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Preshika Wagle from Nepal the first overseas entrant in Wagga show's Young Woman event
Conor Burke
September 20 2022
22-year-old CSU student Preshika Wagle loves her adopted home city and recently took part in the Wagga Show Young Woman event. Picture by Madeline Begley
The recent Wagga show took a huge leap forward as the flagship Young Woman event welcomed the first overseas entrant in its 156-year history.
Preshika Wagle from Nepal took part in this year's event, and it was all part of her love affair with Wagga.
Miss Wagle has been here since 2020 and originally, she just wanted to volunteer at the show, until Multicultural Council Wagga chief executive Belinda Crain suggested going one step further.
"The showground mentioned to me they needed some volunteers, but I also sent Preshika information on [the Young Woman event] and said, 'if you're interested have a look at this'," she said
"I know the show was looking at the reflective change in Wagga society, that's why they reached out to us." The 22-year-old, who grew up in Nepal's capital Kathmandu, wasn't sure she would fit the criteria without an agricultural background. But Nepal is known for agriculture, the CSU student said, and one day she would like to use her IT degree to aid the agriculture sector, so she threw herself into the challenge.
"It was really, really, really interesting, I made my mind up to do it," she said.
And while she didn't win, the event was a positive experience for Miss Wagle.
"Being the first person to do this ... it was a really wonderful experience, they think that I'm unique, so that made me feel very good," she said.
Taking part in the event was another step Miss Wagle has taken to embed herself in the local community. Alongside full-time study, she volunteers with the multicultural council, works at CSU and in disability services, is on the student representative council and is an international ambassador for the uni.
Preshika Wagle loves the weather in Wagga and the down to earth locals.
"I'm really a social person, I love meeting new people," she said.
"When I was in Nepal, I used to volunteer at many things ... I just don't like sitting at home," she said.
Miss Wagle came to Wagga just before the pandemic started and then spent the first eight months in her new home, stuck in her room.
And as the only woman in her class undertaking a Bachelor of Information Technology with a major in cyber security, life in Wagga was a culture shock at first. "It made me feel a little bit bad, coming to a different country, to a small town and being alone in the city, in the uni, it was quite frustrating," she said.
But throwing herself into volunteering and community life turned it around.
"I didn't think I would stay in Wagga, the first month was horrible. I grew up in a big city," she said.
"But when I got involved in everything, I loved everyone. The main thing I love about Wagga is that everyone is down to earth.
"I've heard things about racism in other cities of Australia, but I've never felt that in Wagga. They always make me feel good."
Ms Crain said it was an important step for Wagga to see Miss Wagle take part in the show event.
"I'm pleased that she's done that. It just shows you who's in our community," she said.
"She's making Wagga her home, she's at university, she's working here and being part of all aspects of social and civil participation. It's important for anyone that's living here, to have that sense of belonging."
Miss Wagle sees a future for herself in the city. She loves to travel around to different towns in the Riverina, and she hopes to continue on with CSU for her post-graduate studies.
"The main thing is, I love the weather and the people here," she said.
Yazidi community of Wagga commemorates Black Day
11 August 2022 | Shri Gayathirie Rajen
Rozaliya Hasan, 15, spoke on behalf of the Yazidi community on Black Day to commemorate the lives lost in the genocide by Islamic State (ISIS). Photo: Shri Gayathirie Rajen.
The Yazidi community of Wagga gathered in Victory Memorial Gardens on the eighth anniversary of Black Day to honour the thousands of lives lost in the genocide perpetrated by Islamic State (ISIS). Hundreds of Yazidi residents started their memorial service on 3 August at the Multicultural Council office and walked down the main street to the Memorial Gardens, holding signs to explain the commemoration. Community members then gathered to light candles in memory of the lives lost during the genocide. ISIS launched an assault on the Yazidi community of 400,000 people in northern Iraq in August 2014. Thousands were shot, beheaded or burned alive. Nearly 7000 women and girls were kidnapped and forced into sex slavery. Rozaliya Hasan spoke passionately about the plight of her community because of the genocide.
READ ALSO Escaping persecution to call Wagga home
“There isn’t any support for the people who have returned to their homes and those who are still living in camps,” said Rozaliya. “Many Yazidi families have lived in the camps under deplorable conditions with no support for almost eight years. “Hundreds of children and teenagers are growing up without education. ”Rozaliya thanked the Red Cross and Multicultural Council of Wagga for giving the displaced Yazidi people a new beginning in Wagga. “We have established ourselves in Australia and are grateful to the government for supporting the Yazidi people’s journey to Australia. “As the Yazidi community, we look forward to giving back to Australia in as many ways as possible. “We thank the volunteers for introducing us to the Australian way of life and thank the teachers who support our education, learning and wellbeing.”
Rozaliya is grateful for the opportunity to speak on behalf of her community and her country. “It makes me feel like I can do anything for my people and I hope others get to hear our story.” Multicultural Council of Wagga CEO Belinda Crain said Black Day is a sad day for the community, but the Yazidi are extremely resilient. “They have made Wagga their home and contribute at all levels within our community,” said Ms Crain. “Every single Yazidi in Wagga have suffered and lost someone.” Ms Crain said the Multicultural Council met with the elders of the Yazidi community and then decided to walk down the main street of Wagga for the first time to commemorate the anniversary of the genocide. “People stood to the side, asked questions and were reading the signs, and I think that gave more knowledge to the everyday person.” She said Wagga was the first settlement area for the Yazidi people who started settling into the community in 2016.
WAGGA'S YAZIDI COMMUNITY COMMERATES THE THOUSANDS OF LIFES LOST ON AUGUST 3RD, 2014
WIN News Riverina ·
Since 2016, Wagga has welcomed more than a thousand displaced people following the Yazidi genocide in Iraq. Today, the community marched through the CBD in honour of those they left behind.
On August 3 the Yazidi community will observe the 8th 'Black Day' in remembrance of the 2014 genocide
August 1 2022
By Conor Burke
REMEMBER: Local Yazidi man Shimmo Silo wants the world to know that his people are still being persecuted to this day, eight years after the 'Black Day' genocide. Picture: Madeline Begley
The Yazidi community is Wagga will commemorate 'black day' this Wednesday, the eighth anniversary of the genocide on their people by the Islamic State (ISIS). But this year they don't want to only highlight what has happened, but what they say is still happening in their homeland to this day. On August 3 2014, the Yazidi people were attacked by Islamic State in Iraq, with 1293 people killed in the first two days. Shimmo Silo, 55, was working in northern Iraq, in relative safety, when the 'Black Day' attack started, but he said that the persecution of his people by ISIS goes back to 2003 and the US invasion. Through tears he recounts a series of huge explosions that rocked his town in 2006, where 160 people died in less than thirty minutes, as an early indicator of the atrocities to come. "That was the start. Every month or every ten days ISIS car bomb," he said.
In 2014 more than 300 people in his village were murdered. Mr Silo eventually made it to Australia in 2019, but not before his wife and son were murdered and his two daughters were taken captive, only to be released shortly before making to our shores. Kheder Sharkan remembers hiding in the mountain for 8 days after the attack, without food, water or shelter. He eventually made it on foot to a safer area of Iraq and then on to Turkey, only to lose his daughter and two grandchildren alongside 27 other Yazidis, all who went missing never to be found. He relives those events every year. "Many have lost like this," he said through an interpreter. "We feel it like the same day in 2014, from July to August it is very hard," he said. Thousands were also kidnapped by ISIS in those first horrific days, wrenching women and children from their homes, decimating thousands of families.
NEVER FORGET: Shireen Abdullah and her uncle Kheder Sharkan are both calling on Governments around the world to help the Yazidi people still suffering in Iraq. Picture: Madeline Begley.
Mr Sharkan's niece Shireen Abdullah, 45, was kidnapped by IS on August 3 and taken to Syria where she remained captive for 2 years and 5 months, until her freedom was bought by the Iraqi Government. She then spent years in an Iraqi camp for the displaced in poor conditions, she said, until global not-for-profit Yazda helped her gain immigration to Australia in 2018.
She left behind a husband in Iraq, who she believes is an ISIS captive, along with her sister's children who continue to live a hard existence as Yazidis are not given jobs, education or even electricity in some cases. "I have a good life here," she said. "But I miss my husband, I'll always remember that, it's very hard. "Over 360,000 people were displaced after the genocide and while many fled their country, many now reside in makeshift camps in Iraq. Mr Silo said this anniversary is important to let the world know that, in his opinion, the genocide continues. "The genocide now continues," he said. "Because we have a lot of people now living in [camps] in the north of Iraq and the high temperature, it's 50 degrees now and no one does anything for them." "We have to remember, to know what happened. The world has to know that this happened [because of our religion]." Overall, an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 Yazidis - mostly men and elderly women - were killed in August 2014, while around 6,000 mostly women and children were taken captive. For many of the local Yazidi community, August 3 is also about remembering the people left behind and they're calling on the Australian government to help those still suffering in Iraq. The Wagga Yazidi community invites the wider community to march with them through the main street to commemorate 'Black Day'.
Escaping persecution to call Wagga home
16 July 2022 | Shri Gayathirie Rajen
Left to right) Dalal Ali, Nanssy Ali, Dima Ali, David Rashid, Siham Bibou and Oday Rashid have made Wagga their new home eight years after fleeing persecution. Photo: Shri Gayathirie Rajen.
When ISIS (Islamic State) launched a genocide against Yazidi people in the Iraqi town of Bashiqa, residents Siham Bibou and Oday Rashid took their three young daughters and left life as they knew it behind. Oday had been a bus driver and a mechanic. When ISIS first attacked his village he was left without a job for four months, so the family was already enduring hardship. They fled to the country’s north in the Iraqi summer of 2014 without so much as warm clothes for the winter. “My youngest, Dalal, was only 40 days old and we left everything, including her milk,” Siham said. We had a very hard life.” “Very hard” was an understatement, but the Yazidi family eventually moved on to Turkey and registered themselves with the United Nations. Their trials were not over yet. Oday toiled to earn a meagre income to provide the basics for his family. They endured a further two years of adversity in Turkey but their life changed in 2016 when Australia received them for resettlement. Under the resettlement program, the couple moved to Wagga with their three daughters Dima Ali, Nanssy Ali, Dalal Ali and their youngest son David Rashid, who was born in Turkey. “We didn’t know anything about Australia at the time and we didn’t know anyone here,” Siham said. “It was like a strange country, but we liked it very much from the first day we came to Wagga.” The mother of four said the family had received an immeasurable amount of help from volunteers and neighbours. “Belinda [Crain] from the Multicultural Office is a great woman,” Siham said. “Whenever we needed something, we would go ask her and she always helped us.”
The family received their Australian citizenship at the April 2022 ceremony. Photo: Shri Gayathirie Rajen.
The father of four said the family struggled with English when they moved to Australia. “Even though we had studied a little bit of English back in my country, the conversation style is different,” Oday said. The family now officially calls Australia home, having received their Australian Citizenship in April 2022. “It was our dream to get citizenship,” Oday said. “Wagga is quiet and safe, and it’s good for my family.” Siham proudly added that she had passed her citizenship test on the first try. “I’m so happy and proud of myself,” she said.
Nanssy and Dima attend Wagga High School while little Dalal and David attend Turvey Park Public School. Photo: Shri Gayathirie Rajen.
Eight years after fleeing persecution Siham is now a stay-at-home mother, while Oday works for Flipscreen Australia after completing his builder apprenticeship. Nanssy (18) and Dima (16) attend Wagga High School, while eight-year-old Dalal and six-year-old David attend Turvey Park Public School. Having rebuilt and been welcomed into the Wagga community with open arms, it is difficult to imagine the displaced life this family once lived. Young Dima said she and her siblings didn’t really understand what happened when they were little but realised the gravity of their situation as they got older. Both Dima and Nanssy love their new lives, attending school and knowing they have a future in Australia. Nanssy said she wanted to pursue a Bachelor of Health in Medical Science at Charles Sturt University, and Dima is keen to follow suit. “I don’t know what I want to do yet, but it’s definitely something in medicine and helping people in need,” Nanssy said.
Inspiring migrants celebrated at Multicultural Council of Wagga's Refugee Week event at Henschke Primary School
Monty Jacka
FAMILY: Iraqi-born Qasim Smoqi with his children Arjiwan, 7, Aylin, 10, and Ayyan, 3, at the Refugee Week celebration. Picture: Madeline Begley
Wagga's vibrant and diverse refugee community came together over the weekend to celebrate their shared experiences and new lives in the Riverina. More than 1500 people attended the Multicultural Council of Wagga's Refugee Week event at Henschke Primary School on Saturday. Belinda Crain, the multicultural council's chief executive officer, said despite some early rain the mood on the day was wonderful. "There were so many happy faces and it was just a lovely, warm environment," she said. From Afghanistan and Iraq to Burma and Burundi, Ms Crain said the event showcased the huge variety of cultures that now make up Wagga. Attendees took part in craft activities, jumped on rides, tasted cultural food, explored fire trucks and enjoyed traditional tunes over the course of the day.
Ms Crain said it was a great way to show Wagga's refugee community that they are welcome and encouraged residents to continue opening their hearts to the new arrivals. Their contribution, their vibrance and their sense of kindness is a benefit to the whole of Wagga," she said. “It’s about giving them a fair go. Maybe their language is a barrier but try and communicate in other ways - a simple smile gives joy to most people."
The event was followed up by a multi-faith prayer service on Sunday, where Christians, Catholics, Muslims, Baha'is and more gathered to pray for peace. Held in San Isadore, the service was attended by more than 200 residents and organiser Joan Saboisky said it captured the "common humanity" between the religions.
21 May 2022
April 11 2022
Fusion Festival - PRIME7
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RAZYA in WIN News
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APRIL 11 2022
Razya Neamat becomes the first female Yazidi refugee in Wagga to be accepted into university
Monty Jacka
SUCCESS: Razya Neamat said she hoped her success in reigniting her education in Wagga would inspire other young female Yazidi refugees in Wagga. Picture: Madeline Begley
After terrorists forced her to flee her home and abandon her studies, a young Yazidi woman has reignited her education dream in Wagga. Razya Neamat, 26, is one of more than 800 Iraqi refugees who have been resettled in the Riverina over the past decade. She has just become the first female Yazidi refugee in the region to be accepted into university, finally putting her dream of becoming a primary school teacher back on track.
"I am really excited. Every day I look up online to see which books they have and other stuff to prepare myself," Ms Neamat said. Ms Neamat was just two years into her studies to become a teacher in Iraq when her family was forced to flee due to fear of being killed by terror group Islamic State.
SUCCESS: Razya Neamat has been accepted to study a Bachelor of Education at Charles Sturt University. Picture: Madeline Begley
They spent two years living in limbo in Turkey before being resettled to Wagga in 2019, where Ms Neamat has spent the past two years looking to re-launch her studies. These efforts finally came to fruition this month when she was accepted into Charles Sturt University to study a Bachelor of Education, with her first classes set to begin in June.
The acceptance marks a new beginning for Ms Neamat's long-term dream of becoming a primary school teacher and helping young students begin their journey into education. "I have always wanted to be a primary teacher because I enjoy kids, especially when they start to learn from you and they become happy and smile," she said. Ms Neamat hopes her journey can serve as inspiration for all of the other young Yazidi women who have moved to Wagga.
"I want to be an example for others to not give up and to try and get their dream jobs and continue their study," she said. Multicultural Council of Wagga chief executive officer Belinda Crain supported Ms Neamat through the journey to relaunch her studies and said she was "over the moon" to hear she had succeeded.
APRIL 10 2022
FUSION22: Fusion Multicultural Street Festival brings together traditional food, music and performances from across the world
Hayley Wilkinson
FUSION22 Multicultural Street Festival was a buffet for the senses with delicious food, beautiful garments and traditional music from countless nations coming together for one spectacular celebration.
Emceed by young change-makers Roz Hasan and Amoghavarsha, the festivities kicked off with performances from the Filipino, Indian, Samoan, Bangladeshi and Ukrainian communities. The crowd continued to pour in as attendees were greeted with a Welcome to Country followed by an address from deputy mayor Jenny McKinnon.
Members from the Wagga's Samoan community treated locals to a traditional dance at FUSION22. Picture: Hayley Wilkinson
Sand Sculptor Steve Machell was a particular hit among the crowd, completing a sculpture of the Hindu god Lord Ganesh in around 2 hours to the amazement of many. Australian artists Alice Skye, Parvyn, Chitra, Horn of Leroy and Thando kept the good times rolling with an eclectic mix of music throughout the evening. And finally, what is Fusion festival without a delicious serving of food? Lines were seemingly endless with cuisines covering everything from Syria to Spain, Sri Lanka and around the world again until the final dinner bell rang.
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Take a look through our official gallery for FUSION22 Multicultural Street Festival:
APRIL 4 2022
Fusion Multicultural Street Festival returns after two-year hiatus to Victory Memorial Gardens
Hayley Wilkinson
FUSHION22: Karyl Beralde, Robie Zaragoza, Sarah Newcombe and Adriana de Castro make up the Filipiana Dance Group who will perform at Fusion Festival this weekend. Picture: Madeline Begley
CULTURES will collide this weekend for a harmonious celebration of diversity as Wagga welcomes back Fusion Festival. Fusion has become Wagga's biggest clash of food, live entertainment and culture, and the city's Multicultural Council (MCWW) is thrilled to be revisiting the event following a two-year hiatus. MCWW chief executive officer Belinda Crain said that the impact of such events on the multicultural community is remarkable and is a direct reflection of Wagga's warm reception. "I really know how much the families that I work with appreciate such a day," she said. "It really highlights and showcases the diversity that we do have in Wagga."
According to the most recent, available census data, Wagga is home to people from 112 countries of origin, that speak 107 languages and practice 65 faiths. Wagga City Council community development officer Victoria Lowe said that residents should be proud of the safe and welcoming city it has fostered as the region's population continues to grow. "We do open our hearts and our minds, and we really support and welcome individuals from other nations," she said A major part of this - the postponed event which was scheduled to take place in October last year - is the focus on youth, with two young residents taking the lead as the masters of ceremony.
Amoghavarsha and Roz Hasan participated in last year's theatre production Sharing Stories, Sharing Place at the Civic Theatre, and have been presented the opportunity to MC to "encourage their craft", as put by Ms Crain.
FUSHION22: Adriana de Castro, Sarah Newcombe, Robie Zaragoza, Karyl Beralde make up the Filipiana Dance Group who will perform at Fusion Festival this weekend. Picture: Madeline Begley
High school students Karyl Beralde, Robie Zaragoza, Sarah Newcombe and Adriana de Castro will also perform a traditional Filipina dance in addition to showcases from the local Samoan, Indian, Bangladeshi and Ukrainian communities. Food is definitely on the menu, with the Burma, Afghanistan, Filipino and Sri Lankan communities serving up warm and delicious traditional dishes to offset the cooling autumn breeze. While COVID-19 continues to play havoc on the hospitality industry, Ms Crain has warned that the effects of this may be noticeable on the day. "But there will certainly be enough to delight all." Fusion Festival will start at 4pm at the Victory Memorial Gardens this Saturday and entry is free.
APRIL 4 2022 - 7:00PM
The Member for Wagga Dr Joe McGirr will take the job program funding cuts up with the government
Conor Burke
Fight: The Employment Pathways Program will lose funding come December, but local MP Dr Joe McGirr wants to see it continue.
The axing of funding for a successful local jobs program has been met with dismay.
The Daily Advertiser reported last week that the Employment Pathways Program, a NSW Government initiative run by the Multicultural Council of Wagga, will cease to exist after the Department of Communities and Justice pulled its funding.
The program helped more than 150 young people from difficult backgrounds find employment and learn life skills which will set them up for long term success.
Program coordinator Mick Rumble said that their work can help set young people onto a better path in life.
"Previously working at Junee Correctional Centre, Community Corrections and Offender Services Program, I have seen so many people incarcerated that if given a chance would not, and should not, be there," he said.
Chief executive officer of the Multicultural Council of Wagga Belinda Crain said it's "a real shame" that the program is ending. "Because it does get results. It's a really practical hands-on program for really vulnerable young people," she said. "It's about individual needs. And addressing barriers for young people to gain meaningful and sustainable employment."
She said that funding cuts to programs is a regular occurrence and that losing this particular program will create a gap in the local area.
"[It happens] all the time and it's very frustrating. You get a program that's working, you build a reputation and you know the program is doing a good job, then funding goes," she said. "It's about working for the individual, that's what our jobs are ... they don't just fit into a box, you really have to get to know the young people and build that relationship to move forward."
Steve Seetanna, a support officer with the Local Jobs Program, said that losing this program is "tragic". "When you're talking about job seekers, 78 per cent of job seekers are long-term unemployed, for two years or more," he said. "It's not a simple case of applying for work and getting into work, it's all those things in-between. But who does that?"
The Independent Member for Wagga Dr Joe McGirr said he would like to see the program extended as he has seen that it has been "making a real difference". "In the past, I have been successful in obtaining additional funding to allow the program to continue to operate," he said. "I have just been made aware that the current funding arrangement has not been extended beyond December.
"Clearly, I am keen to see the good work continue, so I will be taking it up with the government and advocating for a continuation of funding."
APRIL 2 2022
Wagga Employment Pathways Program will soon cease to exist after a funding cut
Connor Burke
Success: Natasha Lamb has achieved a stable life through hard work and the help of Mick Rumble, but she worries others won't be so lucky.
Natasha Lamb looks towards Mick Rumble a lot during the conversation. It's partly nerves and partly for reassurance, but also because they've been through a lot together. Mick is a coordinator at the Employment Pathways Program, a NSW government initiative run by the Multicultural Council of Wagga.
It helps support young people who've had difficult backgrounds find employment, and more importantly learn the life skills that will help them keep it. Natasha, 19, was referred to the program and she's gone from homelessness to working in community services with Anglicare. The program has helped more than 150 people like Natasha over the last three years, but come December it will cease to exist as the Department of Communities and Justice has pulled its funding. "I feel like the system has once again let them down in a way," Mick said. "I have seen so many teenagers and young adults fall by the wayside because of the lack of the right people, with empathy, on the ground to help guide them, without judging them."
Mick said that "employment is the easy part", but building the confidence to rent a flat or buy furniture or a car, are skills the program tries to instil to set young people up for success. Natasha recounts her life story in a matter-of-fact way. She's had to face homelessness, trauma, depression, PTSD and anxiety in her young life. But through hard work she has learnt skills that have given her a steely resolve.
"I didn't know much about it," Natasha said of renting her first place. "Especially not having your parents there to tell you how. But I was excited ... it's good to have somewhere I can call home. "I don't know if I would have the motivation, or know where to look [without the program]."
Natasha and Mick's bond has been forged through tough times. Like when she lost her licence and he drove her to and from work every day for three weeks. Or when her car wouldn't start, Mick was her first call.
An initiative like this goes beyond the normal job program and creates a support network that many young people crave. "It's good to have that support by your side to say 'it's all right'," Natasha said. "I've come a long way and now I can do stuff on my own, I wouldn't have done that at all without Mick." Natasha's story is one of success, but without this program many other young people won't get the same opportunity. "I'm gutted. I'm not blaming [DCJ], it's just a system that does not work for everyone," Mick said.
MARCH 4 2022
Wagga Ukraine prayer vigil calls for peace and end to injustice amid Russian invasion
Rex Martinich
An estimated 200 people gathered in Wagga on Thursday evening for a prayer vigil to show support for Ukrainians suffering under Russia's invasion.
Federal, state and council leaders, as well as the Multicultural Council, joined with representatives from the city's religious faiths to light candles and pray for the victims of war and for an end to injustice. West Wagga and San Isadore Refugee Committee member Joan Saboisky led the vigil, which she said was filmed so that people in Ukraine could see it. Mrs Saboisky has a personal connection to Ukraine through her husband Peter's parents, who came to Wagga as refugees during World War II. "Peter and I were there in 2019 and we were with all the family; it's such a beautiful country and we had no idea it would turn into this," she said. Mrs Saboisky said the committee decided to approach various groups to hold a vigil in response to community interest. "Our relatives in Ukraine know this vigil has happened and it means a lot to them, they have watched what countries around the world have done to support them," she said. During the vigil, audience members held up Ukrainian flags as a gesture of solidarity and held a minute's silence for the lives lost during the invasion.
Ukrainian Wagga resident Larissa Burak brought her traditional Ukrainian Bandura stringed instrument and sung a hymn to those fighting for Ukraine's freedom, and later performed Ukraine's national anthem.
"It is very hard for me to be here. I wish I could be in Ukraine and fight but I have got a weapon: my instrument and my voice," Mrs Burak told the vigil. Wagga mayor Dallas Tout said he was extremely proud of how the city had come together. "We are thinking of [the people of Ukraine], we can't do anything on the ground but we can be here and be thinking of them. This city shows how it looks after communities in times of crisis, it doesn't matter where they are," he said.
Wagga MP Joe McGirr said the city was mindful not only of Ukraine but also those affected by floods in NSW and Queensland. "We are trying to deal with two disasters that affect people. There is a sense with Ukraine where it's a bit harder to take as it's inflicted by mindless aggression from other humans," he said. Riverina MP Michael McCormack said the price of freedom was eternal vigilance and compassion. "We stare at our TV screens and wonder as to how and why [the invasion] happened. In what should be a peaceful world, it should not have happened," he said.
PRIME7 News Wagga: 1 March, 2022
https://www.prime7.com.au/bulletin/prime7-news-wagga-1-march-2022
MARCH 1 2022
Multicultural Council Wagga Wagga welcomes Ukrainian refugees but highlights housing crisis as a potential issue
Hayley Wilkinson
OPEN ARMS: Multicultural Council Wagga Wagga chief executive officer Belinda Crane hopes Wagga will have capacity to welcome Ukrainians if current military actions lead to significant displacement. Picture: Madeline Begley
UKRAINIANS escaping their war-torn country could find sanctuary in Wagga, according to city leaders, however one refugee advocate has raised concerns over the city's housing crisis. The Multicultural Council Wagga Wagga (MCWW) says the city remains a great place for settlement but the number and speed at which refugees are received could exacerbate existing issues such as housing availability.
Wagga has a proud history of embracing refugees, and MCWW chief executive officer Belinda Crane said sustaining such a legacy is worth addressing the lengths and limitations of the city's current resources. "What's happening in Ukraine is absolutely devastating, and I think that, as global citizens, we have responsibilities," she said. "I think that we have an inviting community here, but like with everywhere at the moment, there is a housing crisis, so that concerns me."
However, he says Wagga has always been generous with its humanitarian efforts, something the government will continue to support. "Wagga has opened its arms before when about 55 homeless Yazidi families, around 250 people, were taken in with open arms," he said Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack said in order to address the housing crisis, a whole-of-government and community response would need to be adopted.
"When the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection phoned me to ask if Wagga Wagga would take in these families, I said yes straight away." The United Nations has estimated around 500,000 citizens have fled Ukraine since Russia launched a large-scale invasion of the country on February 24.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, in a letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, said the state would assist the Commonwealth should the military action in Europe lead to the significant displacement of Ukrainians. Member for Wagga Dr Joe McGirr has supported the Premier's declaration and is confident that any refugee transition within Wagga would be well planned.
"I am sure residents would be only too willing to extend a hand to people from Ukraine," he said. "I am confident that the arrival of refugees into Wagga Wagga would be planned so that it did not overwhelm the city's resources." Support from both federal and state leaders is welcome news to Ms Crane, who strongly advocates for the protection of displaced persons. The MCWW will be hosting a vigil at the Victory Memorial Gardens on Thursday evening starting at 7pm - welcoming anyone hope wishes to attend to join in solidarity for Ukraine.
Multicultural groups welcome free, accessible COVID-19 rapid test kits
ABC Riverina
By Romy Stephens and Melinda James
08/02/2022
Yazidi woman Siham Bibou and Belinda Crain have welcomed the extra rapid antigen tests.(ABC Riverina: Romy Stephens)
Multicultural organisations across New South Wales have welcomed the streamlined delivery of rapid antigen tests (RATs) to vulnerable culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Key points:
· The Hunter, Illawarra and Riverina are the first places to see RATs provided to ethnic groups
· Multicultural people say it is a safer and easier way to access the tests
· There are calls for simpler instructions on how using the tests to be distributed alongside the kits
A new partnership between the state government and Ethnic Communities Councils of NSW is seeing free RATs delivered to people of migrant and refugee backgrounds.
The Hunter, Illawarra and Wagga Wagga are among the first locations involved in the rollout.
Belinda Crain, chief executive of the Multicultural Council of Wagga Wagga, said they had started handing out tests to people in need.
She said many of her clients had previously struggled to access RATs.
"There are a lot of different apps and there are a lot of different websites saying we've got them available," Mr Crain said.
"But if you don't read English and don't know how to navigate the interview then you're at a disadvantage because you don't know how to access."
Multicultural Communities Council of Illawarra chief executive Chris Lacey said they were "delighted" to have received about 500 rapid antigen kits.
"We've been talking to the government of NSW for a couple of weeks about the importance of supporting local multicultural associations, who are largely volunteer-based," she said.
Direct delivery
Siham Bibou says having RATs at the multicultural council makes it easy for her community.(ABC Riverina: Romy Stephens)
Siham Bibou is a Yazidi woman and a refugee from Iraq who now lives in Wagga Wagga and has received her free RATs.
She said it was convenient to go directly to the local multicultural council, as she is familiar with the people there.
"If we have any questions or if we need any help we come to the Multicultural Council, they help us, they are good with us," Ms Bibou said.
"I feel like I have a family here.
"We don't know all the rules here in Australia but when we come to them and ask, they explained it."
Education still needed
Geraldine Duncan is a general practitioner who has worked in Wagga Wagga for 40 years and in refugee health for 20 years.
She said the free RATs would help when it came to acquisition, but ensuring they were correctly used was another issue.
Multicultural communities in NSW now have better access to rapid antigen test kits.(Flickr: Jernej Furman)
"It would be good to somehow work out how we can make sure members of the community understand how to use the tests," Dr Duncan said.
"It's one thing to supply a test but it's another thing to ensure the test is being used and understood appropriately.
Dr Duncan said easy-to-understand guides should also be rolled out.
"As to when it is appropriate to use them and how frequently you use them," she said.
"Not everybody can read English so they might need to be in other languages.
"But also very pictorial because not everybody from those communities, particularly some of the older members of the communities, they've never had any education and they're illiterate in their own language as well as English."
Please Click Link below
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-08/multicultural-groups-welcome-rapid-covid-test-kits/100809892
JANUARY 28 2022
Tasty Tibetan Treats upgrade from food stalls to Wagga restaurant on Forsyth Street
Monty Jacka
AUTHENTIC: Jinpa Gyatso and Sonam Lhamo have turned their travelling food stall into a permanent restaurant in central Wagga. Picture: Madeline Begley
The passionate refugees behind popular travelling food stall Tasty Tibetan Treats have upgraded to a permanent location in the centre of Wagga.
Jinpa Gyatso and Sonam Lhamo have moved their business away from bustling country marketplaces and into Forsyth Street, taking over the former location of Invermay Lane Brasserie. Mr Gyatso described the restaurant, tucked between Sturt Mall and the Wagga Marketplace, as the fulfilment of a lifelong dream. "We are very scared and it is very hard, but we are also very happy because it is a dream come true," he said.
The business is Wagga's first ever Tibetan restaurant and will feature all of the beloved menu items that have proved so popular at marketplaces across the region, such as momos, shapaleys and thenthuk. All of the dishes were taught to Mr Gyatso by his grandmother back in the Tibetan countryside and he believes having a proper restaurant will eventually allow him to introduce even more authentic dishes from his home nation.
AMBITION: Mr Gyatso and Ms Lhamo described the opening of their restaurant as the fulfilment of a lifelong dream. Picture: Madeline Begley
The couple said they were blown away by the support the community showed their food stall last year and they have already received a wave of positive feedback for the new location.
"We are very thankful we have got some very good reviews and good comments from the community already," Mr Gyatso said.
"Some people have come back three times since their first time and we have got really great feedback."
After spending four years in India and then six in Sydney, Mr Gyatso and Ms Lhamo moved to Wagga in 2019 in search of a more peaceful atmosphere.
Bushfires and the COVID pandemic meant their decision was instantly marred with hurdles, but the pair are still incredibly happy with the move.
"It's quiet, peaceful, cheap and very similar to where I grew up in Tibet with lots of farms," Mr Gyatso said.
JANUARY 26 2022
Group of Wagga residents become official Australian citizens
Emily Wind
BIG DAY: New citizen Janetlee Gregoricus (centre) with Les Foley, Jayley Allen-Freeman, Bella Rose Breed, 5 and Jack Breed, 3. Picture: Les Smith
Wagga's newest Australian citizens were equal parts excited and emotional during an Australia Day ceremony at the Victory Memorial Gardens on Wednesday. The community gathered in the park from about 9am to witness 17 adults and one child take their oath and officially become citizens of Australia. Janetlee Gregoricus has been living in Wagga since 2017 and was "overwhelmed with joy" on Wednesday as she became an official Aussie. Originally from Boston, Massachusetts in the United States, Ms Gregoricus first came to Wagga because of love. She met her husband in 2015 and after a few years of long-distance, moved to Wagga to be with him in 2017. That same year, they were married at a ceremony in the Botanic Gardens. "I love living in the country, so that's been surprising to me because I've been near the ocean my whole life," she said. "Once I got here and I got used to the community and Wagga I really really loved it." For Ms Gregoricus, the citizenship ceremony was an emotional experience. "I got all teary eyed as everyone got theirs," she said. "To me it's special to do this and to call this my country now, I'm really really proud of it."
Nine-month-old Dibyansh Neupane with Ranjana Neupane, Madhukar Regmi, Dixit Neupane and Dipika Upadhayay. Picture: Les Smith
Madhukar Regmi, originally from a small town in Nepal, wanted to soak up every second of the experience on Wednesday as he finally became a citizen. First coming to Australia in 2015 for postgraduate study and then work, Mr Regmi soon fell in love with the country. He lived in Western Sydney originally, then Moss Vale, but has settled down and bought his family home in Wagga. "I just love it here," he said, commenting on the good weather, quiet traffic and quick access to nature, such as neighbouring farmland and Kosciuszko National Park not too far away. "I was planning to study and maybe work, see how I go [in Australia]. things just got so smooth [and] I just loved it here," Mr Regmi said. As for what's next, he and his family are hoping to do a trip around the country.
New Aussie citizen Shelan Khodedah with Roya Pouya and David Gilbey. Picture: Les Smith
After years of working to make it happen, Shelan Khodedah was also thrilled to be able to call herself an official Aussie today. Born in Iraq, Ms Khodedah had a difficult upbringing amidst war and violence, having to flee the country to escape ISIS in 2014. "A lot of my community [was] being kidnapped, my relatives, my friends, being kidnapped, being killed, suicided; everything's terrible," she said. Ms Khodedah spent three years in Turkey before coming directly to Wagga, and said the peaceful environment and community spirit has given her a huge amount of comfort.
Wagga City Council mayor Dallas Tout presided over the Australia Day citizenship ceremony, reading aloud the oaths for Wagga's newest citizens to repeat and posing for photographs with members of the community. "Today we are celebrating the coming together of different cultures which makes our community a wonderful and diverse place," he said. "I wish you a life [full of] peace, prosperity and happiness and as mayor of this city can I say how proud I am to be a part of this occasion today."
JANUARY 4 2022
Multicultural residents at greater risk of drowning in inland waterways if more is not done
Hayley Wilkinson
PREVENTABLE: Wagga resident Rupinder Kaur suggests more can be done to protect multicultural residents over the course of summer, with more inclusive messaging and stronger imagery-based signage a good place to start.
ADVOCATES are worried that drownings will only increase if more is not done to warn multicultural communities about the dangers of region's waterways. The concerns follow the death of a Congolese teenager on Christmas Day while swimming in the Murray River, the country's number one blackspot for drownings. According to Royal Life Saving Australia, 33 per cent of the 99 drowning deaths that occurred in NSW during the 2020-21 financial year were linked to rivers and creeks. Statistics also show that a third of those drowning in Australian waters derive from multicultural backgrounds, which is no surprise to Wagga resident Rupinder Kaur, who said swimming is not considered recreational in some countries. "Coming from an Indian background ... my family and friends from little villages had no idea what a swimming pool is," she said. With regular access to pools and swimming centres costly for larger families over summer, natural waterways are often considered an inexpensive alternative.
Yet, members of the multicultural community can underestimate the dangers associated with rivers and creeks. Wagga's Multicultural Council has previously led swimming programs to teach new refugees water safety skills, but coronavirus and a lack of funding have meant no lessons have taken place in the last two years. While Ms Kaur recognises the benefits of such programs, she said learning to swim was not often a priority for those settling into a new country. She suggested image-based signage in prominent locations across the city would raise the vigilance of those entering unsupervised waters. "I'm not suggesting for the whole year-round, but especially in the peak season," she said.
Royal Life Saving NSW regional manager Michael Dasey said the number of incidents this summer would suggest that not enough had been done to reduce fatalities. Yet the challenge to preserve lives has been increasingly difficult as regional communities grow more diverse. "A lot of the resources. do include versions in other languages however, a lot of that is often centralised around prominent languages and often [other] languages or cultures can be overlooked," Mr Dasey said. This is an issue the Multicultural Council has been determined to erase on a local level, with CEO Belinda Crain saying resources inclusive of the city's most common refugee backgrounds are now available.
"We worked with Royal Life Saving with some money that we received, to put [water safety resources] into a few different languages which they didn't have before," she said. Ms Crane considers water safety as essential, not only for the preservation of life but for inclusivity. Swimming programs organised by the MCWW will resume in April 2022 after having secured enough funding to proceed.
ABC news 2 Nov 2021
Just between Us
Series 1 Episode 2 Family is what you Make It
Pls click link Below to watch stories
MCWW related from 18:27 to 28:24
SEPTEMBER 28 2021
Nominations for 2022 Australia Day citizen of the year awards open
Penny Burfitt
HONOURED: Wagga Mayor Greg Conkey with last year's Young Citizen of the Year Clare Lawlor and Citizen of the Year Belinda Crain. Picture: Les Smith
Wagga mayor Greg Conkey has called on all residents to put forward a local hero for next year's Australia Day awards. Nominations for the annual awards opened on Tuesday and will close on Monday November 22, with winners to be announced at a ceremony on January 25.
Five awards up for grabs include the Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, and the Environmental Citizen of the Year Award. The awards recognise those who made a difference over the year, and rely on nominations submitted by fellow community members. Citizen of the Year for 2021 Belinda Crain encouraged locals to put someone forward for the award. "I would encourage everyone to nominate someone that they think is deserving because there are many people out there who are," she said. Young Citizen of the Year Clare Lawlor also called on people to put someone forward, saying a nomination could encourage more people to pitch in and help out. "I would wholeheartedly recommend everyone and anyone recommend people they can think of," she said. "It is so nice to get that little surprise and recognition, and we need to nominate others to encourage people to keep doing things a bit more." Councillor Conkey said the ceremony is an important day for recognising citizens going above and beyond. "These people have made a significant contribution to the city, and this is the one time of the year that we can recognise their achievements and what they have done for this city," he said.
Applications can be made online at wagga.nsw.gov.au/australiaday.
