A new community project, which will showcase the stories of local migrant women, is in the works after receiving funding.
The storytelling project by Duke Street Community House and Angliss Neighbourhood House, funded by Borderlands Cooperative, will highlight the experiences, perspectives and memories of migrant women in the western suburbs of Melbourne.
According to Borderlands Cooperative, the project will explore topics such as cultural traditions, migration journeys, challenges faced by migrant women and the contributions they make to communities.
Duke Street community house women’s group facilitator Filomena Parente is an Italian migrant.
She said some of the struggles migrant women face when moving to Australia include navigating language barriers, feeling accepted in the community, and finding a sense of belonging.
“I think part of it, coming to a new country, is really learning the new sets of rules, the new laws, the new way of doing things,” Ms Parente said.
She said loneliness is also a major challenge faced by migrant women.
The women’s group at Duke Street community house meets regularly and members partake in activities outside of the storytelling project.
“It’s about bringing the community together, bringing these lovely ladies together in one place so they can just turn off from the rest of the world and just be in the here and now,” Ms Parente said.
“Everything that’s shared in this room, stays in the room. So we like to keep it a very safe, proactive environment where the ladies can just feel free to express themselves.”
