SHE has been honoured as a living legend, but Caroline Springs resident Mimmie Watts gets the most satisfaction from simply helping refugee women learn to drive.
The community health lecturer at Victoria University’s college of health and biomedicine in St Albans was honoured with a Living Legend award at the African-Australian National Awards at Parliament House in Canberra in July.
Dr Watts has been a hands-on champion of refugee causes as a mentor and support for women.
“One of my most satisfying volunteer roles in the community has been working with a group of refugee women who, with the right support and advice, learnt to read and write English, got their driver’s licences and accessed study and employment.”
Dr Watts said education was vital. ‘‘Education is empowerment. And when you’re empowered you can change your life,’’ she said.
Her academic work has included a thesis highlighting the barriers young African women face in dealing with pregnancy – it found a lack of sexual health information available.