AUGUST 24 2021
Wagga Council considers virtual citizenship ceremonies as NSW lockdown causes further delays
Penny Burfitt
![LONG ROAD HOME: Eevet Hasan is one of many residents facing further delays to her citizenship ceremony. Picture: Emma HillierWagga residents awaiting their citizenship ceremonies have been dealt another blow with the city forced to postpone ceremonies for two months in a row and potentially longer due to the ongoing NSW Covid outbreak.Wagga City Council is now looking into offering virtual ceremonies off the back of calls for an alternative to the ongoing postponement of ceremonies to avoid the list of those waiting for their big day growing ever longer.Eevet Hasan fled Iraq with her family in 2012 and has lived in Australia for five years. She applied for her citizenship in 2019 and was recently notified she was successful, however with the Covid postponements she is one of many facing an uncertain wait time.She said obtaining her Australian citizenship would make her feel completely accepted into her new homeland years after being uprooted form her own and forced to move between places."My family and I migrated from Iraq eight years so it's about still having that feeling of being a refugee and not having equal access as everybody else," Ms Hasan said. "If you have citizenship you feel like you belong to the land and the country and the community and you're able to vote, get into the armed forces, you can do [anything] so I think being able to do those things means a lot. You do feel like you belong to the country."Councillor Dan Hayes initially called on council to look into the possibility of offering online ceremonies to avoid further delays for residents like Ms Hasan."The key thing is that we're unsure how long lockdown and the Covid restrictions will continue," Cr Hayes said. "Many people have been waiting for a number of years with the final stage being the ceremony, so there are probably a number of people who would prefer to do the final part virtually rather than wait for restrictions to ease."He said other councils have been able to provide virtual ceremonies and he was confident Wagga Council would be able to follow suit.Daniel Harris is a caseworker at the Wagga Multicultural Council and he said for many of their clients, the delay of citizenship ceremonies is not just the delay of a symbolic day of acceptance, for some visa-holders, citizenship is needed before they can bring their families overseas from countries in crisis like Afghanistan."I think further delay is upsetting for a lot of clients," Mr Harris said. "For some obtaining citizenship will allow them access to important government services that they don't have access to... some need citizenship to improve their chances of reuniting with family.""It would be fantastic if people could at least have the opportunity to make a choice about doing the conferral online. I would expect that honestly, people would be open and pleased to take up the opportunity to do it as soon as possible."Mayor Greg Conkey, who presides over the ceremonies in normal times, said that currently council is discussing the potential of conducting virtual ceremonies with those whose dates have been deferred to gauge interest."The Department of Home Affairs [last] week provided Council with detailed instructions on how to conduct online ceremonies," Cr Conkey said. "Council is now contacting conferees to identify if they would like to receive their citizenship via this method, or if they would prefer to wait for an in-person ceremony."He said it is his preference to conduct the ceremonies in person because of the emotional magnitude of the occasion, but he recognised some may not want or be able to wait for the deferred times.Ms Hasan agreed an in-person ceremony would mean a lot to her because of the significance of the day, but that with no clear timeline an online option is important."I would extremely prefer a face to face session rather than a ceremony over Zoom, but because you never know how long this Covid lockdown will continue for, you just want the option of whatever is the easiest, the simplest and quickest way you can get it," she said. ](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ad7f37ef407b465edbcb75d/1629867961034-ZMUUER58AZ19K2BTIPCD/citz.jpg)
LONG ROAD HOME: Eevet Hasan is one of many residents facing further delays to her citizenship ceremony. Picture: Emma Hillier
Wagga residents awaiting their citizenship ceremonies have been dealt another blow with the city forced to postpone ceremonies for two months in a row and potentially longer due to the ongoing NSW Covid outbreak.
Wagga City Council is now looking into offering virtual ceremonies off the back of calls for an alternative to the ongoing postponement of ceremonies to avoid the list of those waiting for their big day growing ever longer.
Eevet Hasan fled Iraq with her family in 2012 and has lived in Australia for five years. She applied for her citizenship in 2019 and was recently notified she was successful, however with the Covid postponements she is one of many facing an uncertain wait time.
She said obtaining her Australian citizenship would make her feel completely accepted into her new homeland years after being uprooted form her own and forced to move between places.
"My family and I migrated from Iraq eight years so it's about still having that feeling of being a refugee and not having equal access as everybody else," Ms Hasan said. "If you have citizenship you feel like you belong to the land and the country and the community and you're able to vote, get into the armed forces, you can do [anything] so I think being able to do those things means a lot. You do feel like you belong to the country."
Councillor Dan Hayes initially called on council to look into the possibility of offering online ceremonies to avoid further delays for residents like Ms Hasan.
"The key thing is that we're unsure how long lockdown and the Covid restrictions will continue," Cr Hayes said. "Many people have been waiting for a number of years with the final stage being the ceremony, so there are probably a number of people who would prefer to do the final part virtually rather than wait for restrictions to ease."
He said other councils have been able to provide virtual ceremonies and he was confident Wagga Council would be able to follow suit.
Daniel Harris is a caseworker at the Wagga Multicultural Council and he said for many of their clients, the delay of citizenship ceremonies is not just the delay of a symbolic day of acceptance, for some visa-holders, citizenship is needed before they can bring their families overseas from countries in crisis like Afghanistan.
"I think further delay is upsetting for a lot of clients," Mr Harris said. "For some obtaining citizenship will allow them access to important government services that they don't have access to... some need citizenship to improve their chances of reuniting with family."
"It would be fantastic if people could at least have the opportunity to make a choice about doing the conferral online. I would expect that honestly, people would be open and pleased to take up the opportunity to do it as soon as possible."
Mayor Greg Conkey, who presides over the ceremonies in normal times, said that currently council is discussing the potential of conducting virtual ceremonies with those whose dates have been deferred to gauge interest.
"The Department of Home Affairs [last] week provided Council with detailed instructions on how to conduct online ceremonies," Cr Conkey said. "Council is now contacting conferees to identify if they would like to receive their citizenship via this method, or if they would prefer to wait for an in-person ceremony."
He said it is his preference to conduct the ceremonies in person because of the emotional magnitude of the occasion, but he recognised some may not want or be able to wait for the deferred times.
Ms Hasan agreed an in-person ceremony would mean a lot to her because of the significance of the day, but that with no clear timeline an online option is important.
"I would extremely prefer a face to face session rather than a ceremony over Zoom, but because you never know how long this Covid lockdown will continue for, you just want the option of whatever is the easiest, the simplest and quickest way you can get it," she said.
AUGUST 19 2021
Wagga business owners forced to close during lockdown welcome mandatory rent relief
Penny Burfitt
prime 7 news 17 Aug 2012
pls click link below
https://www.facebook.com/prime7newswagga/videos/1275670862870688
AUGUST 16 2021
Five dead in Kabul airport amid exodus
Jane Wardell and Robert Birsel
Taliban insurgents have taken control of the presidential palace in Kabul after Ashraf Ghani fled.
Five people have been killed in chaos at Kabul airport, witnesses say, as US troops guarded the evacuation of embassy staff a day after the Taliban seized the Afghan capital and declared the war was over and peace prevailed. It was not immediately clear how the victims died. A United States official said troops had fired in the air on Monday to deter people trying to force their way onto a military flight that was set to take US diplomats and embassy staff out of the fallen city.
One witness, waiting for a flight out for more than 20 hours, said it was unclear if the five had been shot or killed in a stampede. US officials at the airport were not immediately available for a comment.
Three bodies could be seen on the ground near what appeared to be an airport side entrance, in video posted on social media. Reuters could not verify the footage. Another witness said he had also seen five bodies.
The chaos came as Taliban officials declared the war over and issued statements aimed at calming the panic that has been building in Kabul as the militants, who ruled from 1996 to 2001, routed the US-backed government's forces.
President Ashraf Ghani fled from the country on Sunday as the Islamists entered Kabul virtually unopposed, saying he wanted to avoid bloodshed. Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said in a message on Twitter their fighters were under strict orders not to harm anyone.
"Life, property and honour of none shall be harmed but must be protected by the mujahideen," he said Earlier, Mohammad Naeem, the spokesman for the Taliban's political office, told Al Jazeera TV, the Afghan people and the Taliban had witnessed the fruits of their efforts and sacrifices over 20 years.
"Thanks to God, the war is over," he said. It took the Taliban just over a week to seize control of the country after a lightning sweep that ended in Kabul as government forces, trained for years and equipped by the US and others at a cost of billions of dollars, melted away.
Many Afghans fear the Taliban will return to past harsh practices in their imposition of sharia religious law. During their rule, women could not work and punishments such as stoning, whipping and hanging were administered. Both the United Nations and the US said last week they had received reports that Taliban fighters were executing surrendering government soldiers.
Taliban officials said they had received no reports of any clashes anywhere in the country: "The situation is peaceful," one said, adding the Taliban controlled 90 per cent of state buildings and fighters had been told to prevent any damage.
Central Kabul streets were largely deserted early on Monday as waking residents pondered their future. People thronged to the airport from late on Sunday with hundreds wandering on the runways in the dark, pulling luggage and jostling for a place on one of the last commercial flights to leave before US forces took over air traffic control. Dozens of men tried to clamber onto an overhead departure gangway to board a plane while hundreds of others milled about, a video posted on social media showed. US forces gave up their big military base at Bagram, some 60 km north of Kabul, several weeks ago, leaving Kabul's airport their only way out, to the anger of many Afghans. The Pentagon on Sunday authorised another 1000 troops to help evacuate US citizens and Afghans who worked for them, expanding its security presence on the ground to almost 6,000 troops within the next 48 hours. Western nations, including Australia, New Zealand France and Germany said they were working to get citizens as well as some Afghan employees out.
In a Facebook post, Ghani said he had left the country to avoid clashes with the Taliban that would endanger millions of Kabul residents.Some social media users branded Ghani, who did not disclose his location, a coward for leaving them in chaos. In Washington, opponents of President Joe Biden's decision to end America's longest war, launched after the September 11, 2001, attacks, said the chaos was caused by a failure of leadership.
Biden has faced rising domestic criticism after sticking to a plan, initiated by his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, to end the US military mission by August 31. Britain's defence minister said British and NATO forces would not be returning to fight the Taliban.
"That's not on the cards," Ben
JUNE 30 2021
Viki Koriaty gives mental health tips for handling isolation
Kenji Sato
Viki Koriaty. Picture: Kenji Sato
A Wagga cook is begging people to be kind to one another in these troubled times, as Wagga finds itself subjected to another barrage of restrictions. Viki Koriaty has recently completed a Masters in mental health as well as a masterclass in helping people through isolation. Ms Koriaty said she took these courses in order to help people through the COVID restrictions, which have taken an especially hard toll on those with pre-existing mental health problems.
She said her heart goes out to these people, having long battled with her own depression and trauma which had been triggered by some unkind words from a former minister at her church. Additionally, as a young girl she faced bullying and racial discrimination for her Lebanese ethnicity at primary school and high school, something which cut deep for many decades. At some point her mental health deteriorated to the point where she was sent to a psych ward for two weeks, and upon being released she was determined to help others who were in the same boat.
Now as COVID restrictions bear down on Wagga, she is asking people to check in with their loved ones to see how they are holding up. "It's important to be kind to each other. Visit people, and if you can't visit their home call them up, FaceTime them, so they know they're not alone," Ms Koriaty said.
"I think it's really important during COVID 19 that people stay connect with each other, even if they're isolated in their homes, especially people who are vulnerable, those with illnesses. “Another piece of advice she has is to keep oneself and others occupied as much as possible to prevent them from stewing on their own internal thoughts. She has personally been challenging her friends and family to games online as a way to interact with people from a distance. "There's painting shops around Wagga for all ages, it's very good for the mind, the hand-eye coordination, and interacting with people," she said. "You need to do meaningful activities that help you develop and not feel so isolated."
JUNE 30 2021
Riverina entrepreneur's decision to open business in the regions pays off
ABC Riverina
By Mahnaz Angury
Posted Thu 8 Jul 2021
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-08/khato-barbershop-wagga-wagga-regional-success/100276904?
SBS
https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/program/from-war-to-wagga-wagga
Article:
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/insight/from-war-to-wagga-wagga-a-tale-of-survival-and-resilience
JUNE 19 2021
Wagga Multicultural Council celebrates Refugee Week 2021 with family day
Penny Burfitt
![FUN IN THE SUN: (L-R) Friends Maria Malual, 12, Sarah Taisun, 11 and Faustina Lian, 11, have a ball at Wagga Multicultural Council's annual celebration of Refugee Week. Picture: Les SmithThe sun was shining for Wagga's multicultural community at Henschke Primary School on Saturday, when hundreds gathered for the annual Refugee Week celebration. Co-ordinated by the Multicultural Council of Wagga, the family day marks the end of Refugee Week and celebrates Wagga's vibrant, multicultural community with a mix of rides, activities, cultural performances and plenty of delicious food. Council CEO Belinda Crain said last year was the first time in 13 years the event had to be cancelled, due of course to the COVID restrictions at the time, and that the whole community was thrilled to be back 2021. "Over the day we're expecting about 1000 people so it should be really fun," Ms Crain said. "Today is a celebration for refugee week and of our diversity."We have families who have been settled for 10 or 12 years, as well as families that were settled two years ago. It's a day for everyone to get together and have some fun." range of community groups supported the event and ran stalls on site, The Rotary club ran the barbecue, Cricket ACT organised games for the kids, Girl Guides held a stall and the Baha'i community were on hand with tea and coffee. Wagga's refugee community was also out in force for the sun-drenched celebrations.Abuk Deng arrived in Wagga as a refugee from South Sudan four years ago and said her and her family received plenty of support from the council while they adjusted. Now, the family attends the event every year. "Its an opportunity for the kids to have fun and for us to see people," she said. "We've met many people [here]." One of the Baha'i attendees serving tea Feizi Torabi arrived in Wagga 22 years ago after he was forced to flee his home in Iran to escape religious persecution.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ad7f37ef407b465edbcb75d/1624245391578-5UUAFXFYQE3T12SNG7QA/r1.jpg)
FUN IN THE SUN: (L-R) Friends Maria Malual, 12, Sarah Taisun, 11 and Faustina Lian, 11, have a ball at Wagga Multicultural Council's annual celebration of Refugee Week. Picture: Les Smith
The sun was shining for Wagga's multicultural community at Henschke Primary School on Saturday, when hundreds gathered for the annual Refugee Week celebration. Co-ordinated by the Multicultural Council of Wagga, the family day marks the end of Refugee Week and celebrates Wagga's vibrant, multicultural community with a mix of rides, activities, cultural performances and plenty of delicious food. Council CEO Belinda Crain said last year was the first time in 13 years the event had to be cancelled, due of course to the COVID restrictions at the time, and that the whole community was thrilled to be back 2021. "Over the day we're expecting about 1000 people so it should be really fun," Ms Crain said. "Today is a celebration for refugee week and of our diversity.
"We have families who have been settled for 10 or 12 years, as well as families that were settled two years ago. It's a day for everyone to get together and have some fun." range of community groups supported the event and ran stalls on site, The Rotary club ran the barbecue, Cricket ACT organised games for the kids, Girl Guides held a stall and the Baha'i community were on hand with tea and coffee. Wagga's refugee community was also out in force for the sun-drenched celebrations.
Abuk Deng arrived in Wagga as a refugee from South Sudan four years ago and said her and her family received plenty of support from the council while they adjusted. Now, the family attends the event every year. "Its an opportunity for the kids to have fun and for us to see people," she said. "We've met many people [here]." One of the Baha'i attendees serving tea Feizi Torabi arrived in Wagga 22 years ago after he was forced to flee his home in Iran to escape religious persecution.
Mr Torabi said he loves mingling with so many different people over the course of the day, and that seeing such unity between cultures is extra important after witnessing the devastating impacts of division back home.
"Today we meet people from different cultures, different communities and different nations and it's very important," he said. "To see people together with no discrimination, it's very important to me." Fire and Rescue staff and Police were on site to give the community a chance to get up close and personal with their emergency personnel. Senior Constable Jana Schiller was attending the event for the first time and said she was loving the opportunity to build rapport with the community and the kids were loving the opportunity to sit in a patrol car.
"It's been great just interacting with the community, speaking with the kids from multicultural backgrounds," she said. Making the family fun day complete was a face painting station, beading workshop and several other arts and craft stations. Over on the barbecue, Rotary president Allen Lean said the club loved taking part in the day and adding some Aussie food into the delicious mix on offer. "It's great to be here and the meal we're preparing is all the you beauty Aussie barbecue stuff," he said.
JUNE 3 2021 - 5:00PM
Yazidi refugee Shivan Dina opens Shivan Barber Shop on Baylis Street
Kenji Sato
CUT ABOVE: Shivan Dina and his brother Dalkash Dina at their newly opened barber shop. Picture: Les Smith.
A young Iraqi refugee has opened his very own barber shop on Baylis Street, sparking joy and celebration among the Yazidis of Wagga. On Wednesday the Yazidi community came to celebrate the opening of Shivan Barber Shop, which was founded by 22-year-old Shivan Dina. It was a dream come true for Shivan, who has been cutting hair for his family members since he was a young boy living in Iraq. He was unable to open a shop in Iraq, since he belonged to a heavily persecuted minority, but he was finally able to seize that opportunity after he came to Wagga in 2018. "Life was not good in Iraq. Even if you open a barber shop, because we are Yazidis other people from other religions don't come to you," Mr Dina said. "We love Australia. They don't treat people differently - all people are the same."
Picture: Les Smith
After arriving in Wagga he worked at Teys meat factory before getting work as a barber at Kato’s Barber Shop, which is also run by an Iraqi. He lived a frugal life, scrimping and saving until he could afford to open his own barber shop at 90 Baylis Street, which is where the old Skin's Barber Shop used to be. Looking back, he said that it had taken a lot of hard work, but that it was all worth it now that he was the owner of his very own shop. "We did not come here to sit around and get money from Centrelink. We came here to work, to keep going forward. If you keep going and keep going, you will get something," Mr Dina said. "We are trying to do hard work and open up this barber shop. If this does well, in future we will open another one. "He now runs the shop alongside his brother Dalkash Dina, who also works as a barber.
Khato Khato. Picture: Kenji Sato
Khato's Barber owner Khato Khato, who taught Mr Dina, said he was proud of his protege for going on to start his own shop. Mr Khato is also a Yazidi refugee from the town of Khank, where Mr Dina hails from, and he too started his own barber shop in Wagga at the age of 22. He said he was proud of Mr Dina and the Yazidi community in general, which had seen many success stories over the last few years. "I'm proud of him," Mr Khato said. "Everyone's doing way better than before, because everyone's getting used to the language. "Wagga Multicultural Council chief executive Belinda Crain was at the opening of the shop alongside 30 Yazidi people. Ms Crain said it was moving to see the Yazidi community flourishing in their new home. "It's amazing when you see them having a go and achieve, and to be able to achieve so much in such a short time," Ms Crain said.
MAY 22 2021
Hazaras hold candle vigil for terrorist victims at Memorial Park
Kenji Sato
Azizeh Abbasi. Picture: Kenji Sato
Flickering candlelight lit up the Memorial Park stage on Saturday evening, when Wagga's Hazara community came to mourn the Afghani schoolchildren killed in a terrorist bombing this month. The bombing killed 85 Hazara schoolgirls and injured scores more in yet another terrorist attack on the persecuted minority.
Picture: Kenji Sato
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but several terrorist groups have long histories of murdering Hazaras as well as girls who attempt to receive an education. For that reason, Wagga refugee Hakimeh Rahimi missed out on the chance to go to school, since her parents were too afraid of such terror attacks while they were living in Afghanistan. "There's fear always, and still most of my family are there. They say if they sent their kids to school, they're not sure whether they will come back alive," Mrs Rahimi said. "I can see my kids go to school safely, happily, and have fun. But for people in Afghanistan, especially Hazara, they're afraid. I'm so happy my kids are safe and happy and everything is equal here."
Fatema Rahimi, Hassan Rahimi, Mojtaba Rahimi, and Amir Rahimi. Picture: Kenji Sato
Rahman Zafari, 14, was able to get a proper education at Kooringal High School, and he says he does not take such an opportunity for granted. The young refugee said the Hazara community deeply treasured the value of education, despite ongoing attempts to turn them away from it. "This operation was carried out by terrorists whose main target was to kill as many Hazara students as possible so our younger generations don't make any advancements in education," Mr Zafari said. "This isn't the first time such a fate has happened and we will be resilient and keep on studying in order to improve our community's state."
Rahmat Zafari (right). Picture: Kenji Sato
Charles Sturt University student Azizeh Abbasi said she would continue to advocate for her Hazara community in the hopes of rallying support from the international community. "Terrorist groups target what they fear the most: education is a great threat to their sickness. But sooner or later terrorism will be badly defeated by education," Ms Abbasi said. "Hazara desperately needs support from the international community. I use my voice to speak out, I use my voice to raise awareness about Hazara genocide."
Mojtaba Rahimi. Picture: Kenji Sato
MAY 21 2021
Buddhists impart wisdom to Junee Correctional Centre prisoners
Kenji Sato
Peir Woon, Thubten Chokyi, and Libby Mowlam at the Potowa Wagga hall. Picture: Kenji Sato
Buddhists have journeyed to the Junee Correctional Centre to impart their wisdom and teach inner peace to prisoners in want of spiritual guidance. One of them was Buddhist nun Thubten Chokyi, who travelled to the jail on Thursday to speak with three inmates who had requested some wise words of advice. The Venerable Chokyi regularly speaks with such prisoners around Australia, and says that many of them managed to turn their lives around with some guidance.
"They've got time on their hands while they're in prison and they're not engaged with a lot of other things in life, so they're virtually in a retreat setting to start with - although not one you'd choose," Ven Chokyi said. "You are there left with yourself and reflecting on the fact that you are in prison. They can recognise they're in a physical prison, but the real prison is in the mind. "Ven Chokyi teaches them meditation with the goal of getting control over their own minds, a feat that is often easier said than done.
She said it was a difficult task even for an experienced meditator, but that it was a skill that could be trained much like a muscle. Many of her prison disciples managed to escape their old ways of life after having left prison, with a few even going on to become ordained monks at their local monastery. "We all imprison ourselves whether we're in a physical prison or not. We're really just another person like them, we're all trying to work with the craziness of our minds and get it under control," she said. "Many have turned their lives around, and that's what's so inspiring. They just needed that support, and it came along at the right time. "Corowa Buddhist Libby Mowlam came with her to the Junee prison, having regularly visited the inmates for about 13 years. Prisoners come and go, but her most recent disciple is a prisoner named Daniel, who asked for help when he first entered the jail about five months ago. "He asked to see a chaplain going in, so I went down to see him and ask how he was going. From there, he really took to Buddhism - it just seemed to connect," she said. "You do make relationships with some of them, sometimes for many years. Generally speaking, when they first get out you have a lot of phone contact, but it trails off when they get their confidence and they can move on."
MAY 18 2021
Azizeh Abbasi protests Hazara bombing
Kenji Sato
Azizeh Abbasi is studying to achieve her dream of becoming a radiographer. Picture: Kenji Sato
A Wagga refugee is standing up for women's rights to education, after a bombing at an Afghan school killed over 80 Hazara girls and injured over 150 last weeks. Azizeh Abbasi is a Hazara, a persecuted ethnic group that has long faced genocide and persecution at the hands of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. It is unknown who is responsible for the three school bombings, and this bombing is just the latest in a series of terrorist attacks seemingly designed to intimidate women out of school. Many of Ms Abbasi's relatives still live in Afghanistan, and she said many of the younger ones are too afraid to go to school due to the prospect of falling victim to a random murder. "They are having stress. The students are not willing to go to school anymore because they think they might never come back home," Ms Abbasi said. "I think education shouldn't be a crime. Unfortunately, in Afghanistan education is a crime, especially for the Hazara community."
Azizeh Abbasi is studying to achieve her dream of becoming a radiographer. Picture: Kenji Sato
Ms Abbasi's family fled to Iran while she was two years old, and there they eked out a living for themselves as second class citizens. Because they were refugees, they were not allowed to own a house or a motorbike or go to university, and Ms Abbasi had to pay expensive fees to attend high school while Iranian citizens got in for free. Ms Abbasi helped support the family by doing sewing with her mother while the father did odd jobs around city to make a living.
Their luck turned around when she, her parents, and her three brothers and three sisters were finally granted refugee status into Australia, and in 2017 they migrated to Wagga. Ms Abbasi studied English at TAFE before going on to Charles Sturt University, where she is currently a second-year medical radiation science student. She said her parents were often sick in Iran, and that as a small girl she dreamed of becoming a radiographer so that she could take their x-ray and help them get better. Now that she lives in Wagga she is able to follow that dream, and she hopes that one day other Hazaras can have the same opportunities. "I'm really grateful that I'm living in Australia now and studying the course that I wanted," Ms Abbasi said. "This is my responsibility as a Hazara student in Australia, to raise awareness to the other community, to let them know what's happening in Afghanistan. This is the only thing I can do for my country. "Today she lives in Wagga with her two parents and her six siblings.
MAY 16 2021
International Day of Living Together in Peace celebrated in Wagga
Jessica McLaughlin
Ray Goodlass and Tim Ford speak about the value of diversity in achieving global peace. Picture: Emma Hillier
WAGGA joined the global celebration of peace on Sunday as a panel of community leaders spoke on coexisting for a brighter future. International Day of Living Together in Peace saw the United Nations Association of Australia's NSW branch lead the discussion, with a focus on diversity and harmony. UNAA NSW Vice President Tim Ford said sharing their values regionally was something they had been hoping to do for a long time. "We need to share with people the fact that diversity can actually grow and benefit communities, and that ultimately leads to a fairer, safer, more sustainable world," he said. Held at the Wagga Senior Citizens Centre on Sunday afternoon, panelists and attendees discussed ideas and concerns around the question, 'How can communities best live and act together, united in differences and diversity, in order to build a sustainable world of peace, solidarity and harmony?'. Representing the Murrumbidgee Rotary, Geraldine Rurenga spoke on the panel, and said she felt Wagga was well on the way to a bright future. "I think we are learning a lot in Wagga, and if we continue with our multicultural events and inclusion and diversity, we will be well on our way to that peaceful goal," she said.
International Day of Living Together in Peace is celebrated each year on May 16.
MAY 16 2021
Wagga Sri Lankan community celebrates Vesak Day by lighting 100 lanterns
Jessica McLaughlin
TRADITIONS SHARED: Two-year-old Maia Janarthanan joined her friends and family in celebrating the Sri Lankan day of cultural significance, keeping their traditions alive. Picture: Les Smith
WAGGA'S Sri Lankan community illuminated the city on Saturday night in a tradition passed on through generations. Vesak Day, celebrated on May 15 around the world, recognises the day of Lord Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing. With meditation throughout the day, sunset signalled the start of a new way to light up Wagga as nearly 100 lanterns speckled the grounds outside the Senior Citizens Centre.
ILLUMINATE: Ananda Hagoda travelled from Narrandera with his five-year-old son Daminda to join the Vesak Day event. Picture: Les Smith
Wagga Sri Lankan Community Association president Sampath Hathurusinghe said people travelled from across the state to join the event. "Some came from Sydney to join in, and some from Canberra, as well as others within the Riverina region," Mr Hathurusinghe said.
"It is such a rich history, now 2565 years since Lord Buddha's passing, so to see that recognsied still even now is wonderful. "Saturday's event was also valuable in teaching the younger generations the value of culture, according to Mr Hathurusinghe. "The main message we share is a blessing for a peaceful, healthy, prosperous world for all those living in it," he said. "Sharing that with our children is so important, but it was also valuable given the times we are in as we blessed the world to overcome COVID-19, blessed all those suffering and all the souls who have passed away from this."
MAY 8 2021 - 8:00AM
How Phillip Kyaw overcame hardship as a Burmese refugee
Kenji Sato
Phillip Kyaw. Picture: Les Smith
Phillip Kyaw is known as the friendly face behind the counter at Mingalar Asian Grocery, but before he opened up his shop in Wagga he lived a life of poverty, hardship, and a determined struggle for survival. Born in Burma (now called Myanmar) during a time of persecution and political upheaval, Mr Kyaw's family had their livelihoods destroyed when the military regime took over the country.
The economy fell into ruins and Mr Kyaw's family found it impossible to find work to survive, and so they joined the swathes of refugees who fled to Thailand in search of a job. In Thailand, Mr Kyaw worked as a child labourer from the age of 13, mixing cement, laying bricks, and doing backbreaking work in order to help his family survive. Whenever he wasn't toiling on construction sites he was teaching himself how to speak and read in Thai and Burmese, since his family could never afford to send him to school. He remained motivated by a glimmer of hope that his family would one day be granted refugee status, and that wish was granted in 1997 when the United Nations approved their application to come to Australia. "I was happy. My whole family was happy because I heard life was much better there, you can easily get a job, you can go to school, you can have a good life," Mr Kyaw said. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Phillip Kyaw. Picture: Kenji Sato
He came to Sydney, where he spent his days working various jobs and his nights with his nose buried in English textbooks to improve his language skills. He also spent many hours working to improve his stutter, a speech impediment he had battled with since he was a young child growing up in Thailand. He lived this way for several years until one day a niece found a job in Wagga, and after driving her down he liked the place so much that he decided to settle permanently. For the first five years he worked at the Teys meat factory before he opened Mingalar in 2012, which was the only Asian grocer in town at the time. It has since become somewhat of a cultural hub in Wagga not just for Asians, but for immigrants from all over the world.
STOCKED: Phillip Kyaw opened Mingalar Asian Grocery in 2012, back when it was the only Asian grocery in Wagga. Picture: Les Smith
Mr Kyaw said he considers himself a bit of an intermediary, and that he sees it as his mission to bring people together into the Wagga community and make them feel more at home. Mr Kyaw helps various people around the community, and he always has some words of wisdom for people who come to his shop in need of life advice. "When you're doing business in any community you need to be part of it. You can't just come into the community and only have interest in your own benefit and not care what's going on around you," Mr Kyaw said. "In the future I'm planning to strive more, try to improve, try to expand. I want to create jobs here as well. I think that kind of thing I can give back to my community and I can support some charity that might need it. "Today he happily lives in Wagga with his wife Tilar Chua, two step-children, and one child. His mother and her brother moved to Wagga from Sydney one year ago.
Lat Aung organises pro-democracy protests with Phillip Kyaw. Picture: Kenji Sato
His friend Lat Aung, who is also from Burma, said Mr Kyaw's success story was a source of inspiration for other refugees who were born into unfortunate circumstances. "Phil's a good person who's really working hard, and that's why he has his own business. Everyone who works hard can get something out of life, that's what I believe. He's proof of that," Mr Aung said. "Burmese people work hard. We have a lot of persecution in Burma and there's no opportunity to work, so once we get the chance we don't say no, because we want to work. That's the heart of Burmese people. "Mr Aung and Mr Kyaw work together to organise pro-democracy rallies around Wagga, where they protest the military junta terrorising their countrymen. Mr Kyaw's shop is plastered with posters in support of Aung Sung Suki, and he is currently raising money for protestors on the ground, many of whom have been cut off from their source of livelihood.
Nabiha Koriaty said she is inspired by Phillip Kyaw's various good deeds. Picture: Emma Hillier
Nabiha Koriaty, who runs a Lebanese restaurant in the alleyway next to his shop, said Mr Kyaw had a burning passion to help refugees, persecuted minorities, and other people in need. "He's a nice person. He likes doing good things. Sometimes strangers come in, they don't know where to go. He helps them," Mrs Koriaty said. "It's not about money. You know what? Love of money is worse than corona. It kills more people than corona, and there's no vaccine for it. "Ms Koriaty and her friends hold birthday parties for Mr Kyaw in the restaurant, saying it was their way of being a surrogate family to him.
Belinda Crain. Picture: Emma Hillier
Another one of his regular customers is Wagga Multicultural Council's Belinda Crain, who visits the shop with members of the multicultural community. She said Mr Kyaw always went the extra mile to fulfil his customers' requests, going to great lengths to track down exotic foods from their childhoods in order to ease their home sickness. Ms Crain also works alongside Mr Kyaw to organiser pro-democracy rallies in Wagga in a bid to get more Australians to support their Burmese neighbours. Ms Crain said she admires his strong social conscience and his strong drive to advocate for minorities, both abroad and in Australia. "He's a nice bloke, he's very active and motivated, he's got a social conscious, and he's very helpful," she said. "He's a valued member within the community."
Phillip Kyaw stands in solidarity with the Myanmar protesters with the three finger salute, a symbol taken from The Hunger Games. Picture: Catie McLeod
Looking back on his 12 years running the shop, Mr Kyaw said it had been a steep learning curve, but one that has taught him many valuable experiences. During his time behind the counter he has been able to meet people from all around the world and has heard many fascinating stories. Mr Kyaw said he was glad to have the opportunity to meet so many people, having come a long way from the shy, stuttering boy he was in his youth. "You've got to love what you do first so you don't get bored and you don't give up or stop. I enjoy doing this business because it gives me opportunity to learn, learn what products are, what part of the world they come from, what kind of food different people like," Mr Kyaw said. "I like to meet people. If I have a shop there will be customers coming in and talking to me, so it's easier for me to talk to them. I love what I do."
MAY 7 2021
Mount Austin High students Chloe Griffiths and Fatemeh Abbasi awarded Harding Miller scholarships
Emma Horn
![RECIPIENTS: Chloe Griffiths and Fatemeh Abbasi, both 15 years old, have been awarded the Harding Miller Scholarship. Picture: Emma HornTwo students from Mount Austin High School have been awarded $20,000 scholarships intended to help them jumpstart their career aspirations. The year 9 students, Chloe Griffiths and Fatemeh Abbasi are among two others at the school who have been awarded the Harding Miller Education Foundation scholarship. One of the other students from previous years is Chloe's older sister, Maddison. "This scholarship is open to students who have experienced hardships," said Sarah Levett from the school's Girls At The Centre program. "There were a lot more applications this year after COVID." On May 30, the students will travel to Sydney to formally accept their scholarships but they were informed this week that they had become recipients. "I was at Kmart printing photos when they called me," Chloe said. "I was very excited, I called my mum and she got really excited too. "Given her sister has also received the scholarship, Chloe was under the impression she would not be named this year."It's uncommon for two people in the same family to win it," said Ms Levett. The scholarship includes funding for a new laptop, a tutor, and mentor who will work with the students over four years until they graduate from high school. Both of the sisters have now received the scholarship, which will take pressure off the family, Chloe said. "During COVID I didn't have a laptop so I had to use my sister's when we were [learning at] home," Chloe said. "It was hard for both of us to use it when we needed it."Meanwhile, Fatemeh was told of her successful application while she was at home, watching television with her family. "I got the call and I was jumping up and down, I was so excited mum didn't understand what I was saying so I had to calm down to tell her again," she said. "I thought it was a dream, I was ready to wake up at any moment. "When they finish school, Chloe is hoping to study radiography while Fatemeh has her heart set on becoming a lawyer. "I want to be a lawyer because when I was young I wanted superpowers, I wanted to be able to fly or turn invisible," Fatemeh said. "Now I still want to be able to fight for what is right."](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ad7f37ef407b465edbcb75d/1620621820342-POA18ST0L6PXP97RWTEJ/fatimah.jpg)
RECIPIENTS: Chloe Griffiths and Fatemeh Abbasi, both 15 years old, have been awarded the Harding Miller Scholarship. Picture: Emma Horn
Two students from Mount Austin High School have been awarded $20,000 scholarships intended to help them jumpstart their career aspirations. The year 9 students, Chloe Griffiths and Fatemeh Abbasi are among two others at the school who have been awarded the Harding Miller Education Foundation scholarship. One of the other students from previous years is Chloe's older sister, Maddison. "This scholarship is open to students who have experienced hardships," said Sarah Levett from the school's Girls At The Centre program. "There were a lot more applications this year after COVID." On May 30, the students will travel to Sydney to formally accept their scholarships but they were informed this week that they had become recipients. "I was at Kmart printing photos when they called me," Chloe said. "I was very excited, I called my mum and she got really excited too. "Given her sister has also received the scholarship, Chloe was under the impression she would not be named this year.
"It's uncommon for two people in the same family to win it," said Ms Levett. The scholarship includes funding for a new laptop, a tutor, and mentor who will work with the students over four years until they graduate from high school. Both of the sisters have now received the scholarship, which will take pressure off the family, Chloe said. "During COVID I didn't have a laptop so I had to use my sister's when we were [learning at] home," Chloe said. "It was hard for both of us to use it when we needed it."
Meanwhile, Fatemeh was told of her successful application while she was at home, watching television with her family. "I got the call and I was jumping up and down, I was so excited mum didn't understand what I was saying so I had to calm down to tell her again," she said. "I thought it was a dream, I was ready to wake up at any moment. "When they finish school, Chloe is hoping to study radiography while Fatemeh has her heart set on becoming a lawyer. "I want to be a lawyer because when I was young I wanted superpowers, I wanted to be able to fly or turn invisible," Fatemeh said. "Now I still want to be able to fight for what is right."
APRIL 30 2021
Skilled migrants needed for regional development, parliamentary inquiry hears
Kenji Sato
![Shirley Fang, Jayden Zhou. Picture: Kenji SatoThe Riverina desperately needs more skilled migrant workers in order to keep the economy growing, a parliamentary inquiry has heard. The inquiry into skilled migration was held this month in Albury, where Regional Development Australia's Riverina director Rachel Whiting laid out the plight of regional industries struggling to find employees.Ms Whiting said the current visa approval system needed to be faster and more streamlined in order to keep regional Australia growing, especially in the aftermath of lockdown. "Businesses spoke about loss of productivity, difficulty in just maintaining orders, keeping up with current work, and that they were well-placed for expansion and that they wanted to do more work and to take part in the government's drive for manufacturing, but they just didn't have enough staff to do that," she said. "The [government] needs to streamline its processes and just listen to those of us in the region who do understand what's going on and hearing those concerns as real concerns."](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ad7f37ef407b465edbcb75d/1620264618943-7CAMCA9Q7UV79URZ8GZ6/mig+1.jpg)
Shirley Fang, Jayden Zhou. Picture: Kenji Sato
The Riverina desperately needs more skilled migrant workers in order to keep the economy growing, a parliamentary inquiry has heard. The inquiry into skilled migration was held this month in Albury, where Regional Development Australia's Riverina director Rachel Whiting laid out the plight of regional industries struggling to find employees.
Ms Whiting said the current visa approval system needed to be faster and more streamlined in order to keep regional Australia growing, especially in the aftermath of lockdown. "Businesses spoke about loss of productivity, difficulty in just maintaining orders, keeping up with current work, and that they were well-placed for expansion and that they wanted to do more work and to take part in the government's drive for manufacturing, but they just didn't have enough staff to do that," she said. "The [government] needs to streamline its processes and just listen to those of us in the region who do understand what's going on and hearing those concerns as real concerns."
IN DEMAND: Truck Art owner Terry Gibbs says Bomen factories are all in need of more skilled workers. Picture: Les Smith
Truck Art owner Terry Gibbs said he had wanted to expand his business for years, but that he had been unable to due to the sheer lack of workers. Mr Gibbs said the opportunities were there and the demand was high, but that the real bottleneck was finding people with the right skillsets. He said he had some "very, very good" Filipino workers, and was looking forward to recruiting some more overseas workers once border reopened.
