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SWAN Hill is fast becoming known for its programs aimed at welcoming migrants and promoting ethnic diversity.
The success of a local Mothers’ Group is one reason people are travelling from as far as Dandenong and Adelaide to the region in search of a sense of belonging.
The Mothers’ Group began in 2009 and focused on helping mainly Sudanese and Afghani women integrate into the community. It also gave them a place outside the home where they could engage with others in a safe environment.
Originally using the Baptist Church for their weekly gatherings, they have since moved to the Uniting Church, where they can use the kitchen facilities.
Word quickly spread and organiser Samia Fox, a Mallee Family Care coordinator, found more and more women from different cultural groups wanting to join in the weekly gatherings.
“Many of the girls who have come here have ended up finding further education and employment…”
“If a family settles here, the women come along, and then the daughters too as they get married,” Ms Fox said.
“It’s getting bigger all the time.”
Mothers’ Group meetings involve cooking, sharing recipes and talking, but the effect of the group is much larger than that.
Ms Fox and fellow coordinator Abida Elahi found that women involved in the group grew in confidence, developed their English and were able to take up training and jobs in the community.
“There is no other such group in Victoria…”
“It’s a chance for them to improve their English skills, and it gives them something to do and help with their children,” Ms Fox said.
“Some of them can’t pay for childcare, especially if they have three kids or more.”
The Mothers’ Group is just one of the reasons Swan Hill has gained national coverage as a stand-out example of a welcoming community for migrant settlers.
Last month Radio National showcased the town’s diversity programs and explored why it has come to “buck the national trend”.
Through the Mothers’ Group, the coordinators have set up partnerships with Maternal Child Health and the Refugee Nurse through Swan Hill District Health, to ensure migrants are receiving the information and care they need.
“Sometimes we work at finding a new home for them, because they have brought that issue up because they are comfortable here,” Ms Fox told The Guardian.
“Many of the girls who have come here have ended up finding further education and employment.”
They share recipes from their respective cultures and gain a sense of community.
The coordinators have included a visit to the local supermarket to educate those attending about useful products and healthy foods.
Word of the Mothers’ Group has since spread, and Ms Fox and Ms Elahi said they had people visiting Swan Hill just so they could be involved.
“There is no other such group in Victoria,” Ms Elahi said.
For many of the women, their experiences as refugees or migrants in a strange country have made adapting difficult, Ms Fox said.
“It’s grown because it is a place of trust,” she said.
“It’s hard to gain their trust, but once you do it’s forever.”
