Three Brimbank groups focusing on mental health for women and youth from different cultural backgrounds as well as refugees will share in more than $20,000 as part of this year’s Australia Post community grants program
The owner of social enterprise Salamatea House Hamed Allahyari said his $2000 grant would help set up a new project to assist refugees and new migrants in the area with mental health issues.
“They come to the cafe to say ‘hi’, “ he said.
“I know many of them because I see them in detention (centres).
“I was one of them.”
Mr Allahjari said new arrivals experienced a number of problems including isolation, loneliness and visa issues.
Formerly from Iran, he arrived in Australia in October 2012 and spent five months in detention on Christmas Island.
His cafe on Dickson Street in Sunshine employs 14 staff, most of whom are refugees or new migrants.
The Sunshine’s Women’s Support Network also received $9500 for its Belonging Again project, which encourages women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to connect, while headspace Sunshine received $10,000 for their Let’s Talk project which seeks to address youth mental health issues in CALD communities.
For further information about Mr Allahjari’s project, contact him on 0401 034 959.
Dora Houpis
