Author Archives: theme

Overview Shabnam, a resilient Iranian refugee and mother of two, faced the challenges of caring for her unemployed, health-compromised husband while aspiring to transform her life. In 2020, she sought settlement support from SECL. Amidst family and financial complexities, Shabnam aimed to pursue her dream of becoming a professional hairdresser.   Client situation In response…

Overview In 2016, Soussan fled Afghanistan with her five children following her husband’s disappearance, seeking refuge in Pakistan. They arrived in Australia on a Humanitarian Visa in 2019. Soussan, grappling with deep trauma and grief, was visibly depressed and withdrawn. Hindered by illiteracy and language barriers, she relied entirely on her eldest son for social…

Overview South East Community Links (SECL) provides value support to refugees and vulnerable migrants from Afghanistan. Here is an overview of our work over the past two years. We support community members to build independent and meaningful livelihoods that make positive contributions to our local communities.Our capacity building work provides practical support, advocacy, service linkage…

Overview Sarah* was 13 weeks pregnant when she sought help from South East Community Links (SECL) after enduring years of ongoing family violence. Sarah was referred by a family violence organisation and required emergency relief, housing, and support. She faced financial hardship, unstable housing, and the daunting task of navigating her pregnancy alone, lacking a…

Overview Matija* had migrated from Serbia to Australia, with his wife and two children. He was 50 years old, when he was referred to South East Community Links for emergency relief. Our intake assessment revealed that there had been family violence issues in the home.  *not his real name or photo   Client situation Matija…

Overview Aaisha* arrived in Australia from Afghanistan in 2007. She attended South East Community Links (SECL) for emergency relief assistance. SECL’s practitioner became aware of a family violence situation during her intake assessment. *not her real name or photo   Client situation During the past four years, Aaisha endured a harrowing cycle of family violence,…

Overview In November 2021, the Strategic Partnership Program (SPP) was approached by the Afghan Community Response Project within Foundation House to collaborate on a program designed to supportnewly arrived Afghan refugees. It was identified by the Community Project Workers that building independence via driving was a particular concern for the newly arrived community members.The Learner…

Overview Arriving in Australia in 2008, Farah is a 35 year old from Afghanistan with two children. In 2018, she started to look for employment in her field of science or a role in a government office. She had strong qualifications with a bachelor’s degree in science. Farah wanted to support herself and her family…

Overview Saanvi is a 48-year-old and mother of three children ranging from 15 to 20 years old. She is an Australian citizen of Indian origin who speaks Punjabi and English. Saanvi is a qualified nurse and has a home with a mortgage in Melbourne’s outer south-east which was affected by storms and flooding in 2021….