Monthly Archives: May 2017

Ways of Being Here

Diverse voices matter in Australia more than ever. Ways of being here is pocket book-sized collection of four short stories that showcases the work of four tWays of Being Here coveralented African writers living in Australia – Raefeif Ismail, Yirga Gelaw Woldeyes, Tinashe Jakwa and Yout A Alaak.

Maxine Beneba Clarke writes in her introduction: “Black people of African descent – black diaspora settlers and migrants and descendants of such – have been living in Australia for over 200 years. Yet local African diaspora fiction has been markedly absent from Australian shelves”.

Ways of being here is a terrific read. You can read it slowly, dipping into it over time, or in a few hours on an afternoon or evening you might have free. Either way, I guarantee you will want to read it several times. These beautifully written stories will capture your imagination and your attention. The four write of love, loss, the challenge of living between cultures, intergenerational clashes, of being made welcome and of being isolated.

Rafeif Ismail’s moving story, ‘Light at the end’, about two young women has language that sings off the page with emotion.   He writes: “When did you become this desperate, desolate thing? When did the world’s colours dull and laughter have a price? Fear is the chain you wear, shackling you between walls of loneliness, shame, regret and, most terribly, hope.”

Yirga Gelaw Woldeyes story, ‘When the sky looks like the belly of a donkey’, tackles the cultural challenges of starting a new life in Australia – a place so different from your home country. Yirga also captures what could be a group of typical Aussie blokes with insightful writing. The story about Ermi, usually mis-pronounced by many of his workmates as Army, is one I have heard from many migrants and people of refugee background. It is about starting at the bottom of the ladder, trying to fit in and always missing the people left behind. I laughed and I cringed but by the end of the story I smiled with hope.

All four short stories provide a valuable opportunity to reflect about the lives of others.

Ways of being here is published by Margaret River Press and the Centre for Stories, 2017

Stocking the pantry

CARAD is a fabulous organisation in Western Australia that has assisted thousands of refugees and asylum seekers with services such as settlement support, advocacy, referral, financial aid, English lessons, homework support and emergency supplies, including food and other pantry items.

As winter approaches and the number of CARAD’s non-income asylum seeker clients has food donationsincreased, the pantry is running low and they need your help. They’re looking for donations of the following:

cooking oil, sugar, salt, pepper, plain flour, cereal, instant coffee, tea, long-life milk, basmati rice, tinned tuna, tinned tomatoes, tinned fruit, honey, dried chickpeas or lentils, nuts and dried fruit, shavers, shaving cream, body wash or soap, toothbrushes, shampoo, male and female deodorant, laundry detergent, dish washing liquid, and tissues.

You can drop off your donations to their office at 245 Stirling St, Perth, Monday to Friday between 9am – 4pm.

Please spread the word.

For those of you who are keen to get involved and support some of our most vulnerable asylum seekers and refugees, volunteering with organisations such as CARAD is a great option. They have volunteering information sessions coming up, held at the CARAD office on:

  • Monday 22 May from 12-1 pm
  • Wednesday 24 May from 5.30-6.30 pm

Sessions will cover what CARAD does, the specific volunteer roles available, and the process for becoming involved. After attending an information session, volunteers will then be invited to participate in a ‘Building Bridges’ Training Course. To register your attendance please email sellie@carad.org.au.

Our Common Goal

It’s not every evening that you get to tour a mosque, cheer on an enthusiastic game of soccer and attend a board meeting!

That was how my involvement with the Edmund Rice Centre unfolded on Monday night starting with the launch of our second Common Goal program.

Common Goal involves a partnership between the Edmund Rice Centre WA, Football West, WA Police and the Canning Mosque. It aims to give young people opportunities for leadership training and education through a soccer academy.

After the launch event, the Canning Mosque team (aged from 14 -18) took to the field against a WA Police team in an evenly matched game. Over 100 people watched and cheered on the game and I have to say some of the skills on display would have rivalled the A-League! Canning Mosque was victorious with a 1-0 win.

Common Goal also aims to foster positive relationships between people from diverse communities and assist in strengthening police engagement by providing fun and structured sporting activities where anyone is welcome.

As a board member of the Edmund Rice Centre WA, I was delighted to hear the thoughts of the Turkish Muslim Society, Canning Mosque representatives and senior members of the WA Police about how the program was making a difference in the local community.   I was also honored to tour the Mosque with the Iman before the game and understand more about this often misunderstood religion.

The highlight for me though was watching young people from very diverse cultural backgrounds mingling, playing and laughing together. It gives me hope for our future.