![ Rachel Whiting. Picture: File"It has impacted the business because we haven't been able to bring people in, so as soon as we're able to we'll be doing it," Mr Gibbs said. "We're in a growing economy and there's more vehicles on the road, which creates business. To grow with it you need skilled workers, but it's very hard. Talk to other [Bomen factory owners] and they'll tell you the same story. "One migrant who made Wagga her home is Shirley Fang, who came to Australia about ten years ago with her husband Johnny Zhou who came to study cooking at TAFE.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ad7f37ef407b465edbcb75d/1620264766312-CK9UDKZ1A90TX8OMC4QP/mig3.jpg)
Rachel Whiting. Picture: File
"It has impacted the business because we haven't been able to bring people in, so as soon as we're able to we'll be doing it," Mr Gibbs said. "We're in a growing economy and there's more vehicles on the road, which creates business. To grow with it you need skilled workers, but it's very hard. Talk to other [Bomen factory owners] and they'll tell you the same story. "One migrant who made Wagga her home is Shirley Fang, who came to Australia about ten years ago with her husband Johnny Zhou who came to study cooking at TAFE.
Shirley Fang, Jayden Zhou, and Johnny Zhou opened their restaurant last Christmas. Picture: Kenji Sato
The two of them worked in businesses and restaurants all around Sydney and Wagga, and on Christmas last year they opened their own restaurant on Baylis Street, Chef's Delight. Ms Fang said she appreciated the relaxed, regional lifestyle in Wagga, much more than her hometown in China. "It's more simple to live here. Peaceful," Ms Fang said. "I think in China people have more stress. “Her son Jayden Zhou is a true-blue Australian, having been born in Wagga and starting Kindergarten this year. Jayden said he had already befriended nearly every student in his class, and that he was having a great time in school. "All of them are my friends, except the cheeky ones," Jayden said. "We play in the tunnel, we play sharks."
Wagga Multicultural Council chief executive officer Belinda Crain is known for her determination to help the city's new arrivals. Picture: Emma Hillier
Wagga Multicultural Council's Belinda Crain said she also wanted to see refugee and unskilled migration into Australia, saying they too were an asset for the economy and the community. She said the usual refugee programs had ground to a halt during lockdown, and families were left in limbo in the meantime. "With the humanitarian program we've had no new arrivals since March last year, so we've had a lot of families who've had their visas granted but haven't been able to come due to restrictions," Ms Crain said. "We've had no processing of Special Humanitarian Program, where families living in Australia are able to sponsor their families, so none of those guys have been able to come either."
Jayden Zhou, Johnny Zhou, and Shirley Fang, opened their restaurant last Christmas. Picture: Kenji Sato
APRIL 12 2021
Wagga FRESH 2021: Bindi Bosses host workshops at the Civic Theatre
Annie Lewis
HAVING FUN: Shyamla Eswaran, Eevet Hasan, 17, Abby Clarke 16, and Jes Subba showing off some of the moves from the workshop. Picture: Emma Horn
Wagga's young women have been taught how to feel empowered through movement in a school holiday workshop. Shyamla Eswaran and Jes Subba from the Bindi Bosses conducted two workshops at the Civic Theatre as part of the FRESH 2021 program. "It's all about self-empowerment and we use cultural dance styles from around the world to help people bring out their inner confidence," Ms Eswaran said.
"It's been so beautiful to see that happen with the girls here."Ms Eswaran said the Bindi Bosses is a contemporary South Asian Fusion Arts company that makes sure to respect and honour the dance styles they pay homage to. "Cultural responsibility is a huge thing," she said. "Those stories are important, it's not just a dance move. A lot of these moves have a history that is important to acknowledge. "Wagga Multicultural Council CEO, Belinda Crain, said it was fantastic for young women from refugee and migrant backgrounds to have access to this program. "Thanks to Wagga City Council for putting it on," she said.
"We have 15 girls from refugee and migrant backgrounds and they are having a fun day while learning they are in charge of themselves."
APRIL 5 2021
Wagga throws support behind pro-democracy protests in Myanmar
Catie McLeod
SUPPORT: Phongsar Konglang and John Konglang, 1, attend the protest.
Members of Wagga's Burmese community have thrown their support behind pro-democracy protests in their homeland. Dozens of people, including friends and supporters, marched down Baylis Street on Saturday in solidarity with demonstrators enduring violence in Myanmar.
he country has been rocked for more than two months by a military coup since recently re-elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party were detained on February 1.
Mass pro-democracy protests have since taken place across Myanmar in which an estimated 550 people, including children, have been killed.
Other Australian media outlets have reported that Ms Suu Kyi, some of her deposed cabinet members, and her Australian economics adviser Sean Turnell have been charged with breaching colonial-era official secrets laws.
Wagga protesters held pictures of Ms Suu Kyi and waved Burmese flags as they chanted "stop killing innocent people" and "free our president".
The crowd gathered in the Victory Memorial Gardens where speakers called on the Wagga businessman Phillip Kyaw, who was born in Burma and grew up in Thailand, organised the rally and said Myanmar needed to be given the chance to be a truly democratic country.
State member for Wagga Joe McGirr and deputy mayor Dallas Tout both spoke to the crowd in the gardens. “It's all about freedom. We're here today because we're able to do protest without fear of persecution," Cr Tout said.
"It impacts our community as a whole. Because this city is .a mixture of cultures and countries of origin and when you impact one part of the community you impact the whole community. "You are part of the Wagga community. Your family. To me you are family." "You are part of the Wagga community. Your family. To me you are family."
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APRIL 2 2021
Wagga Burmese community to rally in support of Myanmar protests
Catie McLeod
SOLIDARITY: Phillip Kyaw holds the three-fingered salute, originally from The Hunger Games films, which has been adopted by activists. Picture: Catie McLeod
Members of Wagga's Burmese community and their supporters will stand as one during a rally on Saturday. Protesters are planning a peaceful demonstration at the Victory Memorial Gardens in solidarity with people enduring violence and instability in Myanmar.
The country has been rocked for more than a month by a military coup, after the army detained elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party. Mass pro-democracy protests have been taking place across Myanmar in which hundreds of people, including children, have been killed. Wagga businessman Phillip Kyaw, who was born in Burma and grew up in Thailand, has organised tomorrow's local rally, which will be held from 3pm to 5pm. "The more people we're making know, the more support we can get from them," he said.
"Because what is happening in Myanmar is very bad. So we really want to let the world and the people around the world know." Mr Kyaw, who runs Mingalar Asian Grocery on Baylis Street, said he feared the military regime sought to return Myanmar to a dictatorship. He said the people of Myanmar "wholly supported" the NLD, who the military junta have falsely accused of election fraud. "The military said there was an election fraud and then straight away on February 1, just when the new government was going into the office, the military decided to arrest them straight away," he said. "People are going out on the street. People were hoping so much that the country was just about on the right path to a democracy." Protesters reject the military government and call on them to release their elected leaders and validate this year's election result. "People fear that they will go back to under the military rule - no freedom, no opportunity," Mr Kyaw said.
"There's no fairness and no justice."
MARCH 15 2021
March 4 Justice: Wagga residents take part in rally against gendered violence
Annie Lewis
Hundreds of women, men and children marched down Baylis Street in solidarity with the thousands around the country, calling on all government levels to bring about change to stem gendered violence. The #March4Justice movement took place around the country on Monday, with the main rally taking place in Canberra. It was sparked by academic and feminist Janine Hendry, who was upset by the government's reaction to Brittany Higgins, who alleged she was raped in Parliament House by a fellow ministerial staffer. Organisers of the Wagga chapter, Peita Vincent and Vanessa Keenan, put the number of attendees at about 500.
Ms Vincent said the crowd demonstrated just how fed up women, and men, are that this is still an issue that needs to be advocated for. Ms Keenan, a Wagga councillor, said attendees want politicians - particularly at a federal level - to take note of what women are saying. "There's certainly a momentum going around," she said. "I think it's really important that the women of Wagga have a chance to speak their truth."
Appearing on ABC's Insiders, Deputy Prime Minister and Member for the Riverina Michael McCormack was asked why he couldn't take 10 minutes to speak with protestors. "No, I have meetings all day," Mr McCormack told David Speers. Ms Keenan said Mr McCormack had talked a lot about respect, and this was a missed chance for him to help make meaningful change.
Meet the Wagga residents who marched
Emma Daniels was just 17 years old when she was the victim of sexual assault. Years later, she marched in solidarity with thousands of other women across the country on Monday, protesting against the lack of action taken against gendered violence. "I am doing this for my daughters, for my granddaughter, for my mum, my aunt, my cousins and for all women," she said. "I have been ashamed for many years, and I was made to feel that way through all my circumstances. Even into my thirties and forties, but now I am just angry.
"I have goosebumps standing here. I even educated my taxi driver on the way here." Ms Daniels has just one message to the country's politicians - "listen to us, we are speaking". Liz McKay attended the march with her daughter, Rose Sadler, who is a survivor of sexual assault. "I am sick of women being dismissed. It's hard enough to come forward when something happens to you, and then you get attacked all over again," Ms McKay said.
"I thought it would have changed by now, but it hasn't, and I am really angry about it." Ms Sadler said being a survivor, she often feels like if the issue affected the majority of men, then the problem would be solved. Louise Freckelton travelled from Adelong to join in the protest, and she is "fed up". "I am a second-wave feminist. I marched in the seventies to reclaim the night, and we still don't have it," she said. "I marched for greater attention to be given to domestic violence, and we still don't have it. "I marched in the seventies for access to termination, and we still do not have that here in Wagga."
Ms Freckelton said there is a list of other issues she could name, and so many women are feeling angry because the problems are not being fixed. She added politicians need to start taking women seriously and listen to what they are saying. "What we need now is action. We need legislative action," she said. "For Michael McCormack, I have white, hot rage."
Rob Martin came to the Wagga march as an ally, along with his two sons, while his wife attended the main event in Canberra. "There was a little resistance from schools because of the value judgement on what you are trying to achieve," he said. "But my wife and I believe this is extremely important." Aunty Cheryl Penrith, a proud Wiradjuri woman, said she marched for the generations of Aboriginal woman that have not had a voice. "I march to empower and nurture Aboriginal woman and all women to stand strong and have a say in their community," she said.
Wagga mayor Greg Conkey joined in, alongside his wife Jenny, and thanked his mother for her influence. "She was probably one of the first feminists," he said. "I am one of three boys, and she made sure from a very young age that we knew no woman would be looking after us. "She taught us to have respect for women ... she taught us to cook, iron and wash, so she was a great role model, my mum." Cr Conkey said society had come a long way, but "we have a hell of a way to go."
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Hundreds of local women have marched down Baylis Street to rally against gender-based violence.
MARCH 11 2021
Wagga's 'Made to Share' recipe series showcases cultural delicacies from around the world
Jessica McLaughlin
DELICIOUS: Htu San La Bang and Hakimeh Rahimi teach Wagga how to cook their favourite traditional dishes. Picture: Emma Hilleir
FLAVOURS of Wagga have been dished up online in a new collection of recipes hoping to showcase the city's many cultural influences.
The Made to Share series of cooking videos and recipes came together with the help of Wagga City Council and the Multicultural Council of Wagga, with eight different nationalities represented. Hakimeh Rahimi moved to Wagga after fleeing violence and persecution in Afghanistan, and while there are parts of her past she was glad to leave behind, the traditional Bolani Gandana dish she shared as part of the program was not one of them.
"It's a very famous dish in my country, I learned how to cook it from my mother, and every girl in Afghanistan knows how to make it," she said.
The dish is flatbread-based with a vegan filling of potatoes and other root vegetables, one of which proved difficult to find in Australia - gandana.
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Bolani Gandana
Hakimeh now grows the vegetable in her own garden after finding the seeds in an Afghan shop in Dandenong, bringing the delicacy to Wagga. Thrilled to be sharing the special dish with Wagga, Hakimeh said it was something everyone could have a go at making. "My friends are always asking me about this dish and how to make it, and it is very easy," she said. Made to Share will also feature dishes from Burma, Iraq, Nepal, Kamilaroi nation, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Tibet.
Htu San La Bang, a refugee from Burma, said she was thrilled to share her love of cooking with Wagga. "I've made glass noodle salad for the program, which is quite diverse, it's vegetable based but you can add any meat you want," she said. "It is a traditional food for our village when having weddings or ceremonies. "The recipe is healthy, it isn't fattening, and I just love to share it."
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Charzanto - Glass Noodle Salad
Each recipe is accompanied by an easy-to-follow video of the community members demonstrating how to cook and enjoy their dish. Wagga-based creative producer Michael Agzarian, videographer Damien Jenkins and animator Alice Markham brought the project together. Mr Agzarian said it was his own migrant background that motivated him to get on board.
"I thought it was a great opportunity to show diversity in Wagga, and what better way to show that than through food," he said. "Food underpins all cultures, it's the best way to unite people."
Multicultural Council of Wagga CEO Belinda Crain said the series was an expression of all the best parts of Wagga. "Creating food allows us to connect with others, grieve, celebrate, love, support, mend, discover, heal and remember," she said.
"I encourage everyone in the community to celebrate cultural diversity during Harmony Week 15 -21 March 2021, by cooking a recipe from the Made to Share online recipe collection."
The Made to Share project was developed in response to COVID-19 restrictions, sponsored by Origin Energy. You can find the recipes at wagga.nsw.gov.au/fusion.
MARCH 10 2021
2021 Tibetan National Day of Uprising anniversary marked in Wagga
Rachel McDonald
PROTEST: Jinpa Gyasto and members of the Wagga Tibetan community fly the flag to mark the 62nd anniversary of the Day of Uprising. Picture: Rachel McDonald
Every year on March 10, Wagga's Tibetan community flies their country's flag in solidarity for those in Tibet who do not share the same freedoms. Jinpa Gyasto said the simple act of flying the Tibetan flag in Tibet or posting about the Dalai Lama on social media could lead to imprisonment.
"In Tibet since 1959, no freedom of speech, no freedom of expression, no freedom of religion, no freedom of language," he said.
On March 10 1959, thousands of Tibetans rose to protest against Chinese rule and protect the Dalai Lama, which lead to violent retribution from the military and the exile of the Dalai Lama.
To this day, young people are still dying in protest of Chinese rule in the region, with demonstrations held across the world every anniversary.
he Wagga community held a protest on Wednesday morning at the Civic Centre.
Mr Gyasto said Wagga's Tibetan community was made up of refugees who had been forced to flee Tibet to India and had since been resettled in Wagga.
In the ten years since he left he has not been able to see his family, and cannot speak freely with them online because they could face consequences from the Chinese government.
"Many people (in Wagga) are the same," he said.
Mt Gyasto said Tibetan communities across the world protested in the hope of one day seeing freedom of speech return to Tibet.
"This is a basic human right," he said.
He said Tibetan Australians were also not free to travel China as Australian citizens, and he hoped one day he would be able to travel as an Australian citizen to see his family.
Thom Paton from the Wagga Multicultural Council was there to support the community.
"As we live in a democratic society, the Multicultural Council of Wagga Wagga supports the local Tibetan community in exercising their right to free speech, particularly calling out the ongoing violations against their countrymen and women that are being done by the Chinese Government," he said.
Mr Gyasto said the group were grateful for the freedom they had in Australia.
"I would like to especially thank the Australain people and the countries around the world that generously continue to host and support Tibetan people," he said.
One of Pope Francis' key messages during his historic visit to Iraq was to denounce extremism in a country that has been torn apart by it.
The Pontiff singled out the suffering of the Yazidi community, which he says has "mourned the deaths of many men and witnessed thousands of women, girls and children kidnapped, sold as slaves, subjected to physical violence and forced conversions".
Iraq has enacted a landmark bill, which for the first time formally recognises the genocide and trauma of sexual violence against the ethnic minority.
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Yazidi genocide survivors will get compensation, but for some in Australia it's not enough
Shammo Silo and his daughter Iman. Source: Lin Evlin, SBS News
Nearly seven years after the so-called Islamic State launched a violent attack on the Yazidi people in Iraq, the government there has enacted a landmark bill to formally recognise it as a genocide and support female survivors.
For the Yazidi community, being able to get the closure of laying their loved ones to rest has been a long and almost impossible task. Shammo Silo and his two daughters resettled in the New South Wales regional city of Wagga Wagga in 2019, but his wife and three sons are still missing - he fears they are now dead. “No matter what, my heart will not be at ease,” he told SBS News. “All we want is to know what their fate is.”
The Yazidi are an ethnic minority traditionally from northern Iraq, and Mr Silo counts himself as one of the lucky ones. He was away from his home village of Kocho in northern Iraq on 3 August 2014, having left in the early hours for work. It was on that day, known as "black day" by the Yazidi community, that his wife and seven children were held and separated by militants from the so-called Islamic State (IS) terrorist group. It would be many months later before Mr Silo was able to reconnect with his youngest daughter, Iman.
She was only five when she was kidnapped and was among thousands of Yazidi children taken prisoner by IS in 2014. More than 3,000 were killed in her home district of Sinjar.
She was found by people smugglers hired by her father in neighbouring Turkey, living with a family loyal to the terrorist group. In a video filmed shortly after she returned to her father, Iman - who was far too young to remember the circumstances of her earlier life - can be seen confused as to why she was being rescued and asks to be returned to her Turkish 'family'.
"I will get ready and in the morning come and take me to my [Turkish] mother," she says in the footage seen by SBS News.
“They were tortured by being deprived from sleep, from food and from water," Mr Silo said. “They were subjected to all forms of torture, plus home duties from a young age.” Iman is now 10, and her father wants her story to be heard.
She says she misses her mother and other siblings, and though she was young at the time, she remembers her childhood being torn apart by IS. "It was so hard, they were bad to us," she said. "Sometimes they hit us and other bad things." Iman is now a vice-president at her primary school and has hopes of studying medicine one day.
Landmark bill for survivors
Many Yazidi people feel the Iraqi government did not protect them from IS's systematic campaign of kidnapping and killing and believe they have made little progress since 2014 in addressing the long-term effects of the destruction caused by the group.
Last week, the Iraqi parliament passed a landmark bill that formally recognises the 2014 crimes committed against the Yazidi as a genocide, almost five years after the United Nations did the same. The law also provides reparations in the form of financial compensation as well as rehabilitation and medical treatment for women and girl survivors.
Dr Amy Bean, the author of The Last Yezidi Genocide and an independent human rights advocate for survivors, said the new law, titled The Yazidi Female Survivors Law, is a big step forward.
“Not only does this law stipulate compensation for survivors for the rest of their lives, but beyond that it legitimises what happened to them in the eyes of the world.
“For seven years, they've been asking Iraq to proclaim that what happened to them was genocide and they will work with other countries as well as the Iraqi judiciary to bring the members of IS to justice.”
Justice only just beginning
For many Yazidi people, although they welcome the passage of the new law - which had been before parliament for almost two years - they feel the road to justice and closure is just beginning. Belinda Crain, the CEO of the Multicultural Council of Wagga Wagga, has helped dozens of Yazidi families resettle in Australia and said the community has "given up" on justice.
"They don't think there will be justice," she said. "The Yazidi people have gone through so many genocides, they see this as just another time they have been persecuted."
Arab and Layla Mato are still looking for 71 members of their extended family.
Source: Lin Evlin, SBS News
Arab Mato, who also received refugee status in 2019 and now lives in Wagga Wagga, still has 71 members of his extended family missing. Ten of them were identified in recent burials of more than 100 victims in Kocho.
Dozens of mass graves in Sinjar are still awaiting exhumation and Mr Mato said he and his family are growing increasingly impatient. They feel the new law is "too little, too late". “It is really important that remaining women and children who have been kidnapped are all returned. “Secondly, those who committed these crimes must be brought forward and tried in a court of law.”
SBS Kurdish: Five years on, the pain continues for Yazidis with thousands still missing
William Wiley from the Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA), a not-for-profit organisation that has been gathering evidence of IS crimes against the Yazidi people in Iraq over the past few years, said progress, while slow, is being made.
He said the CIJA has wound back its investigative operations in recent years since the United Nations established its team to investigate the crimes in late 2017. “I agree with the assessment of the Yazidi survivors, that the process has been somewhat slow because international criminal justice, or justice for war crimes, crimes against humanity, takes time; the cases are complex," he said. “But the pace of progress is ramping up, it takes domestic authorities some time to get their head around the issue but there is a lot of material out there so I’m confident we will see more prosecutions.”
Mayada Kordy Khalil is a journalist with SBS Kurdish.
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MARCH 2 2021
Myanmar residents ask Wagga to help fight military dictatorship
Kenji Sato
FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM: Timothy Lal, Lucy Lal, Philip Kyaw, and Lat Aung Nanghee are fighting against military tyranny. Picture: Kenji Sato
Myanmar locals are asking Aussies to help them in their fight against the military dictatorship that is terrorising their family members back at home. The campaign is led by Asian grocer Philip Kyaw, who is distributing fliers, collecting signatures, and raising money to help feed the protesters who have gone on labour strikes. Mr Kyaw said he wanted to do his part to fight for democracy, saying he wanted his countrymen to enjoy the same rights and freedoms that he enjoyed in Wagga. "We've lost more than 30 people [to police killings]. They are the ones that go out on the street, they're willing to protest to demand their right. They don't want to stay under the military anymore," Mr Kyaw said. "I want the international community to try to stop the further loss of lives in the future. We are in the 21st century. Every country should live freely. There is no place for the military to run the country."
Red Cross worker Lat Aung Nanghee said he lived in constant fear for his family's safety, especially his sister who was part of the protest movement. Another 18 protesters were shot to death on Sunday, and Mr Nanghee calls his family members every day knowing that each conversation could be his last. "I'm very worried for their safety because lives are at risk because the police shoot whoever they want," Mr Nanghee said. "It's really worrying. I call every day to ask whether they're still okay. Anything can happen."
FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM: Timothy Lal, Lucy Lal, and Lat Aung Nanghee are fighting against military tyranny. Picture: Kenji Sato
Mr Nanghee had been sending money to support his extended family back at home, but they were cut off due to the banks closing down amid the protests. In the same boat is Lucy Lal, who is desperately trying to send money back home to support her family members suffering financial hardship. Mrs Lal said the entire country suffered economic hardship at the best of times, due to corrupt military generals and Chinese government-backed businesses exploiting the country of its resources for decades. "We are so afraid that because of this abusive power, the military will finally win and we'll live in the darkness again, with severe poverty, no education, and being shut out from the world," Mrs Lal said. "I would like the people in Wagga to be aware of this. It's not an ordinary struggle. For us, our lives depend on it and the lives of the people there depend on it."Mr Kyaw is asking people to help out by signing the petition on the Australian government's website or by donating to help the protesters at his shop on Baylis Street.
FEBRUARY 14 2021
Tibetan community celebrates Losar in Lake Albert
Rachel McDonald
Losar, the new years celebration which transforms Tibet for two weeks, has again come to Wagga.
Members of the growing Tibetan community were at Lake Albert Hall for hours on Saturday preparing a feast to mark the new year. In a Wagga council sponsored event, Grammy nominated Tibetan-Australian musician Tenzin Choegyal headed to the hall, with local children preparing a dance for the event. Losar is the biggest celebration in Tibetan culture, and an opportunity for the Wagga community to get together. The community is growing after a group of families made the move from Sydney, one of Wagga's most recently settled multicultural communities.
FEBRUARY 13 2021
Wagga's Burmese community calls for end to Myanmar coup
Rachel McDonald
PROTEST: Lat Aung, Lucy Lal, Robert Gering and Phillip Kyaw show their support for ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Picture: Rachel McDonald
The Wagga Burmese community has come together to protest against a military coup in their home country of Myanmar. At the beginning of the month, military forces carried out a coup d'etat, detaining National League for Democracy (NLD) leader Aung San Suu Kyi as she was about to begin her second term following a November election. Protestors at the Victory Memorial Gardens called for the release of Suu Kyi and NLD leaders, and expressed their concerns about military tactics used to quell protests in Myanmar. Wagga's Lat Aung said many Burmese families in the city had their own negative experiences of military rule, which he said had caused fear, stress and a lack of freedom for decades. "The military has ruled our country for nearly 60 years, even myself, I grew up under the military," he said.
"I don't want the military to rule the country again, if we go back to military again our hopes and our goals, it's like a cut off, no hope. "Mr Aung said the NLD had strong support from the Burmese community because they had brought democracy and greater freedoms to the country. Phillip Kyaw said if the coup succeeded, he was worried it could take decades to bring democracy back. The reason why we cannot let the military take over again is we don't want our future young generations to have to live under the military without freedom, without a free government," he said. "They're saying that they will hold on just one year, but one year could be two, and 10 years, 20 years, when they've got power they will stay in there. That's why we really want to show our support, Burma is still our home town even though we are here. "Robert Gumring said they were concerned about news they had heard over the past couple of days of late night arrests of protestors, and reports of prisoners being released with instructions to destabilise peaceful protests and create riots. Mr Kyaw said these were tactics the military had used before, and the community was calling on all governments and global organisations to do what they could to return Suu Kyi to power.
FEBRUARY 11 2021
Tibetan community invites Wagga to celebrate Losar 2021, a new year's event
Rachel McDonald
TASHI DELEK: Losar is a festival that stops Tibet in its tracks, and Sonam Lhamo is grateful to celebrate it here in Wagga. Picture: Emma Hillier
Across Wagga, the growing Tibetan community is busy preparing food for a two-week-long celebration of the new year. Losar is the most important festival on the Tibetan calendar, with tomorrow beginning three major days of celebration followed by nearly two weeks of festivities including gift-giving and plenty of Tibetan food.
This year's Losar, the 20148 Metal Ox year, happens to coincide with the Lunar New Year tomorrow despite the two being separate events. Wagga Tibetan community member Sonam Lhamo said her family was busy cleaning and decorating the house, and families across the community would have spent much of the week cooking and preparing their traditional dress for the occasion. This year, the community is inviting Wagga to join them at a festival on Saturday evening. A Wagga council grant has brought popular, Grammy nominated musician Tenzin Choegyal from Queensland to perform at the event. The Lake Albert Hall will play host to music, dance and a Tibetan dinner from 5pm to 9.30pm. Sonam said the event was "like Christmas" for her community, and the whole of Tibet would stop to celebrate. While it is quieter in Wagga, she said the community was grateful and happy they had the chance to keep their traditions alive. "I think this is really important to show our culture to the Australian people," she said. "All Wagga people are most welcome to join with us." She said the community wished the people of Wagga "tashi delek," a greeting conveying wishes of prosperity.
2 Feb 2021
Australia Day 2021: Wagga welcomes new Australian citizens
26 January 2021
Annie Lewis
PROUD MOMENT: Mohamed Kandeh says he is overwhelmed with feelings after finally becoming an Australian citizen. Picture: Emma Hillier
Mohamed Kandeh was only 16 years old when he fled from Sierra Leone as war tore his home country apart. Ever since, he has been hoping and praying to become an Australia citizen. This Australia Day, at 39 years of age, his wish finally came true. "I would say thank you to the Lord because I have been praying for this day for so long," Mr Kandeh said. "I am so proud to be an Australian citizen. I am so full of joy. I can't even explain how I am feeling. "Mr Kandeh had to leave his family behind when he was just a teenager as he took a boat to Guinea. To this day, he still has never been able to contact his mother.
"It was really hard there for me because I didn't know anyone and it was the first time I had ever left my country," he said "It was a struggle to get things to eat, and sometimes bad people would come and take your little money from you. But, I kept praying. I went to some churches, and they helped us." Mr Kandeh wanted to come straight to Australia but was sent as a refugee to America, but he never gave up hope. Then in 2013, he finally touched down in Sydney. After visiting Wagga, he fell in love with the regional city and knew it would be the best place to raise his family.
"Wagga is the best place to live because here there are nice people," he said. "You ask them for anything, and they help, especially the Wagga Multicultural Council." Mr Kandeh was one of more than 40 new citizens who were sworn in at the Australia Day ceremony in Wagga. The conferees came from the Philippines, Nepal, Liberia, Vietnam, Egypt, Malaysia, Bangladesh, the Czech Republic, Pakistan, Austria, Myanmar, Iran, the Republic of Ireland and the US. Gisela Gloeckner, originally from Austria, first visited Australia in the 1990s and fell in love with the country. At first, it was too expensive to become a permanent resident, but that changed when she retired. "I had friends from my home town here in Tasmania, which is why I came here in the place," Ms Gloeckner said.
Gisela Gloeckner
"When I retired in 2003, I was doing a summer in Austria and summer in Australia. “I travelled around and then settled in Griffith. Then I moved to Wagga four years ago, and I love it." Wagga mayor Greg Conkey said he was privileged and proud to play a role in the citizenship ceremony. "I know you will never forget where you came from and nor should you," he said. "Your path has made you the person you are today and is also what will make Australia what it becomes tomorrow."
JANUARY 26 2021 - 12:00PM
Photos of Australia Day 2021 | Wagga celebrates the country they call home
Jessica McLaughlin
DAY OUT: Miracassini, Roseangela and Salvatore Zavaglia get into the Aussie spirit. Picture: Jessica McLaughlin
FAMILIES, friends and proud Aussies flocked to Wagga's Botanic Gardens on Tuesday Morning to celebrate the country they call home.
With gates opening about 8am, attendees were met with a range of foods from sausages to doughnuts and Vegemite-themed biscuits, as well as coffee and water to keep them hydrated.
Live music played throughout the park, with attendees setting up chairs and picnic rugs to relax and enjoy the day.
For many, Australia Day was a reminder of the freedoms they enjoy daily.
One attendee and father of three Stefan Zavaglia moved to Australia more than 10 years ago, and said he felt "blessed" to be a part of the country. A smile can go such a long way, and if we keep working towards a return to freedom, helping others and alleviating that burden the next generation carry, the world will be a better place," he said. "Many people who have come here might want to go home but can't give everything going on, so to be able to join in today and feel accepted is so important."
PROUD HISTORY: Myah, Amelia and Benji Pengelly spend the day celebrating what it means to be Australian. Picture: Jessica McLaughlin
Junee man Les Robinson also joined the celebrations, and said for him, it was all about the company. "It's nice to be out and about for once after covid, and I always love the Australia Day events and the great breakfast," he said. The Scriven family from Wagga were relieved to see the event go ahead this year, with Brooke Scriven saying it was a family tradition. "We go to these events every year as a family, and for a while there we didn't think it would go ahead, so it's lovely to be together and see it go ahead despite everything," she said.
JANUARY 26 2021
Citizen of the Year: Wagga's refugee, migrant community thank Belinda Crain
Annie Lewis
ONE BIG FAMILY: Hakimah Rahimi and Belinda Crain. Ms Rahimi says she is so grateful to have met Ms Crain when she moved to Wagga. Picture: Annie Lewis
Mother, friend and helper is how Wagga's refugee and migrant community have described the city's newest Citizen of the Year. During Monday night's Australia Day Awards ceremony, Belinda Crain was honoured with the accolade for her outstanding contribution to multiculturalism in Wagga. No one understands the work she has done more than those she has helped start a new life here in the city. Hakimah Rahimi and her family moved to Wagga from Iran after living there for years as refugees from Afghanistan. When they arrived, Ms Rahami said they knew no one. But, there was always one place she could go to for help - the Multicultural Council. And, it was there she met Belinda Crain. "Belinda, especially for the refugees, is like a mother to everyone," Ms Rahami said. "Especially for those people who cannot speak English, but she is amazing because she will try to communicate. "She is the perfect lady. Everybody loves her. Belinda is really kind and friendly and respects people; it doesn't matter their culture or their religion." Ms Rahami said she was thrilled to learn Ms Crain had been awarded the Citizen of the Year award. She added that everyone at the Multicultural Council was like family to her.
Constance Okot, from South Sudan, arrived in Wagga with her husband and children in 2005. She has said many times that Ms Crain and the rest of the staff at the Multicultural Council are their "shield". "I don't know how we would have made it here in Australia without them," she said. "I speak to my friends in Adelaide and Melbourne, and they don't have the support like we do here. "Wagga has the best Multicultural Council centre. "Ms Okot first met Ms Crain when she became the manager of the Wagga Multicultural Council and the pair soon become great friends. "She is like a mother to us all," she said. "It doesn't matter how busy it is, she will greet you with a smile and ask how she can help. "Belinda's funny, smart, kind and she deserved to be the Citizen of the Year."
Marina O'Donnell, one of the committee members for Wagga's Filipino community, said Ms Crain was always happy to find a solution to a problem. "When I organise events in Wagga such as Philippine Independence Day, she is always there to help us," Ms O'Donnell said. "She is very helpful and kind and she is our helping hand. "I don't remember Belinda ever saying 'no' when you approach her for help, she always says 'yes'."
SBS Kurdish
BY MAYADA KORDY KHALIL
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'I am extremely honoured to be Citizen of the Year for Wagga': Belinda Crain
Belinda Crain has been named 2021 Citizen of the Year for her outstanding contribution to multiculturalism through her work with Multicultural Council of Wagga.
The award means Ms Crain will have the ability to highlight and showcase the diverse communities that live in Wagga, as people have made Wagga their home. She's also hoping to provide education to the broader community about the reasons why people of refugee backgrounds have resettled in Wagga.
Ms Crain told SBS Kurdish that she is honoured to have received the Citizen of the Year Award.
“I am extremely honoured to be named Citizen of the year for Wagga.”
Ms Crain dedicated herself to supporting new arrivals such as refugees and has developed the organisation to be able to support the needs of diverse communities. She is keen on assisting the newly arrived by gaining education qualifications for them which leads to employment. Many refugees have resettled in Wagga Wagga in the last several years which includes Yezidi refugees. Ms Crain said she's happy with the Yezidi community and their settlement in Wagga.
JANUARY 25 2021
2021 Australia Day honours announced with Multicultural Council's Belinda Crain taking the citizen of the year award
Catie McLeod
COMMUNITY TREASURE: Wagga Multicultural Council chief executive officer Belinda Crain is known for her determination to help the city's new arrivals. Picture: Emma Hillier
Belinda Crain has been named Wagga's Citizen of the Year for her outstanding contribution to the city's multicultural communities. Ms Crain said she was "very surprised and shocked", but her win will come as no great surprise to the many people in Wagga who know her. She received the honour at last night's Australia Day awards ceremony after 12 years of tireless work at the helm of the Multicultural Council. Speaking before the ceremony, Ms Crain said she was nervous but excited for herself and the other two nominees. John Fardell was nominated for the award for many years spent raising money for numerous causes, including bushfire relief and the Mary Potter Nursing Home, through carpentry.
Fellow nominee Judith Ferguson was recognised for her long contribution to Wagga's music scene and for directing the Murrumbidgee Magic and Wagga City Rugby Male choirs through the tumultuous year that was 2020. In the end, Ms Crain was named 2021 Citizen of the Year for her dedication to new migrants and refugees, whom she has supported wholeheartedly to embark on their new lives in Australia. Ms Crain joined the Multicultural Council as a board member in 2008 while she was working in homelessness services.
"I started having some young African people coming into the services that I was managing so I went onto the board of the Multicultural Council. I was on the board for about six months and then I became the manager," she said. "I went there sort of to find out what I could do to help people. I was meant to be there for six months and I've been there for 12 years." Ms Crain said the honour was a great highlight for the multicultural community of Wagga and she hoped to continue to grow the organisation. "For me, every day's a different day because I learn more and more each day. It's not a job that you go to and do the same thing every day," she said. "It's very rewarding."
Ms Crain has been instrumental in supporting families and individuals to establish themselves in the community and to make Wagga their home, including helping new arrivals to gain qualifications and find employment. She said the Wagga community was not very diverse when she was growing up here, but she had learnt so much from her work with the Multicultural Council. "I feel very privileged to be a part of people's lives as they settle here," she said. "We become almost like a family. Having this one place for so many different cohorts really helps create a sense of belonging." Other top citizens recognised The Australia Day awards were hosted at the Civic Theatre this evening, where two other dedicated members of the community received top awards.
Clare Frances Lawlor was named the 2021 Young Citizen of the Year, while Edward Maher received a gong for the 2021 Environmental Citizen of the Year. Eleven residents were nominated in recognition of their contribution to the community, five of whom were in the running for the recently established environmental citizen category. Ms Lawlor was recognised for founding the Charles Sturt University Wagga Rotaract Club, a global organisation that gives back to the community. Ms Lawlor has gathered a group of spirited students and young professionals who are known around Wagga for their volunteer work and their determination to create positive change. Mr Maher is the chair of the Wagga Urban Landcare group and was recognised last night for his commitment to sustainability. He has been instrumental in promoting strong community engagement and establishing partnerships with local businesses and organisations to educate people about the environment.
In his work with Wagga Urban Landcare, Mr Maher uses his passion for the natural world to teach residents about the importance of revegetation and weed control. Wagga mayor Greg Conkey said Australia Day was a time to recognise achievement and excellence, and to reflect on the darker parts of our history. "It is a time to recognise what is great about this country and the people who have made this country great," Cr Conkey said. "We should never forget our past and the injustices inflicted as we come together to celebrate in a spirit of reconciliation."
JANUARY 23 2021 - 3:00PM
2021 Wagga Australia Day Award nominees revealed
Annie Lewis
Rachel McDonald
NOMINEES: Judith Ferguson, John Fardell and Belinda Crain are the 2021 Citizen of the Year nominees.
Official Wagga Australia Day celebrations will kick off on Monday evening with recognition of some of the city's most dedicated workers and volunteers. Eleven residents have been chosen across three categories as the nominees for this year's Australia Day Awards.
The awards include the naming of the Citizen and Young Citizen of the Year, along with a relatively new category. Wagga council community service director Janice Summerhayes said the new category of Environmental Citizen of the Year had drawn increased interest for the 2021 event. "We launched this category for the 2020 Australia Day Awards and now, in just its second year, we have received five nominations," she said.
"Through their professions or volunteer activities, these nominees have worked tirelessly to improve environmental sustainability and awareness. She said the council received three nominations for both Citizen of the Year and Young Citizen of the Year, with the winners of all three categories to be announced at a ceremony on Monday night. The ceremony will also see the announcement of the the 2021 Walk of Honour Inductee. "It is wonderful to see so many outstanding citizens being recognised," Ms Summerhayes said. The awards ceremony, this year a private event due to coronavirus restrictions, will be held at the Civic Theatre tonight from 7pm, with a livestream at www.wagga.nsw.gov.au/australiaday.
DIVERSITY: Wagga Multicultural Council CEO Belinda Crain says her nomination highlights the successes of the city's multicultural community. Picture: Emma Hillier
Belinda Crain
When Ms Crain got the phone call that she had been nominated, she felt honoured and surprised. But, in her mind, this recognition is not just about her. "I think personally this highlights and acknowledges the multicultural space which is really important," she said. "I don't think it is just about me. I think people are starting to see the contributions of people from all different backgrounds to helping Wagga grow."
Growing up in Wagga, Ms Crain said the community was not very diverse, but she has learnt so much after dedicating many years to the Multicultural Council. "I feel very privileged to be a part of people's lives as they settle here," she said. "We become almost like a family. Having this one place for so many different cohorts really helps create a sense of belonging." Ms Crain has been nominated for her outstanding contribution to multiculturalism in Wagga. She helped the Multicultural Council grow into and organisation that supports multiple and diverse communities and is instrumental in fostering humanitarian groups to gain education qualifications and skill sets that lead to employment.
