well as Whittlesea in the North
of Melbourne, are the main areas where many
Africans are now buying houses in big numbers.
Nick Tshibala is a Congolese-born Australian who
has been a Wyndham resident for over ten years.
He applauds the growth of home ownership amongst
Africans in general and in his local area in particular.
“Its a great thing that Africans are now more settled
and they are integrating better in Australia than
before, taking up the Australian culture which views
home ownership as an essential thing in life”, he
said.
This father of three says “Australia is not just my
second home as most migrants would say, for me it
is just my home, period. I am not thinking of going
back to live in Africa and I am also pleased to see
that many more Africans are now working hard,
learning to live like any other regular Aussie Blokes
and Sheilas, and they see Australia as their home
and their future, both for themselves and their
children”.
To read the full article and get further information on
this growing trend, check out the Africa Media
Australia website at www.africamediaaustralia.com.
The HACN offices in Footscray, Dandenong and
Hoppers Crossing will close on the 24th of
December and will re-open on the 4th of January
2016.
Our Staff and supporters would like to wish
everyone a Safe and Happy Holiday Season and
New Year, and we look forward to connecting and
contributing to the community, again, in 2016.
6
CALD WOMEN’S SEWING GROUP
With their traditional skirts almost finished, next
year our Sewing Group will be moving on to
learning how to sew traditional wedding dresses
and more. The feedback from our members has
been that it is a great skill for them to learn how to
make their own clothing, and the possibilities it
opens up for them are positive and empowering. If
you or someone you know would like to join our
Sewing Group, please contact us on 0468 858 304, to join us every Friday, again, from the 5th of February.
CALD SENIORS SOCIAL GROUP
This month we’ve had some great times with our
CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse)
Seniors Social Group!
We’ve had representatives from the Ethnic
Communities Council of Victoria come out to have
a chat to our members, to find out what services
they need and what factors hinder them from
accessing those services, such as a lack of
transport, English language skills and knowledge
of exactly what services are available to them.
We’ve had a
lovely trip to the
beach - with
perfect weather
- and a trip to
the Point Cook
RAAF Museum!
So, if you or someone you know would like to join
this group, please contact us on 0468 858 304 to
join us every Thursday, again, from the 4th of
February 2016.
CALD WOMEN’S COOKING GROUP
Things are really heating up for our Cooking Group!
They have been learning cooking techniques and
terms in order to create a variety of foods - and
improving their English Language Skills - all at the
same time. Our hope is that these women will learn
enough culinary and English skills, in order to start
their own Catering Companies, thereby providing
them with a new source of income and confidence.
If you, or someone you know, would like to join us in
the kitchen, please contact us on 0468 858 304, to
be a part of this fun team, starting again from
7
The Art of Hand Beading by
Twitch
This exhibition will showcase
and demonstrate the innovative
and contemporary beading
produced in Dandenong, by The
TWICH Women’s Sewing
Collective. It is a sewing training
program for women run by & for
women from South Sudan.
When: Monday to Friday,
10am-4pm and on the
first Sunday of the month, 12pm-
4pm, until 29 January 2016
Where: Heritage Hill
Museum and Historical Gardens,
66 McCrae Street, Dandenong
Cost: FREE
Transform Your Life
Join internationally renowned
teacher and Buddhist monk, Gen
-la Kelsang Khyenrab for an
extraordinary public talk on how
to transform your life through
meditation and Buddhist wisdom.
When: 5th January 7pm-
8:30pm
Where: The Square,
Federation Square
Cost: FREE
Vietnamese in Australia: 40
Years of Settlement
Celebrate the Vietnamese
community of Australia.
Their migration story began 40
years ago with terrible loss and
desperation - it is now a story of
survival, hope and achievement.
When: Daily 10am - 5pm Until
30 Jun 2016
Where: Museum Victoria
Cost: FREE ENTRY
8
Geographically the largest country, combined, in the
continent of Africa, North Sudan (officially the
Republic of the Sudan) and South Sudan (The
Republic of South Sudan) measure almost 2.5 million
square kilometres, boarding nine other African
nations: Chad, Central African Republic, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia,
Kenya, Libya and Uganda.
South Sudan only gained independence from Sudan
in 2011, after decades of conflict. With an estimated
population of over 35 million, the people of Sudan are
ethically diverse. Approximately 600 ethnic groups
exist, with over 400 different languages identified.
This means the Sudanese identity is not mono-
cultural but multifaceted; based on physical, religious,
cultural, linguistic, regional and historical factors.
RELIGION differentiates the people of Sudan:
Muslims, Christians and those who follow indigenous
or animist beliefs. Recent evidence suggests that
while most citizens of the country identify strongly
with both Sudan and their religion, Arab and African
supranational identities are much more polarising and
contested.
CUSTOMS and courtesies are an important aspect
of the Sudanese culture. Core values tend to include
family solidarity, respect for elders, hospitality towards
guests and strangers, obedience to parents at all
stages of life and remaining close to family. As with
many cultures, matters of potential shame to families
include: disrespect to elders and the family,
unmarried children moving away from home,
marriage outside of religion, tribe, country or ethnic
group, men and women living together outside of
marriage, being involved in crime and being involved
in dishonest business.
