June 2025

HAFC has been very busy conducting training programs for Refugee Women who are long-term unemployed and isolated in our community during the past six months. We were fortunate to have received funding from the Newcastle Council Community Grants Program to get us started.

A total of six women successfully completed this program and reached a standard that allowed them to complete basic sewing work. This program was repeated after receiving funding from Orica, and another six women completed it. I am happy to report that we have now gained more funding, this time from Hillview Op Shop, that will allow us to train another six Refugee Women to bring their sewing skills to the necessary standards to successfully perform sewing at the required standard in Australia.

Our goal is to establish a sewing cluster that will support customers’ needs throughout the Hunter Region. We are planning to develop a structure that will support ongoing work for the sewing cluster and will, for the first time, provide some form of employment to long-term unemployed Refugee women. While we have a long waiting list of Refugee women wishing to join our training program, our experience to date shows that we need to further upskill some of our trained Refugees to enable them to successfully complete complex sewing work such as upcycling and recycling and wedding gowns and formal dresses.

I am happy to report that we have added three new directors to our board. Aradhana Grover is a recent graduate from India and is currently working as a new graduate registered nurse in Australia. Aradhana received the 2024 NSW International Student of the Year Award in the Higher Education category and is intensely interested in supporting disadvantaged people in our community. Dhananjay Sharma, our second young person to join our board, is also originally from India. He is in his fourth year of a Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours) degree at the University of Newcastle. He volunteers as the Engineers Australia Student Ambassador, supporting and engaging with fellow engineering students. He also has a passion for helping disadvantaged people in our community.

We also welcome Usman Bhatti to our board. Usman has worked as a refugee lawyer, providing advice and assistance to asylum seekers at the merits and judicial review stages. Significant experience working with diverse cultural, linguistic and religious backgrounds. Strong focus on research and remaining abreast of international developments relating to Refugee law.