GENEROUS: John Fardell has spent over a decade making Australian-themed coffee tables to raffle off for charity. Picture: Rachel McDonald
John Fardell
John Fardell said he had no idea he would be nominated for Citizen of the Year. "I got the shock of my life," he said. "I didn't think I would get it, but I got it and it makes me happy." For 13 years, Mr Fardell has been making coffee tables in the shape of Australia and NSW, along with plant stands and other creations he raffles off to raise funds for the Mary Potter Nursing Home. Mr Fardell said he got to know the nursing home when his wife Pat's mother was there for respite, and decided to help them because he felt they needed more financial support. Since beginning his efforts, he has raised thousands of dollars for the home to help purchase additional equipment. "It keeps me going," he said.
His efforts are not limited to the one place however, with drought, breast cancer and bushfire relief organisations all benefitting from his handiwork. "I was brought up on a farm and that's what I felt like doing for the farmers," he said. Soon to be 79, Mr Fardell has plans in the works for a fundraiser for Batlow after previously donating to Tumbarumba. "I'll just keep going for a while and then I'll probably retire," he said. He said the support of his wife had been important when managing all the raffles through the years.
MUSICAL: Judith Ferguson navigated a challenging year in 2020, keeping a 70-strong choir together through a pandemic. Picture: Emma Hillier
Judith Ferguson
Ms Ferguson was overwhelmed when she found out that someone had taken the time to nominate her. "I was so surprised because when you do things, you don't do them for recognition," she said. "I felt very warmed by the fact that people had taken the time to nominate me. It makes you feel honoured to know that other people think that way about me." Ms Ferguson managed to navigate both the Murrumbidgee Magic and the Wagga City Rugby Male Choir through the tumultuous year that was 2020. Singing together over Zoom, and keeping spirits up was part and parcel of the new way of life. "At some points, it was really challenging," Ms Ferguson said. "At least we were able to provide a platform for them to see each other's faces, have a chat and then onto the work of singing."
Ms Ferguson first got involved with choirs when she started working at a primary school. "Just seeing the joy of children being given the opportunity to stand up together and sing and how much music meant to them was so special," she said. "That passion has just continued and continued to get even stronger. "Music, and particularly, singing just brings so much to people." Ms Ferguson has made an enormous contribution to the Wagga music scene over several years. She has taken on key roles across multiple groups with the most recent being the Musical Director of the Wagga City Rugby Male Choir. Through her dedication, expertise and enthusiasm, the choir now has grown to 70 members.
Young Citizen of the Year Nominees
Angus McKean
Angus has been nominated in recognition of his work in raising vital funds for the Dunns Road Bushfire appeal. At just 17 years of age, Angus co-ordinated Music for the Mountains, an event held in late January 2020 which saw 30 artists and a plethora of local talent perform which resulted in raising $32,000.
Ariba Omar
Ariba is an active volunteer for Cancer Council Australia. Since the age of four she has volunteered to sell raffle tickets and merchandise for Daffodil Day, Red Nose Day and Pink Ribbon Day. In 2020, Ariba even donated her hair to the 'Variety-Hair with Heat' charity.
Clare Frances Lawlor
Clare has been described as an incredibly community minded young woman, with a long list of service, academic and community volunteer achievements. At the age of 18, Clare founded the Rotaract Club of CSU Wagga which is a global organisation that empowers students and young professionals to create positive and lasting change in themselves, their local community and around the world.
Environment Citizen of the Year Nominees
Roslyn Crago
Ms Crago is a dedicated volunteer for the Wagga community. Since 2005, she and her husband Richard have spent endless hours improving the natural environment on Rocky Hill as a tireless advocate for woody weed removal of noxious weeds.
Edward Maher
Mr Maher has a long history, deep knowledge and commitment to environmental sustainability. He has been an active member of the Wagga Urban Landcare Group since 2011 and president since 2013. During that time, he has continued to establish partnerships with local businesses and organisations to educate above revegetation, weed control and social engagement.
Patricia Murray
Ms Murray is an active member at Erin Earth, a sustainable living centre and a volunteer in the garden maintenance program. She has been a volunteer member at the Wagga Urban Landcare Group for the last 20 years and was the driving force behind the climate change march in back in March 2019. Ms Murray's professional role allows her to work in the area of floodplain management which comes off the back of her PhD in riparian zones of rivers which she attained at Charles Sturt University.
Sophie Kurylowicz
Mrs Kurylowicz's passion for the planet has driven her to create a micro flower farm and studio florist offering blooms grown locally. In the past year, she has set the goal of making her business 100 per cent flower foam free, which for a florist is a unique and challenging task. Mrs Kurylowicz has pioneered new methods to give structure and hydration for flowers and has provided floral installations that are 100 per cent free of flower foam to all her clients.
Christopher Kanck
Mr Kanck has been a volunteer committee member of the Demonstration Gardens Wagga for the past three years. In his current position of president, he works closely with a group of volunteers to plan and manage a range of programs and events which promote the growth of fruit and vegetables using environmentally sustainable methods.
15 Jan 2021
DECEMBER 16 2020
Refugee, Aboriginal graduates help to fill Wagga's apprentice shortage
Kenji Sato
Yazidi refugee Jet-Li Iranyumva is training to be a panel beater. Picture: Kenji Sato
Refugees and Aboriginal graduates are helping to fill Wagga's chronic apprentice shortage, as part of the new Employment Pathways program to get vulnerable people into work. One of them is Yazidi refugee Jet-Li Iranymva, who finished the HSC and immediately found work as a panel beater at Glassons Smash Repairs. Jet-Li, who is named after the Singaporean martial arts movie star, said he was looking forward to beginning his working life in Australia. "I take this as my new chapter, my new beginning, and I'll see where it takes me," Mr Iranymva said. "I've always wanted to know about cars and repair cars, and I'm more of a physical person so I like to get into it and do something." One of them is Yazidi refugee Jet-Li Iranymva, who finished the HSC and immediately found work as a panel beater at Glassons Smash Repairs. Jet-Li, who is named after the Singaporean martial arts movie star, said he was looking forward to beginning his working life in Australia. "I take this as my new chapter, my new beginning, and I'll see where it takes me," Mr Iranymva said. "I've always wanted to know about cars and repair cars, and I'm more of a physical person so I like to get into it and do something."
Clontarf graduate Coen Dawson on his second day on the job. Picture: Kenji Sato
Young Aboriginal man Coen Dawson has graduated from Mount Austin High and is already on day three of his apprenticeship trial.
Mr Dawson said he started work at Glassons to learn new skills and experience what it was like to work in a real factory.
"I was interested in panel beating, spray painting, pulling apart engines," Mr Dawson said.
"I wanted to do a bit of everything."
Brett Davies putting his old welding skills back in use. Picture: Kenji Sato
The new employment program was a godsend for Brett Davies, who had been living in a homelessness refuge after spending four months fruitlessly looking for work. Mr Davies said he had had no luck at the employment agencies until he met support worker Mick Rumble, who found an employer willing to give him a chance. "The way I see it, if you want to stay on the dole you go to a job agency. If you actually want a job, go see Mick," Mr Davies. "He got me three interviews the next day. I haven't had any luck with job agencies until then, to tell you the truth."
Mr Davies now happily rides his bicycle every morning to work, where he does welding and custom fitting for traybacks and cars. Support worker Mick Rumble, who works for the Wagga Multicultural Council, said there was plenty of work to go around and plenty of vulnerable people in desperate need of work. "Until we get alliance with people like Glassons you're banging your head against the wall, because no one wants to give them a go," Mr Rumble said. "There's positions available, it's just about finding the right person to fit the job. Reliability is the biggest thing - finding someone who will turn up five days a week to do a full day's work." Glassons HR manager Kayleen Glasson said hardworking employees such as Mr Davies were an asset to the team. "He's excellent, dedicated, and he rides his bike to work every day. He has a willingness to learn, and we're very fortunate to have him," Mrs Glassons said.
DECEMBER 11 2020
Tibetan community celebrate human rights day
Kenji Sato
Myanmar refugee Hpi Redamwang and Yazidi refugee Eevet Hasan. Picture: Kenji Sato
Refugees expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Australia for giving them a safe home and for restoring their basic human rights. They gathered on Thursday for International Human Rights Day at Lake Albert, where they celebrated their newfound freedom with their fellow refugees. The event was organised by the Tibetan Community in Wagga, and their president Sherab said nobody in the community took their human rights for granted. He said the Tibetan community faced constant persecution and human rights violations at the hands of the Chinese government, which is why he fled the country in 2003. He spent 49 days crossing the Himalayas on foot, travelling through the night and hiding during the day from bounty hunters and Chinese border guards.
He eventually made it to India before getting refugee status in Australia in 2019, and he has enjoyed his newfound rights ever since. "As a human being we are all born with human rights. It's a birth gift, and in a lot of places, especially China, a lot of minorities don't have those rights," Mr Sherab said. "In Australia we all have human rights here that are protected, and we are all happy here."
Tiben refugee Rinchen Wangmo and Tenzin Dome. Picture: Kenji Sato
Myanmar refugee Hpi Redamwang said his Kachin community, a largely Christian ethnic group, faced decades of rape, torture, and murder at the hands of the Burmese military. He himself was beaten by soldiers, sent to work in a labour camp, and forced to live on meager rations while living in Myanmar. He managed to escape to Malaysia with his family, where they faced further discrimination until they were granted refugee status and allowed into Australia in 2019. Mr Redamwang said he still cowers whenever he sees a police car, but is slowly getting used to not having to live a life of fear in Wagga. "We live in fear and poverty, but the worst thing is fear. The fear is still inside me, and I am slowly adjusting in Australia," Mr Redamwang said. "That's why I am so grateful to the government, the local people, and the traditional land owners of Australia."
STAR: Yazidi refugee Kheri Shngale plays a traditional tune on the tambour. Picture: Kenji Sato
Yazidi refugee and high schooler Eevet Hasan said the community cherished the safety of Wagga, with many having lost entire families to ISIS. "To us as a Yazidi community, human rights mean having freedom of feeling safe, acting independently, and make choices for what you want to do in your life," Ms Hasan said. "Through Australian humanitarian organisations we have been able to feel safe, educated, and get the freedom every human being deserves."
DECEMBER 7 2020
Wagga Multicultural Council, Smith Family benefit from state government road safety grant
Annie Lewis
STEERING TO SAFETY: Eevet Hasan says being able to drive has brought a lot more freedom and allowed her to support her family. Picture: Les Smith
One Yazidi refugee knows just how lucky she is to be driving, and she says it's largely thanks to one local organisation. Eevet Hasan and her family fled Iraq, arriving in Wagga in early 2017. Now, at the age of 17, she is embracing the freedom that having a driver's licence brings.
"I got it earlier this year," she said. "I was getting to the age that all teenagers want to get their licence and I am part of a big family, and we only have one car, and I was keen to get it. "My dad doesn't drive, only my mum so it has been a big help."
Eevet said now that she has her own car and can drive, she can take her younger siblings to school and help out with the shopping. She added that while completing the 120 hours, the Wagga Multicultural Council supported her in accessing the NSW Safer Driver Course, which is worth 20 hours. "It was good experience," Eevet said. "They went through speeding, drinking and had all the videos. I got all this information in just five hours, maybe more than I got in 70."
Eevet said in her home country, there was not the same focus on road safety as in Australia. "Here people think about driving safely not just for yourself, but for others," she said. "I am so grateful to the Wagga Multicultural Council. It made me so much more confident."
Thom Paton from the Wagga Multicultural Council said they started hosting various programs as a way to make sure its new community members felt safe and confident on the roads. "We cover a range of messages from youth engagement for people transitioning from Ls to Ps to the proper way to secure booster seats," he said. "A lot of people may have been driving for a long time, but the rules and regulations in Australia might be a lot more stringent. "Having access to a licence and transport is so important for social mobility as it allows them to access work, employment and social engagements."
Mr Paton said he was thrilled to hear they would get the funding from Transport for NSW to help educate more community members with a new course. Overall, Wagga benefited from a $10,120 road safety boost from the state government which went to the Wagga Multicultural Council's 'Steering to Safety' program and the Smith Family for it's 'Girls at the Centre' road safety program.
NOVEMBER 30 2020
Wagga Yazidi Iraqi refugees Layla Mahmod and Khalaf Smoki fulfil dream of homeownership
Catie McLeod
NEW LIFE: Dima Smoki, 5, and her parents Khalaf Smoki and Layla Mahmod, have been in Wagga since 2017. Picture: Les Smith
One refugee family has fulfilled a lifelong dream after years of unimaginable hardship. Yazidi Iraqis Khalaf Smoki and Layla Mahmod have just purchased their own home in Wagga after significant personal sacrifice.
The couple fled persecution in Iraq by terror group Islamic State and moved to Wagga in 2017 with their young daughter Dima, now aged 5.
"Thank you so much to the Australian community for opening their country to us," Mr Smoki said. "The Australian people are looking like my community. When you're talking to them, they smile with you, they're talking in a nice way to you ."They have been working tirelessly for the past two years to save enough money to buy their very own house and secure a better future for their family.
"We're very happy for the new house. But we have a very, very hard job ... We were working very hard, all the time saving, saving. And then we buy the house," Ms Mahmod said. Mr Smoki works for Red Cross migrant support services full-time, as well as working a second job as an overnight cleaner. Until six months ago the family only had one car, so Mr Smoki would walk 40 minutes every evening straight from one job to the next. Ms Mahmod has also been working as a cleaner while caring for Dima, who will soon begin primary school.
As a religious minority, the family would not have been allowed to put their name to any legal documents in Iraq, even before the horrific genocide of Yazidis by the Islamic State began in 2014. "This is a big day for the Smoki family, because this is the first time we have a house on our name," Mr Smoki said. "Not my father and my grandfather, my whole family don't have a home in their name. They don't have a certificate [of homeownership] like ours."
The Smoki-Mahmod family were forced to flee their home in Iraq for a refugee camp in Turkey, where they lived in a tent while Ms Mahmod was sick with an undiagnosed illness and Dima was a baby. Three years ago they were accepted by the Australian government to resettle in Wagga as refugees and arrived without knowing any English and without any connections to the community.
"It was very hard. When we come here, we never speak English," Mr Mahmod said. "Then I said to Layla, 'We should be working. Because we came to Australia and we need something for the future for the family. "A chance encounter at the GP's office in these early days saw the Smoki-Mahmod family form a close friendship with Wagga couple Bruce Leary and Helen O'Connell. In the beginning they had to rely on Google Translate to communicate with one another, but Mr Leary and Mrs O'Connell are now like "a second mother and father" to the Yazidi family. Mr Leary said he and his wife were extremely proud of the Smoki-Mahmod family for all they had accomplished.
"Helen has instilled in both these beautiful people a saying . 'The harder you work, the luckier you get'," Mr Leary said. "And that is exactly what they've done. They have worked extremely hard . And what they are achieving is absolutely a credit to them from where they've come from to where they are now. "Little Dima said she loved Wagga and was looking forward to starting school in 2021. "I like to be with my friends," she said. Mr Mahmod considers himself fortunate to have had most of his relatives now join him in Wagga. He said he was grateful to have had the opportunity to forge a new life in Australia. "After we left the genocide [in Iraq], we had about five days sleeping in the street . in Kurdistan cities," he said. "Now it's a very big day for us - we have a house in Australia. "Wagga is our dream."
FRIENDSHIP: Helen O'Connell and Bruce Leary with Dima Smoki, 5, and her parents Khalaf Smoki and Layla Mahmod. Picture: Les Smith
NOVEMBER 7 2020
Wagga African Association hosts Women's Wellness Dance day
Annie Lewis
CONNECTING WITH CULTURE: Jockey Tuyisenge, 5, Dalius Manirakiza, 5 and Dynah Manirakiza, 5. Picture: Emma Hillier
Sunny weather, happy faces and incredible dance moves. That's what Saturday's event at the Botanical Gardens was all about. The Wagga African Association hosted the COVID-safe event at the Music Bowl to boost community's mental health and shine a light on women's issues. Sophia Dywili, a member of the advisory committee, said the pandemic had taken a toll on the community's mental health, and Saturday's event brought everyone together. "Today we came together, women in particular, to de-stress after the period of isolation," she said.
"We just wanted to come together, connect and relate to each other and our culture. "Dancing is one of those cultural things in Africa that really brings people together." Dr Dywili said they also had speakers talking about mental health and impacts of the coronavirus crisis. She added that it was also an opportunity to allow the younger generation to learn and participate in the multiple facets of African culture
NOVEMBER 5 2020
Wafrica to hold Women's Wellness Dance day
Kenji Sato
SHAKE IT: Phibian Koskei, Ruth Ngoma, Zehrah Akuto, Sophia Dywili, Patricia Layweh, Rosy Ryan, Lyndsey Poghisio, Lyan Poghisio, and Cecile Ryan. Picture: Kenji Sato
Women will be grooving to African rhythms and shaking away their worries at a "wellness dance" designed to get people's minds off of the COVID pandemic. Wagga African Association member Zehrah Akuto said they were unable to come together and sing due to lockdown prohibitions on singing, but they could at least get together and dance. "I think Africans naturally like singing when we are in distress. We can sing as we cry, we can sing when we want to dance, but we thought dancing can be one of the things we can do," Ms Akuto said.
Lyndsey Poghisio, Lyan Poghisio, and Cecile Ryan. Picture: Kenji Sato
"We thought instead of people being in homes, isolated, without interacting with others, this was something that would help de-stress." Sophia Dywili said the months of isolation had dealt a toll to everyone's mental health, and that this was their way bringing some cheer back into the community.
"It's all about mental health and coming out of this COVID distress," Ms Dywili said. "We just want people to come together, dance, and just have fun." The day of dance will be the culmination of a weekly health, well-being and social gathering that has been running every Sunday afternoon for the last four weeks as part of the Ujirani Mwema Good Neighborhood Initiative. The Wagga African Association will be meeting at the Botanical Music Bowl this Saturday from 3pm to 7pm, and the event is open to all members of the community regardless of race or dancing ability.
NOVEMBER 2 2020
Ronejan Darwesh reunited with family in Wagga after four years
Annie Lewis
TOGETHER AGAIN: Zenah Shamo with family Randi, 9, Ronejan, 12, Redwan, 11, and Drei Darwesh are thrilled to be reunited in Wagga after four years apart. Picture: Emma Hillier
It has been an agonising four years for a Yazidi family in Wagga as they waited to be reunited with one of their children. The Darwesh family last saw their eldest son on July 17, 2016, when ISIS attacked their home in the middle of the night. Drei and Zenah took their children and fled, but in the confusion, they were separated from their son Ronejan, who had to seek asylum with Mr Darwesh's brother and parents in Germany.
In March 2017, Mr Darwesh and Ms Shamo, along with their two younger sons Randi and Redwan, were given permission to move to Australia. They immediately made contact with the Wagga Multicultural Council to find a way to reunite with their son. But it would be years before they saw him again, earlier this year, Ronejan's visa was finally granted and the family was thrilled to think that he would soon be joining them in Australia. "We were so excited when the visa came through," Mr Darwesh said. "We were so happy," Randi, the youngest son, added. But just days later, the COVID-19 pandemic saw countries shut their borders. All humanitarian visas, including Ronejan's, were put on hold and his family was "devastated" when they learnt it would be even longer before they saw him. The Multicultural Council worked with Legal Aid to apply for an exemption.
The Yazidi community in Wagga also helped to raise funds to cover the cost of Ronejan's ticket from Germany to Australia. Ms Shamo said when they heard he would be coming home finally in September; she did not want to celebrate straight away out of fear something else would get in the way.
MORE DELAYS: Drei Darwesh and Zenah Shamo with sons Redwan and Randi in July 2020 after they learned Ronejan's visa was on hold.
But, Ronejan finally arrived in Sydney on September 3. "We had waited so long to see him," Ms Shamo said. "For many days, I could not sleep." Ronejan said he loves Australia, even if he is finding it a lot hotter than he is used to. "I am now in year Six at Mount Austin Public School," he said. "I love it here."
Ms Shamo has not been able to stop smiling since having her eldest back in her arms. His brothers Redwan and Randi said they are so happy to have him home, especially as it means a third person to play soccer with.
Mr Darwesh said it was a long wait, but now they are ready to move on as a family. "I just want to thank everyone who helped bring our son home to us," he said.
"We appreciate you so much. "We are so happy to have my son home. " Wagga Multicultural Council CEO Belinda Crain said many refugee families that had been settled in the city were separated from other family members.
I just want to thank everyone who helped bring our son home to us. We appreciate you so much.
Drei Darwesh. She added it was not a simple process to bring them home, and it required a multi-agency effort. "When the family first came they advised us that they had a son who they had been separated from," Ms Crain said.
"He finally got his visa, and then COVID struck, which was horrible. "We then had to apply for an exemption for him to come from Germany, but also an exemption for him to quarantine in Wagga, not Sydney, as he was a minor. "Even when Ronejan had arrived, the work did not stop.
The Multicultural Council made sure to deliver groceries and organise the children's homework while the entire family quarantined for two weeks.
TEAM EFFORT: Wagga Multicultural Council CEO Belinda Crain says a lot of work between multiple agencies went into bringing Ronejan home.
Ms Crain said they also went through the processes of applying for Medicare cards and all the other practical items the family needed now that Ronejan was home. "Because they could not leave the house we had to link up all the things for them," she said. "A lot of us worked really hard to make sure we could get this result for the family. "Now more than 1000 Yazidi people live in Wagga, and Ms Crain said they have settled in well and consider this city their home.
OCTOBER 15 2020
Wagga's Rvzi band to perform at Civic Theatre to raise funds for Burmese refugees in Malaysia Rachel McDonald
RVZI: Burmese musicians Phongsar Konglang, Phong Ram Nang Hee, Pi Dang Rapma, Pongram Rawang and Po Tiwangce hope to help refugees in Malaysia through their music. Picture: Rachel McDonald
The cancellation of a festival to celebrate the arrival of the Burmese Kachin community in Wagga will not stop a group of local musicians from sharing their culture with the city. Rvzi, a group of musicians from the Kachin in Myanmar, began playing together at Burmese church services in Wagga. On October 31, they will take the stage at the Wagga Civic Theatre as a band to perform a range of traditional and contemporary Burmese songs, including from the Rawang people in Kachin. Band member Phongsar Konglang said the group decided to perform to help raise funds for Burmese refugees stranded in Malaysia due to the coronavirus pandemic. He said the group had their own experiences of how difficult finding work and supporting a family could be as a refugee in Malaysia, and the pandemic was making it even harder. "They are really affected with the COVID-19," he said. "We really hope to Malaysia refugee people, they will feel better." Po Tiwangce said some of those stranded in Malaysia were close friends of the band.
"They're still seeking for opportunity to go to other countries, not only Australia but America, Canada and all over the world so they're just waiting," he said. Pongram Rawang said one of the places they wanted to help was a refugee school in Malaysia he used to volunteer at which has suffered from the loss of income in the community. "Right now they've closed the school, because no sponsor and because of all the job losses of the kids' parents," he said. While some of the band members had previously travelled to capital cities to play as part of major Burmese music festivals, Po Tiwangce said the Civic Theatre performance would be their biggest locally. "It's a privilege to do something like this, this is next level stuff," he said. The concert comes after a planned Manau Festival in Wagga to celebrate the arrival of Kachin people to the community was postponed because of the pandemic. Phongsar Konglang said the band had future plans to continue sharing their music and helping those less fortunate. "We want to do more of our cultural songs and then I think we want to share all the different kinds of music to the people," he said. The concert will be held at 7pm on Saturday, October 31 with tickets available from the Wagga Civic Theatre.
OCTOBER 14 2020
Lake Albert Red lock in grand final spot with semi-final win in Football Wagga under 15-16 competition
Peter Doherty
GRAND FINALISTS: Lake Albert Red at training on Tuesday night. They secured their shot at Football Wagga's Under 15-16 premiership with a semi-final win last Saturday. Picture: Peter Doherty
From the villages of Iraq to the verge of a Football Wagga premiership, many players in Lake Albert Red's under 15-16 boys team have been on quite a journey. The team secured first spot in the grand final with a 4-1 win against South Wagga last Saturday, avenging their only loss of the season, a 1-0 defeat to the Warriors when an own goal proved costly. Other than that, a couple of 2-0 wins have been their closest contests and in five of 10 regular season games, the Sharks racked up double figures. In their last five games, they've scored 51 goals and conceded two. "They're doing great. They played very well (against South Wagga). They followed the instructions, they played beautiful soccer and they won 4-1," proud coach Laith Gardner said. With it, Lake Albert Red earned a week off and the chance to go one better than last year, when they went down 2-0 to Lake Albert Black in the grand final. For many, the story really began a long time before last year's finals. "I coached these players last year. Nine players are refugees from Iraq. They are Yazidi and they'd never been on a field... never been to a soccer game on a field. They are from the villages. They just played in the street," Gardner said. "We work hard with them. They love soccer. I can speak two languages with them and they understand. "They're doing great, they are respectable, good boys. "Last year we came second. This year, hopefully they win the competition." Gardner's daughter Maryam is captain and plays centre midfield. The coach said last year's season started slowly but he's been thrilled with their improvement and development in the back half of last season and through this year. "Last year they were a little bit young, 14, 15 years old. This year, seven are 16 and half the team can still play again next year," he said.
Natheer Al Hsasn at a community sport day last July.
Among them is Natheer Al Hsasn who scored two goals in last week's semi-final win and has emerged from almost nowhere as the competition's leading goalscorer, with 17 goals in the regular season. "Last year he was 'keeper, this year, top goalscorer (in the league)," Gardner said. Not far behind him is 14-year-old Eric Gardner, whose elder brothers Fred and Henri are leading Leeton United's Pascoe Cup finals charge. In other grades, minor premiers Wagga United Swifts (in the under 14s and under 12s) and Henwood Park (in the under 13s) all locked up a grand final spot with semi-final wins. The Football Wagga junior boys grand finals are on Saturday October 24 at Equex Centre. In the inaugural under 12-14 girls competition, Wagga United and Tolland will meet in the grand final this Saturday after winning their semi-finals.
Football Wagga Junior Semi-finals results:
Under 12-14 girls:
SF1: Wagga United d Henwood Park 5-0
SF2: Tolland d Lake Albert 7-3
(Wagga United to play Tolland in Saturday's grand final)
BOYS SEMI-FINALS: (SF 2 winners qualify for grand final; SF1 winners play loser of SF2 this week):
Under 12:
SF1: Tolland Lobos d Wagga United Crows 7-0
SF2: Wagga United Swifts d Tolland Wolves 4-0
Under 13 boys:
SF1: Tumut d Lake Albert Black 2-1
SF2: Henwood Park d Wagga United Swifts 7-6
Under 14 boys:
SF1: Henwood Park Hawks d Tolland Wolves Sharks 5-0
SF2: Wagga United Swifts d Tumut 4-2
Under 15-16 boys:
SF1: Henwood Park Falcons d Wagga United Swifts 3-2
SF2: Lake Albert Red d South Wagga 4-1
Young Riverina poets offered mentoring from expert through Eastern Riverina Arts 'Virtual to Actual' workshops
Jessica McLaughlin
RAISE YOUR VOICE: Jackie Atim Okot is an emerging Poet/Spoken Word artist from Wagga who will mentor young writers in a series of online sessions. Picture: Contributed
YOUNG poets across the Riverina have been given a chance to embrace their potential and learn from experts in the field. Those aged 13-18 living in the Eastern Riverina region with a keen interest in poetry can sign up for a series of online workshops where they will be mentored through the art form by Wagga performance poet Jackie Atim Okot
The series of ZOOM workshops, Virtual to Actual Performance Poetry, are a joint effort between Eastern Riverina Arts and Southern Tablelands Arts, with ERA Executive Director Tim Kurylowicz saying it was time to embrace the region's creativity. "It's always been the case that young writers manage to capture their times in fresh ways that fuel the imagination," he said. "We want to empower that next generation of writers, thinkers and performers to step up and speak out." The ZOOM workshops are free and will provide a chance for young poets to work on their writing, performance techniques and develop live and online poetry events such as poetry slams and open mic sessions. The workshops start October 27, running for seven weeks, with a second term of workshops to be offered in early 2021. Each young Eastern Riverina poet will be supported to attend the Jugiong Writers Festival to watch their mentors perform live, according to Dr Kurylowicz, who said would "give them the best shot at getting heard". "Performance poetry is a great way to express your creativity and your views, crafting your words and adding that performance element that can bring your poem to life," he said. Budding poets and slam fans from Bland, Coolamon, Cootamundra-Gundagai, Junee, Lockhart, Temora, Snowy Valleys and Wagga can sign up and get more information at www.easternriverinaarts.org.au.
Wagga Multicultural Council and Red Cross adapt services to keep migrant communities safe and informed
Rachel McDonald
Wagga's migrant services have found themselves at the forefront of managing the challenges multicultural communities have faced since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
POINT OF CONTACT: Wagga Multicultural Council CEO Belinda Crain says her organisation has been working hard to get pandemic information out across Wagga's migrant communities.
Loss of income, home-schooling large families on limited internet and understanding an ever-changing list of restrictions with limited English are just some of the problems new Wagga families have faced since March. Multicultural Council chief executive officer Belinda Crain said the organisation had taken on a larger workload since the pandemic, maintaining most existing services with the exception of some group work and major events while becoming a conduit for coronavirus information. She said the council had been liaising with police to get clarity on restrictions, writing letters for families to communicate essential reasons for travel, connecting local employers with out-of-work refugees and sorting through ever-changing information across various languages. With coronavirus information now available online in numerous languages, it remains difficult for those with limited technology skills or access to track down the right information for them.
"We really had to wade through what was appropriate for the community groups we have settled here and also our most recent arrivals, so that has taken a lot of work outside of the work that we have already been doing," Ms Crain said. "All of those things are outside what we're funded to do, but they're something that we needed to do to assist our communities."
The Red Cross's Neil Barber said his organisation had also taken on additional work around health communication in different languages alongside local organisations and community groups. For many economic migrants and asylum seekers, the Red Cross has been one of few places to go when work has dried up with limited to no access to Centrelink and Medicare services. "For economic migrants in the community generally across the region and especially in Wagga, we know there are a number of households that have found it very difficult if there's been a change in their work"," Mr Barber said. "We probably have had to respond more regularly to requests for emergency assistance, particularly from those who are temporary economic migrants and asylum seekers."
Mr Barber said the Red Cross had been coordinating some support for those families, with some facing high healthcare costs should they get sick with no access to public insurance. "It might be making some arrangements for some rental payments arrears or securing them some other form of accommodation, or it might be around transport," he said. As work around newly settled families slows with closed international borders, Mr Barber said the Red Cross had also been looking at creating employment and training pathways to manage the long-term effects of economic disruption on Wagga's migrant communities. "For our general work it's been a bit of a pivot to what can we do differently, what can we do that makes a better long-term impact for our clients," he said. Ms Crain said she had been pleased to see that despite the language barriers, Wagga's multicultural community had responded to the pandemic with both resilience and common sense, adapting well to social distancing practices. "That doesn't surprise me because of where they've come from, their resilience is amazing and they just continue with a smile on their faces," she said.
Victoria Koriaty. Picture: Les Smith
A Wagga woman has finally overcome her life-long battle with trauma, depression, and anxiety, and is now planning to dedicate her life to helping others who have been in the same boat. Victoria Koriaty has battled with her mental health for decades, but has recently made a breakthrough that is helping her live a normal life. "Now I go for walks, go visit people, loving life, I guess," Ms Koriaty. "It's possible to live life normally." Ms Koriaty had spent decades dealing with trauma from her childhood years, when she faced bullying and racial discrimination for her Lebanese heritage at primary school, high school, and the local church.
She said the schoolyard bullying got so bad that she would eat in the principal's office to hide from the other kids during lunchtime, and on some days she would pretend to be sick just to avoid going to school. These traumatic years left Ms Koriaty suffering from anxiety and panic attacks, which led in turn to depression and a lethargy that made it a struggle to even get up out of bed in the morning. After decades of struggle Ms Koriaty gradually managed to turn her life around with the help of her psychiatrist Dr Luke Johnson, who would call her over Skype during some of her darkest hours. "If I didn't see my psychiatrist, who is a very good psychiatrist, I wouldn't have gotten better," Ms Koriaty said. "Unfortunately they're closing their doors. There's only a few psychiatrists in town and he's one of the best ones."
Ms Koriaty said that her volunteer work around town also did wonders for her mental health, saying that helping others proved a great way to help feel a little better about herself. She has been helping the Yazidi community adjust to life as Australians, helping them with their English, their TAFE homework, and translating documents for them from Arabic. "You just need to get up and do something: help a family member, help people who need help, help others who also struggle with mental health issues," Ms Koriaty said. "It helps build your self esteem and confidence up to be able to heal inside yourself. "She now plans to dedicate herself to helping others, and to that end she has recently finished a masters in mental health from Southern Cross University. She hopes that knowledge combined with her lived experience will allow her to help others who have fallen on hard times in life, especially during this extra challenging period of lock down. "People should be kind to each other. Trauma happens when bad things happen, and people get depression and anxiety when people aren't kind to each other," Ms Koriaty said. "We need to be kind to each other, especially during COVID-19. Ring each other up, ask them how they're going, connect with them over a coffee or a hot chocolate or a cup of tea."If you, or anyone you know suffers from mental health issues you can call Access line Murrumbidgee on 1800 800 944, Lifeline on 13 11 14, and Suicide Callback Service on 1300 659 467.
Victoria Koriaty. Picture: Les Smith
SEPTEMBER 3 2020
Donate Life organ donation Jersey Day at TAFE Gumnut Cottage sees staff, children dress up in team colours
Catie McLeod
Staff and children at the TAFE Gumnut Cottage wear their footy jerseys to promote awareness of organ and tissue donation in Australia. Pictures: Les Smith
Some of Wagga's youngest footy fans dressed in their teams' colours on September 3 for a good cause. Staff and children at TAFE Gumnut Cottage children's centre wore their football jerseys ahead of DonateLife's Jersey Day on September 4, to raise awareness of organ donation in Australia.
Charlie Sharrock, 3, came to day care wearing a small version of his father's football jersey. "It's my daddy's," Charlie said. His father Brayden Sharrock is a Group 9 rugby league player for the Wagga Brothers. Charlie said he liked football and his family supports the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL. Leo Manwaring, 5, said he wasn't sure why the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs were his favourite team, but he liked to watch the games at home with his family. Leo said he had been looking forward to wearing his jersey to day care. "My favourite part is seeing my friends," he said. Gumnut Cottage director Kristie Pitt said the day was about promoting awareness of the organ and tissue authority and the Donate Life network. "And after all the negative parts of dealing with COVID-19, this is something the children can enjoy and look forward to," she said. "It's really important ... It brings ordinary, everyday life. "Health department figures show Australia's organ and tissue donation rate has more than doubled in recent years, but 1,700 people are currently waiting for a transplant.
SEPTEMBER 3 2020
Lun Asian Massage opens in Wagga bringing Burmese refugee's dream to life
Catie McLeod
AT LAST: Robert Lun Gumring in his new massage therapy shop, which will officially open its doors to the Wagga community tomorrow. Picture: Les Smith
One local refugee's dream has finally become a reality after years of hard work and personal sacrifice. Robert Lun Gumring moved to Wagga seven years ago and has been hoping to open his own massage therapy shop ever since. After years of community work in disability support and aged care, Mr Gumring has a business to call his own, with Lun Asian Massage set to open its doors to the public on September 5.
"It is my strength, because I know who I am. I know the confidence and the experience to run this small business in the community," Mr Gumring said. Mr Gumring started working as a massage therapist in his native Myanmar in 2001 and said he practiced on-and-off until he had to flee government persecution. He then spent nearly six years in a Malaysian refugee camp, waiting for his Australian visa to be approved. He, his wife and their four young children have found a home in Wagga, where Mr Gumring said they were welcomed by other Burmese families and the wider community. "When I came, I had little English," he said. "But three families were already here before we come. So that made it much easier for us to get settled."
Mr Gumring said it took almost five years of working two jobs, seven days a week to save up enough money to launch his business, while supporting his family here and in Myanmar. "Working with two jobs is: I earn money, but the major part I am losing was the relationship between my kids and my family," he said.
"When I got up, my kids were sleeping. And when I came back [home] my kids were sleeping. "That was really hard. But finally it's happened. " Mr Gumring still works one day a week at a local nursing home and is looking forward to dedicating more of his time to his family and his new shop. "I feel very happy. I know that [with] the current situation it will take time to build up my business," he said. "I hope one day that my business is growing, growing, growing." Mr Gumring said he and his family love the community in Wagga, which he called "the best". "I already receive some calls from some people [who] know that this is a new business, so they are aware that I need some support," he said. "People have told me that they are there ready to support me. "Lun Asian Massage, which has its grand opening on September 5, has a special month-long offer of 30 per cent off all massages until October 5. Mr Gumring said women are able to request a female massage therapist.
Wagga helps Nabiha Koriaty raise money for Beirut victims
AUGUST 31 2020 Kenji Sato
Vickie Burkinshaw and Nabiha Koriaty. Picture: Emma Hilllier
Ms Koriaty's family have been working overtime to help the people of Beirut, including a niece who is volunteering at an orphanage and a nephew from Melbourne who sent over ten tonnes of rice. On Sunday Ms Koriaty threw a Lebanese feast at Rabbit Books to raise money for the people of Beirut, and together Wagga managed to raise $2000 in one afternoon.
"I thank god I came to Wagga," Ms Koriaty said. "I'm very happy if I can help people. It gives me a purpose in life." The event was run by Vickie Burkinshaw, who said the Wagga community would gladly drop everything if it meant they could help Nabiha. Ms Burkinshaw said the event sold out almost immediately, with dozens of people keen to show their solidarity with the Lebanese community. "I could have sold twice as many tickets but with COVID we're limited," Ms Burkinshaw said. "There is a lot of support, we've got a big Lebanese family in Wagga, so it's nice to see people are supporting them."
Turvey Park Public School Marks Harmony Day, Refugee Week in one
AUGUST 14 2020 Rachel McDonald
PROUD: Turvey Park students representing Burma, Afghanistan, El Salvador, Japan, Iraq and Tanzania are, from left, Zeli Chalthleng, Rachel Gwa, Zahra Roshan, Yesenia Allum, Brynn Elliott, Nawar Al Hasan and Vital Fadhili.
The diverse students of Turvey Park Public School have not let the disruption of the coronavirus pandemic stop them from celebrating multiculturalism in 2020. The school's plans to mark Harmony Day back in March were thrown into disarray by the move to home-learning, and Refugee Week passed with students still learning at home. Now class is back up and running, the school decided to celebrate both with a multicultural display recognising the many cultures of the student body. About 25 per cent of students at Turvey Park speak another language at home, and about 15 per cent are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage. Stories from these students about their family history and culture made up the display along with national flags and books about multiculturalism.
Students were encouraged to bring their cultural dress to school, with classes given lessons in origami and introduced to a variety of musical instruments on loan from the Wagga Multicultural Council. EALP teacher Kellie Chapman said classes were encouraged to think about their own heritage when they visited the display, whether their family had been in Australia for generations or not. "We're trying to get kids to delve into their own family history to find out where they came from," she said.
