By YASEMIN TALAT
The multicultural women of Wyndham were celebrated last week as part of the Refugee Week celebrations.
On Saturday the Multicultural Women’s Group from the New Hope Foundation came together with other community members for a morning tea.
Youth support worker Htee Hset Tun, who also works on community development around family violence said the event was held to help empower women.
“We want to empower the women, because coming from a multicultural background they think very small about themselves and they have doubts about themselves,” Ms Tun said.
“They think that they can’t do this and they can’t do that, so we wanted to give them the opportunity to do something,” she said.
“We want to show the community that women coming from other countries, especially with a migrant background, that they can do things.”
Ms Tun said it was important that women who have migrated to Australia feel they have a voice.
The program helps women who relate to each other make new friends and learn from each other.
“The program is about sharing,” Ms Tun said.
“Women come together to share their ideas and talk about the problems that their facing at home and to share skills and learn about news things,” she said.
“And we do fun things together.”
The women have a chance to meet community officials like councillors, police officer and health professional who provide them with helpful information.
Ms Tun said it was especially important for the women to meet police officers so they can feel safer in the community.
“The power of the police from where they come from is different to Australia and some of them are still frightened of the police,” she said.
“They need to know the police aren’t here to capture you but they’re here to help you.”
