WORK EMPOWERS WOMEN!
We need your help!
Many women arriving and seeking asylum in Australia are among the most disadvantaged in our community. Often illiterate in their own language and with very little (if any) English they face HUGE barriers with finding their way in western culture.
OUR AIM IS TO SUPPORT AND HELP THESE WOMEN ON THEIR JOURNEY! The major percentage has stories of violence in their countries of origin and some continue to experience violence in Australia. Nevertheless, this wonderful group
of women are resilient and enterprising. With our business focused on strengthening their entrepreneurial skills, many have begun to shine and start a new life for themselves.
We have 45 Sisters of 23 different nationalities; 55% with refugee background, 20% are asylum seekers and 25% are migrant women with non-English-speaking background; 17 have a professional background.
What do they face?
A loss of identity, social isolation and the uncertainty that comes from losing everything you have ever known, puts these women in a very vulnerable state. The trauma and upheaval of their experience and the unfamiliarity of where they find themselves creates
immense fear, often paralysing them from taking action to improve their situation. It’s a very bleak outlook and unsurprisingly, depression rates among these women are exceptionally high.
There is hope … would you like to make a
real difference in the lives of these amazing women who yearn only for safety and a new start?
SisterWorks is a grass-roots not-for-profit that provides a support network to women who arrive in Australia in very difficult circumstances. We are a bottom-up social enterprise, founded by our Executive Officer Luz Restrepo, a political refugee from Colombia.
Since our humble beginnings in 2011 we have supported many women to find their way, build a new beginning and create a sustainable future. Over this time we have operated on a purely volunteer support basis, but to continue our beautiful project we need
your support!
What we do and what we want to maintain
We run a non-denominational Sisterhood program to provide emotional, physical and financial guidance to asylum seeking, refugee and migrant women. We are open to anyone who needs our help and we have no fees!
Emotional Support is offered in the form of one-on-one mentoring, a support referral service and community connection. Volunteers work with our Sisters to help foster a sense of belonging and inclusion and help them look forward and
plan for the future.
Physical: We empower our Sisters through encouragement and coaching in basic life skills - communicating in English, using public transport, opening a bank account. The change and confidence that comes from gaining even the smallest
degree of independence can be quite profound.
Financial: Through micro-finance loans, creative workshops and access to market stalls and pop-up shops, we provide opportunities for Sisters to become entrepreneurs. The women learn valuable work experience skills, generate an income and build confidence through connecting with the broader community in a supported way.
Currently our main achievements are:
- All Sisters with a sense of belonging, supporting each other, and feeling comfortable environments where only English is spoken
- The majority learning to fend for themselves, e.g. managing public transport
- 5 are learning to drive
- 15 already have marketable products with incomes of $400 to $1500 a month
- 5 are working full-time on their projects.
- 4 have applied for grants to start their own social enterprises
- 2 have ceased payments from Centrelink and begun economic independence.
Why are we doing this :
We believe work empowers women and we do this by
Customising programs for each Sister, to cover the resources they need to settle into Australia. This includes support and mentor engagement, personal development, career planning and work experience opportunities.
Our mentors work one-on-one with our Sisters to address their personal needs as newcomer. We look at cultural differences, emotional health, mobility and skills that she wants to develop. We operate two Design Labs in Melbourne one in Elwood and one Collingwood where Sisters come together in a relaxed environment to connect with others, share stories, get creative and make new friends. At our Design labs our Sisters also are encouraged to use their creative skills and make products they can sell through market experiences.
To make these entrepreneurial initiatives a reality we provide craft start-up kits, design and product development support and financial management advice. The retail opportunities are managed through a regular schedule of market events and pop-up shops where our Sisters sell their goods.
Through this business development and work experience model, our Sisters ‘learn by doing’ business in Australia. It provides incredible networking opportunities, invaluable emotional connection to the community and the confidence, social and entrepreneurial skills required to establish a successful future.
So please, donate now and help us continue to help these women empower themselves. They have been through so much and deserve a chance to live a happy life in Australia!