As part of the display, every student was asked to place a star next to their family's place of origin. "It started lots of conversations I think," Ms Chapman said. She said it had been wonderful to see students open up about their cultures, with students who were born in Australia embracing their heritage and children from recent refugee families telling their stories. "Even for the teachers, that was eye-opening," she said.
Wagga Iraqi Yazidis with help of multicultural council open shop on Tarakan Avenue, Ashmont
AUGUST 14 2020 Catie McLeod
OPEN FOR BUSINESS: Hasan Balaseeni in the fresh produce section of his grocery store on Ashmont's Tarakan Avenue. Picture: Emma Hillier
Wagga's Iraqi Yazidi community has given the empty building on Ashmont's Tarakan Avenue a long awaited makeover. Hasan Balaseeni ran his own grocery store in Baghdad for many years until an invasion by the terror group Islamic State forced him to flee from his home as a refugee. After years of displacement, Mr Balaseeni finally has his own shop once more, which will employ other Yazidis and supply the neighbourhood with fruit and vegetables. Mr Balaseeni said he had been planning to open the new store for the past year. The shop had its grand opening last Sunday and Mr Balaseeni said it had seen a steady stream of customers since.
Wagga first welcomed Mr Balaseeni in 2017 after he spent four years in a refugee camp in Turkey. Mr Balaseeni lived in Wagga for a year before moving to Sydney with his family in search of greater work opportunities, as there are more Yazidi community members in the city. He will now commute between Sydney and the shop in Wagga, where he has employed local Yazidi community members to work. The Ashmont store was a fish and chippery and a bottle shop in its previous lives but has been abandoned for years.
It will now sell everything "from a toothpick to a barbecue" at significant lower prices than those at major supermarkets. "Groceries, vegetable, fruit, everything. Drinks," Mr Balaseeni said. Multicultural Council chief executive officer Belinda Crain said an Australian-born person would be able to buy their groceries there, even if they might not recognise the brand names. "I know one of my mum's friends came down to buy stuff," Ms Crain said. "She cooked it for dinner and put a photo [on social media] and said, 'The best fresh vegetables I've ever seen'."
Ms Crain said she was very proud of the Yazidi community. "Being that 2016 was when the first families arrived, they've made such a difference to the community of Wagga," she said. "They've been proactive. And very, very kind. I think a lot of people have a lot of respect for the Yazidi community members and their interaction with the broader community. "Mr Balaseeni thanked the multicultural council and Ms Crain for their help in establishing his business.
Sixth anniversary of the 'Black Day' genocide in Prime 7
Please click link Below to watch Prime News
https://www.prime7.com.au/bulletin/prime7-news-wagga-4-august-2020
Kildare Catholic College and The Riverina Anglican College chase historic wins in Creed and Shipard Shield finals
AUGUST 4 2020: Matt Malone
FINALS TIME: (back) Mater Dei Catholic College's Luke Stevens and The Riverina Anglican College's Zoe Jenkins, with Kildare Catholic College's Anotidaishe Matowe and Wagga High School's Tamara Cochrane on Tuesday. Picture: Emma Hillier
TWO Wagga schools will be vying for a piece of history when the finals of the Creed and Shipard Shields are held at Rawlings Park on Wednesday night. Kildare Catholic College will step out in the Creed Shield final for the very first time when they take on arch-rival Mater Dei Catholic College. The Riverina Anglican College (TRAC) will also be looking for their first Shipard Shield title when they take on Wagga High School in the girl's final. Kildare captain Ano Matowe has been one of the driving forces behind his team's rise to the final and he is looking forward to stepping out on the big stage. "It should be fun, I can't wait. It's the first time Kildare have ever been in it so it will be good to get a run," Matowe said.
"Considering some of the boys play soccer but also a fair few of them don't play soccer, to be out playing at Rawlings Park under lights, it will be great fun. "Kildare have made their way though to the final from Pool B. They progressed through the Pool stage by finding the back of the net on 11 occasions and not conceding a single goal. Then, it took extra time and eight shots in the penalty shootout to get past Wagga High in last week's semi-final. Mater Dei drew both their pool games before impressing with a 5-0 semi-final win over Kooringal High last week. Matowe is confident Kildare will make a match of it. "We're as confident as we can be, we're very excited to be playing. We've got the determination, so we're pretty confident it should be a good game," he said.
READY TO GO: Kildare Catholic College's Anotidaishe Matowe, Mater Dei Catholic College's Luke Stevens, The Riverina Anglican College's Zoe Jenkins and Wagga High School's Tamara Cochrane on Tuesday. Picture: Emma Hillier
Mater Dei is looking to claim a third consecutive Creed Shield victory but captain Luke Stevens knows it won't come easy. "It's a good chance for the school to get another Creed Cup. Obviously we've been in the final the last three years and we want to make it three in a row so everyone's determined to make that happen," Stevens said. Kildare have obviously shown their quality through the qualifying stages and they won't prove an easy task. I think we're 100 per cent going to have to be on our game and playing the football we did against Kooringal to try and achieve that."Stevens admitted it is hard to get a good read on Kildare, given they have progressed from Pool B and not met at any stage during the competition. "It's hard to get an indicator because they've played teams that are a bit lower quality but they've easily dispatched those teams and they're going to be a quality side and it's going to be difficult for us," he said. Kildare will look for big games from the likes of Matowe, Joshua Timothy-Nesbitt and Aliance Irishura, while Stevens, Lachlan Murray, Ethan Watt and Jacob Ferguson shape as key players for Kildare.
TRAC captain Zoe Jenkins said her team will use last year's extra-time loss to Mater Dei as motivation as they chase a historic Shipard Shield win. "We're very excited. It would be nice to win it for the first time for TRAC," Jenkins said. "We're a strong team. We've got a lot of different players with different skills but we play well as a team. It's an experienced team, with some young year sevens as well so it's good to have a mixture. I think we have a good chance, but both teams do." Wagga High star Tamara Cochrane kicked six goals in her team's semi-final win. Wagga High have not won the Shipard Shield since 2011 and Cochrane is expecting a tough battle. "It will be pretty close," Cochrane said. The Shipard Shield final is scheduled for 6pm, with the Creed Shield at 7.30pm. It is a no spectator event due to COVID-19.
Yazidi Black Day: Wagga's community calls for global support
Rachel McDonald AUGUST 3 2020
As the Wagga Yazidi community marked the sixth anniversary of the 'Black Day' genocide, their friends and family overseas continue a long wait for freedom in Australia.
REMEMBRANCE: Khatom Altamar observes candles lit in tribute to those killed and kidnapped on August 3 2014. Picture: Emma Hillier.
On August 3 2014, Yazidi people were attacked by Islamic State in Iraq, with 1293 people killed in the first two days, 6417 kidnapped and 360,000 people displaced. Each year, the Wagga community comes together to share their own stories of the time and light a candle for friends and family lost that day. Among them was Fatah Kheder, who survived the massacre by hiding on a mountain surrounded by IS terrorists with 16 family members. He remembers being unable to find food or water for the ten children in his care for fear of being caught and killed like many others were at that time. Mr Kheder saw friends killed and children left fatherless, and said the day was about asking for support for members of his community still suffering in Iraq.
Falah Kheder reflects on his own experiences in Iraq.
"All I want from the world is to see one day that there is no distinction between people, that the world lives in safety, with love and peace, and that hatred and killing end in this world," he said. "We aspire and hope from Australia and from the great countries of the world to provide more and more support to the Yazidi people and rid them of the environment in which they live. "Seventeen-year-old Eevet Hasan said much of the Wagga Yazidi community had friends and family who were still suffering.
Ms Hasan said many of her relatives remained in camps in Iraq and surrounding countries with little support, and she had not spoken to her grandmother for six years after she was kidnapped on the Black Day. "They all are just suffering in all kind of areas, mentally, spiritually and emotionally," she said. She said the community was grateful to Australia and Wagga for the chance they had been given to live safely and establish themselves. As the pandemic sees overseas migration come to halt, Yazidi refugees who have waited years for visa approval to resettle in Wagga are now in limbo.
Saeed Bakr lights a candle at the Black Day remembrance event.
Many are now waiting in Iraq and Turkey for Australia to allow them into their new home after coronavirus-related border closures are eased. Ms Hasan said the Black Day was the 74th genocide attack the Yazidi community had faced over 700 years, and it was important to spread the message that it should never be repeated. "This is not only about supporting each other and lighting up the candles but to demand the right thing for the Yazidi community," she said.
Country Women's Association Wagga day branch welcomes new members after nearing closure
Catie McLeod JULY 31 2020
JULY 30 2020
REFRESHED: Wagga's Saba Nabi is one of the 40 women who have joined the CWA day branch this year. Picture: Les Smith
Wagga's Saba Nabi is one of the branch's new members and says she is the only woman from a migrant background. "I'm very new to CWA. I heard that they were looking for new executives and new members on the board. So I met a few people at the Marketplace where they were looking to recruit people," Ms Nabi said. "I had heard about CWA from some friends and had heard that CWA was a good place."
Ms Nabi moved to Wagga from India in 2011 after her husband received an offer to undertake a doctorate at Charles Sturt University. "When I first arrived here I was feeling very homesick ... sitting at home with my daughter," she said. "It was very hard because we don't have any family members that live in Wagga. Most of my family live in America, but nobody in Australia. " Ms Nabi, who has taken on the role of publicity officer for the Wagga CWA day branch, knows firsthand the importance of connecting with community. "I used to take my daughter to the market, the library, everywhere. So that was my first connection, with the library and the Civic Centre," she said.
The Wagga CWA day branch is now flourishing with almost 50 members and a full executive board, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. "We had our first face to face meeting recently. We really went well," Ms Nabi said. Ms Nabi said she would encourage other migrant women to consider joining the CWA. "I thought when I went there, 'Oh, I'm the only ethnic person in the crowd', but everybody took me very seriously," she said. "I'm very new to CWA but I know there are a lot of [multicultural] organisations in Wagga. So maybe we could connect with them. "The branch's new president Cynthia Williams said the reformed group, which still has five stalwart members, recently had their first face-to-face meeting. "And we're still getting inquiries about new members each week," Mrs Williams said. "There are quite a few younger ladies, like mid-40s to 50s. A lot of new members are the younger generation. "These older ladies don't live forever. We have to have some younger people coming up to take over. "Mrs Williams said the CWA encouraged anyone to join, regardless of their age or background. "Everyone's encouraged to join. There's no discrimination. It doesn't make any difference at all," she said.
Wagga's Dolkar Kyap the first local Tibetan to receive Australian citizenship
Rachel McDonald
NEW AUSTRALIAN: Dolkar Kyap has a place to call home for the first time in nearly 30 years as he receives his Australian citizenship. Picture: Rachel McDonald
After nearly 30 years of statelessness, Wagga's Dolkar Kyap will finally have a place to call home tomorrow. He is one of 43 people in Wagga who are set to receive Australian citizenship in the first ceremony since the coronavirus pandemic.
Dolkar Kyap's 17-year-old son Tenzin Pelsang and 14-year-old daughter Tenzin Metok will become Australian citizens alongside him. Tenzin Pelsang is a student at Kooringal High School while Tenzin Metok attends school in Sydney. Two ceremonies will be held at the Wagga Civic Centre on Friday to allow for social distancing restrictions, as new Australians from 20 countries are presented by Wagga mayor Greg Conkey. Dolkar Kyap and his children are the first among the growing Tibetan community in Wagga to receive Australian citizenship. Dolkar Kyap and Tenzin Pelsang moved to the city last year as a group of Sydney-based Tibetans decided it was a good place to start a new life. There are now about 40 Tibetans living in Wagga, one of the most recent multicultural communities to settle in the city.
Dolkar Kyap said for many Tibetans, the language barrier made it difficult to find opportunities in capital cities like Sydney. "A big problem is the language ... looking for work is difficult, also the rent is very expensive." Dolkar Kyap said he was happy to be the first Tibetan-Australian to receive citizenship in Wagga, after 29 years of statelessness. Growing up and studying in Eastern Tibet, he was forced to leave the country after he was arrested and jailed by the Chinese government for protesting for free speech, free religion, free language and the region's autonomous status. He then moved to Nepal before spending fifteen years in India until he moved to Australia seven years ago. "I like this country, it's very peaceful and a very lawful country," he said. He now works as a cleaner at Charles Sturt University. "We moved to Wagga Wagga and this is a good place, rent is very cheap," he said. "Wagga Wagga is developing, so there's a lot of chances I think."
"I can say it's a new life. "He said it was also important for his children to have the opportunities and freedom of movement associated with Australian citizenship.
JULY 24 2020
COVID-19 pandemic in Wagga forces refugee family to endure long separation
Emma Horn
PRAYER FOR RETURN: Drei and Zenah Darwesh with sons Redwan 10, and Randi 8. Their eldest son, Rohejan 12, is separated from the family when fleeing attack in their homeland four years ago. Picture: Les Smith
When ISIS attacked their home in the middle of the night, Drei and Zenah Darwesh took their loved ones and fled. In their scramble toward safety, their eldest son, Rohejan was separated. He was only eight years old at the time. "We last saw [our son] on July 17, 2016, we haven't seen him since then," Mr Darwesh said. "Every day, we miss him. Every day we are sad." Along with their fellow Yazidi people, the Darwesh family commemorate 'Black Day' on August 3 each year, remembering the horrifying moment in 2014 when their village came under assault. The day was particularly painful for the Darwesh family because it triggered the separation from their son.
"I knew it would be a long time before we saw him again," Mr Darwesh said. "But not four years. Just a year, I thought." The moment of separation is one that continually replays in Mrs Darwesh's mind. "If someone said it would be four years, I would have said, 'no', that cannot be," she said. In March 2017, Mr and Mrs Darwesh, along with their two younger sons Randi and Redwan, were given permission to move to Australia. But as they arrived in Wagga, they placed an even greater distance between themselves and Rohejan. Now 12 years old, Rohejan has sought asylum with Mr Darwesh's brother and parents in Germany. "He is living in Germany with my family," Mr Darwesh said. "We know he is safe, but we worry for him. "Rohejan has begun school. He is learning English and German. "We speak to him [on the phone] once, sometimes twice each week, but sometimes he doesn't want to because he is too sad," Mr Darwesh said. "He says 'why am I here when you are all there'? It is hard for us all."
ONE MORE TO COME: There will always be an empty seat in their home and hollow feeling in their heart until the Darwesh family can reunite with eldest son Rohejan.
There was a moment of hope for a reunion back in March when Rohejan's VISA was granted, and the family thought that he would soon join them in Australia. "We were so excited, we were very happy when the VISA came through," Mr Darwesh said. Rohejan's younger brothers, Redwan and Randi, recall that they "screamed with joy" hearing the news. But just days after the exciting announcement, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of international borders. All humanitarian VISAs, including Rohejan's, were thus halted, and the hope of his return to the family was immediately darkened. "We were immediately sad again," Mr Darwesh said. If it were not for the pandemic, the family would be together again in Wagga. Instead, they have been forced to endure a long wait, watching as the hourglass creeps toward the VISA's November deadline. "This is a bad disease that it closes everything all over the world," Mr Darwesh said. "Now we don't know when it will be [that Rohejan will return]."
VIRUS CONCERNS: Travel restrictions have barred 12-year-old Rohejan from entering Australia to reunite with his parents Zenah and Drei, and younger brothers.
In the last couple of weeks, the family have received news that Rohejan will be given special exemptions to travel to Australia. But the year's disappointments have left Rohejan unable to fully believe it will happen. "It is hard for us to get excited," Mr Darwesh said. "Sometimes he is very upset. He has a friend at school whose parents are also not in Germany, they are in Syria. "The first time he believed [he would be coming to Australia] but this second time he keeps saying, 'I can't come to Australia'. He's let down." The family have already been through such heartache, following their escape from ISIS.
For more than three years, Mr and Mrs Darwesh lived with their two youngest sons inside a small tent in a Turkish refugee camp. "[The tent] was about two metres by three metres and everything but the shower was in there," Mr Darwesh said. The blistering Turkish summers and the biting winters were felt all the more acutely in the rudimentary living arrangements. Mrs Darwesh recalls "we didn't always fit, but we made do". "Sometimes there was half a metre of snow outside," Mrs Darwesh said. "It was very cold. There was no fan [for summer]. I have had backache and neck ache that needed injections when I came [to Wagga]. "Food was minimal, rules were strict and freedoms were scarce, and the family lived under constant fear of further tragedy. "The tent was very dangerous, sometimes it caught fire when we were cooking because the [electricity] wires weren't good," Mr Darwesh said. "We are grateful that is over. We are thankful to be [in Wagga]. It was a bad time. But we miss out son, of course."
Myanmar's persecution of Kachin people saw Hpi Redamwang escape to Wagga with his family
Fro full story please click link Below
Wagga Yazidi Iraqi refugee Shahab Mahmood flees Islamic State and helps translate for other new migrants
JULY 13 2020 Catie McLeod
SETTLING IN: Yazidi Iraqi refugee Shahab Mahmood, 28, is a trained physicist who works in Wagga and helps other recent arrivals interpret English. Picture: Les Smith
Wagga's Shahab Mahmood has overcome unimaginable obstacles to be where he is today after his former life was stolen by terror group Islamic State. A trained physicist, Mr Mahmood has for the past six years put his scientific dreams on hold to help people cross the barriers created by speaking different languages. Mr Mahmood, who is 28-years-old, speaks English, Arabic and his mother language Kurdish Kurmanji and started interpreting for aid organisations while he was living in a refugee camp in the north of Iraq. Mr Mahmood is a Yazidi Iraqi who fled persecution by Islamic State and spent five years living between his university accommodation and the camp, where he shared a single three-by-two metre tent with his family of eight. "On August 3, 2014, ISIS got control of our places. Some kidnapping, they were killing a lot," he said.
He would return to his hometown Sinjar - known by Yazidis as Shingal - with organisations such as Doctors Without Borders to help bridge the gap between English-speaking aid workers and the people still living in a region which had been devastated by ISIS. "We didn't go out at night. It was very dangerous," Mr Mahmood said. Mr Mahmood and his six siblings successfully applied for asylum and were able to relocate to Wagga where they have felt welcomed by the community.He now works for the Red Cross, CSU and Kooringal High School, where he helps younger Yazidis with their classwork. He and his brother have also taken on translating for the rest of Wagga's Yazidi community and have been working around the clock to help with both coronavirus health directions and everyday life.
"[Today] someone called me. He said 'I'm with the mechanic, can you please tell him I want to fix the radio in my car'," Mr Mahmood said. "Someone from the community told me, 'My internet's not working' ... I told him, 'OK call the [telecommunications company] and then add me.' And he did, and I translated for him." Mr Mahmood, who was top of his class in Iraq despite being displaced, hopes to complete further study and become a university lecturer in science. For now, he is happy to help his community in Wagga while never forgetting those he has left behind in Iraq. Mr Mahmood said his people had suffered greatly from their trauma, especially those who stayed in camps or had to return to a ruined Sinjar with no services. "I want to share my community story to all the world, to know how this is hard for us," he said.
Reduced overseas migration to have long-term impacts on Wagga economy
JUNE 25 2020
Rachel McDonald
ECONOMIC THREAT: CSU Economics Professor Yapa Bandara says reduced migration to Wagga will see reduced local consumption.
Reduced migration as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic could add another layer to the economic challenges Wagga is set to face in the coming years. In early May, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the government was projecting a 30 per cent drop in net overseas migration in the 2019/2020 financial year, followed by an 85 per cent reduction on pre-coronavirus figures in 2021/2022. Wagga mayor Greg Conkey said about 60 per cent of newcomers to the city in the past five years had come from overseas, with migrants playing a major role in the growth of the city. "We rely on migrants and we will in the future if we're going to grow to 100,000 plus, we will certainly need a lot of employment opportunities and the migrants will be filling a number of those positions," he said. "Our economy has been hit pretty hard by coronavirus ... this is another area that will be impacted."CSU Economics Professor Yapa Bandara said as the government looked to direct migrants to the regions rather than the major cities, more infrastructure and employment opportunities were required. He said the arrival of skilled migrants fuelled regional development, which in turn encouraged more migration and built up the economy.
"I have seen over the last 15 yrs since I came here that Wagga has been growing, and this is a good sign," Professor Bandara said. He said the drop in migration nationwide would naturally lead to lowered numbers moving to Wagga, which would reduce consumption as fewer people come in and begin to shop locally. "Less people coming to the region means that expenditure in those places will go down," he said. "When the consumption goes down, production will go down . that means the economy may not grow as much as we expect." With lowered consumption already a concern among those in Wagga, Professor Bandara said it was important schemes such as JobKeeper were retained as long as possible, with global impacts like lower migration set to remain for multiple years to come. "The main thing we need to do is not to let the consumption level drop drastically . we need to lift it and keep it otherwise businesses will further fail," he said. Professor Bandara said in normal times, retaining migrants in regional areas was a challenge with many opting to move to larger cities if they could not find stable employment and a strong community. Post coronavirus, he said retaining some migrants would be even more difficult with new arrivals a "hard-hit category," both for job losses and difficulty obtaining government support. "Those people do not get government support and it is a terrible thing for them," he said. "I would imagine that it's a good thing if the government could look after that segment as well in society."
Wagga migrants benefit city but face challenges in housing and transport: federal inquiry
Rex Martinich JUNE 22 2020
GOOD MOVE: Abdulrahman Ayeni, who migrated to Wagga from Nigeria 18 months ago, now considers the move a success. Picture: Emma Hillier
Wagga City Council has told a parliamentary inquiry into regional migration that new arrivals were important to growing the city, but there were also "challenges". Abdulrahman Ayeni, who migrated with his family to Wagga from Nigeria 18 months ago, said the move to the city had been successful, but acknowledged that he had been "fortunate" to find housing and transport quickly. "The first week I came here I got a house, it was pretty much easy for me but it wasn't like that for some other friends," he said. "I was so fortunate." Mr Ayeni, who works out at Bomen as a quality supervisor in livestock equipment manufacturing, said transport "could have been a nightmare" for him but the Multicultural Council of Wagga lent him a car for his first few days in the city.
"I don't have any regrets, I'm really pleased [with the move]," Mr Ayeni said. The federal Joint Standing Committee on Migration handed down its report late last week from an 'Inquiry into Migration in Regional Australia'.
Wagga City Council was highlighted in the inquiry report as having "provided an example of some of the social benefits that regional migration brings". "Wagga's multicultural community has developed and supported highly successful events such as Fusion," the council's submission stated. The submission also noted challenges for new arrivals in the city. "At present migrants live in concentrated areas throughout Wagga. Often these areas have poor access to public transport, not within walking distance to critical social infrastructure and the housing type does not reflect the needs of the household," the submission stated. Multicultural Council of Wagga chief executive Belinda Crain told The Daily Advertiser that some issues had improved, such as access to healthcare. "Wagga has the capacity to increase the numbers, but we need to make sure there are adequate resources," she said. "The wait time for the Adult Migrant English Program is one of the challenges
Lost Lanes Wagga unveils No Borders in Our Sky project with multicultural council, Heaps Decent
JUNE 22 2020 Catie McLeod
A collaborative art project unveiled over the weekend showcases the creative talents of Wagga's diverse young community.
"No Borders in Our Sky" is a series of 28 portraits which can be found in the car park behind Target and tells the individual stories of a group of locals from different backgrounds. The project was a collaboration between Sydney creative studio Heaps Decent and Wagga's Multicultural Council, which put a call out for young people to get involved. Christabel Machiridza, aged 20, has lived in Wagga for three years and was one who answered the call. She created her portrait using a combination of photography, digital drawing and a collage of maps of Zimbabwe - where she moved from with her family six years ago after her father fled as a refugee. Ms Machiridza, who will next month begin studying medical science at CSU, said the project had been a great way to meet other young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds.
"A bunch of us took photographs of ourselves [and] after printing them we were able to sketch over them creating an image of our faces in a small portrait," she said. "What we did with that was trying to tell people where we're from."The portraits include an augmented reality component using the Heaps Decent app, which allows visitors to point their phones at each portrait and see more art and music which that young person created. "On mine you can see the digital version of my artwork that I did ... as well as listen to one of the songs I worked on, which is really cool," Ms Machiridza said. "The mural is there for everyone to see and everyone should go check it out."
Wagga's Xya-Lilly McLauchlan took part in the project with her three siblings, each of whom created a portrait. Ms McLauchlan, aged 15, said her physical portrait was inspired by her Gamilaroi heritage, while her digital artwork features her as an alien.
"I just have a connection with aliens and I like space so I put that on it," she said.
"I felt very proud and excited to see it all up. It looked very nice to see it all together and see how big it was."
Heaps Decent chief executive Nerida Woods said No Borders in Our Sky was the result of months of workshops run by artists and producers from Sydney, funded by the NSW government.
https://digital-print-edition.austcommunitymedia.com.au/WDA/2020/06/23/3dissue/index.html
Wagga's 2020 Refugee Week marked without celebration due to COVID-19, but still plenty of stories to tell
Emma Horn JUNE 19 2020
Though she was born in Somalia, Establish Hussein has never seen her homeland.
Fleeing when she was just eight months old, she does not even have a birth certificate. She has lived 23 years inside a refugee camp in Kenya. That was until two years ago when she arrived in Wagga, with her brother and his children. "It's all I've known since I was born, I've never seen Somalia. We had to leave because of the civil war," Ms Hussein said. When the Kenyan government made moves to close the camps and send families like Ms Hussein's back to the war-ravaged Somalia, Ms Hussein's cousin in Australia doubled her efforts to bring them to a new home. "[My cousin] had been in Australia for 20 years. I met her at Wagga Airport," she said. "I wasn't ever thinking we would come. I thought the camp would be the end, I would be there forever or I would go back to Somalia. "The first time when we came from Somalia, we were running from war and we had somewhere safe to stay [in Kenya] but it was not secure. Now I feel like I am home."
When the news of her imminent departure from the Kenyan camp reached Ms Hussein, it arrived during her lowest point. "We had never had anything before. When we got the VISA, when I was in the camp it was [during] a lot of rain and we lost everything we had," Ms Hussein said. "Our tent, our food, everything was gone. We were trying to get to a dry place when I was told we had the VISA."It took another two years before the family would arrive in Wagga. Life in Australia was a stark difference to everything they had ever experienced before. In the first instance, they had a house. "We never had a fridge in the camp, we would have to go to the market every day get what we wanted to cook. You cannot store anything," Ms Hussein said.
"I saw people smiling, they were so welcoming."While in the camp, Ms Hussein did attend primary school, but since moving to Wagga, she has completed her TAFE qualifications, become an assistant nurse, learned to drive, and was hoping to begin a university degree before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of physical campuses. "In the camp, most of the young people don't go to school. The lives of refugees are very low, you can't get a good job, you can't go outside the camp and when you get a job inside the camp, the priority is for the citizens," Ms Hussein said.
Enas Mohamed arrived in Wagga for the first time in 2010 along with her husband and two children. After a brief sojourn to Broken Hill, the family returned in 2016. Born in Sudan, before arriving in Australia, Ms Mohamed spent six years working alongside the United Nations to support refugees in Egypt. "The program I worked with, I started in Egypt with South Sudanese [refugees]. The children have been there a very long time, they have been abused, they have seen violence," Ms Mohamed said."I had many programs to support them, I organised activities and put them on the right track."
Throughout her years, Ms Mohamed estimates she had helped up to 400 refugee families. Part of the job included providing families with information about Australia. "When I came to Australia, my life changed. I am working here, but I was much more active in Egypt," Ms Mohamed said. Currently studying her certificate in community service, she has hopes to one day return to her work in supporting refugee families as a caseworker in Australia.
Between June 14 and June 20 this year was the annual Refugee Week. Dubbed the Year of Welcome, the 2020 celebrations were unfortunately cancelled due to the COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings. Each year, the party in Wagga attracts 1000 visitors from around 40 nations. Having lived in Australia now for 9 years, and with her experiences travelling around the nation, Ms Mohamed said it was enormously missed from the year's social calendar.
"Each year, the Multicultural Council do an amazing party. Living in Wagga, this is family. We have different faces but the same heart," Ms Mohamed said. Three years ago, Hadiya Cumbar arrived in Wagga after spending three years in a refugee camp in Turkey with nine other members of her immediate family. Born in Northern Iraq, Ms Cumbar is a Yazidi, which is one of the world's most persecuted people groups. "It was a hard life in Turkey, we lived in the camp. We had to spend most of our time in the tent," Ms Cumbar said. "In winter, the snow and the rain was hard. Sometimes, it was hard to stay warm."Arriving in Wagga meant bidding a sad farewell to some of her family, including her older brother who went to live in Germany.
"I have two brothers and four sisters in Australia," she said. "I was so happy to come to a safe country. It is so beautiful here, so quiet." "I miss [those overseas] too much. I see them via Facebook and Whats App but it's not the same."During her years in the Turkish camp, Ms Cumbar managed to receive an education that would be equivalent to an Australian year 9. Since arriving in Wagga, she has enrolled in TAFE to study English and childcare. "In the camp, you can't study what you want, you don't have classes," Ms Cumbar said. "I want to study to be an assistant teacher."
Wagga Carevan, Red Cross see Yazidi Iraqi refugees volunteering for the community
Catie McLeod JUNE 18 2020
CHEF'S KISS: Brothers Dakheel Samoqe and Saeed Smoqi, with Trish Looney and James Bunter, gather supplies in the Carevan kitchen storeroom in the midst of a busy morning of cooking for those in need. Picture: Les Smith
Brothers Dahkeel Samoqe and Saeed Smoqi weren't in Wagga for long before they started looking for ways to give back to the community. The pair both worked as chefs in their native Iraq and are putting their culinary skills to good use by cooking meals for Wagga's Carevan. "We have been working here for about one month. We work here one day in the week," said Dahkeel Samoqe. "I have some experience from my work from there [in Iraq]. That was different from cooking here but I'm cooking here now." Carevan Wagga has for the past 10 weeks been running a special COVID-19 program, where it is cooking and distributing meals from its warehouse.
Carevan Wagga project manager Lynne Graham said the kitchen was producing about 500 meals a week. "We've really been enjoying doing it and overwhelmed by the number of great donations we've had," she said. "The whole program has had fantastic support from Wagga businesses, individuals in the community and community groups." The meals are being prepared by a team of volunteers, which includes chefs from local restaurants, cooks from Wagga's community kitchen and the Yazidi brothers. Mr Samoqe is 23-years-old and moved to Wagga in January last year after spending five years in a refugee camp in the north of Iraq. He and his brother are Yazidis, an persecuted minority group who were targeted in Iraq by the fundamentalist terror group Islamic State. "In 2014 ISIS attacked our cities and our village. We had people taken out of our village. They killed many people," Mr Samoqe said. "We [went to] living in a camp. We wanted to come to have a better life here in Australia and Wagga. It's a nice city. We really like it," Saeed Smoqi, aged 28, came to Wagga via a refugee camp in Turkey in October last year. They have joined another brother who was already living in Wagga and who works at Red Cross. The Red Cross' Neil Barber told The Daily Advertiser the year had been a difficult one for temporary visa holders in Australia, most of whom are not entitled to government financial support. "They then have an obligation to work ... if work is not available ... they're still tying to maintain paying for all those things you need to live in a rural community," he said. "In this region we've seen something around 100 requests for assistance in the last two to three months". Wagga welcomed 298 refugees between July 1, 2019 and March 16 this year - 63 total cases, 46 of which were Yazidi individuals or families.
Flushing those wet wipes could become 'expensive and messy'
16 June 2020 Jody Lindbeck
WARNING: Juma Abbas from Wagga firm Laser Plumbing advises people not to put 'flushable wipes' down the toilet. Picture: Jody Lindbeck
The packaging might still say "flushable", but the message is that those wet wipes should not be dropped into the toilet. There are fresh concerns that people will think they can drop the wet wipes into household plumbing after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission lost its appeal over a ruling that Kimberly-Clark had not misled customers when it said its wipes were flushable.
In its 2019 Federal Court lawsuit, the ACCC contended the wipes were not suitable to be flushed because they caused harm to sewerage. Juma Abbas from Wagga firm Laser Plumbing said flushing the wipes down household toilets could lead to big problems. He warned that wet wipes could clog pipes, necessitating a potentially expensive call to a plumber to have the problem fixed.
"It can take several hours and it can get really messy," Mr Abbas said. Mr Abbas said he and his colleagues had seen an increase in the number of blockages caused by wet wipes since coronavirus hoarding sparked toilet paper shortages. But it is not just individual households that could be faced with an expensive clean-up bill. Wagga City Council has also warned that so-called flushable wipes could cause issues in the city's sewer system. Council's director of commercial operations Caroline Angel warned that the wipes did not break down and instead, clogged the system. "We want to avoid pipe blockages, clogged pumps and the creation of 'fatbergs'. This happens when fats get caught in the wipes and they just keep growing like a snowball," she said.
Wagga City Council overturns sister city decision, plans to apologises 'friends in China'
APRIL 22 2020 - 8:44PM Daina Oliver
Wagga City Council will formally apologise to Kunming after councillors reversed a controversial decision to sever its Chinese sister city ties.
Mayor Greg Conkey called an extraordinary meeting that took place on Wednesday night after a motion initiated by Councillor Paul Funnell was narrowly passed last week, sparking a fierce backlash at a local, national and international level. Cr Conkey, who was absent through illness from the last meeting, said he was "shocked, distraught and physically ill" when watching the events unfold on April 14. "This motion was an insult to the mayor and people of Kunming after the hospitality shown to me, past mayors and the people who have visited," he said. Cr Conkey said there was no doubt the decision would have caused "disbelief and anger" from the people of Kunming, which was the reason he urged councillors to support a motion that erased the decision and to send a formal letter of apology to Wagga's sister city and the council's "friends in China". However, standing firmly behind his decision was Cr Funnell, who lost the support of councillors Tim Koschel and Yvonne Braid - both of whom supported the decision to cut ties with the city of Kunming in the first instance. Cr Funnell said the commentary that ensued following the debate only reaffirmed his view that Wagga "must not remain in this cosy relationship". He said this decision was not racially motivated and, in fact, was supported by "hundreds of Australians with a Chinese background" who contacted him "respecting" his stance. Dr Lucy Zhao, who is an Australian citizen born and raised in Kunming, was one of three people of Chinese heritage at the extraordinary council meeting to call for the council to stand-by its decision and sever links to the sister city. She said the entire world was watching the council to take a stand under the pressure of the Chinese government.
"It is against Australian values to ignore the suppression of rights and freedom ... in voting to terminate these connections you are voting to support people's rights and offering people in China and Kunming hope to end this suppression," she said. After speaking with community members, however Cr Braid said she made the choice to change her position. Likewise, Cr Koschel - who was acting chairman for the agenda item at the last meeting and used his casting vote to get the motion over the line - back flipped on his decision 24 hours after it had been made. "I made the wrong decision," he said. However, Cr Vanessa Keenan said this decision has not only damaged a relationship between two communities, but the reputation of Wagga - and cannot be undone.
Cr Rod Kendall said he witnessed first-hand the goodwill that sister city links have built between two communities. He said it was wrong that councillors used the COVID-19 virus for political point scoring. Cr Dan Hayes said last week Cr Funnell was laughing at those who spoke against him, but the community have now spoken. "He continues to laugh and it is like giving the community the finger," he said. He went on to add that Cr Koschel's apology was "not a reset button" and only actions made it meaningful. Cr Hayes said there were four opportunities for Cr Koschel to avoid the decision he made, but he changed his mind once the damage was done. Councillors Conkey, Keenan, Hayes, Kendall, Braid and Koschel voted to overturn the decision to cut ties with its sister city and to send an apology for the damage it had caused, while Cr Funnell voted against. Cr Dallas Tout and Kerry Pascoe declared conflicts of interest and removed themselves from the debate.
APRIL 17 2020 - 4:30PM Jessica McLaughlin
Wagga's decision to cut ties with China could lead to first official council apology
Mayor Greg Conkey.
A PLAN to apologise to China over a controversial decision to cut ties with Wagga's sister city could be the first such apology in the council's 150 years. An extraordinary council meeting to be held on Wednesday will see a push to rescind the motion passed this week to sever all ties with China. The resolution, which was conceived by Councillor Paul Funnell, resulted in a fierce backlash from people at a local, national and international level.
Mayor Greg Conkey, who was absent from this week's meeting due to ill health, will also push for councillors to approve a formal letter of apology to Wagga's sister city Kunming and the wider People's Republic of China. In his report to council outlining the need to apologise, Cr Conkey wrote that, as the 44th mayor of Wagga, he doubted "any mayor has needed to write a report such as the report I bring to you now". "I totally and absolutely regret the damage that has been caused by this decision, it will take a long time to repair," he told The Daily Advertiser. "I am certainly hoping an apology will be well received, I have written to the mayor of Kunming [on] Thursday to keep him briefed on our hopes of rescission and am led to believe he will respond today or tomorrow."
Cr Conkey said the damage caused could have a lasting impact. "This incident does not only impact us in relation to Kunming, but the entire international community," he said. "We are currently seeking international involvement and cooperation with the Bomen special activation precinct, so the ramifications of this could be enormous and the message we have sent will not look good for a city trying to expand their international horizons." Fellow Cr Yvonne Braid was one of three who voted in favour of severing ties to China, but ahead of the new vote to both rescind and apologise, said she felt more research was needed. "At this point in time, we need to double check things, and we have until Wednesday to do so," she said. "I am waiting to see how the people of Wagga react and what they have to say, so my opinion and vote will depend on that." Cr Braid said the issue was not as simple as taking back what has been done. "It's not to say what has been done is right or wrong, but more thought needs to be put into this," she said. Cr Conkey said he was confident the rescission motion would pass at Wednesday's meeting. "It has been indicated that those initially against the motion will support the rescission, and Cr Koschel has also indicated he will now too, so I am confident we will have at least five votes," he said.
APRIL 16 2020 - 11:00AM
Wagga councillor Tim Koschel admits sister city decision was a mistake
Wagga councillor Tim Koschel voted to sever ties with Kunming on Tuesday night. By Wednesday night he admitted his mistake. Picture: Les Smith
A WAGGA councillor who played an instrumental role in severing ties with the city's sister city in China has sensationally backtracked on his decision. The motion to cut Wagga's connection with Kunming narrowly passed at Tuesday night's council meeting after a deadlock three-all vote. Mayor Greg Conkey was absent due to illness and two councillors - Dallas Tout and Kerry Pascoe - declared a conflict of interest, left the chamber and did not vote. Cr Tim Koschel was drawn at random as the meeting's acting chairman and used his casting vote to get councillor Paul Funnell's motion over the line.
Roll ahead to 1:26 for the moment Cr Koschel okays the motion
However, Cr Koschel said he had "made a mistake" by allowing his emotions caused by the current coronavirus environment to drive his decision-making. He said he will support the motion to overturn Tuesday night's outcome. "I did have a gut feeling ... that I might have gone too far and did not take into account the impact the decision could have," he said. "I should not have brought my emotions into it and it probably went a lot further than I expected the motion to go. I didn't think of the on flow affect, which is why I have changed my mind." Residents and community leaders had come out to voice their anger at the call to sever ties with a 32-year friendship with Kunming, with many fearing the damage had already been done."Yes, the damage is done but hopefully turning it around as quick as we made the decision will loosen the damage moving forward," Cr Koschel said.
