Ashiana was pleased to welcome members to its 2024 Annual General Meeting held on 30 November 2024.
Ashiana Humanitarian Network’s purpose is to be a charity that provides benevolent relief from poverty, distress or disadvantage for vulnerable people in Australia and in developing nations. We support refugees, asylum seekers, humanitarian entrants and their families in Australia, and related communities in developing countries, to find a peaceful home.
‘Ashiana’ refers to a nest or home. This reflects our goal to shelter those who have fled persecution, insecurity and deprivation by coming to Australia, and support those left behind in seeking peace, justice, health and sustainable development in their homelands.
Our Chairperson, Dr Mary Nangrahary outlined some of the key achievements and progress of the past year in her director’s report, noting that Ashiana has been:
- reaching out to and learning more about the communities we aim to serve,
- building our membership, which is now 25 members,
- co-hosting an Ashiana seminar in March 2024 with Amnesty International Human Rights Legal Group WA and Murdoch University on migration law and practice with a focus on recent High Court cases, access to health care and cross-cultural legal practice
- sponsoring an exhibition of the artwork of local refugee artist, Halima Mozaffari, together with North Metropolitan TAFE in April 2024
- receiving our first government grant through the WA Department of Communities’ Women’s Grants for a Stronger Future, and our first NGO grant through Volunteering WA and Lotterywest
- running our first women’s workshop ‘Listen to Her Voice’ in collaboration with Cyril Jackson Senior Campus and Ishar Multicultural Women’s Health Service in early May 2024, which gave attendees an opportunity to speak about their personal experiences, learn about the services offered by Ishar and Cyril Jackson, and enjoy food, dancing and art
- our director, Farid Popal, representing Ashiana at the Cyril Jackson Senior Campus Harmony Day to speak with students from migrant and refugee backgrounds in early May 2024
- hosting a ‘thank you’ dinner for our wonderful volunteers in late May 2024
- relaunching our fundraising appeal through the GiveNow platform in June 2024
- marking World Refugee Day 2024 with our director, Robert Lindsay, writing his reflections on recent High Court decisions and what they mean for refugee law in Australia, which was published via our website
- co-hosting Ashiana’s second women’s workshop on ‘Economic Independence’ in collaboration with United in Diversity WA and the Victoria Park Community Centre, in August 2024 where attendees could learn about worker rights from Resolve Legal Solutions, superannuation and estates from Wendy Campbell & Associates, access to social security from the Welfare Rights & Advocacy Service, activities and programs available at the Victoria Park Community Centre, career coaching and styling with Dress for Success WA, education and careers through North Metropolitan TAFE, including their Adult Migrant English Program, careers in STEM for girls and women via Leila Saba, and social enterprises through United in Diversity WA
- hosting Ashiana’s third women’s workshop on wellbeing, safety and justice, in November 2024 in collaboration with the Centre for Women’s Safety & Wellbeing, Women’s Legal Service WA and Ishar Multicultural Women’s Health Service, while proudly welcoming Federal MP, the Hon. Zaneta Mascarenhas and Councillor Evia Aringo from the City of Swan as our honoured guests, to discuss the services available to support the safety and wellbeing of women from refugee and humanitarian backgrounds, particularly in circumstances of domestic, family and sexual violence, and what legal avenues are available to them to protect their rights and security
- reaching out to and learning more about potential partner organisations and attending events to represent Ashiana, including Cyril Jackson Senior Campus, North Metropolitan TAFE, Dress for Success WA, Ishar Multicultural Women’s Health Service, Victoria Park Community Centre, United in Diversity WA, Resolve Legal Solutions, Wendy Campbell & Associates, Welfare Rights & Advocacy Service, Amnesty International Human Rights Legal Group WA, Murdoch University, Women’s Legal Service WA, Centre for Women’s Safety & Wellbeing, and others
- writing support letters and providing supported referrals for clients in response to their inquiries on a variety of topics including health, employment, housing, family separation and migration matters
- preparing translated brochures for clients and ensuring interpreters are available at events organised by Ashiana
- sharing information through our website, LinkedIn and recently launched Facebook page about our activities
- supporting clients to access opportunities to further their work in the community through career and volunteering support
- monitoring legal and policy changes that concern our clients and communities and sharing that information with them and via our website and social media
- making a number of funding applications and using the opportunities provided by the Department of Communities and Volunteering WA to raise Ashiana’s profile and reach within the refugee and humanitarian community and develop informative events and new partnerships
- consulting with members and participants at events at what support and information they need to find a peaceful home, and how they see Ashiana’s future work and role.
We hope that the year ahead is filled with more opportunities to grow our work and community, and that we can secure the funding support of government and philanthropic organisations who see our past achievements and the promise of what our organisation can achieve.
We thank all members and supporters for their assistance, collaboration, funding and encouragement over the past year and we look forward to working with you in the coming year.
Our very best wishes for a happy and safe festive season, and if you are thinking of including a charity in your end-of-year gifting, please consider contributing to Ashiana’s appeal by giving a tax deductible donation via GiveNow at this link: ttps://www.givenow.com.au/wwwashianaorgau.
Please enjoy some images of our AGM below.
