In early 2011, a group of members of Illawarra’s Ethiopian refugee community were moved by the plight of flood victims in Victoria. They travelled to Victoria to help farmers with the BLAZEAID flood relief program. SCARF helped make it happen for these wonderful new Australians. Read the reports by two of the volunteers below……..

It was in early January that a group of newly arrived Ethiopians started to discuss what we could do in response to the Queensland flood disaster. Our decision was to go to flood affected areas and help. We wanted to do this to express what we feel towards Australia, a country that gave us hope, and a chance to live a better life .

We would like to acknowledge SCARF, in particular Mrs. Sharyn Mackenzie, Secretary/Program Coordinator of SCARF, for accepting our request letter for help to achieve this. SCARF worked alot in finding an organisation to work with us, raising funds for the trip, arranging transport and collecting necessary material for the trip (like sleeping bags). Finally everything was ready for us to go to Charlton, Victoria to work under the BLAZEAID flood relief program in assisting the farmers, particularly in replacing fences.

Our brothers from Eritrea (two) joined us for this blessed mission as soon as they heard about it. This trip included five Ethiopian and two Eritrean volunteers to assist farmers and three OZ volunteer bus drivers.

We left Wollongong on the 6 March around 8:00am. It was a wonderful trip. We slept over in a nice caravan park in one small city in NSW. The cost of accommodation, lunch, dinner and refreshments during the trip was covered thanks to SCARF.

On 7 March 2011, we arrived in Charlton, Victoria to be welcomed by Miss Lyn Bail. She showed us where we were going to sleep, provided us with general information and organized us in teams ranging from 4 to 8. Our stay in Charlton, working with OZ volunteers was fun and a good opportunity to share experiences. We were well treated and the farmers of that area were happy to have our assistance. As a result we have been given a reference letter from BLAZEAID and the farmers.

All the members of the volunteer team were very pleased to have this opportunity to participate.

On the 19 March 2011 our friendly volunteer bus driver Chris with another friend drove the bus back to Wollongong via Canberra. That night we were invited for dinner in Chris’s father’s house and also met other members of his family. After dinner we slept over in the accommodation donated by Canberra Motor Village.

In general our trip was so fabulous, we got lots and lots of experiences, especially experience in working in teams.

Once again we thank SCARF for organizing this trip and enabling us to put our wishes into practice.

Getachew (Team Leader), Ethiopian Community.

It was a true joy to be a part of the journey down to Bridgewater – part of something that brought so much good to so many people.

The desire of these men to help people affected by the recent floods set in course a series of events that introduced them to hundreds of people and new experiences. I was truly awe struck by their capacity to affect people in such a positive way.

No one was immune to their infectious good nature; cultural barriers and language barriers were inconsequential. BLAZEAID volunteers, SCARF volunteers, farmers, local footy players, the publican and other members of the community, hotel owners, restaurant owners, hire carworkers – literally hundreds of people gravitated together around the good intentions and good deeds of these guys. People were inspired to contribute something to their adventure: a night’s accommodation, a trip to Bendigo or Canberra, a ride in the back of a ute spotlighting kangaroos, a swimming lesson, a dinner, a game of pool, a conversation, a joke, photos, appreciation.

I can’t thank the guys enough for starting what they did, nor can I recommend involvement in such projects more highly.’

Chris Stretton, SCARF Volunteer

Jay Jay’s story began in his birth place Liberia when it was experiencing civil war, but has had a happy ending here in Australia.

On one terrible day when he was just 7 years of age his mother went missing, his sister was killed & his house was burned down.

So his father, two brothers and baby sister began their life as refugees, along with about 700 others who were fleeing for their lives. After two months of walking, often through the night, the family began a new life in Ivory Coast. After five years of peace, war again touched his family when fighting broke out where they had been living. His father & he became separated from the rest of the family as they ran for their lives and crossed the border into Guinea. Tragically, after living in a new village, his father didn’t return from looking for food for them.

Jay Jay looked for his dad in different villages until one day an uncle recognised him. He was about 15. Through this uncle he found out his mother was still alive and living in Australia.

Jay Jay then travelled to Ghana to Buduburam refugee camp and where he was miraculously was reunited with his younger brother who was living with another relative.

In this camp, Jay Jay and his brother began to get to know their mother again through phone calls. It had been 11 years since they were separated! Finally, they were reunited in Australia, together again.

Jay Jay recently had more good news, when his fiancée Martha, who he had met in the Ghana refugee camp, arrived in Australia to begin their new life as husband and wife. Jay Jay has set up a school in this camp, which he supports from Australia.