Mayor Greg Conkey said an extraordinary meeting will be called in the coming days to reverse the decision.
For more detail with video please visit
APRIL 15 2020 - 7:30PM
Wagga councillors plan to overturn sister city decision that severs ties with Kunming, China
Daina Oliver
Wagga residents Ross Woodbridge and Denise Ma voiced their anger at the council's decision. Pictures: Les Smith
A MAJORITY of councillors have moved to overturn the decision to cut all ties with Wagga's sister city Kunming amid community backlash. Councillor Paul Funnell's motion to sever the city's Chinese connection narrowly passed at Tuesday night's council meeting, following a tied three-all vote.
Mayor Greg Conkey was absent due to illness and two councillors - Dallas Tout and Kerry Pascoe - declared a conflict of interest, left the chamber and did not vote. Councillor Tim Koschel was drawn at random as the meeting's acting chairman and used his casting vote to get the motion over the line. Cr Conkey said he was "distraught" and "appalled" by the outcome. The mayor said a motion to overturn the decision was immediately put forward, but he feared the damage had already been done. "We are a very multicultural city and I am very proud of this fact," he said. "We have 112 nationalities represented here, including China and I share in their grief over this motion." Wagga-based Nationals MLC Wes Fang called on the council to issue an immediate apology to Kunming and have the decision rescinded. "I will call it out for what I believe it is, racially motivated dog-whistling of the worst kind," Mr Fang said.
The councillors who voted for the motion - Funnell, Koschel and Yvonne Braid - deny race played a part in their decision-making. Wagga MP Joe McGirr said "genuine concerns" had been raised in this debate, but severing a sister city relationship was not the appropriate way forward. Dr McGirr said his concern was that the council had sent a poor message to the people of many different nationalities in this country. Riverina MP Michael McCormack said Wagga's sister city relationship with Kunming goes back more than three decades and believed it should continue. "I don't think this debate should have happened right now, I don't think it should have happened at all," Mr McCormack said."I appreciate that some of the councillors are passionate about this ... and respect their views, but I just think it is not the right move by the city."
Cr Koschel, who was silent during Tuesday night's debate, told The Daily Advertiser that his decision was about showing disappointment in Kunming's lack of communication about the virus outbreak, which has gone on to hurt Wagga. "Any relationship can be rebuilt, but (this) shows the severity of how disappointed I am in our sister city's lack of communication," he said. "The message has been said that we are disappointed ... if it gets overturned then we are back at square one." Cr Funnell said he wasn't surprised the councillors would look to overturn the decision and that was the great part of democracy. "Aren't we lucky to live in Wagga ... because in Kunming we wouldn't be allowed to have this debate," he said. "I find it laughable that people aren't listening to the evidence. I am appealing to people who understand that this relationship is with the Communist-ruling party not with the people of Kunming." Residents and community leaders have voiced their anger at Wagga council's decision to sever ties with its sister city in China.
DISAPPOINTED: Wagga resident Denise Ma describes the council's decision to cut ties with sister city Kunming as "opportunistic". Picture: Les Smith
Denise Ma, a woman of Chinese heritage who has lived in Wagga for 40 years, said she was disappointed to see three councillors cause so much damage in one night. However, she said the decision "did not reflect the true opinions" of all councillors - just three out of nine. While councillors plan to reverse the decision at their next meeting, Mrs Ma said the news reaching far and wide meant the "damage has been already done". "I think it was opportunistic and playing on the fears that people have at this time," she said. "Sister city relationships are not about politics ... it is about promoting goodwill and that's what we are going to lose from this - that goodwill." Mrs Ma said it was disappointing to learn people in the community thought this way, but it was pleasing to hear many others speaking out against the decision.
Wagga Multicultural Council chief executive Belinda Crain said she was "appalled" by the move and struggled to understand what it could achieve other than causing minority communities to feel vulnerable. "My concern is that if a community feels targeted ... then what stops them from doing it to another community," she said. "The sister city program is about rebuilding relationships and I think it's really important at this time that we're all working together due to the crisis that we're all currently experiencing."
FRUSTRATED: Wagga resident Ross Woodbridge says the council's decision to sever ties with Kunming was ridiculous. Picture: Les Smith
Wagga resident Ross Woodbridge said the decision was "ridiculous" and served no purpose other than to "antagonise people for no reason". Mr Woodbridge has visited all three sister cities and said the people of Kunming were the only ones who had heard of Wagga and held the city in high regard.
"I made a point of asking anyone I met," he said. "In Kunming I was treated royally because I came from Wagga. People even knew who the mayor was and where we were located on a map." Mr Woodbridge said if the roles were reversed, Wagga would be insulted by this decision. "It's not the people of Kunming's fault ... now's the time where we need to stand up for them," he said.
MARCH 31 2020
Wagga students commemorate Anzacs in 2020 despite cancellation of events due to COVID-19
Emma Horn
![ANZAC SPIRIT: Tahira Roshan, 12, has received a regional award for her poem detailing the experiences of the Anzac soldiers. Picture: Emma HillierWagga High School student Tahira Roshan spends her downtime detoxing from the year's complexity and uncertainty by researching the nation's darkest hour. Though the commemoration of Anzac Day will look different in 2020, the year 7 student was compelled to gather an understanding of what life looked like when the Anzacs first took to the shores of Gallipoli in 1915.Entering her poem into the 10th annual Anzac Day writing competition run by the deputy prime minister, Michael McCormack, the 12-year-old was presented with the highly commended award. "I wrote an Anzac Day acrostic poem," said Tahira "It took me a few days to write it. We had learnt about acrostic poems in English and I thought this would be a good way to do [the writing challenge] in my own way. "My friend and my sister did it too, but they wrote stories and I wanted to do something that would be different. "Fellow student, Freya Howard from the Wagga Christian College was last week awarded the top prize in the competition, for the secondary schools in the south division. Meanwhile, Turvey Park Public School student Imogen Patterson, aged 10, won the primary school south division. The three students made up the Wagga represented winners, chosen from 680 entries across the federal Riverina electorate. "I enjoyed writing about it [but] I felt pretty sad for them all." All 16 winners' writing will be compiled into a 36-page booklet that will soon be distributed ahead of April 25.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ad7f37ef407b465edbcb75d/1623896792588-U2ETS29SSRS44PDO3NKX/tahira.jpg)
ANZAC SPIRIT: Tahira Roshan, 12, has received a regional award for her poem detailing the experiences of the Anzac soldiers. Picture: Emma Hillier
Wagga High School student Tahira Roshan spends her downtime detoxing from the year's complexity and uncertainty by researching the nation's darkest hour. Though the commemoration of Anzac Day will look different in 2020, the year 7 student was compelled to gather an understanding of what life looked like when the Anzacs first took to the shores of Gallipoli in 1915.
Entering her poem into the 10th annual Anzac Day writing competition run by the deputy prime minister, Michael McCormack, the 12-year-old was presented with the highly commended award. "I wrote an Anzac Day acrostic poem," said Tahira "It took me a few days to write it. We had learnt about acrostic poems in English and I thought this would be a good way to do [the writing challenge] in my own way. "My friend and my sister did it too, but they wrote stories and I wanted to do something that would be different. "Fellow student, Freya Howard from the Wagga Christian College was last week awarded the top prize in the competition, for the secondary schools in the south division. Meanwhile, Turvey Park Public School student Imogen Patterson, aged 10, won the primary school south division. The three students made up the Wagga represented winners, chosen from 680 entries across the federal Riverina electorate. "I enjoyed writing about it [but] I felt pretty sad for them all." All 16 winners' writing will be compiled into a 36-page booklet that will soon be distributed ahead of April 25.
MARCH 26 2020
Batlow bushfire recovery: Wagga's refugee community donate to new Men's Shed
Catie McLeod
UNDRAISERS: Wagga Multicultural Council CEO Belinda Crain with members of Wagga's Yazidi refugee community Khedder Sharkan and Shab Mahmood.
Members of Wagga's refugee community have pitched in to raise funds for a community project in Batlow after a devastating bushfire tore through the small town earlier in the year. The group raised just shy of $14,000 for the Batlow Rotary, which will go towards the construction of an Men's Shed to provide locals with a space to connect with one another. Snowy Valleys Shire councillor and Batlow Rotary secretary Margaret Isselmann said the project would encourage emotional well-being among members of the community, many of whom lost their sheds and tools to the flames. "We lost 16 houses hear in Batlow, in the actual township. But we lost 40 sheds," Cr Isselmann said "The fire] was all around the exterior, you know, the boundaries of the town and so the fire came in around the tree line and the sheds were up the back where the trees were." Cr Isselmann said the project was still in its "early stages" and the Rotary was deciding between five possible sites to pitch to the council. "It will be a great opportunity for us to do some working bees once we finally get the chance to get back together again," she said. "It's a really positive story actually because we can get all the preparation done and all the planning while the virus is keeping us in doors and then when it's done we can go 'bang' and it will be good."
Cr Isselmann said the shed was still about 12 months away, coronavirus permitting, and upon completion it would be taken into the care of the Australian Men's Shed Association. "We won't have to manage it nor will council ... we're just giving them the set up and the startup and then they'll be able to get on with it. themselves. Which will be wonderful," she said. "I think it's gonna be really positive thing. Most of the men's sheds around here of course are established already ... Everyone's got a men's shed. We don't. "The Batlow shed will join more than 1000 of its kind around the country, though it will have an innovative twist - it's being constructed using straw bales. Architect John Glassford, who has been building using straw for more than 20 years, will design the building which will have straw panels inside its walls. "We hope it'll help the people of Batlow because this is part of what Rotary does. This is our contribution to the bushfire relief," Mr Glassford said. While it might sound contradictory, the straw bale construction method in fact has the highest possible bushfire safety accreditation of BAL FZ.
"It will be a tourist attraction for Batlow. People will come and see the straw bale construction and all that it stands for," Cr Isselmann said. Wagga Multicultural Council chief executive officer Belinda Crain told The Daily Advertiser she had been inundated with offers of help from different refugee communities in Wagga at the beginning of the year, as the bushfires in the region gained intensity. "Individual groups took it upon themselves. People in these communities from refugee backgrounds started just bringing me in money," Ms Crain said. "They said we want to give this to the people who are affected by the fires. And we're not sure how to do this. So I become a collection point for that money ... I spoke to the different communities that had brought the money in. And I said, you know, what's important to you?"
Ms Crain said as the money started to build she and the donors looked for a specific project they could contribute to and were directed to the Batlow Rotary. "It's something for the whole community, something our community members here can be proud of, that they helped rebuild. And when it actually happens I'll be happy to take them up and show them what they've been part of," she said. "For me, for them to go off their own bat and donate money, when I looked at how many people we had of different backgrounds ... The kindness and generosity in our new and establishing communities was just amazing."Cr Isselmann said the support of Wagga's multicultural community had been very welcome. "We think it's quite a lovely synergy to have the multicultural people supporting a country town that's very hard hit by bushfire," she said. "Those people have been through [so much] and here they are supporting a small country town in a way that is measurable."
61st anniversary of Tibet's National Uprising remembered by Wagga's Tibetan community:
Catie McLeod MARCH 6 2020
FLAGS UP: Wagga's Tibetan community rallies on Baylis Street to remember 61 years since the National Uprising in Lhasa. PHOTO: Catie McLeod
MEMBERS of Wagga's Tibetan community stood as one on March 10, to protest ongoing Chinese rule in their homeland. The group, draped in bright flags and holding 'Save Tibet' signs, were commemorating the 61st anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising. On that day in 1959, the capital city of Lhasa erupted in violence amid protests against the People's Republic of China, which has held control of Tibet for almost 70 years. The 1959 uprising led to the dissolution of the Tibetan government and the exile of Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. Wagga chef Jinpa Gyasto, who came to Australia from Tibet four years ago as a refugee, said at Wednesday's rally that he and his community were "fighting for Tibetan freedom" and nothing had changed for the Tibetan people. "We express our solidarity with those who continue to suffer repression under Chinese rule," he said. Mr Gyasto, who moved to Wagga in July last year, is one of thousands of Tibetans living in other countries around the world. "We need to support everyone, because Tibet is not free... we need reunion between new Tibet and old Tibet," he said. "I would like to especially thank you, Australia, and the countries around the world that generously continue to host and support Tibetans."
COLOURFUL PROTEST: Community members hold up Tibet's symbolic 'snow lion flag'. PHOTO: Catie McLeod
Dolkar Kyap, the president of the Tibetan Community in Wagga, said there were Tibetan National Uprising day protests taking place in 40 countries.
Wagga Multicultural Council community development officer Thom Paton said the Tibetan cultural community was one of the newest in the city. "We would like to support the Tibetan community in their peaceful protest against the occupation of China of their homeland," he said.
Multicultural Council of Wagga holds community assistance day- Kenji Sato
MEET AND GREET: Shireen Mato and Passqueena Deng at the Multicultural Council of Wagga's first major community assistance day. Picture: Kenji Sato
Immigrants got a warm Wagga welcome on Friday, when the Multicultural Council held its first major expo to help newcomers settle into their new community.. One of them was Yazidi refugee Shireen Mato, who said Wagga already felt a lot more like home than her country of Iraq. She fled her country to escape ISIS, who captured her village and killed many of her friends and family members. "For me Wagga is a really great place - it's safe, we have rights, and I don't feel like a refugee here," Miss Mato said. "I was given a warm welcome, and I'm grateful to the Australian people."
Helena Muhayimana. Picture: Kenji Sato
She's not the only one who narrowly escaped genocide; Helena Muhayimana fled the Democratic Republic of Congo after her brothers and sisters were killed in the war. She was one of the few who managed to escape to Australia, and although she rarely meets anyone from her old community she says she's made a new one in Wagga. "I'm very happy now, because Australia is a peaceful country," Ms Muhayimana said. "I don't feel lonely because I have other communities and church members."
Monica Thinu and Burmese immigrant Tam Nyeing. Picture: Kenji Sato
At the expo there were stalls set up by government departments, charities, legal services, and other organisations who offered advice on what help was available to new residents. Multicultural Council of Wagga CEO Belinda Crane said they started the event to help welcome community members into the fold
"It's about providing them information about systems within Australia to assist them in their settlement," Ms Crane said.
JANUARY 28 2020
Refugees keen to make most of dream opportunity with Wagga City
BIG OPPORTUNITY: Former refugees Rasho Sharkan, Ameen Oscan, Watban Ibrahim, Faisal Sulaiman and Nashwan Sulaiman are looking to cement themselves in the Wanderers' squad. Picture: Emma Hillier
FORMER refugee Nashwan Sulaiman dreamed of playing organised football on proper fields, but never thought it possible. It's why the 22-year-old doesn't take for granted the chance afforded to him, brother Faisal, Rasho Sharkan, Ameen Oscan and Watban Ibrahim as they look to entrench themselves in Wagga City Wanderers' first grade squad. Iraqi by descent, the Sulaimans lived in war-torn Syria before leaving for Turkey as refugees, before finding a new home in Australia. "I lived in Syria for three years, then we moved to Turkey as refugees for four years and then came to Australia two-and-a-half years ago," Nashwan Sulaiman said. "I wasn't thinking this would ever happen. "It's a very big opportunity for me to play over here. There's chances to play professionally and things like that." Wanderers coach Michael Babic expects the quintet, most of whom played for the club's under-20s last year, to provide the unpredictability they need to make finals in their second year in the National Premier League ACT division one competition. "When you think about where they've come from, a war torn country where they maybe never had grass fields or organised football, to get the opportunity they're having is amazing," Babic said. "Football is an outlet for what they've been through,they can forget about the past when they're on the field and that's why they love it. These guys have been through a lot just to get here. "They bring a lot to us from a cultural perspective and they're also amazing beautiful people who are grateful just to play." Babic is particularly excited by Nashwan's potential, and plans to exploit his speed and stamina out wide.
"Athletically he's the fittest in the team. His desire to get the ball, you can't coach that desire," he said. "We're always looking for someone with x-factor and these boys have it in spades. I'm very conscious, particularly when we're going forward of letting them play. "But it's just having that structure defensively where they need the discipline, if we can educate them about that side of the game (we'll be happy)."
26 January 2020
2020 Australia Day citizenship ceremony welcomes people from all over the world, including war torn Sierra Leone
NEW FOUND LAND: Irene Debrah with mother Rebecca Debrah celebrated on Sunday after having come to call Wagga home for the past nine years. Together, they fled wartorn Sierra Leone. Picture: Les Smith
Rebecca Debrah has waded through unspeakable heartache to be able to call herself an Australian citizen. Nine years ago, Ms Debrah and daughter Irene made a home together on the banks of the Murrumbidgee, after leaving behind their family and the only life they had ever known before in Sierra Leone. "I have family, many many members [in Sierra Leone]. My children, my grandchildren, the war has separated us," said Rebecca Debrah. "They are in my mind, but it is hard. I don't remember a lot."
The two women began their arduous journey to the 'land down under' almost 30 years ago when civil war broke out in their homeland. As their country splintered under the weight of the war, their family was ripped asunder as they moved from one refugee camp to the next. "One day, I hope I will be able to go back," Ms Debrah said. "One day I hope I will see them again. "The applause that welcomed Ms Debrah to the stage on Sunday morning as she accepted her citizenship certificates provided a soundtrack to the beginning of the next chapter. Just to hold that certificate has taken three years of work. "It was a long process to get here," Ms Debrah said. "When I first came, I was so happy to be in Australia. 'Wagga Wagga' was the first place I came to, and I was wondering, what will I do in a place called 'Wagga Wagga'? "I have so many memories here, people are so willing to help and to teach. Wagga is my home."
Shaking hands with the mayor and deputy mayor of Wagga at the annual riverside Australia Day ceremony, Ms Debrah was just one of 41 new citizens in the city. Others had arrived from Afghanistan, Bulgaria, China, India, Malaysia New Zealand, Pakistan, Sudan South Africa, USA and Great Britain. To usher in their new life in Wagga, Australia Day ambassador Brad Farmer shared words of welcome. "This year's theme is 'everyone and every story', and that is what today is about. The inclusivity, the understanding of each other and where we've come from," Mr Farmer said. "Today is an opportunity to embrace our diversity and celebrate our unity, no matter what our background is, we are all Australians." It was a sentiment that was shared by Wagga mayor Greg Conkey as he too welcomed the city's newest citizens. "I know you'll never forget when you've come from, and nor should you," he said. "Today, you become a citizen of a truly unique country."One day, Rebecca and Irene Debrah hope they will be able to hear the same words spoken to their lost family members as they too become citizens of Wagga.
Fun and games at the library- 24 January 2020
9 January 2020
Pictured above: Joining in the fun times at Wagga's Summer Language Cafe recently were Ahmed Qasim and Christina Reid.
Wagga Wagga City Library has been filled with the sound of language and laughter as part of its Summer Language Café program. Libraries are for everyone and Multicultural Services Officer Mahsa Nikzad, who has been coordinating the Summer Language Café, decided to take a different approach over this holiday period. “We usually pair participants with volunteers on a one-on-one basis. As some of our volunteers are away over the break, I thought having group activities would be a good option. Games are an excellent ice breaker and a great way to start up a conversation,” Ms Nikzad said.
“As it’s school holidays, some of the participants come with their kids. So, by playing games, the kids can be involved too. “All our games are designed for people who are learning English. And we can cater for people who know a little English, through to people who have none. It doesn’t matter what level you’re at, you’re welcome to come along.”Manager Library Services Claire Campbell said creating the Language Café was a logical progression for the library. “We started Language Café in 2017. Over the years, we’d built up a multi-cultural collection of books designed to help people learn English. There’s been lots of growth in Wagga, and we had people coming into the library saying, ‘I just want to practise English’. So creating Language Café seemed like the next step. It was also a great way to activate our collection of books.”
Ms Campbell said the library was aiming to reflect the changing face of Wagga. “Our volunteers say they get just as much out of it as the people who come to learn English – you see some great friendships develop. At times it can get quite noisy, there’s a lot of laughter! While there are many challenges facing participants, Ms Campbell said the Language Café was helping break down barriers, allowing people to learn more about each other. Language Café runs year-round, every Monday, Thursday and Saturday, from 11am–12.30pm. No bookings needed for this free program, just come along to the Wagga Wagga City Library.
Dunns Road Bushfire: Wagga offers unity and multi-faith prayers for Victims
Rex Martinich
Wagga's many religious and ethnic groups came together on Wednesday night for multi-faith prayer service for those affected by the bush fires across the region and Australia. The service had about 250 attendees and was opened with a hymn by the Vanuatu Choir, which was made up of Pacific Islander workers who were in Batlow to pick fruit when they were displaced by the Dunns Road Bushfire.
The choir earned multiple rounds of applause for their rendition of Amazing Grace and they also closed out the service with a medley of gospel songs. Adrian and Monica Medicines, from Wagga, attended with their sons Ronan and Declan. Monica said they came down to "pay their respects" and Adrian said it was "great to see so many people from the community come together, regardless of religion". Hafiz Khedri was one of many people from Wagga's Muslim community who attended the prayer service. "I came here to pray for the people who lost their lives, for the people who lost their homes and I wanted to pray for rain," she said. Catholic priest Father Paddy Sykes's opening prayer covered the bush fires across Australia for the past few months and the fires that struck the South West Slopes region after Christmas. "Fire has been raging around this great continent like a wild beast, consuming all in its path," he said. "We have been saddened by the loss of human life, by the loss of homes, buildings, livelihoods, livestock, pets and infrastructure, by the challenges of evacuation by the devastation of native flora and fauna."
Wagga NSW MP Joe McGirr told the service he had been "shocked" by what he had seen while visiting bush fire struck areas in the Snowy Valleys. Dr McGirr said the community needed to have a discussion on how to prevent the bush fires from happening again and how to better respond to disasters. Federal Riverina MP and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, who has been visiting bush fire-affected areas across Australia, sent his apologies for not being able to attend the service. "We have seen the very best of human nature under these terrible circumstances ... I know our neighbours are in their hour of need and I want them to know that all levels of government have their backs," Mr McCormack said in a statement read to the service.
In the concluding prayer, Waseem Afzal from the Muslim Association of Riverina said it was "so heart-warming" to see the community in solidarity. "Prayer is a way of unloading our burdens ... Here I am, in the company of all of you, unloading my own heart and imploring the most merciful God to help all those affected by these bush fires," he said.
Australia is our home': Yazidi family lends a hand to fire-ravaged NSW community
Haji Gundor at the centre in Wagga Wagga.
A Yazidi family that arrived in Wagga Wagga as refugees two years ago is determined to give back to their town by volunteering in the ongoing bushfire relief efforts
BY MAYADA KORDY KHALIL
Yazidi youngster Haji Gundor and his family are doing all that they can in their NSW town of Wagga Wagga to assist those affected by the devastating bushfires which have decimated large parts of the state. The family is volunteering at the Kildare Catholic College where Haji is a student, by separating and grouping donated items. The college has been converted into a centre to collect and distribute supplies for families evacuated from neighbouring towns, which have been affected by the devastating bushfires.
Volunteers are also making up individual packs intended for firefighters on the front line. Haji, his two sisters, brother and parents arrived in Wagga Wagga as refugees in 2017 after fleeing Islamic State persecution in northern Iraq. "We make sure that everything is in order so when my teacher wants it, they can easily find the stuff there," Haji says. "[I got involved after] seeing it on a website and then I heard a lot of people talking about it in Wagga and as I told you before a few days ago that I have spoken to my community that we need to help support Australia and support them during the bushfires. "At the moment it’s only me and my family who are here, I don’t know if some other Yazidi community members are helping in other parts of Wagga. We wish peace, we pray for the fires to stop and we wish they feel better.” Career advisor at the college, Karen Murray, says the town has become the temporary home for thousands of people evacuated from towns such as Batlow and Tumbarumba. “Wagga Wagga is not directly affected by the fires but our surrounding communities are and we have thousands of people evacuated to Wagga Wagga to seek shelter as the fires impacted their homes,” she says. “So we at Kildare Catholic College are a donating centre taking donations from the community. Anything from food, clothes, toiletries, anything you could possibly imagine we have here, so we continue to take those donations but we are also a centre where people who have been evacuated can come and collect supplies. “This morning we had people here who have already lost their homes to the fires, we’ve had people who haven’t lost their homes yet but waiting to hear what will happen this afternoon, we have family here with 12-week-old twin babies, it’s just tragic.”
Haji says contributing to the relief efforts is a way to say thanks to Australia for providing assistance in the family's time of need: “Australia is our home and it is very important to us as a part of our hearts.” The youngster says he has lost sleep over some of the interactions he’s had with affected families. “I was just closing my eyes and seeing the victims’ faces. Yesterday I met a boy aged five and he lost his home. I tried to make it better by giving anything but he was not taking anything, only asking for his home.”
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Dr Duncan interview with prime 7 news
DECEMBER 6 2019 -
Tibetans celebrate finding a safe home in Wagga
PLACE TO CALL HOME: Sanom Ilhamo is one member of the new Tibetan community who have made Wagga home after escaping persecution in their home country.
After escaping persecution, 30 people from Tibet have found a safe new home in Wagga. Sanom Ilhamo said more new arrivals would be headed for Wagga soon after the first group arrived about nine months ago. "We love living here because we feel safe and we have the support of Thom, and the Multicultural Council," she said. "We want to keep our culture alive here in Wagga and live in harmony with the community. "Ms Ilhamo said that people in her country are suffering, and they have been fighting for peace.
"Since the invasion and occupation of Tibet, the government of China has carried out massive violations of human rights," she said. "A countless number of totally innocent Tibetans have been detained and imprisoned and subjected to all manners of unrestrained and limitless persecution and torture, including with endless streams of killing. "Such a deplorable state of affairs continues today."
Although the Tibetan community is settling in well, Ms Ilhamo said they would not forget about their friends and families back home. She appealed to the Australian Government and public to advocate for the protection of human rights. "I appeal to them to raise their protests to the government of China about this tragic situation," Ms Ilhamo said.
"I also strongly appeal to them for result-oriented support in terms of pressuring the government of China to immediately end the persecutions and thereby lend their support to our just cause. "At the same time, I also strongly call on the government of China to respect international law and conventions and thereby ensure a humanistic reorientation of its practices accordingly."
Ms Ilhamo said on Tuesday, the Tibetan Community in Wagga will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize being bestowed onto their leader timed with Human Rights Day. "The Dalai Lama, the exiled religious and political leader of Tibet, was named the 1989 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his nonviolent campaign over nearly 40 years to end China's domination of his homeland," she said.
"We pay humble respect and bow down in gratitude to our most revered leader, and joyously extend heartiest greetings to the Tibetan people, friends and well-wishers around the world."His Holiness the Dalai Lama advocates nonviolence and dialogue to resolve the issue of Tibet, interfaith harmony, human values and environment."Ms Ilhamo said the community looked forward to getting to know their fellow Wagga residents.
NOVEMBER 27 2019
What's On: List of events, activities and things to do around Wagga, November 29-December 1
Jessica McLaughlin
Maryam Yanak at a Cork and Fork event earlier this year.
Taste the town
Cork and Fork Fest | Friday, November 29 | Civic Precinct
Try the region's best food and drink offerings from dishes like paella and pizza to modern Australian cuisine and desserts. Bring a chair and a picnic blanket, hear local musicians play and get out in the last of the spring air.
Get festive ahead of time
Christmas in November at the Lake | Saturday, November 30 | Apex Park, Lake Albert
With plenty of homemade and homegrown products on offer at a number of stalls, see a Christmas theme make its way into town. Find the perfect Christmas gift like handmade jewellery or fresh jams, and take the little ones along for fun on the jumping castle. Funds raised will go towards Lake Albert Bush Fire Brigade.
Start your morning fresh
Lucid Kombi popup van | Saturday, November 30 | Wagga Beach
Enjoy the morning air and head down to the beach for a fresh smoothie, barista made coffee and a number of vegan treats.
David Gilbey is proud to release the latest fourW thirty: Pearl book.
Celebrate creativity
FourW thirty: Pearl Launch | Saturday, November 30 | Wagga City Library
The Booranga Writer's Centre is celebrating thirty years of publication with the launch of their thirtieth annual anthology. Featuring the creative work of new writers, hear from the authors and guest speaker Dominique Sweeney, Lecturer in Acting at CSU.
Classic viewing
Movies by Moonlight - The Rocky Horror Picture Show | Saturday, November 30 | Borambola Wines
Round up a picnic blanket, snacks and mates for a nighttime screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show under the stars. Enjoy live entertainment and the range of wine and cider on offer. Tickets must be pre booked and the event is 18+ only.
NOVEMBER 26 2019
Wagga Base Hospital expansion will have two fresh faces on site after Brandon Traynor and Darnell Johnson took apprentice roles
Emma Horn
WORK READY: Brandon Traynor and Darnell Johnson, both 22, are ready to break the cycle of joblessness after securing positions on the Wagga Base Hospital expansion. Picture: Emma Horn
Generations of jobless hopelessness stops with Darnell Johnson and Brandon Traynor.
Having completed a seven-week pre-apprenticeship course, the two 22-year-olds have managed to secure work as part of the expansion of Wagga Base Hospital. As a cohort of 12, Mr Johnson and Mr Traynor join five other recent graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds with new positions on job sites around Wagga. While Mr Johnson has begun work as a scaffolding trainee, Mr Traynor will continue as an apprentice carpenter.
The new positions represent a sharp change to their lives up to this point. Especially for Mr Traynor, who had never held down a full-time job before securing the apprenticeship. Similarly, Mr Johnson said that it was through the support of those around him on and off the job site that he was able to take on the new role. "It's been a pretty good experience; I don't mind it or the people I'm with. I'd recommend the course, you just have to turn up, do what you need to do, and you'll get there," he said.
Their success so quickly after completing the course has provided enormous promotion for the program.
"It's about leaving a legacy of employment in Wagga, knowing that there are generations of the same family struggling to find work," said Ashleigh Cartwright, senior project officer with ISLP, which funded the program.
Partnering in their ambition to break the family cycle of poverty, ATEL business development manager Mitchell Finnessy said he is excited to see where their new roles will take them. "This is huge; it's life-changing for them. They might have come from a rough upbringing, they mightn't have been able to hold a secure job before and now, here they've found a career," Mr Finnessy said.
As their case manager in the 'Starting Off Stepping Out' program, Jennifer English has worked in the background to create a seamless transition into the workforce."We did the early morning pick-ups for TAFE and supported them with their daily needs," Ms English said.
"Young people in Wagga are at a high risk of homelessness. Housing and transport are the hardest things for young people to deal with in getting and staying in employment. The goal is to stop generational unemployment so that these guys can then empower their younger brothers and sisters too."
Assisted by the Multicultural Council of Wagga, as well as Training Service NSW, the Department of Communities and Justice, TAFE NSW, ATEL and CPB Contractors, the program involved five weeks of TAFE work broken up by two weeks on the site. "Without this opportunity, they would be still looking for work and struggling to stay motivated to find it," said Ben Thompson from the Multicultural Council.
"[Our support] doesn't stop now that they're in employment though. Now that they're here, we will continue to assist them to keep the employment." "There's a lot of support, they help us out here all the time," Mr Traynor said, of his newfound colleagues.
The new generation of interpreters helping Australia's emerging communities be heard
sbs.com.au/news/the-new-generation-of-interpreters-helping-australia-s-emerging-communities-be-heard
Wagga Fusion Festival 2019: Estimated 8000 turn out for event- OCTOBER 21 2019
Annie Lewis
OCTOBER 19 2019
LOOKING STUNNING: Carine Takam with Angel Magne, 2, Brigitte Guenou and Bernadetteb Avo.
An estimated 8000 people spilled into the Victory Memorial Gardens to enjoy food and entertainment from all over the world. The numbers for the annual Fusion festival were down compared to previous years, but a Wagga City Council staff member said there were a couple of factors.
Victoria Lowe, council's community development officer, said the colder weather would have been one reason for the slight drop in numbers. "There was also a lot else happening in Wagga, which is great because people have so many community events to choose from," she said.
"We are happy with how everything went, and there was a lot of work behind the scenes." Ms Lowe said Fusion19 had been a single-use plastic-free event, an important focus. She added the adoption of the rule took a lot of coordination, bit was quite successful for its first year.
Tastebuds were also kept satisfied with authentic food from all over the world. Sampath Hathurusinghe helped to organise the Sri Lankan corner with members of the community. "Everyone did a great job," he said. "We were selling kottu which we made on the spot and customers lined up for 30 minutes to buy it.
"I think we were one of the first stalls to sell out. “Mr Hathurusinghe said the money raised would go towards the community's language school in Wagga and to children in regional Sri Lanka who could not afford necessities for school. He added that Fusion was a way to build harmony in the city. “Everyone knows there are so many cultures in Wagga, but Fusion is where everyone can see it and learn something from each other," Mr Hathurusinghe said.
The Sri Lankan corner ready to sell food. Picture: Supplied
"I just want to thank all the organisers for arranging this great event."
Multicultural Council CEO Belinda Crain said she had received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback since Saturday night."It was extremely successful," she said. "I have had heaps of positive feedback, from the broader community and people from refugee backgrounds. "Quite a few of the new families were just saying 'we love Wagga' over and over." Ms Crain said Fusion was the perfect way to help migrants and refugees feel at home. "When people are coming from refugee backgrounds and insecure places, and they see Fusion happening, it allows them to feel safe and welcomed," she said.
Wagga Fusion Festival 2019 celebrates music, food and multicultural diversity
HAVING A GOOD TIME: Hot Potato Band pumps out the tunes. Picture: Les Smith
RESIDENTS and visitors from near and far reveled in the music, food and culture one of Wagga's biggest festivals today.Set across Victory Memorial Gardens and Civic Centre Precinct, the annual Fusion Multicultural Street Festival put on a grand display.From the Filipino Cultural Dance Troupe to the Shinwa-kai Karate Club of Australia to the Hot Potato Band, the crowd was kept immersed. Taste buds were also kept satisfied with authentic food from all over the world. Among the attendees were Sanjay Patil, who moved to Wagga from India seven years ago. Mr Patil, who has been attending the event for the past seven years, received his Australian Citizenship only a few hours before the festival started.
"This a really good opportunity for the multi-talented and multicultural groups to show their traditional cultures, including the beautiful food and music" Mr Patil said. "It's really good for all to come together to celebrate here. It's a great time for families and friends." "A lot of people coming together to see the multi-talented displays here," Mr Patil said. Among the those from out of town were Multicultural NSW CEO Joseph La Posta, who came from Sydney. Mr La Posta said it was a positive to see Wagga's "multicultural celebrations in full flight".
"They're going to have something between 10,000 and 12,500 people here today, which is an incredible achievement," he said. "It's one of the largest multicultural festivals in Australia and certainly in NSW." Mr La Posta said other cities have something to learn from Wagga's event."Wagga has been one of those cities that's embraced multiculturalism.
He thanked the Wagga multicultural and city councils, saying they were "the glue that brings us all together". Besides the music and food, there were also fun and games for all, including totem tennis and hula hoops. Event goers also enjoyed playing the drums in traditional African style
more Detail please click the link https://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/story/6446898/fusion-festival-puts-on-grand-display-of-food-music-and-diversity/#slide=13
Click (https://www.instagram.com/p/B3yjoNSHpnV/) or (https://www.instagram.com/p/B3ycjC1HboS/) or (https://www.instagram.com/p/B3yoiCwHZCx/) for video of Fusion 2019!
While many might not have heard of Kachin State, Wagga will have the chance to sample its delicious cuisine at the upcoming street festival. It's almost that time of year where residents and visitors can eat as many dishes from around the world to their heart's content.
In the spirit of this weekend's Fusion Festival, The Daily Advertiser has been profiling some of the delicious cuisines that can be found in this city, and the people who can cook them with their eyes closed.
Lucy Zatang's husband, Joseph, fled a village in Kachin State, Myanmar leaving Mrs Zatang and their child behind. He spent the next year a fish boat slaving away until he had the opportunity to escape.
"In 2005 after he managed to escape to Malaysia he contacted me, and I took my daughter and met him there," Mrs Zatang said. "In 2011 we finally arrived in Australia."
Mrs Zatang said she loves living in Wagga and finds the citizens to be friendly and welcoming. "I visited Melbourne and Sydney," she said. "But I did not want to stay because there is so much traffic and it is loud."
DELICIOUS DISHES: Lucy Zatang says while food from her culture is traditionally spicy, they will be dialling it back for Fusion.
Mrs Zatang said she loves cooking dishes from the Kachin culture."I love spicy food," she said. "But, for Fusion, it won't be spicy because not everyone likes it." Mrs Zatang said she encourages everyone to come down and check out the Kachin Community Stall as it will have plenty of "delicious dishes". Each year, more than 10,000 people soak up the vibrant festival atmosphere in the heart of Wagga with entertainment, fun activities and market-style eateries. Headlining Fusion19 are Kardajala Kirridarra, Thandi Phoenix, Hot Potato Band and Big Sky Mountain.
Belinda Crain, CEO of the Multicultural Council, said community members love being able to share food from their culture, and it is the perfect way to share a piece of themselves with Wagga.
Fusion19 is on Saturday at the Victory Memorial Gardens from 4pm.
OCTOBER 7 2019 - 9:00AM
Tastes of Wagga: Achin Mayit cooks Burmese cuisine
Annie Lewis
CONNECTING WITH CULTURE: From fried chicken and sticky rice to pawpaw salad and honey prawns, Achin Mayit loves to cook. Picture: Les Smith
It's almost that time of year where residents and visitors can eat dishes from around the world to their heart's content. In the spirit of the upcoming Fusion Festival, The Daily Advertiser is profiling some of the delicious cuisines that can be found in this city, and the people who can cook them with their eyes closed.
Achin Mayit fled Burma - known to some as Myanmar - to escape the military government. "I was then a refugee in India before the Australian government accepted me to come here," she said.
"In my country it was not safe, there was no economy and no rights to do anything."Mrs Mayit said she loves living in Wagga, but stays connected to her roots by cooking up a storm in the kitchen every day. "I love cooking," she said. "Every day I cook for my kids and my husband. We have a Burmese church and when there is a festival, or Christmas I used to cook for them too."Mrs Mayit said noodle and rice are staples, but fried chicken and pawpaw salad are two of her favourite things to cook ... and eat! "I hope to see everyone down at Fusion," she said.
"It's the best way to celebrate."Belinda Crain, CEO of the Multicultural Council, said community members love being able to share food from their culture, and it is the perfect way to share a piece of themselves with those in Wagga.
Fusion19 is on Saturday, October 19 at the Victory Memorial Gardens from 4pm.
SEPTEMBER 30 2019 - 9:00AM
Tastes of Wagga: Sophia Duywili and Kehinde Ayedera bringing African cuisine
Annie Lewis
BEST FRIENDS: Sophia Duywili and Kehinde Ayedera met in Wagga, and have been friends since day one. Picture: Les Smith
After meeting in Wagga, two women developed a fast friendship and now are excited to share food from their culture with Wagga. It's almost that time of year where residents and visitors can eat dishes from around the world to their heart's content.
In the spirit of the upcoming Fusion Festival, The Daily Advertiser is profiling some of the delicious cuisines that can be found in this city, and the people who can cook them with their eyes closed. Kehinde Ayedera moved to Wagga more than six years ago with her family. "I am from Nigeria," she said. "I moved here with my husband, and he came as a skilled immigrant. "Wagga is great, and I love it here." Mrs Ayedera said she loves cooking Nigerian food, whether for family or herself.
