Afghan community leader and restauranteur Homaira Mershedi has been supporting AMES Australia’s work in supporting Afghan refugees airlifted out of Kabul last month amid dramatic scenes.
Homaira has marshalled friends and community members in gathering up donations of food and clothing.
They have also been raising money to support vulnerable people still in Afghanistan.
Thousands of hot and culturally familiar meals as well as bread have been delivered from Homaira’s Afghan Gallery Restaurant in Fitzroy to the newly arrived Afghans currently in short-term accommodation.
And Homaira and her group have also collected bags of donated clothing and other necessities for the new arrivals.
Having fled Afghanistan herself during the Russian war in the 1980s, Homaira has first-hand knowledge of the refugee journey.
“The ability to help people has been really great for us and the whole community. During the first couple of days after the Taliban takeover a lot of us were extremely devastated,” Homaira said.
“It was pleasing and ray of hope that the Australian Government was able to rescue so many refugees. So, being able to support the people who arrived has kept us occupied and given us some hope.
“But it is still very, very sad about the situation on the ground in Afghanistan and into the future that will be the focus of our efforts – the people on the ground in Afghanistan. We have to concentrate on those still there.
“We have already begun fundraising. We are open for takeaway on Saturdays and all the profits are going to Afghanistan. A lot of our customers have come and supported us, some have just come in and donated money. It’s been fantastic,” Homaira said.