SCARF VOLUNTEER WINS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD

At this year’s Wollongong’s Australia Day awards dinner SCARF member & volunteer Gracia Ngoy was awarded the prestigious 2011 Young Citizen of the Year award for her work supporting, educating and motivating other young people. Gracia, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, is studying journalism at Wollongong University. At the ceremony the General Manager of Wollongong City Council, David Farmer congratulated Gracia on the award saying ‘Gracia’s commitment and social awareness is a great achievement for a 19 year old student’.

Gracia’s Story - from Refugee to Volunteer

My name is Gracia Tshibanda Ngoy, also known as ‘Grace’ by friends. I am 18 years old and I’m currently studying a Bachelor of Communications and Media Studies/Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Wollongong. My family arrived in Australia from the Democratic Republic of Congo in July 2005 under the Humanitarian Visas Program.

In 2006, at the time in year 9 I joined SCARF to get help with my studies. I became a regular and committed recipient of SCARF’s Tuesday and Thursday homework sessions ran at the Wollongong City Library. I was truly stunned to see how volunteers were dedicated to helping me and my fellow students to achieving better results academically.

By admiring how devoted and enthusiastic volunteers were to helping refugee students both in Primary and High School, I therefore was inspired to also make a contribution in the lives of the younger refugees students. In 2007 I joined SCARF as a member and volunteer and started helping at the Monday’s homework session for primary school students at Barnados in Warrawong. I was not only able to help these young people with their studies, but I became a mentor and someone they could rely on and trust. This was an ultimate experience for me, being both a participant and recipient of SCARF’s support.

I have also been able to achieve so much with the help of SCARF volunteers. Some of my achievements include completing my HSC successfully, getting into university in my desired course, being the vice school captain of my high school, receiving various grants and scholarships, awards, publishing numerous articles in the local papers, magazines and getting a Freelance Journalism Qualifications at the age of 16.

I have fought so hard for my future, and it has been possible to get where I am with the help of SCARF. I don’t boast about my achievement or success, but I always use my journey as an avenue to encourage most specifically refugee young people that they can get anywhere they desire regardless of their past experiences if they put the hard-work in and have a positive attitude.

The work that SCARF has done and is currently doing is life changing. They have contributed so much to the lives of refugees in the Illawarra in so many areas including home tutoring, driving lessons, English classes, CONNECT programs, computer programs and many more. And I am truly blessed to be a part of this.

I would like to thank SCARF for all their support.

Another innovative SCARF project to ease unemployment.

There are some specific barriers faced by the refugee community when looking for work. Lack of Australian work experience and references; discrimination by some employers toward new and emerging communities and significant gaps in education and employment histories following their refugee experience makes finding a job difficult.

The recently arrived Burmese community has experienced many of these barriers evidenced among African arrivals in previous years. With close family networks in the region, it is vital to the communities long term cohesion to access viable employment opportunities in the initial years.

SCARF’s Enterprise Unit recently facilitated 24 members of the refugee community gaining paid work experience with the Illawarra Folk Festival’s recycling team. The initiative was built as a partnership and was a huge success. There has been much excitement and positive feedback on the potential for the refugee community to build a sustainable green enterprise, with the region host to a number of annual cultural and community events from Helensburgh to Kiama.

The Illawarra Folk Festival (IFF) is one of the largest annual community cultural events in the Illawarra which works towards promoting and providing a waste free sustainable event.

The refugee workers were seen as a highly skilled, employable and resourceful team. The Festival organiser doubled many of the refugee teams hours to provide further festival work.

SCARF is now working towards a programme where a flexible pool of refugee workers can be trained, and deployed to work in a range of recycling/waste management/landscaping arenas, as jobs become available. If successful, coupled with the pressure on businesses to improve their waste management in coming years, it is a social enterprise with potential for growth, and long term ownership and sustainability for the refugee community.

SCARF has helped hundreds of new arrivals join the digital age.

Access to a computer is vital for refugee resettlement. They are used to communicate with loved ones still in camps, and computer literacy is so important for employment prospects.

SCARF assists families who can apply for a refurbished computer, which is provided for a very small fee (to cover the cost of software licenses). Basic computer training is available free of charge at the SCARF Training Centre. Since the introduction of the program, SCARF has helped more than 130 refugee families with various types of IT help.

Chris Cartledge, SCARF’s IT program Manager and Webmaster, recently received the Illawarra Region Senior Volunteer of the Year award for his work and has been further recognised at a State level receiving the Highly Commended award in his category.