"I cannot do without my food, I am used to it, and it is part of me," she said. "I feel at home when I cook, and I feel like I am back in my country. I have four boys, and I will teach them how to cook. It is part of your culture."
Mrs Ayedera said jollof rice - made with capsicum, spices and stock - is an everyday staple among households. Originally from Zimbabwe, Sophia Duywili moved to Wagga in early 2009 after living in Sydney for four years. "I love it here, away from the big city," she said. "I met Kehinde through the church, and now we have become family." Ms Duywili said cooking makes her feel peaceful and at home. When she came to Australia, she brought large packets of maize meal and declared it. "Customs thought it was cocaine," she joked. Ms Duywili said sadzda, made from maize meal, is a staple in dishes much like rice and mashed potatoes are in other countries.
The dish is also known as isitshwala, ugali and fufu - depending on where you are in Africa. It is eaten with stew or vegetables. Ms Duywili said in her culture, if a woman cannot cook sadzda, then she is not ready for marriage.
Belinda Crain, CEO of the Multicultural Council, said community members love being able to share food from their culture, and it is the perfect way to share a piece of themselves with those in Wagga.
Fusion19 is on Saturday, October 19 at the Victory Memorial Gardens from 4pm.
Channel 9
SEPTEMBER 23 2019 - 1:30PM
Tastes of Wagga: building a home through language of food
Annie Lewis
TASTE OF HOME: Kamal Gundor, Nazi Perabo and Diyana Gundor at their food stall at the Riverina Producers' Market.
Utilising the powerful language of food, one Yazidi family have built a life for themselves in Wagga.It's almost that time of year where residents and visitors can eat dishes from around the world to their heart's content. In the spirit of the upcoming Fusion Festival, The Daily Advertiser is profiling some of the delicious cuisines that can be found in this city, and the people who can cook them with their eyes closed. Diyana Gundor and her family arrived as refugees to Wagga in 2017 as part of a wave of Yazidi refugees to arrive in Australia following a campaign of genocide by ISIS in Northern Iraq. An avid cook, Ms Gundor built her confidence to the point where she was able to open a food stall at the weekly Riverina Producer's Market, selling their traditional flatbread among other dishes. "We make the bread with flour and yeast and salt and leave it for one day," she said."After that, we roll it out and put in the oven."Ms Gundor and her loved ones had to flee their homes as the Yazidi people were being murdered. "My family wasn't safe in Iraq," she said. "Lots of our family and friends were killed by ISIS. "It is great living in Australia, and I love it here, thank you so much to everyone."On the menu at their stall is often Middle Eastern chicken, dolma, chickpea soup and other delicious, traditional dishes.
Belinda Crain, CEO of the Multicultural Council, said Ms Yamak is just one of the community members who they have helped to set up a business at the Riverina Producers' Market that runs every Thursday at the Wagga Showgrounds.
Nazi Perabo.
"We have been working with to support their food stalls at many other occasions," she said. Fusion19 is on Saturday, October 19 at the Victory Memorial Gardens from 4pm. Headlining are Kardajala Kirridarra, Thandi Phoenix, Hot Potato Band and Big Sky Mountain. Council's director of community Janice Summerhayes said Fusion has grown to be one of the city's biggest outdoor events.
SEPTEMBER 16 2019
Tastes of Wagga: Myriam Yamak loves cooking traditional Syrian recipes
Annie Lewis
Baklava, falafel and hummus are just a few traditional recipes one Syrian woman loves to whip up for sale at the Wagga markets.
It's almost that time of year where residents and visitors can eat as many dishes from around the world to their heart's content. In the spirit of the upcoming Fusion Festival, The Daily Advertiser will be profiling some of the delicious cuisines that can be found in this city, and the people who can cook them with their eyes closed.Myriam Yamak takes pride in her cooking and loves being able to showcase her culture's food. "I came from Syria to here in 2012," she said.
"My daughter was having a baby, and she could not come back, and after the war in Syria, I could not come back. "I love Wagga. I love the people here, they are very nice and gentle. "Baklava, falafel and hummus, za'atar, zucchini omelette, spinach based dishes, yabraq (stuffed grape leaves) and spiced fish are just a few of the recipes that Ms Yamak whips up. "It makes me happy to cook," she said. "I remember my family and I love to give people here what my family eat."
Ms Yamak added it was important for her to be able to share her culture in Wagga and ensure the cooking practices she knows are put to good use.
Belinda Crain, CEO of the Multicultural Council, said Ms Yamak is just one of the community members who they have helped to set up a business at the Riverina Producers' Market that runs every Thursday at the Wagga Showgrounds. "We have been working with to support their food stalls at many other occasions," she said.Fusion19 is on Saturday October 19 at the Victory Memorial Gardens from 4pm.
SEPTEMBER 15 2019 - 6:30PM
Wagga City Wanderers claim under-20 premiership
Jonathon Tuxworth
WAGGA City Wanderers have secured the first trophy in club history after their under-20 side came from behind to beat ANU 3-1 in the National Premier League ACT Two under-20s grand final in Canberra on Sunday.
Down 1-0 at halftime to the runaway minor premiers, the Wanderers responded with three unanswered goals after the break to claim the premiership after finishing fourth at the end of the regular season.
Jacob Ochieng found the equaliser in the 58th minute after following through a mistake from ANU's keeper, before Jake Ploenges put the visitors in front with a cracking finish eight minutes later.
Soon after Zach Pinney finished off a beautiful cross from Grant Jenkins to seal the title."Being down 1-0 at halftime, it was a good reaction from the boys," under-20s coach Liam Dedini said. "The last few weeks we haven't been down so it was good to see them respond that way."We had to travel the last four weeks which takes its toll, and from fourth you're under pressure every week when it's do or die."We came out and proved a point today."
Wagga City's under-17 girls were unlucky to lose their grand final to Canberra United Academy in a penalty shootout after scores were locked at 2-all after extra time.The under-18 boys will take on Woden-Weston in next week's grand final after an 85th minute goal from Fawaz Shani Baqi gave them a 1-0 preliminary final win over Monaro Panthers on Sunday.
SEPTEMBER 12 2019
Wanderers under-20 men, under-17 girls ready for grand final day
Jon Tuxworth
ONE FINAL AIM: Ranya Khato, Logan Flanagan, Maddie Emms, Sam Jones and Kyle Yeates are looking help Wagga City Wanderers to grand final success in their first season in National Premier League ACT Two competition.
WAGGA City Wanderers under-20s captain Sam Jones has persevered through the tough times.
Like many of his teammates, success was fleeting coming through the junior ranks when playing in the Sydney competition, but this Sunday's grand final is reward for persistence.
In their first season under the National Premier League ACT Two banner, the under-20s became the club's first senior team to make a decider after accounting for O'Connor Knights 4-1 in last year's preliminary final.
They were joined by the under-17 girls, who won through to their grand final with a 4-2 victory over Belconnen United, and will meet Canberra United Academy in the big one. The Wanderers under-20s finished fourth at the end of the regular season and face runaway minor premiers ANU in the grand final at Deakin Stadium from midday.
Midfielder Jones, 19, said the Canberra outfit will have the pressure on them to make a dominant season count, especially at home.
"ANU have a class squad, they've got some really good players but us boys have been very tight every single game," Jones said.
"There's very little pressure on us compared to them. If we can start the way we have the last couple of weeks, it will be a good game.
"We have to make sure we don't concede early, put some pressure on them and make sure they don't have time with the ball and shut down their options."
The girls program has been a big success in its first year, with the under-13s, under-15s and under-17s all making finals.
The two younger squads were unlucky to be knocked out last week but the under 17s, who scored more goals than any other team in the league, have the firepower to test Canberra United Academy.
"It's the first year for the Wanderers girls and it's been a great success having one of their teams in the grand final, hopefully they can win it as well," Jones said. he majority of the under-20s side has progressed through the club's younger grades, and that squad continuity has helped them take the next step this season.
"I've played every year since 2015, it's good to get into the finals after going through those hard years," Jones said.
"We haven't added many players this year, most of the team's core has stuck together all the way through and have been here for four or five years.
"We know each other's movements and how we like to play so it makes it easier.
"It's a big reward becoming the first senior team at the club to make a grand final."
The under-17 girls grand final will be held at Canberra's McKellar Park from 1.30pm Sunday.
The under-18 boys will also look to make a grand final when they take on Brindabella Blues in a preliminary final at Kaleen Enclosed Oval at 9am Sunday.
SEPTEMBER 7 2019 - 9:00AM
Tastes of Wagga: Bringing a Sudanese flavour to town
Annie Lewis
It's almost that time of year where residents and visitors can eat as many dishes from around the world to their heart's content. In the spirit of the upcoming Fusion Festival, The Daily Advertiser will be profiling some of the delicious cuisines that can be found in this city, and the people who can cook them with their eyes closed.
Elizabeth Akoi fled South Sudan after conflict broke. She lived in Kenya for a few years, before she was able to come to Australia. "I moved here in 2007," she said. "At first I lived in Melbourne, then after three months I came to Wagga because it is a great place for children. I love it here." Ms Akoi now spends every Thursday morning cooking an array of Sudanese-inspired dishes to sell at the Riverina Producers Market. Beef, chicken are common proteins in the food that she cooks, and a specialty is kisra - flat bread made from sorghum flour.
"I am happy when I cook this food," Ms Okoi said. "It's always when better when you cook. "I started cooking when I was 15 in a restaurant in my country, right up until when I was married because it's hard with the babies."When she cooks, she feels at home Ms Okoi said. Fusion19 is on Saturday October 19. For more information click here.
SEPTEMBER 3 2019 - 1:00PM
TAFE NSW helps Oday Rashed refugee in developing welding career
Annie Lewis
HARD AT WORK: Oday Rashed says he loves being able to weld and having a job gives him a sense of purpose. Pictures: Emma Hillier
Five years ago, in the dead of night, Oday Rashed packed up his family's meagre possessions and fled the only place he had ever called home.
As ISIS waged a genocidal war against the Yazidi people in and around Mosul, Northern Iraq, Mr Rashed made the heart-wrenching decision to move his wife and four children to a refugee camp in Turkey.
Three years on and Mr Rashed has found a new home in Wagga, but not without some challenges along the way.
Mr Rashed said when he left Iraq, his youngest was barely two months old.
"It was hard in Turkey, and you could not get a job," he said. "It was a different language, but when I came to Australia, I started a new life.
Mr Rashed did not dawdle when it came to finding a way to support his family. Less than a month after arriving in Wagga he went to TAFE NSW for English courses.
He is now enrolled in a Certificate III in Engineering - Fabrication Trade and is using it as a springboard to becoming a qualified metal fabricator.
Soon after, Mr Rashed was offered a welding apprenticeship at Wagga company Flip Screen, and he hasn't looked back.
"When I first came to Australia I could only speak a few words of English, and so I went to TAFE NSW straight away," he said.
"The teachers helped so much and taught us about the language and the Australian culture. I really wanted to work to support my family, but I knew in Australia, you need a qualification.
"I'm so happy now - I have qualifications, and I have a job with a good company that makes important things for Australia and the world."
Mr Rashed thanked his teachers and bosses for giving him a chance.
"I love this work because when you know how to weld, you can make something great," he said.
Flip Screen managing director Sam Turnbull said conversations with Mr Rashed had opened his eyes to what happens in other countries.
"He has been great since he came on as an apprentice," he said.
"He was talking about how ISIS came into town and was taking their machinery, and that's pretty scary."
Mr Turnbull said while Australians are sipping lattes, while people like Mr Rashed are being attacked.
"Once people are here, they are one of us," he said.
Mr Turnbull said the company had three TAFE NSW apprentices and nine different nationalities among its staff.
The Adult Migrant English Program provides up to 510 hours of English language tuition to eligible migrants
Prime 7 news Wagga
A new program at Wagga's PCYC is helping kids from multicultural backgrounds develop their self esteem and build life skills.
https://www.facebook.com/prime7newswagga/videos/2409804485775017/
AUGUST 28 2019
Multicultural NSW hosts Wagga consultation ahead of Strategic Plan release
Annie Lewis
Community members, organisations and political figures banded together on Wednesday to discuss ways of improving life for people "who call Australia home". Wagga was the 14th location for consultations run by Multicultural NSW aimed at hearing the concerns from a "grassroots level". Mary Jane Hoskin and Marina O'Donnell from Wagga's Filipino community wanted to voice their concerns.
"We talked about domestic violence and educating young people who are not interested," she said. "We also talked about women who need someone to care for their children while they work, but it is too expensive." Ms O'Donnell said it was also crucial for her to acknowledge the work of the Multicultural Council Wagga. "Without their support, we would not be able to do what we do," she said. "Belinda [Crain] is always helping us."
Community director Janice Summer Hayes said there was broad representation from across the Riverina. "They are not new issues, but they are still important, but we talked about making sure that anyone in our community regardless of their background or visa status has access to services," she said."We talked about access to childcare, education and language services. "This allows people to be educated, get employment and participate in our society." Belinda Crain, the CEO of Multicultural Council Wagga, said she wants to see the city reach a point where multiculturalism, and the acceptance of it, is the norm.
"That includes our First Nations people to all people who have now been settled and call Australia home," she said. Minister for Sport and Multiculturalism John Sidoti encouraged those who joined the consultation to be "fearless" when talking about what needed to be done.
"Please be assured that what you say today will be heard right from the top," he said. Multicultural NSW will be using feedback from the consultations to inform its upcoming strategic plan.
See photos of the fun and games at Wagga Christian College's multiculturalism-themed fete
Toby Vue
GOOD TIME: Kristen Ho (background), Mohamed Ghazy, 11, Yousef El Sanabary, 12, and Bol Lual, 13, all having a wonderful time at the fete.
IT was a display of all-things multiculturalism today when the Wagga community came together at Wagga Christian College's fete and fireworks display. Among the fun were rides, games, food, dancing and music from various cultures. Traditional fete stalls - including craft, garden and books - also ensured all attendees were kept entertained. College principal Phillip Wilson said the event is run every second year and multiculturalism is this year's theme.
"We're aware that about 20 per cent of our population comes from other countries, so we deliberately set out to have participants do cooking, exhibitions or performances to celebrate their cultures," Mr Wilson said.
Asked about the turnout so far and the reception to the event, Mr Wilson said he estimates "thousands" of people. "As you came in, the car park was already filled in the afternoon," he said. “The highlights for me is definitely the multiculturalism.
"We have so many of the parents willing to support us in that. They were also able to get their families and friends, who normally do not have anything to do with this school, to celebrate and join in. "Mr Wilson said it was an event for young and old. "The positive atmosphere of the fete is a testament to the organising committee's hard work," he said. The event also had fashion and Chinese lantern parades, as well as demonstrations from emergency services. The night was topped off with a massive fireworks display.
Wagga Yazidis remember those killed in Kojo Village genocide- AUGUST 15 2019 - 8:00PM
Annie Lewis
More than a hundred people gathered to mourn the slaughter of Yazidi people during the Kojo village genocide.
Shireen Mato, now a Wagga resident, used to live in the village before ISIS surrounded the town in 2014. After 13 days, ISIS gathered people in a community hall.
"First they collected and kept all of the belongings and separated women from men," Ms Mato said. "Then took men and teenagers outside of school and shot them in 12 different locations.
"My sister was in ISIS captivity for about one year. she was tortured physically and psychologically."
Ms Mato's sister was sold for less than $100 to four men as a sex slave. A friend of her's refused to marry an ISIS soldier, so her husband was killed. They gave her food for the children, but Ms Mato said when her friend awoke she discovered they had been fed poisoned food and her children had died.
She added that one month would not be sufficient enough time to tell all of the atrocities the Yazidi people faced.
Photos 1 to 11 from Daily Advertiser, photos 12 to 14 from ABC Riverina.
Refugee week 2019
Wednesday 17 july 2019
Ray Goodlass visits Palestine yearly for peace activism projects
Daily Advertiser, Annie Lewis: JULY 18 2019
Ray Goodlass at the entrance to the Aida Refugee Camp
Ray Goodlass is a well-known face around Wagga, but there is one thing that some of you might not know about him. Every year he makes a special trip overseas to help at a refugee camp.
Mr Goodlass said he had thought of peace volunteering for several years, but work and then council responsibilities came first.
Like the aspirations of many, day-to-day realities took over, but then the time came when he finally had the days to do what he wanted.
He has never shied away from a big project or wearing his political colours on his sleeve, so once he was fully retired Mr Goodlass decided to make peace activism his major project.
"I went online to find volunteering opportunities and there were hundreds, many about helping to rebuild civic society in post conflict situations," he said. "But me, being resolved to find the most intractable ongoing conflict I could find, settled on Israel and Palestine."
Mr Goodlass said he settled on the plight of the Palestinians as the focus of his activism.
"The peace projects suited my personal political beliefs," he said. "It was definitely outside the comfort zone from being a cultural tourist to Europe or a family tourist to the UK."
Mr Goodlass set off on his eighth trip to the conflict zone on Wednesday.
"I've learnt in my older age that when something comes up, don't dither about," he said.
His work in 2014 included cleaning out a house in Bethlehem shelled by the Israelis and clearing the land of a Bethlehem olive farmer whose property was surrounded by Israeli settlers who threatened to take over his land if he left it unoccupied. It has not always been smooth sailing.
At one point Mr Goodlass found himself being attacked by Israel Defence Forces soldiers using tear gas.
The attack occurred on March 21, 2014, in Nabi Saleh, north of Ramallah, which also saw Palestinian villagers injured when rubber bullets were fired upon them.
The IDF's actions saw Mr Goodlass rendered "totally helpless".
"I was tear gas attacked by Israel army in West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, rendered helplessly, rescued by Freedom Bus friends," he tweeted on the day.
The event didn't scare him off however as he continued to make the trek each year.
"I started to do drama work with the kids," Mr Goodlass said. "I would play non-verbal games with them, but I decided I needed to learn Arabic."
Mr Goodlass defines the Arabic word 'sumud' as resilience and steadfastness, adding it was a common trait among those he met every trip.
In 2018, a film-maker decided to document Mr Goodlass' work. In the film, young people in the Aida Refugee Camp, Bethlehem, dramatise their stories of living under the continuing Israeli occupation.
"In my seventh annual volunteer visit to Palestine I devised and directed verbatim stories by a group of young actors in the Alrowwad Culture Centre," he said.
"Some of the stories include detail of how the students' families were driven from their homes by the invading Israelis in 1947 and 1948 and all show what life is like living under the continuing Israeli occupation.
"This hour-long film also features interviews with several of the actors, the director of Alrowwad, and depicts everyday life in the camp, which has been in existence since 1948."
What he has taken away from his experience was a better understanding of the conflict and its impact on the Palestinian people, which he now wants to share with Wagga.
"What the Israelis are doing is taking away the memories, culture and history of the Palestinian people," Mr Goodlass said.
"The most frightening thing is how the original refugee tents turned into concrete houses, giving a sense of permanence to their situation. It made you think there was almost no hope for these people and feel the sense of hopelessness that exists."
Mr Goodlass said the hospitality and the resilience of the Palestinian people continues to inspire him.
"On my first trip, a man asked us volunteers to be an ambassador for Palestine," he said. "That's what I am doing and will continue to do."
Their resilience is why Mr Goodlass ended the stage production by giving the father character the line "but we are resilient people and celebrate our culture".
"Then the lighting changed, the music came up, and the cast all went into their traditional dance, the dabka," he said.
Gardner move falls through as Wagga United grind out 1-0 win over Leeton
Jon Tuxworth- 30 June
DANGEROUS: Wagga United striker Nazar Yousif takes on Leeton United's Nick Trifogli during the Crows' 1-0 victory yesterday. Picture: Les Smith.
THE drama surrounding Fred and Henri Gardner has taken another twist, with the brothers in football no-man's land after failing to secure a release in time from Wagga City Wanderers to join Pascoe Cup outfit Wagga United. It means the Gardners, who parted ways with National Premier League club the Wanderers earlier this month, are unable to play anywhere for the rest of the season after the June 30 registration deadline expired.
It is understood a difference of opinion regarding registrations meant an agreement couldn't be reached by both parties. Wagga United coach Travis Weir said he's still confident his fourth-placed team can compete for silverware after grinding out a 1-0 win over Leeton United at Rawlings Park on Sunday. A booming strike from Tyler Allen ten yards outside the box just before half-time was enough to secure the three points. "My understanding is they (Gardners) weren't released in time and we had a deadline we just couldn't achieve," Weir said. "The boys were pretty upset about it because they wanted to play and put in, but I've always been happy with my playing group. “If we play like we did today and pick a similar team week in week out we'll see the results. “We spoke about playing for the badge and for each other because it wasn't there at the start of the season, but there was plenty of heart in that today.
Pascoe Cup: Wagga united v Leeton United ; Lake Albert v young. Action from wagga united and lake albert`s 1-0 wins over Leeton and Young respectively on Sunday.Pictures: Les smith
Allen, who injured his quad early in the second half but played out the match, shifted from up front to left back with great effect. Fellow Crows back Lincoln Weir also battled on despite dislocating his shoulder for a second time, but Chris Walker was a first half casualty with a similar injury. "It (quad) is sore but we got the job done," Allen said. "I usually play up front so it's very different to what I'm used to but I said to Trav I'll do what you want, you're the coach." Weir said Allen's shift to defence will remain, at least until Cam Ferrie returns. "He understands his role and why he's back there with Linc," Weir said."We knew it wasn't going to be easy. They're a good side and we had plenty of chances at the end, but their goalkeeper made some outstanding saves." In other games a well-taken finish by Jamie Rankin with five minutes left secured Lake Albert a 1-0 win over Young, Henwood Park ended Hanwood's unbeaten run with a 1-0 victory at Griffith, Tumut held off Cootamundra 2-1 and Tolland-South Wagga will be replayed after poor weather forced the match to be abandoned."It's a massive three points. We're aiming for the top three and keeping that gap between us and Wagga United," Lake Albert coach Mitch Tinnock said.
SCORES: HENWOOD PARK 1 (Ryan McKenzie) def HANWOOD 0; LAKE ALBERT 1 (Jamie Rankin) def YOUNG 0; WAGGA UNITED 1 (Tyler Allen) def LEETON UNITED 0; TUMUT 2 (Mitchell Henman, Dylan Piper-Bye) def COOTAMUNDRA 1 (Scott Endacott); TOLLAND v SOUTH WAGGA abandoned due to poor weather, match to be replayed.
Wagga Health Service Dental Clinic dentist says Health Star Rating system should lead parents in the right direction
Daina OliverDaina Oliver-June 26
CHECK-UP: Hpi, Wanghum and Wangram Redamwang with Oral Health Promotions Officer Jennifer Lang during their visit to the dentist. Picture: Daina Oliver
A WAGGA dentist says misinformation about sugary food products could be causing avoidable cases of tooth decay in children.
The proposed shake-up of the federal government's Health Star Rating system could mean sugary breakfast cereals - once deemed to be healthy - drop by almost 2.5 stars. The possible changes to the system will depend on the ministers' decision to differentiate between naturally occurring sugars and added sugar. Oral Health Promotions Officer Jennifer Lang, of Wagga Health Service Dental Clinic, said parents rely on the federal government's rating system to make quick, healthy choices for their children. She said the changes proposed will reinforce the right products parents should be choosing."Parents will see the Milo Bar at four stars and believe that is a good choice, but it can have 25 per cent added sugar. The proposed change will bring it down to a 1.5 star rating, instantly showing parents that it's not a great option," she said.
HEALTHY TEETH: Wagga's Wangram Redamwang visiting the dentist for a check up. Picture: Daina Oliver
In a world heavily influenced by advertising, Mrs Lang said the rating system was very important to make healthy decision for children. "It tends to be bright colours with people they respect like sportspeople choosing particular types of cereal," she said.
"Nutrition Grain has four teaspoons of added sugars in one bowl, compare that to
Weetbix, which has none. There can be healthy options, but it is a matter of being aware. "We see fit people having them and that influences parent’s decisions, so our Health Star Rating system really need to reflect healthy choices."
Mrs Lang said oral health is an area of neglect for families, encouraging parents to start a regular dentist visit that will become a pattern for children to continue into adulthood.
"Some parents feel like they are only baby teeth and they are going to fall out anyway so they don't have to worry. But some of those baby teeth can be there until they are an older teenager," she said.
"They keep the space for the adult teeth and they're really important for the smile factor - healthy teeth means a child can feel more confident about their smile."
Mrs Lang also suggested parents look at the types of sugary drinks being offered to their child that could lead to "rampant" tooth decay. She said adults are starting unhealthy habits for the younger generation by giving them sugary drinks such as soft drinks, cordials and juice.
"If water is the only thing offered to a child from a young age then that's the norm for them," she said. "Don't be tempted to sweeten it for them because the child's taste buds are more in tune than ours, so water does taste good.
"Let the child enjoy water as it is and avoid other sugary things when they are older."
But at the end of the day, Mrs Lang said healthy teeth comes down to good eating habits, brushing teeth daily and regular visits to the dentist.
Wagga celebrates cultural diversity for Refugee Week- 22 June
Annie Lewis
Phong Tiwangce with his sister Grace Tiwangce, 2, at the Refugee Week Family Fun Day. Picture: Les Smith
FORCED to flee his home country to survive, one Burmese refugee says he has been welcomed into the Wagga community. During the weekend's Refugee Week community celebration at Henschke Primary School, Phong Tiwangce told of how he arrived in the city when he was 12 years old. "My mum and dad and I had to flee Burma because we feared for our lives," he said.
Refugee Week Family Fun Day
"We went through a lot to get here. We stayed here in Malaysia and then we got here. "It was hard to leave our friends and family, especially my grandma, behind was pretty hard and we knew no English and we didn't know anyone."
Mr Tiwangce, now 21 years old, is in his third year of an electrical apprenticeship."Ever since I was little I always wanted to solve problems and now I am getting the proper training in Australia and I love what I am doing," he said. "Wagga is my home. "We are so grateful to the community for accepting us. “Belinda Crain, CEO of the Wagga Multicultural Council, said it was important to celebrate Refugee Week.
DRESS UP: Fatema Rahimi, Belinda Crain and Samson Abbas take a happy snap with police gear and car at the Refugee Week Fair. Picture: Les Smith
"It brings everyone from the community together and is a celebration of those here with a refugee background and what they contribute," she said. "Looking around it's great to see so many people here from Australian-born to our refugees."
Ms Crain thanked Wagga Council, Multicultural Council NSW, Teys and Rotary for funding and donating time and food.
Philippine Independence Day celebrated with food, song and dance by Wagga's Filipino community
-15 June 2019
Jessica McLaughlin
NATIONAL PRIDE: Annabelle Borja is proud to be a woman of the Philippines and celebrate their Independence Day. Picture: Emma Hillier
The Filipino community of Wagga came together as one on Saturday to celebrate the country's 121st year of independence.
The hall of Henschke Primary School was filled with those celebrating the Philippine Independence Day along with like likes of Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, Wagga's State MP Joe McGirr and Mayor Greg Conkey who all enjoyed lunch and performances by young Filipino talent. Annebelle Borja was one Filipino lady of Wagga celebrating her history.
Ysabella Borja, 10, Joz Pastor, 5 and Paolo Cumla, 11, perform for their friends, family and fellow community members. Picture: Emma Hillier
"This year will be the 121st celebration, it's a commemoration of our freedom from the Spanish Colonialism back in 1898," she said. "It's also to commemorate the heroic sacrifices of those who fought and gave their lives to make sure that we have the independence we enjoy now." Mrs Borja said for her, the day was about more than just celebrating the past.
The crowd, with Ray Goodlass, Joe McGirr and Michael McCormack in the front row. Picture: Emma Hillier
"At the same time, it is also like celebrating the modern heroes, and every one of us, all the Filipinos here like myself, we are modern heroes as mothers, community members and working people," she said.
"It's so nice to have the whole community come together because it's very seldom that we gather as one and this is the perfect opportunity to do so."
Wagga Muslim explains what the holiday Eid al-Fitr is all about- Annie lewis-10 june 2019
Saira Ali made the dress she is wearing for the celebrations. Picture: Emma Hillier
With delicious food, lively music and dancing Wagga's Muslim population celebrated the biggest event on their calendar.
Eid al-Fitr is the feast that breaks the month-long fast of Ramadan and is celebrated over three days.
Saira Ali said the festival is a time to make amends, be generous towards friends and family and share values of peace and harmony.
"This is a very important time for us," she said.
"It is very important for us to forgive those who we might be mad or upset at and we also pray for peace.
"This is the biggest Eid."
Men will hug and shake each other's hands and women will do the same with each other.
There are multiple types of Eid, but this is the biggest one for the community.
Ms Ali said the first day is spent with close family, such as grandparents, and making new dresses. “We also make Henna on our hands and we give gifts and happy wishes," she said. "We make many delicious sweets and food.
"The second day is spent visiting other family and friends."
Ms Ali said she and her mother do not have many family members in Wagga, so they spent the first couple of days with friends.
"They are the ones who helped us when we arrived here," she said.
"Now they are like family to us as well."
The third day is reserved for a party, during which the entire community is often invited to.
"We celebrate all together in one hall," Ms Ali said.
"We take many types of delicious food and share with each other.
"My favourite type of food is cookies and rice pudding. It's hard not to only eat sweets, because they are so tasty."
Ms Ali said a lot of people do not realise that her faith is based on peace and that she wishes everyone in the community, no matter their religion, to be safe and happy.
Wagga GP Geraldine Duncan recognised for her decades of dedication- Jody Lindbeck- 10 June 2019
Wagga GP Geraldine Duncan has been honoured for her services to rural medicine with a Medal of the Order of Australia in the Queen's birthday honours list. Having practiced in Wagga since 1979, Dr Duncan is also a refugee advocate, has worked with sexual assault victims and been made an adjunct associate professor with the University of Notre Dame School of Medicine's Wagga Rural Clinical School.
Dr Duncan is "humbled" by the honour. "I'm just a bit amazed really. I gather some of my colleagues put my name up and I'm just humbled and feel very honoured that they thought to do that," she said. "Then I thought 'well ok, it's very nice that they put my name up, but that won't happen, so I don't really have to worry about anything'." Dr Duncan's work with Wagga's refugees began through her practice.
"When Wagga became a resettlement centre, I was approached by a few people to see if I would be interested in having refugees into my practice and, of course, I said yes," she said."At that stage we had dribs and drabs of a few people arriving. I think initially we had some people from the former Yugoslavia and then we had a few Africans come through and I had the pleasure of really welcoming the first African family into Wagga.
"Then of course, we got various waves of different people: The Burmese community, many more people from many countries in Africa. For me, it's enriching because you just learn so much about different things, different cultures and the way they share with each other, and also their intense gratitude and humility for what you can do for them."
Aged 68, Dr Duncan admits one of her goals is to improve her work-life balance. "I don't particularly want to pull out of medicine because I think I still have something to contribute, but I do have two grandchildren and would like to have that balance of family and work," she said.
"My practice in Wagga has been pretty full. I was a GP-obstetrician for many years. Then, I was one of the doctors who handled sexual assault on call, for 25 years or more. I guess I do it because even though it can be very tiring, something always happens that let's people tell you that they appreciate what you do."
HONOURS LIST: Geraldine Duncan has been a GP in Wagga since 1979 and is a passionate advocate for refugee health and medical education. Picture: Les Smith
June 7 2019
Wagga Amnesty Group commits to letter writing campaign in aid of human rights
Annie Lewis
To hand-write a letter, put it in an envelope and send it off at the post office takes commitment and time.
In a time of instant messaging and video calls, it's a little wonder that penmanship has become a lost art. But one group knows the power of the written word and uses it to their advantage in their call to action. Wagga Amnesty gathers once a month to write letters to politicians, embassies and organisations condemning the violation of human rights. Since February this year, the group has written 176 letters on 37 cases. In 2018 they wrote 293 letters and in 2017 they wrote 391 letters. Patricia Burgess has been a member of the group for more than six years. "There is so much injustice around the world and I feel as though everyone has to do something about it," she said.
"Not everyone has to do this but everyone has to do something and I liked how Amnesty is global and non-political."They are working behind the scenes to deal with injustice around the world and there is plenty of it."Ms Burgess said she is horrified at how the Australian government has handled the refugee crisis, but there are also other issues she writes passionately about. "It's the way women are treated in various countries, the US and their death penalty and there are plenty of issues around the world," she said.
CALL TO ACTION: The Wagga Amnesty group gathers on the first Tuesday of every month to write letters demanding action in cases of human rights violations.
"People say to us 'why don't you just send emails?'."Emails can be deleted. “Emails can be ignored, but it's pretty hard to ignore hundreds or thousands of letters on your desk."Ms Burgess said a letter is a powerful method of bringing attention to an important issue. "It's the power of the number of people who are doing this," she said. "I have friends in England who do the same thing. They go to the pub and they write letters. "A concerted effort of thousands of people condemning inhumane actions makes a difference."
Ms Burgess referenced the campaign to free Australian Al Jazeera journalist Peter Greste, who was imprisoned in Cairo amid false allegations of aiding the Muslim Brotherhood. He spent 400 days in prison and was freed following mass condemnation of his incarceration across the globe. Ms Burgess said Wagga is a conservative city and it can be hard to find people who share the same concerns and passions. "I am with a group of like-minded people," she said."Wagga is a very politically conservative place and you have to be careful about expressing your views.
"Amnesty International is not political but the reality is we are like-minded about social justice issues and it's lovely. “Gabrielle Robinson, the coordinator, said she collects the urgent actions from Canberra Amnesty office. “They are the ones that need an immediate response before a certain date," she said.
"We write the letters as directed, but can write them in our own way to a certain extent."They are polite but strongly worded. I post them all off the next day."On Tuesday, the group were penning letters to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack."We are protesting about the crisis situation on Manus Island that has unfolded after the election," Ms Robinson said.
Emails can be deleted. Emails can be ignored, but it's pretty hard to ignore hundreds or thousands of letters on your desk. Patricia Burgess
"It's been reported that so many refugees are attempting suicide because they had their hopes pinned on the election. They were hoping for a different result and with the reelection of the Coalition, a lot of them have been filled with hopeless despair." Ms Robinson said they are always advocating for those detained to be brought to the mainland, but are aware this might never happen.
Being detained is not an excuse for them to be treated inhumanely or as less than human beings, she said, and they want the government to know there are concerned citizens who take the issue seriously.
"This group started in 1993, there are not a lot of the original members left," Ms Robinson said. "When I first came to Wagga I was treasurer to start with and we used to go to people's houses and cafes. "Then in 2003, I took over the running of it and we have been having monthly writing meeting at Romano's ever since."Ms Robinson said the urgent actions range from the refugee crisis and situations overseas to prisoners detained inhumanely and capital punishment.
"We focus on human rights and cases of injustice," she said.
Sandy Wells has only been a member of the group for a year, but has found a purpose. “For a long time, I have been a conscious person about things that are wrongin the world," she said."So for many years I have made donations to a range of charities and stepping out to do things where I can.
"I have followed Amnesty for a while and coming to the group is just a concrete way of being able to follow where my heart is."Ms Wells takes her role seriously, often writing more than seven letters in one meeting covering a range of urgent calls.
SPEAKING OUT: People protest against the Australian government's offshore refugee camps and asylum seeker policies during a march in July, 2018. Picture: Dominic Lorrimer
"Writing letters is something that I can do actively to help," she said. "One that I'm writing now is about a human rights lawyer who has been released from prison but is under such heavy surveillance to the point that he can't go about his daily life.
"In particular, he can't seek medical attention because of the abuses that he suffered in jail."Ms Wells said she also loves being able to connect with old friends and make new ones.
But why should those living in Wagga care about these issues?
"We should care because we are people," she said.
"It doesn't matter where others are from but there should be that constant care for everybody to live as we live.
"We live safely, for the most part, in this country and we have access to safety. That's a right that we have and I just become so distressed that other people don't have these opportunities."
For those interested, they can request access to the Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/197838503575024/.
JUNE 7 2019
Wagga's Yazidi members meet with Refugee Council of Australia to spread advocacy efforts
Toby Vue
STRATEGISING: Members of Wagga's Yazidi community met on Thursday to discuss strategies to increase advocacy for Yazidis in Iraq. Picture: Paul Power via Twitter
SPREADING awareness about those suffering atrocities overseas was the mission of a recent collaboration between a number of multicultural groups in Wagga, the Refugee Council of Australia and Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors.
Earlier this week, members of the Yazidi met with CEOs from RCA and STARTTS to discuss and implement strategies to build stronger alliances to support their advocacy for Yazidis in dire situations in Iraq.
Ziad Kharmsh, 19, was one of 15 Yazidi community members who attended and he said it was positive to receive support from national organisations. "It's our first time with the refugee council," Mr Kharmsh said.
"Without uniting, it'd be difficult to do things. "If we don't do for ourselves then nobody is going to do it." Mr Kharmsh, who has been in Wagga for just over two years, said he is advocating for basic rights and religious freedom of Yazidis in atrocities overseas.
RCA CEO Paul Power said he was "really impressed with the Yazidi community".
"Ziad himself is relatively young and the community is building a new life in Wagga, but they're also not forgetting people who are still struggling to get basic needs met," he said.
"It's our first time sitting down to better target their advocacy."What we see is that people in who have experienced hardships and who are newly arrived are fantastic advocates for people who have no voices and are still in dire circumstances in Asia and Africa."Another aim of the trip for Mr Power was for him to raise issues from the Yazidi community to the United Nations.
Wagga's Multicultural Council CEO Belinda Crain said the visit was welcomed, saying it was a chance to develop their advocacy training to ensure "they get their messages across to getting things changed".
Mr Power also met with the Afghan, Burmese and South Sudanese communities during his visit to Wagga.
The Makeup of Wagga: Saira Ali showcases Afghani fashion- 04 June 2019
Annie Lewis
HOWCASING FASHION: Saira Ali says the traditional outfit for women from Afghanistan comprises of so many parts, but as the jewellery is all silver it does not weigh too much.
Decked out in jewellery and wearing an embroidered three-piece outfit, the traditional dress from Afghanistan is sure to catch the eye.
In recent weeks, The Daily Advertiser has been highlighting fashions from cultures that are thriving in the region, with women leading the way forward.
Saira Ali, 27, came to the Riverina in 2015 after fleeing Afghanistan.
"We have found Wagga so friendly," she said.
"We have made many new friends who encourage and teach us to learn English.
"They are always helping us to improve."
Ms Ali works full-time at a sewing shop after learning crucial skills with the Common Threads group run by the Multicultural Council.
She said generally traditional women's dresses in Afghanistan are made from light linens and are loose fitting to allow ease of movement.
"They come in many colours and have stitching," Ms Ali said. The traditional colour is blue."
Ms Ali said, for the most part, an outfit comprises of trousers, a dress and a scarf. "We wear the scarf because Afghanistan is an Islamic country and all Afghani wear the scarf in a different way," she said. The outfit in the picture is typically worn for special occasions, such as weddings, and includes a vest which has been hand-stitched with coins.
"It is sewn on one-by-one by the family, the grandmothers and the mothers will sit together and help," Ms Ali said. "Our local jewellers in the city will make the coins to order out of silver when the girl is ready to get married."It is common for the woman to wear it every day in the first year of marriage and then after that, or after she has babies, she will wear the more simple outfit."
