Tag: welfare association

Southern Sudanese Christian Welfare Association Annual General Meeting

Posted on by alex

The Southern Sudanese Christian Welfare Association was formed by members of the Sudanese community to provide support for Maroondah’s Sudanese migrants.  The organisation not only provides peer support but holds cultural events to create a sense of community and provide opportunities to learn about Sudanese culture.

Today’s meeting elected committee members for the next twelve months and provided an update on the organisation and its objectives.  While housing and employment challenges remain and will require a coordinated approach across all levels of government, the Association has been successful in holding cultural events and promoting the need for social inclusion and opportunities.

It is imperative that  Maroondah’s Sudanese community is able to find suitable housing and employment opportunities so that these newly arrived migrants and their families are able to reside within the municipality.

Wellbeing of the Sudanese Community within Maroondah

Posted on by alex

The City of Maroondah is home to many Sudanese refugees, who settled within the municipality to start a new life within Australia. While many community organisations and facilities have welcomed the Sudanese community, they have experienced some ongoing difficulties in securing employment and housing.

This afternoon I attended a public meeting convened by the Maroondah Southern Sudanese Christian Welfare Association to discuss the ongoing difficulties faced by this community.

I was joined by the majority of my Council colleagues, as well as several State Members, so that we could hear first-hand the difficulties the Sudanese community is facing. While one of the challenges, in regard to community space, will hopefully be resolved through partnering with community houses, the challenge of affordable housing and employment, is more difficult to resolve.

All levels of government need to work together to ensure that our emerging communities are able to establish a sustainable and ongoing future within Maroondah. I will be discussing these concerns with State and Federal Members so that we can work towards some positive outcomes for the Sudanese community.