At the height of the coronavirus pandemic in April, the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC) learned through various community leaders that some of Australia’s newest arrivals were doing it tough due to their inability to access government relief services.
VMC Commissioner Bwe Thay, who arrived in Australia as a refugee more than 10 years ago, said he witnessed the difficulties they experienced first hand.
“There are some in our communities, for example, asylum seekers who cannot access the mainstream services and also lack of transportation to travel far distances to pick up food,” he said.
It was in navigating a response to assist these individuals that the Refugee Communities Association of Australia COVID-19 Relief Taskforce was established.
The aim of the taskforce is to provide food hampers to the most vulnerable members of the community, including new migrants, refugees, and international students.
“We wanted to harness the strength of our connections because as a community, we have different connections with different parts of the society and decision-makers,” Commissioner Thay said.
“And we wanted to be part of that broader discussion.
“So through this organisation, we affirm we were able to bring back the voice of the community at the grassroots level to the decision-makers and key stakeholders at different levels. And so that is the work we do.”
For many, the taskforce provided the opportunity for those who themselves were once refugees in Australia, to pay the favour forward.
That was the inspiration behind Thien Giang’s involvement in the taskforce.
The former Vietnamese refugee decided to round up a group of friends to help during the pandemic.
“Actually, it's not such a big deal,” she said.
“At first there was just me and a few friends of mine. We thought, ‘Why don’t we do something to help the less fortunate, those who are relying on social welfare, especially the newly arrived migrants, including the Vietnamese refugees?’”
Their initial plan was to provide necessities such as rice, bread, eggs, bacon, instant noodles, fruits and vegetables for 10 weeks.
The VMC connected Ms Giang’s team with the taskforce, and together they were able to help members of the newly arrived Assyrian/Chaldean, Iranian, Burmese, and Rohingya communities.
Thien Giang (left) is helping the RCAA distribute food to refugees in need. Source: Supplied
Each week, her team delivers hundreds of rice bags, eggs, instant noodles, fruits, and 100kg of chicken meat.
On Mother’s Day, Ms Giang told her children that all she wanted was rice, so that she could donate to people in need.
Aung Soe, a spokesperson for the Australian Burmese Rohingya Organisation (ABRO), said her community was “extremely grateful” for the contributions.
“We have about 60 to 70 Rohingya asylum seekers in Victoria on bridging visas who are not eligible for any kind of government support,” she said.
“These families have no job and income, and I am seeking financial and other support for them, particularly during Ramadan.”
Commissioner Thay said the generosity provided by members of the Vietnamese community, whom many arrived as refugees during the 70s, 80s and 90s, was especially significant.
“That's the migrant community. We support one another and we ensure that you know, everyone can have that sense of security and live in dignity,” he said.
In the first week of May, the relief program reached 70 families.
In the second week, the number swelled up to 400 families and a significantly larger number of international students received food hampers, while the RCAA was also able to act as a point of referral to other support services.
Commissioner Thay said acts of kindness were heartwarming and truly reflective of the Australian spirit.
“That's that sense of friendship, generosity, and kindness,” he said.
RCAA has also facilitated an initiative to provide tablets and laptops for new arrivals who are learning from home during the pandemic.
Commissioner Thay said that this was a model that they hoped to replicate to other states, such as New South Wales and Tasmania.
“So we don't know what the needs are going to be. But if there is a need, definitely we will continue,” he said.
“And also, it will give us enough time for us to perhaps reach a wider audience to contribute as well.”
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits. Testing for coronavirus is now widely available across Australia.If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
The federal government's coronavirus tracing app COVIDSafe is available for download from your phone's app store.
SBS is committed to informing Australia’s diverse communities about the latest COVID-19 developments. News and information is available in 63 languages at sbs.com.au/coronavirus.