The outfit showcases the traditional embroidery that comes from Kandahar and is known as the white-work embroidery. "It is known as khamak and is made out in satin stitch on a cotton or white silk background," Ms Ali said.The necklace, headpiece, and all other jewellery are made out of silver so that it is not too heavy to wear.
Ms Ali said when she goes to work she typically wears jeans or dresses or dresses with leggingsrather than the more traditional clothes."I still wear the scarf on my head," she said "I love people to see my culture and learn about it."Ms Ali's story completes the series The Makeup of Wagga.
Makeup of Wagga: Showcasing styles of Bangladeshi fashion- 29 May 2019
Annie Lewis
DIVERSE: Halima Sikder says her country is home to many religions, including Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity. All of which inform the culture and fashion.
Wearing traditional clothes is one way for a Wagga woman to hold her culture close to her heart.
In recent weeks, The Daily Advertiser has been highlighting fashions from cultures that are thriving in the region, with women leading the way forward.
Halima Sikder moved to Australia to escape the corruption at her former job in Bangladesh.
"I wanted to study here," she said. "At home, I was a government officer and there was too much corruption."
Ms Sikder said when she asked too many questions, she was threatened with a smear campaign.
"It's a Muslim country so you are not allowed to have a relation with the boys unless you are married," she said. "They said they would tell everyone I was having unmarried relations with the young boys I was trying to help."
Ms Sikder said her country is home to many religions, including Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity.
All of which inform the culture and fashion.
"The dress for the women has three parts," Ms Sikder said.
"There is the dopatta (the top scarf), the kamese (the top tunic) and the salore (undergarment).
"This is the everyday wear."
Bangladeshi men wear lungi as casual wear and due to the British influence during colonization, shirt-pant and suits are very common.
Ms Sikder said a nose ring was traditionally only worn by women as a sign that they were married, but the trend has become popular.
"Now all the girls wear it because they love the look," she said.
"Another sign of marriage is a vermilion mark in the parting of the hair just above the forehead as commitment to long-life and well-being of their husbands and also the white bangle is worn."
Ms Sikder said colours are only important when it comes to the New Year.
"Then you must wear a white sari with red borders," she said.
"For parties, the hosts will give you a dress code such as white or blue and everyone will wear that.
"You can wear any design, but you wear the colour they ask."
Ms Sikder said before weddings, families will host a holud during which a turmeric paste is applied by the guests to the bride's face and body.
Sometimes the holud may be a joint event for the bride and groom's families, or it may consist of separate events.
The Makeup of Wagga: Farzo Saleem's freedom to express religion without fear
Annie Lewis 21 May 2019
SHOWING HER HERITAGE: Farzo Saleem is proud to wear the traditional dress of the Yazidi religion. Ms Saleem arrived in Wagga in August 2016 after fleeing Iraq.
Being able to freely express who she is without fear of retribution is a right that one Yazidi woman does not take for granted.
In recent weeks, The Daily Advertiser has been highlighting fashions from cultures that are thriving in the region, with women leading the way forward.
Farzo Saleem arrived in Wagga in August 2016 after fleeing Iraq due to the persecution and genocide of her people at the hands of ISIS.
"Before we came to Australia we lived in Turkey for two years because our country wasn't safe," she said.
"ISIS attacked in 2014 and we left. In Turkey, we heard Australia was taking refugees so we applied for the immigration visa so we were one of the lucky people to come to Australia."
Ms Saleem said being Yazidi provides both a cultural and religious basis to who she is.
"The best thing is our religion is for us," she said. "We don't have the concept of forcing others to be like us.
"We just want a safe place to live happily with our families."
The Yazidi traditional outfit for women is a floor-length dress with a belt cinching the waist.
Ms Saleem said the gown is often accented by different jewellery and embellishments depending on the personal taste of whoever is wearing it.
"We wear them for celebrations, weddings, Eid," she said.
"We buy the fabrics from the shops and then we make these dresses ourselves.
"The belt and the jewellery are to add a beautiful look to the clothes."
For everyday clothing, the women wear simple dresses or whatever they are comfortable in.
Ms Saleem said there are no rules when it comes to casual clothing, especially since moving to Australia.
Red is often worn to symbolise the New Year and white is worn by the bride at weddings, such as in many cultures.
"We wear all the colours depending on what you like wearing," Ms Saleem said.
Older women will also sometimes wear a headpiece [as pictured] with a veil.
"They wear this for weddings especially," Ms Saleem said. "Some women older than 55 will wear it every day."
Wearing traditional dresses, even if not all the time, is an important way for Ms Saleem to freely express being a part of the Yazidi community.
"People when they see my dress will know where I am from and what religion I am," she said.
"We want all people to know about it."
Farzo Saleem's comments were translated by her daughter Wafra Hamka.
Khato's Barber Shop is heading to Forsyth Street Wagga to offer more affordable hair cuts
Jess Whitty- May 20 2019
NEW BARBER: Khato Khato is hoping to gain Wagga City Council approval to convert a Forsyth Street shopfront to a barber shop. Picture: Jess Whitty
A more affordable and new barber shop could soon be opening its doors in Central as a proposal has recently been submitted with Wagga City Council.
Khato Khato arrived in Wagga two years ago and hopes to bring his flair and eye for design to men's heads by converting a shopfront, located on 56 Forsyth Street, into a barber shop.
"I'm from Iraq and when I was younger I was interested in being a barber because I used to work with my uncle who had a barber shop in Iraq and I worked with him for one year," Mr Khato said.
"When we left for Turkey I wasn't working as a barber, but then when someone was doing my hair I asked if they needed more help so I started with him and I've been a barber for about six years now.
"This will be my first job in Australia, as I'm still at uni, so it will take a while to build customers but hoping I can expand the store for women as well in a few years."
The 22-year-old said he hopes to open by the end of July and will initially be working on his own.
"Other barbers in Wagga are a lot more expensive, but I'll be doing something a bit different by offering the 10th service for free," he said.
"A lot of people in my community don't want to get a haircut by a barber as they can't speak English very well and struggle to tell the barber what style they want.
"I go over to their home and do their hair and so they are waiting for me to open up my store."
Khato's Barber Shop will feature his wings that are located on the back of his neck to act as a personal mark on the shopfront. Picture: supplied
Mr Khato will be putting his own personal stamp on the door and wall of his shop.
"It's going to be called Khato's Barber Shop and I have a wings on my neck and that design will be on the door and on the wall that people will sit behind," he said.
"I'm hoping to stay open late, like 8am to 8pm, as there is nothing to do in Wagga after 5pm and open six to seven days a week."
Mr Khato's friend Jason Lagaali, also a barber, said there is definitely a need in Wagga for more barber services as the population increases.
"I've been a barber for about three years and I like it because it's talking to anyone and everyone and being able to relate to men who sit it our chairs," he said.
"We can inspire children and adults through a haircut."
Mr Lagaali said what makes a good barber is not just having good style.
"Conversation makes a good hair cut and you know it's good when the customer is happy with it," he said.
REFUGEE HEALTH AND WELLBEING
https://www.facebook.com/WINNewsRiverina/videos/393439981503297/?v=393439981503297
Wagga Multicultural Council supports new Australian citizens through the federal election
16 May
CONFIDENCE: Htu San La Bang and Constance Okot say the voting system in Australia gives them confidence for their future.
Elections can be a confusing time for everyone, from the unknown candidates, to sifting through policies and navigating the papers with seemingly endless boxes to tick.
Yet one portion of the Australian population are often forgotten during these times, despite needing more assistance than most to place their votes.
Refugees and new Australian citizens receive little education regarding how to participate in elections.
Constance Okot moved to Australia in 2005 from Sudan, and has been voting as an Australian citizen since 2007.
"I've voted a few times now, for mayor and premier and prime minister, even though I don't really know what I'm voting for," she said.
"We still don't really know what we are doing and who we are voting for but we do it anyway because we don't want to pay a fine."
Miss Okot said despite the process being a little overwhelming at first, it was vastly more positive than the process people went through in Sudan.
"In Sudan, or rather Africa in general, there is a lot of bribery. They bribe people to vote for them, they will give money to make people vote for them or they will be at the voting stations telling you want to do and make you scared if you don't listen," she said.
"There was a lot of pressure. If you don't want to vote for that person though, it is a problem, sometimes people are killed, there are a lot of killings because people are fighting for leadership. It's not always safe."
In Australia however, Miss Okot said the experience was far less threatening.
"Here though, even though you don't know who you are voting for, it is peaceful," she said.
"You vote, but the Government will always know what they're going to do, the issues aren't as serious as worrying about whether or not you will survive. I'm very happy with that, there's no fear."
One of the benefits of the Australian government and electoral system is the freedom of opinion, according to Miss Okot.
"You know you can go to the office of a politician here and just talk about whatever you want, you can have a say, and they will try to help as much as they can," she said.
"Even when the Prime Minister had the egg through at him, he was diplomatic about it. He just said I don't want this to happen, and the other parties supported him, they didn't cheer on the lady who threw it, they still said that it was not right."
One lady more recent to the voting scene is Htu San La Bang who moved to Australia in 2010 from Myanmar.
"I've only voted once now since moving here. It was very difficult at first, I didn't understand how to vote or who was good or bad," she said.
"For us though, we need a lot of education coming here as refugees, so we look at the candidates who are trying to better the education system."
Mrs La Bang said support from services like Wagga's Multicultural Council were a key factor in getting through the election process successfully.
"We are lucky to have people like Belinda here at the Multicultural Council to help answer any questions we have and clear up any concerns," she said.
The Multicultural Council provide a detailed fact sheet for new citizens looking at how and where to vote.
Mrs La Bang said she appreciated the chance to have an honest opinion contributed to the way the country is run.
"In Myanmar, everyone has to vote now but before I left there was no voting at all because it was in military control," she said.
"Even though people can vote now though, it's very corrupt. Someone can be dead, but they will have their name used to vote in favour of someone to get them through. So it is a big problem, there is no honesty."
One common opinion from Australia's new citizens is that the support they receive from both the community and the people in power gives them great confidence.
"The leaders actually care it seems, they listen and if they have the power to help they will, if not, they will figure out ways to change that," Mrs La Bang said.
"Wagga is particularly great, if we don't know, we have many options of people to ask and help us, and we don't get lost in the crowds.
"There are a lot of people from our nationality as well so it feels comfortable and we always have someone to turn to."
DA 20 May 2019
Makeup of Wagga: Izera proudly wears Burundian fashion
15 May 2019
Annie Lewis
PROUD OF BURUNDI: Izera Mazambo holds different styles of print that can be worn. She says for Burundians simple and natural is best when it comes to accessories. Picture: Emma Hillier
Simple, but beautiful is the way to go for women from Burundi. In recent weeks, The Daily Advertiser has been highlighting fashions from cultures that are thriving in the region, with women leading the way forward. Izera Mazambo fled her homeland after the Burundian Civil War, which was an armed conflict, broke out in 1993 and lasted until 2005. "We came to Wagga because we were refugees in Zambia and there was a crisis in 1993 in my country so it caused us to leave," she said. "We lived in Zambia and after that, we applied to come here. We like Wagga because it is quiet and cool even though there are some challenges."
Mrs Mazambo said she misses the weather, the seasons are only wet or dry."You can dress up in whatever you want," she said. "I would love people to visit so they see mountains, valleys, animals." Mrs Mazambo said the traditional dress for women will vary depending on their age and formality of the occasion they are attending."They might dress in the same thing, but the way they wear it will be different," she said. "You have a separate top with a wraparound skirt. You have ones you wear at home and ones you wear to weddings."Mrs Mazambo is known for walking the streets proudly wearing her traditional clothes."For me, because I have girls, I want to maintain my culture so every Sunday and with every special occasion I put on my traditional dress," she said. "People know I wear them a lot."Mrs Mazambo said for Burundians simple and natural is best when it comes to accessories. "We are not jewellery people," she said."We are Pentecostal so they do not encourage jewels. "We are here so we try them, but they like to be natural so we don't even put hair extensions in. You will see a lot of Burundians with short hair." When asked why it was so important to cherish and share her culture Mrs Mazambo had a simple answer."I love it and it is mine," she said."I would love people to see how I am rather than me trying to live somebody's life and somebody's lifestyle, but mine is how it is meant to be."People should know who we are so they can know us better."Mrs Mazambo said she is often stopped in the street so people can ask where she gets her clothes from. "Compared to 10 years ago when I moved here, I think people are starting to wear more colours and more styles," she said.
Wagga's Buddhist community light up lanterns to celebrate Vesak
13 May 2019
ALL SMILES: Dinara Piyasiri, 12, and Nethukee Jayasekera, 11, enjoy celebrating Vesak together.
Wagga's Buddhist community united to light lanterns and commemorate one of the most significant days in their religious calendar. Wagga Sri Lankan Community Association and the Potowa Buddhist Group celebrated Vesak on Sunday. "Buddha was born on this day, he attained enlightenment on the same date and he passed away on the same date again,'
President Sampath Hathurusinghe said. “We are trying to educate our children about the importance of Buddhism and trying to keep the culture alive because some of them are struggling with the two cultures.
"The message was about peace and harmony, especially in light of the tragedy in Sri Lanka that saw hundreds killed." Mr Hathurusinghe said they had a meditation program from 9am to 4pm and afterwards celebrated with lanterns and a feast. "We make the lanterns from bamboo and encourage the children to get creative," he said, "It is a handicraft that we pass on to the children and we have a competition. “I would like to thank Belinda Crain from the Multicultural Council and all the community members who came along and supported us. "The message is about peace and harmony and the compassion that we extend to everybody.”Mr Hathurusinghe said their religion is thousands of years old and the Buddhists in Wagga took the role of passing on their history and traditions seriously.
Makeup of Wagga: Creating a business showcasing Nigerian fashion
8 May 2019
Annie Lewis
PASSION FOR FASHION: Aderonke Ayedero designs her own dresses using African prints to showcase her culture. Picture: Les Smith
Designing and creating clothes inspired by Nigerian fashion is the passion of one woman in Wagga.
In recent weeks, The Daily Advertiser has been highlighting fashions from cultures that are thriving in the region, with women leading the way forward.
Aderonke Ayedero, known to some as Elizabeth, moved to Wagga with her husband in 2017."I have been able to learn new things, meet new people and see what the culture is like here," she said. "It's very cold here."Ms Ayedero said she is proud of the country she was born in and all it has to offer. Nigeria is a country in West Africa which is rich in culture and diversity," she said. "We have three major ethnic groups in Nigeria, the Hausas, Igbos, and Yorubas and I am from the Yorubas. "We have two main religions, Christianity and Islam so our country is very diverse which is a good thing."Ms Ayedero designs her own clothes and loves to choose bright colours to stand out."I am wearing an Ankara print and this [her headpiece] is called gele," she said, "I can wear this outfit to a wedding, a christening and I can wear it to any type of occasion."It is simple, we have the more complex ones but I like this one."
Ms Ayedero said in her culture, women do not show their hair so wear headpieces to cover it. "This one is a design among the Yoruba people, the other ethnic groups have theirs as well," she said. "This one is the ceremonial one and we have one that we would wear day-to-day." Ms Ayedero adopts fashion styles and prints when designing and creating clothes for her online business. "I make blouses with African prints so I can wear with jeans," she said. "I love colours and I love to play with colours so I like to wear the African prints all the time."This dress is not complex to make. I like white and red, so I look for prints that have a fusion of white and red." Ms Ayedero said it is important for her to showcase Nigerian fashion."I am proud of my culture and I want people to see what my culture is like," she said."This is a way of me showcasing who I am to other people."Before I get to tell them who I am, they see it from what I am wearing."
For more information on Ms Ayedero's designs click here.
Makeup of Wagga: Fashion from Constance's tribe in Sudan-
MAY 1 2019
Annie Lewis
With an outfit made from cotton that most of the town would wear, this Wagga woman loves to accent her traditional ensemble with colourful beads - and plenty of them. Over the coming weeks, The Daily Advertiser will highlight fashions from cultures that are thriving in Wagga, with women leading the way forward.
Constance Okot, from South Sudan, said her family was one of the first to arrive in Wagga as a result of the conflict. "My husband and six children and I came to Australia and Wagga in 2005," she said. "I am now a Wagga person."I left South Sudan in the 1980s because of the war."
Ms Okot said for a long time there was no clothes. People we were wearing animal skins and leaves as a way to cover themselves. "Sudan, when they started to make cotton and cotton is white and that is soon what everyone wears," she said. "There is a skirt on the bottom and then a white fabric wrapped around. The beads are worn for beauty. "Everybody was wearing this, it has a lot of different names, but a lot of people call it kurbaba. "Ms Okot said in her area because there was only one factory, everyone wore the kurbaba, even men. "They have the shorts underneath," she said. "Sudan, mainly South Sudan, has been without a lot of things so people start adopting and wearing clothes from different countries. "Most of my tribe adopted Ugandan clothes and nowadays in a wedding, people in my culture prefer to wear a gomesi.
"It's a Ugandan thing."Ms Okot said the outfit is still commonly worn by people back home, but some use other fabrics and other styles. "People wear different colours now as well," she said."For a long time, there was no limit to where you could wear the outfit. You could wear to weddings, funerals and for a visit."Ms Okot joked the outfit was an all-in-one package when travelling."If you are on the way somewhere and you want to sleep then you just cover yourself with the sheet," she said."Easy, when you go to any occasion just find a place to sleep and you have a covering."Ms Okot prefers to wear beads around her waist, wrists, neck and head to add colour and beauty to her outfit. "It's important to wear our traditional outfits to remember our culture and how beautiful it is," she said."How easy it is to use it, you don't need to look for so many things."You just need a few things and you are ready to go."
Wagga holds candlelight vigil in memory of Sri Lanka bombing victims
29 April 2019
Makeup of Wagga: 'Fashionable' rite of passage for women
APRIL 23 2019
Annie Lewis
FASHION FROM HOME: Saba Nabi and Ariba Omar, 9, wear the traditional outfits suitable for the age and status. Picture: Emma Hillier
There is nothing quite like wearing a sari for the very first time, said one Wagga woman.
Over the coming weeks, The Daily Advertiser will be highlighting fashions from cultures that are thriving in Wagga with women leading the way forward.Saba Nabi said the traditional dress in India is the well-known sari that has been around since medieval times.
"It comprises of a short skirt and then you tie the five-yard sari around it as well as the blouse," she said. "You wear this on all occasions, whether formal or informal. "During weddings and festivals, you wear all the bright colours."Ms Nabi moved to Wagga six years ago from Delhi to finish her PhD at Charles Sturt University and became an Australian citizen in 2018. She said she loves green so tends to choose saris in that colour. "When you are a teenager and you graduate from school, that is the first time you wear a sari," Ms Nabi said. "It makes you feel more grown up and then after marriage most of the girls wear saris. "I was so happy when I wore my first one and I borrowed a lot from my mum."
Elections, cocktail parties, weddings and other occasions are all times to wear a sari, Ms Nabi said. "I love to dress in a traditional way when I can," she said. “It gives you a distinct identity; I am Australian and Indian at heart. “More commonly, women will wear a tunic with leggings for a more casual look because it is more comfortable. “MS Nabi said her daughter is wearing a lehnga, which is made up of the long skirt and the top, known as the choli. “That’s what young and unmarried girls wear," she said.
Ariba Omar, 9, said she loves wearing the lehnga. “I feel very pretty in it," she said. "It is a very long skirt with a very pretty top. "Some of these are very itchy, but some of them are very soft but the good thing is how pretty it is."Ariba said she could not wait for her first sari, as long as it not itchy she joked. "I want my first one to be red," she said. Ms Nabi said they would often import the fabrics or buy it when visiting home. "I am very bad at stitching so I buy everything," she laughed. “I used to watch mum drape it, but I am still not great at it. My mother would be horrified if she saw how I wrapped my sari."
Prime 7 Potowa group Meditation
19 April 2019
Yazidi New Year 2019
The Yazidi celebrations for New Year were covered by the Daily Advertiser (see article and photos below).
Daily Advertiser, 20th April 2019
More photos of the Yazidi New Year were taken by the team at the Daily Advertiser:
Daily Advertiser, 20th of April 2019
Makeup of Wagga: Geeta Parajuli brings a piece of Nepal to Australian fashion
Annie Lewis 16 April
REPRESENTING NEPAL: Geeta Parajuli says she is proud of her heritage and the traditional dress that reminds her of Nepal's rich history. Picture: Les Smith
Although a proud Australian, one Nepalese woman holds her heritage close to her heart.
Over the coming weeks, The Daily Advertiser will highlight fashions from cultures that are thriving in Wagga, with women leading the way forward.
Geeta Parajuli said the traditional Nepali dress is the sari and chaubandi cholo.
"The sari is a five-metre long material that is folded into plaits and tucked into a long skirt with no plaits in it that we wear underneath to hold the material in place," she said. "The sari is wrapped in such a way to fit bodies of any size. Cholos and saris could be made out of any fabric, but Dhaka is unique to Nepal."
Ms Parajuli said she came to Australia to ensure her child received the best education. "Though I am an Australian citizen, Nepal is always in my heart," she said. "I have lived here about 15 years, so I love Australia equally. I always love to wear our cultural costume to represent my country."
Ms Parajuli said her dress is made out of the original fabric that forms the basis of one of the most important small industries in Nepal."Chaubandi means closed in four points and there are no buttons," she said."Dhaka is a hand-woven fabric and the national hat, called topi, for men is also made out of the same material.
"Palpali Dhaka is woven in the Palpa district of western Nepal and is very famous and provides employment to the local community." As well as the fabrics, there is a range of accessories used to add colour and signify relationship status in Nepalese culture.On example is the choora, the glass bangles and all gold jewellery is 24-carat. "The red on my hair partition is called sindoor, which is a sign of being married," Ms Parajuli said. "We also put a red tika on [the] forehead. "The golden necklace is called potey, the bunch of beads are called tilahari, which is another sign of being married. The husband will give the wife these items during the wedding ceremony." Ms Parajuli said when a woman's husband dies; she is not supposed to wear the tilahari or sindoor. The traditional outfit used to be the daily wear, especially for those in rural areas, until there were modifications.
"These days we only wear it on certain occasion like weddings and other festivals as it is very hard to carry while doing day-to-day chores," Ms Parajuli said.
Wagga Multicultural Council arts project to inspire young people towards more cultural celebrations
Toby Vue
ASSION FOR MUSIC: Maryam Sulaiman, 17, and Tuba Gundor, 16, earlier in 2019 where they celebrated nine months of Wagga Multicultural Council's mentoring program.
Cultural celebrations among the Riverina's young people are set to receive creative inspiration when a major arts project begins tomorrow. The 'No Borders In Our Sky' project is two days of music and art workshops for young people of various backgrounds. The program is a joint-initiative between Wagga Multicultural Council and Heaps Decent, an Australian-based arts organisation working with young people and emerging artists from diverse communities.
The organisation provides a means by which young people may tell their stories in their own ways. WMC community-development officer Thom Paton said the program is about "celebrating cultures ... and for everyone to come together". "Basically, it's a monthly program where Heaps Decent will come to Wagga to facilitate a range of different arts workshops," Mr Paton said. "It's a creative outlets for young people to explore their creative mediums — whether that be song writing or music."
The workshops will also have digital arts, including virtual- and augmented-reality technologies. While WMC and Heaps Decent have been working together for about eight years now, this is the first time this kind of project has been established. A number of musical and visual artists, along with two music producers, will attend, bringing a portable recording studio with them. The program will run on Monday and Tuesday, starting at 10.30am each day at 18 Station Place, Wagga.The initiative is funded through Multicultural NSW.
14 April 2019
DA 15 april 2019
Makeup of Wagga: Fashion inspired by Filipino heroines
PROUD OF HER HERITAGE: Annabelle Borja wears the national dress that is inspired by Maria Clara, who is a Filipino female heroine. Picture: Emma Hillier
A dress made from pineapple fibre might seem unusual to some, but for Wagga Filipinos, it is the material of their national dress - a fashion statement they are proud to make.
Over the coming weeks, The Daily Advertiser will be highlighting fashions from cultures that are thriving in Wagga with women leading the way forward.
Annabelle Borja moved to Australia looking for a better life for her family and arrived in Wagga in 2015.
Annabelle Borja moved to Australia looking for a better life for her family and arrived in Wagga in 2015. "I am a permanent resident and I just lodged for citizenship," she said. Annabelle Borja moved to Australia looking for a better life for her family and arrived in Wagga in 2015. "I am a permanent resident and I just lodged for citizenship," she said. Mrs Borja said she is proud of her Filipino heritage and enjoys the chance to wear the national dress known as the baro't saya. "Baro't means the top and saya means the skirt," she said.
"This is inspired the outfit of Maria Clara one of the female heroines in our national heroes book entitled Noli me Tangere, which means Touch Me Notthat was written by Dr Jose P Rizal. "Maria is a perfect example of a Maria Clara who is very conservative, very refined and very principled who fought for her rights as a person."
Mrs Borja said she is proud of her Filipino heritage and enjoys the chance to wear the national dress known as the baro't saya.
"Baro't means the top and saya means the skirt," she said. "This is inspired the outfit of Maria Clara one of the female heroines in our national heroes book entitled Noli me Tangere, which means Touch Me Notthat was written by Dr Jose P Rizal. "Maria is a perfect example of a Maria Clara who is very conservative, very refined and very principled who fought for her rights as a person."Mrs Borja said the baro't saya was typically worn by the lower class as an everyday outfit."Now in modern times, we wear it on Independence Day every June 12 and there this is this one week where we celebrate our language every third week of August as well as weddings, functions and political events," she said.
"It used to be the daily wear, especially for those in rural areas until there were fusions and modifications. "The elite class then started to wear it as well and it's not worn a lot in modern times, but you see modified versions such as in Miss Universe Competitions." Mrs Borja said the baro't saya is made of pineapple fibre, known as piña, which falls softly when worn and is a "more sophisticated" look. "There are also pearls embedded because the pearl is our national gem and that's why I have paired this necklace with the dress," she said.
"The fan is a part of the costume as well and it can be any colour, and often reds or blues are chosen. "Piña is not readily available in Australia so normally we export it."Mrs Borja said she considers Australia her home and while her children have been raised here, she still wants them to be proud of their heritage."It's important to go back to your roots," she said. "We still have the blood of The Philippines and by wearing our national dress, it is one way of giving back and knowing who we are. It's also a way to show our kids and teach them our heritage, culture and past."
Wagga United start Pascoe Cup season with 6-0 win over Cootamundra
DOUBLE: Nazar Yousif scored two goals for Wagga United against Cootamundra on Saturday.
Wagga United kicked off their Pascoe Cup campaign with a 6-0 thrashing of Cootamundra on Saturday night. Wagga United made light work of the Strikers in a dominant display under lights at Rawlings Park. The scoreline finished at 6-0 and it could have been more as Wagga United suggested they will be a serious player in this year's title race. Nazar Yousif scored a double for United, while Max Lysaght, Tyler Allen, Lincoln Weir and Adrian Merrigan also got on the scoreboard.
Wagga United coach Travis Weir was happy to start the season with a big win. "It was quite dominant," Weir said. "It probably could have been more...but it was the first time we've played together and we've still got lots to work on." Cam Farey impressed for Wagga United in his first game back in years, while Adrian Weir was another to start the year strongly. In a surprise round one result, Leeton United defeated Tolland 2-1 at Leeton. Adam Raso scored two goals for Leeton, while keeper Jarrod Sillis pulled off an important penalty save.
Daily Advertiser, April the 2nd, 2019
Story by Annie Lewis
Front page story about our Refugee Youth Peer Mentoring Program, following our barbecue event and mentee-led film project! We are looking for more mentors, so please get in touch if you are interested.
This story really tugs at our heartstrings!
Fusion boost
At a little garden in Wagga, immigrants have been sowing the seeds for diversity, planting fruit and vegetables from their motherlands. From that paddock, to a party, the produce will be showcased at the upcoming Fusion Festival.
Yazidi women, Diyana Gundor, was persecuted in her homeland of Iraq..eventually finding safety in Australia.
Now, two years after arriving in Wagga, english lessons have allowed her to thrive.. integrating into the community and selling her ever popular flatbread...
https://www.facebook.com/WINNewsRiverina/videos/592225047855031/
Candle light Vigil WIN NEWS
Hundreds of candles have been lit and flowers laid in Wagga's Victory Memorial Gardens in the wake of the tragic events in Christchurch.
In a display of solidarity, people from all walks of life have come together to show the city's Muslim community support and love.
Daily Advertiser, 18th March 2019
Wagga's Candlelight Night Vigil for Christchurch victims sees hundreds gather in Victory Memorial Garden
MARCH 18 2019 - 9:00AM, Annie Lewis
More than 400 people gathered in the Victory Memorial Garden's to mourn those lost in the Christchurch terrorist attack and show support for Wagga's own Muslim community.
On Friday, two gunmen opened fire at two central Christchurch mosques, Al Noor and Linwood, killing more than 40 people.
Muslims and non-Muslims alike gathered on Sunday in Wagga to honour the lives lost and show acts of terrorism have no place in any community.
Dr Ata Ur Rehman said he had been sent the video of the massacre and could not believe what he was seeing.
"If this attack proves anything, it is that terrorism has no religion," he said.
"It makes me even more distressed to realise the person who committed this act was an Australian.
"Despite the anti-Muslim sentiments being spread on social media, we will continue to stand as proud Australians."
Dr Rehman said he had been overwhelmed by the support shown by people from all works of life.
"A special thanks to the Wagga Police for making sure our places of worship are safe," he said.
Dr Rehman said an event such as the tragedy in Christchurch shows the dangers of social media.
"We need to work together to remove extreme hate, whether right-wing or ISIS, from social media," he said.
Azizeh Abbasi said learning about the horrific deaths of her fellow Muslims in New Zealand was heartbreaking.
"The important thing is to have peace and in my opinion, it doesn't matter what religion you are," she said.
"Islamophobia was the centre of the attack but in reality, we think everyone should be treated the same.
"It is so beautiful to see so many people who are gathering in support."
Ms Abbasi has been living in Wagga for 18 months after fleeing from Afghanistan to Iran and reminds the community, this is not the first time Muslims have been targeted.
"In my country, there is a war every day and many Muslim people are being killed by the Taliban and ISIS," she said.
Mariam Rehman, a Wagga Muslim, said she was fearful and had not slept properly since news of the massacre emerged.
"When I saw the turnout, my emotions changed because support is not only holding a candle, it means they're saying 'we are your fellow Australians'," she said.
"It hits so close to home when you find out the attacker was Australian and it's your neighbours.
"Before this, I would ignore racism but it is our role to stand up against violence and it shouldn't take more than 40 lives for us to realise what discrimination is."
Mostafa Eslampanah recently escaped Afghanistan and has been living in Wagga for two months.
"Hearing about what happened, it is upsetting and I hope to never see something like this happen again," he said.
"One of the best things about Wagga is seeing the people come together now."
Saira Ali said it was heartbreaking to learn of the lives lost, but the candlelight vigil provided emotional support.
"It is a dark time, but it is good to see so many people here," she said.
"To my fellow Muslims, we are with you and we pray for you and for all of humanity, not only Muslims, to be protected."
Kylie Anderson attended the vigil along with her children in a show of support for their friends.
"We have Muslim friends in our community and we are to support them and New Zealand and to show respect," she said.
"It is so important to show that we are all one community.
"As the kids wrote on their signs, everyone one is equal and we need more love instead of hate."
Riverina Police District Inspector Adrian Telfer said they attended the vigil and were working closely with the Muslim community to ensure they felt safe.
Belinda Crain, CEO of the Multicultural Community, said it was beautiful to see so many people attend the candlelight vigil.
Multicultural gathering celebrates International Women's Day
Jody Lindbeck
Women from around the world have come together in Wagga to celebrate International Women's Day.
There were women from the Yazhidi community, from Burundi, Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Afghanistan and Nepal along with many others who call this city home at an event organised by the Wagga Women's Health Centre and the Wagga Multi-Cultural Council.
The day-long event included art, craft, music, interactive activities, lucky door prizes, children's activities and a massive, community-wide shared lunch of multi-cultural cuisine, including a sausage sizzle.
"The theme for International Women’s Day 2019 is Balance for Better," Julie Mecham from the Wagga Women's Health Centre.
"This theme is a call to action to strive for gender balance throughout the world, to support women's advancement and to openly celebrate our achievements, not only on International Women’s Day, but all throughout the year."
Related:
Women of Wagga speak out on gender equality
For Lucy Zatang, who is originally from Myanmar, International Women's Day is a chance to reflect.
Ms Zatang spent seven years in Malaysia as a refugee - and her husband nearer 10 years - before being able to resettle in Australia.
The couple, who have four young children, came immediately to Wagga after arriving in Australia.
Ms Zatang said one of the joys for her was the range of activities open to her two sons and two daughters here.
"We are free and happy and healthy. Wagga is clean and quiet. There are beautiful people here, who smile at young on the street," she said.
"There are lots of different activities and places to go."
International Women's Day has been celebrated for more than a century.
The first gathering in central Europe in 1911 was supported by more than a million people.
International Womens Day 2019 Celebration
https://www.prime7.com.au/news/6946-womens-day
Wagga's Yazidi community protest horrific execution of 50 women
STANDING UP: Haji Gundor, Rashed Shani Baqi and Aras Kano are helping to organise the protest saying 'enough is enough'. Picture: Annie Lewis
Wagga's Yazidi community are standing up and readying for a peaceful protest to cry out against the horrific execution of 50 women in Syria. Rashed Shani Baqi said soldiers discovered the bodies last week when they gained access to Baghuz, where ISIS is desperately clinging to their territory. "Women are captured as slaves and raped," he said. "Soldiers surrounded ISIS in a small area and they were told if any ISIS were killed then the Yazidi slaves would be murdered. "Last week, 50 women were found executed with their heads cut off." Haji Gundor said horrific events continue to happen to the Yazidi community and the young children left in Iraq and Syria are being brought up as child soldiers for ISIS with no knowledge of their culture. "It is really hard to see this," he said."Not only do we feel the pain of who losing who has already been killed, but now it is even more painful."One boy, interviewed by an overseas journalist, remembers nothing after his parents were killed and he was trained to kill." Mr Shani Baqi and Mr Gundor both said they couldn't understand why no one was reaching out to help the Yazidi."We want to the government to try and save the women and children who are still in captivity," Mr Shani Baqi said.
"After five years of war, everyone knows the Yazidi are in captivity and are being sold, used and killed." This is not the first time the Yazidi community have been targeted by ISIS. Mr Gundor said ISIS attacked Shingal, Iraq murdering more than 5000 people on August 3, 2014, and this is only one of 74 genocides. "We are a peaceful people and our women, men and children are being killed," he said. "If something is not done, this religion is going to end." Mr Shani Baqi and Mr Gundor are pleading for international aid for those left behind. "If the world does not move, then I think we will lose all of them," Mr Shani Baqi said. "There are thousands of stories of suffering, but we are choosing to focus on this one for now."CEO of the Multicultural Council, Belinda Crain, said the council was supporting the Yazidi community and encouraged Wagga's residents to come down and show their support.
Yazidis in Australia: waiting for justice
Smith Family's Learning for Life program and Multicultural Council partnership helps Wagga children
JANUARY 31 2019 - 5:00PM - Annie Lewis, Daily Advertiser
https://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/story/5879783/smith-family-helps-wagga-children-get-an-equal-start/
🏈 AUSSIE RULES A HIT WITH REFUGEE KIDS 🏈
"I think AFL is the best sport I've ever had," says 11-year-old Rozaliya Hasan. She's one of the students in an Aussie Rules Football program in the Riverina that's been helping refugee children feel more included in the community. 🏃🏃♀️
Read more: https://ab.co/2VB3cUI
AFL Riverina @multiculturalcouncilwaggawagga
IEAA explore the link
Refugee kids shine in Wagga Wagga schools
https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/am/refugee-kids-shine-in-wagga-wagga-schools/10422472
ABC Riverina Common Thread
https://www.facebook.com/abcriverina/videos/164447747819989/
2018 NSW International Student of the Year Awards - Higher Education Winner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZB7114ly40
SBS: Wagga Wagga home to Australia's first Yazidi burial site
https://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/kurdish/en/audiotrack/first-yezidi-burial-site-australia
SBS Kurdish radio
https://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/kurdish/en/audiotrack/first-yezidi-buria
SBS kurdish Pêkanîna yekem goristana Êzîdî
Land allocated for Yazidi Community in Wagga Wagga Monumental Cemetery
https://www.facebook.com/yezidi.au/videos/841763359365481/
Prime TV moving Ceremony 4th anniversary of Yazidi Genocide
https://www.prime7.com.au/news/3287-moving-ceremony
Win News- Wagga Goal Umpire Basil Shani Baqi- AFL Umpire Diversity Talent Camp
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1752948324774682&id=100001785950590
Prime 7 News:20/06/18-World Refugee Day
https://www.facebook.com/prime7newswagga/videos/1704685736233499/
Wagga's Multicultural Council sets up the Refugee Youth Mentoring Program
The Daily Advertiser: 21/5/18 - Read article
Refugees wanted: NSW country town Walla Walla looks overseas to fill employment gaps
ABC News: 21/5/18 - Read article
Wagga’s Burmese residents plea for international intervention in Kachin
The Daily Advertiser: 9/5/18 - Read article
Wagga's Yazidi community celebrates the New Year
The Daily Advertiser: 18/4/18 - Read article
Multicultural Council’s Common Threads provides an opportunities for refugees to learn new skills
The Daily Advertiser: 28/3/18 - Read article
Woman 2 Woman conference set to help Wagga celebrate International Women's Day
The Daily Advertiser: 2/3/18 - Read article
yazidi refugee teacher
Learning to Swim - ABC Local News
NSW Government helps Wagga Wagga refugees smile
Refugees can face challenges adjusting to a new life in regional NSW. A group of professionals in Wagga Wagga are determined to make sure that health will not be one of them.
New Year Celebration: April 2017
Yazidi refugees rejoice in first New Year in Australia
The Australian: 19/4/17 - View article
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton visits Wagga for Yazidi new year with refugees
The Daily Advertiser: 20/04/17 - View article
Wagga's Yazidi community marks New Year
SBS Radio: 19/04/17 - Listen to audio
Yazidi New Year: Immigration Minister Peter Dutton tells refugees of work to increase Syrian intake
ABC Online: 20/04/17 - Read article
Australia's Yazidi community to celebrate new year in Wagga
Riverina Leader: 17/04/17 – Read article
Yazidi Celebration - Hundreds of Yazidi refugees gathered in Wagga today to celebrate their new year.
Facebook – WIN news - Watch video
Immigration minister visits Wagga
Triple M Riverina - Read article
Angela Aseka
Ashmont child will soon be banished from the country with her Kenyan mum
The Daily Advertiser: 1/4/17 - Read article
Angela Aseka to be deported from Australia after 14 years
The Daily Advertiser: 5/4/17 - Read article
Peter Dutton back deportation of Australian-born child
The Border Mail: 6/4/17 - Read article
Kenyan mother thankful for support in immigration row
The Daily Advertiser: 9/4/17 - Read article
Fresh calls for Immigration Minister Peter Dutton to intervene in 'outrageous' deportation
The Daily Advertiser: 18/4/17 - Read article