Many customs differ between northern and southern
Sudanese and can differ between families and
individuals. Typically, northern Sudanese greetings
tend to be formal with a handshake extended to
member of the same sex. In public, often, Sudanese
Muslims will not make physical contact with the
opposite sex. However, greeting friends with an
embrace is common. Typically South Sudanese will
greet friends and relatives with handshakes—both
men and women.
LANGUAGES spoken in Sudan and South Sudan
vary widely and, as not all Sudanese languages are
written, it can often make translating and interpreting
services even harder. However, those who were
educated in Sudan before 1990 are more likely to be
able to converse using English because, until that
time, schooling in Sudan was conducted in English,
along with much of their professional life and
business transactions.
Although the official language may be considered to
be Arabic, it is not necessarily understood by people
speaking Sudanese-Arabic or the Sudanese creoles
Nubi or Juba. For example, it is important, when
contracting the services of an Arabic interpreter for a
Sudanese person, that the service providers ask for a
Sudanese-Arabic interpreter, otherwise the clients
may well be unable to understand either the
interviewer or their interpreter!
9
IMMIGRATING Sudanese, settling in Australia,
have often spent years in refugee camps in countries
outside their homeland. For some, there is even a
national identity crisis, as a person may be 10 years
old when he/she arrives in a camp in another African
country, such as Ethiopia, and then spends up to a
decade there. Is that person still entirely Sudanese
in terms of culture, or has he/she been influenced by
local conditions and behaviours? For children of
Sudanese parents arriving in Australia, this sense of
displacement can be magnified by the gulf of
difference between their pre-embarkation
experiences and their new life. Disconnectedness
appears to have arisen due to the feeling of being
caught between two - or more - cultures, trying to fit
into both and yet not succeeding to fully belong to
any.
EMPLOYMENT, or lack thereof, can lead to low
self-esteem, family conflict and depression. Although
many from Sudan are strongly motivated to work,
many qualified individuals are forced to work in
manufacturing and labour-based jobs, as their
overseas qualifications are not recognised or
respected in Australia. There is also the problem
many migrant communities face - lack of Australian
work experience - which can often disadvantage
jobseekers from a new migrant background.
FACTS AND FIGURES:
The 2011 Australian Census recorded, of the Sudan-
born*:
There were 19,369 in Australia (an increase of
1.7% from the 2006 Census) with Victoria having
the largest amount (6,085)
The main languages spoken in Australia were
Arabic, Dinka and English.
Of the 18,255 who spoke a language other than
English at home, 79.7% spoke English very well
or well while 16.9% spoke English not well or not
at all.
The major religious affiliations were Catholic,
Anglican and Islam, while only 0.9% stated ‘No
Religion’.
61.1% arrived between 2001 - 2006 and 14.6%
arrived between 2007 - 2011.
The median individual weekly income for those
aged 15 years and over, was $294, compared
with $538 for all overseas-born and $597 for all
Australian-born.
43.9% aged 15 years and over had some form of
higher non-school qualifications compared to
55.9% of the Australian population.
29.7% aged 15 years and over, were still
attending an educational institution.
The participation rate in the labour force was 49%
and the unemployment rate was 25.4%. The
corresponding rate in the total Australian
population were 65% and 5.6% respectively.
Of the 5,594 who were employed, only 25.5%
were employed in either a skilled managerial,
professional or trade occupation.
SUDANESE ORGANISATIONS IN MELBOURNE
Multicultural Sudanese Centre Inc.
Address: 12 Holland Court, Flemington, VIC, 3031
Phone: 9376 6513
Sudanese Community Association of Australia
Address: P.O. Box 2328, Dandenong North 3175
Phone: 9706 8933
Sudanese Australian Integrated Learning
Program Inc. - SAIL
The SAIL program provides free English support &
community services to the Sudanese refugee
community in various locations around Victoria.
Phone: 03 9679 3272
Website: www.sailprogram.org.au
Email: [email protected]
*July 2011, the Republic of South Sudan became independent from the Republic of Sudan.
Consequently, country of birth figures as completed by individuals at the time of the 2011 Census
may not fully reflect this change.
10
Contact Us
3/9 Motto Court
HOPPERS CROSSING
Ph: 0468 858 304
3 Pilgrim Street
FOOTSCRAY
Ph: 03 9689 2568
11/249 Lonsdale Street
DANDENONG
Ph: 03 8759 6550
OR EMAIL [email protected]
Check out our website: www.hacn.org.au
ABOUT HACN
The Horn of Africa Communities Network is
a not-for-profit community organisation.
Our mission is to provide practical and moral support to refugee
and migrant communities, of all nationalities, that now call
Australia home.
Covering all areas of Melbourne, we offer a number of services
to community members including advocacy, referrals to social
support services, community based programs and general
advice and information.
If you or someone you know is in need of help, please consider
contacting us either in person, via phone or email.
HACN would like to acknowledge the support provided by staff and participants in all of it’s offices,
in the preparation and distribution of this Newsletter.
FREE LEGAL ADVICE Thanks to the generous aid of legal volunteers, community members can now
take advantage of our legal advice service.
Sessions are run every Tuesday evening between 6 and 7pm. To make use
of this service, please phone or email us to arrange an appointment.
Phone : 03 9689 2586
Email: [email protected]