Macedon Ranges Rural Australians for Refugees
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Breaking down barriers
A welcome barbecue held recently at the Woodend Children’s Park brought together refugee families and local supporters, marking the start of the year for Macedon Ranges Rural Australians for Refugees. Despite cool and blustery weather, about 30 refugees and asylum seekers travelled from Melbourne to attend the event. Coordinated with support from the Melbourne-based Brigidine…
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Feasting and daring to believe
For 12 years, Mohammad (not his real name) lived with uncertainty and dread. Now, he can at last dare to believe. In 2013, he fled Afghanistan in fear for his life. Targeted by the Taliban, he was forced to leave his wife and children behind. The distress he felt can barely be imagined – all…
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Refugee to research fellow
During his six-year imprisonment on Manus Island, a mobile phone was Behrouz Boochani’s most valued possession. It kept him in touch with the outside world and his own mental wellbeing. And it enabled him to write a memoir of life on the island – a literary tour de force that would earn him international renown.…
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A tale of survival from Syria
The critically acclaimed documentary For Sama, by award-winning Syrian activist, journalist and filmmaker, Waad Al-Kateab, will be screening for two evenings in June courtesy of the Macedon Ranges Rural Australians for Refugees. The film For Sama is a love letter by Waad to her one-year-old daughter in case she doesn’t survive the conflict in Aleppo,…
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A drawcard for refugee family fun
Dozens of refugee families from the city were among those enjoying the fun of Kyneton’s annual Daffodil Festival parade and fair. The visitors, many of them children and parents from Myanmar who now live in the Pakenham to Springvale area, were guests of the Macedon Ranges Rural Australians for Refugees. They were treated to a…
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Tamil temptations
Chef Niro from Tuka Tuka Kothu Roti Ma is cooking up some ‘Tamil Temptations’ for a second time after the very successful ‘Tamil Feast’ hosted by Macedon Ranges Rural Australians for Refugees in May. On a cold Woodend night, 60 people enjoyed authentic Sri Lankan dishes at a relaxed and enjoyable evening. Not only were…
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The power of the personal
An audience of about 150 listened transfixed as speakers from Iraq, Afghanistan, South Sudan and Burundi told stories of their quest for freedom at the Kyneton Town Hall on Sunday. Hosted by Macedon Ranges Rural Australians for Refugees, with the support of Macedon Ranges Shire Council and the sponsorship of Bendigo Bank Gisborne, the event…
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‘We can and we must do better’
Actor, comedian and broadcaster, Tom Ballard, will be host and keynote speaker at the invitation of Macedon Ranges Rural Australians for Refugees at Kyneton Town Hall next month. The event, to be staged with assistance from Macedon Ranges Shire and the support of major sponsor Bendigo Bank, will mark the beginning of Refugee Week 2023…
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Feeding the belly, warming the heart
Sri Lankan chef Niro Vithyasekar has faced discrimination, detention and uncertainty – but none of that has lessened his determination to share his culinary culture with his adopted home. In early May, Niro and his team will return to Woodend to cook up a feast of mouth-watering traditional Tamil food as guests of Macedon Ranges…
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Permanent settlement welcomed
The federal government’s decision to allow 19,000 refugees to settle permanently in Australia has been welcomed by local refugee support group, Macedon Ranges Rural Australians for Refugees. The group’s chairperson, Jean Ker Walsh, expressed relief and satisfaction with the decision and noted that it honoured an election promise made by Labor. “These people, acknowledged by…
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Wine, music and goodwill
Wine, music and goodwill towards refugees set the mood for a fundraiser at Norma Richardson Hall in Woodend last Friday. Special guest for the evening was David Laity, founder and CEO of Goodwill Wines. In 2009 David, like so many others, had his livelihood wiped out by the Black Saturday fires. But with the help…
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Busy in advocacy
Life has never been busier for Woodend resident Jean Ker Walsh. “Retirement can be challenging,” she says. “But it’s enabled me to concentrate on the things that matter.” What matters to Jean, apart from family and friends, is a commitment to social justice. Jean co-chairs Grandmothers for Refugees, utilising her experience as broadcast journalist, political…