By NARELLE COULTER, EDITOR
THIS week marks the final instalment of the Journal’s Give Us a Hand campaign.
As a voice of the community, we felt it important that the Journal throw its support behind the City of Greater Dandenong’s push to secure more Federal Government funding to support the increasing numbers of asylum seekers and refugees who call the city home.
The campaign kicked off on 4 August with a front page letter to Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
“The City of Greater Dandenong needs a helping hand,“ read the letter.
“The Journal supports the City of Greater Dandenong’s campaign for more resources to support the newest and most disadvantaged members of our community.“
While the fight for more resources goes on, week after week Give Us a Hand unearthed inspiring stories of refugees and asylum seekers who were making contributions to their adopted communities.
There have been personal stories of triumph over adversity such as the tale of Dit Chokeun who fled war-torn South Sudan to become a Salvation Army lieutenant helping the poor throughout Greater Dandenong and that of Kumar and his wife who in August shared their story of life behind wire in an Australian detention camp.
There have also been words of praise from employers such as Kees and Roelie Koomen who employ Sudanese asylum-seekers Eisa and Muhummad at their Pakenham rose farm.
“They appreciate having a job. They never complain about it. They’re happy to be here,“ Mr Koomen told the Journal.
Then there were the stories of community organisations such as the Noble Park Fire Brigade which has made a conscious effort to reach out to new arrivals and in return reap new members to boost flagging volunteers numbers.
Despite the formal campaign coming to an end, the Journal will continue telling the stories of asylum seekers and refugees and highlighting the incredible generosity of organisations and individuals throughout the city.
We hope that in 2015 we can also report that local government and community organisations finally get the support they so desperately need.
