CEO Blog – 07.10.21
Victorians stepping up to support Afghani refugees
For the past few weeks, my organisation AMES Australia has been welcoming the newly arrived Afghani refugees who were airlifted out of Kabul in dramatic circumstances last month.
It will be our job to walk beside these people as they begin to rebuild their lives in Australia and to support them, with the help of local Afghani communities, to take full places in our society - socially, economically and culturally.
Our humanitarian settlement staff as well as many others from across our organisation have been working tirelessly to support and empower what is a particularly vulnerable and weary cohort of people to ensure that they have everything they need to begin to begin their settlement journey here in Australia.
This work has been made even complex by COVID-19 restrictions and by the suddenness of their arrival.
But the Afghanis themselves have shown incredible resilience and strength. We have been swamped with requests from them asking how they can help us with our work, when they can get jobs to support themselves and how they can get vaccinated.
With our partner health services, we have already launched a vaccine, testing and communications programs to keep them safe and informed.
At a time where there seems little to celebrate, with COVID cases soaring in Victoria, violent and unhelpful protests afflicting our streets and an earthquake rattling what’s left of our confidence, it has been wonderful and reassuring to see the outpouring of offers of help from Victorians wanting to support the Afghani families.
Community groups, particularly from our own strong local Afghani communities, have stepped up with offers of help and support.
We have seen literally thousands of individual Victorians offer everything from hot food and clothing to toys, baby goods, sweet treats and toiletries.
And our corporate partners have also been incredibly generous in supplying clothes, sports goods, shopping vouchers and more.
While the basic needs of the Afghan arrivals are covered by the federal government’s refugee programs, it is these extra offerings that are so important in making sure that this cohort of refugees feels welcome.
Most of the Afghanis evacuated to Australia are escaping potential harm that is the result of their work with Australian military or diplomatic missions in their homeland. Many have been through traumatic experiences and some have lost loved ones.
While we have all had our struggles and challenges through COVID, we cannot begin to imagine the distress many of the Afghanis must feel seeing their homeland descend into chaos with the rights and wellbeing of women, minorities and other vulnerable groups coming under threat.
I’d like to thank all of the individuals, community groups – and particularly Afghani groups - businesses and others who have been donating material goods and services and sending good wishes.
I’m incredibly proud of how the Victorian community has risen to the challenges of providing support for these Afghani refugees, especially because of the difficulties wrought by COVID-19 restrictions.
We at AMES Australia have a long history of accepting refugees who have come from situations of conflict and persecution and we are committed to continuing to do this.
It was pleasing to hear the Prime Minister say recently that Australia’s initial intake of 3000 Afghan refugees would not be the end of our contribution.
The coming months will be difficult for Afghani communities and for those who arrive in Australia but, as always, we stand ready to support them in whatever way we can.
Cath Scarth, AMES Australia CEO
7 October 2021