Rotary North Balwyn helps Afghan Refugees
One hundred and sixty arrivals in December increased the total to 2,100 Afghan refugees that have resettled in Melbourne. Many of these people assisted the Australians in Afghanistan and were forced to flee with very little in the way of possessions. The Afghan Community Organisation and the Bakhtar Organisation have been welcoming and helping the new arrivals.
Housing has been arranged for some of the families by the Commonwealth’s Australian Multicultural Education Service (AMES) including the provision of basic kits of furniture, equipment and supplies.
Rotary North Balwyn has assisted this group through the provision of:
* an introduction to the Thread Together charity which has so far supplied 18 boxes of clothing and accessories
* a visit to DIK with Cris Yudi and Imre Lele where items including bicycles for children were acquired
* toys for the children at Christmas, donated by club members and Rotary Bacchus Marsh
members
* clothing and household items donated by member families including Maurie and Kris Walters, Cris Yudi, Marcel Muntwyler and Maree Williams, Sally and Peter Sutherland and Penny and Rowan McClean
* bedding supplies, furniture, domestic appliances, crockery and other items supplied by Rotary
Inner Melbourne Emergency Relief Network (RIMERN) against “wishlists” of 18 newly arrived families
* a special project sourcing pots and pans and crockery and cutlery from various sources including op shops
* more than 30 computers for students from an upgrade by our auditors Baumgartners.
Fourteen new requests for household items have since been lodged with RIMERN, and they are cooperating with their Western and Eastern Melbourne equivalents in an attempt to fill orders as best they can. Unfortunately Covid has forced them to postpone face-to-face activity during January with a review at month’s end.
Cris Yudi has been involved in most of the activity and has been a key contact with Haroon from the Bakhtar organisation. She has been assisted by Rowan McClean. Cris arranged for a truck from her local parish to help with deliveries, and this has enabled several valuable visits to the newly settled families. The club Board approved $1500 funding for initial transport requirements.
Ongoing transport funding and the storage of items between collection and delivery remain issues, so we would welcome hearing from anyone with any suggestions to provide temporary relief. An unused garage would be ideal. Please contact Cris or Rowan if you have any suggestions re storage or other assistance. A review of activity to date and likely future assistance is currently being conducted.