By Danielle Kutchel
Women from a Pakenham friendship and social group have journeyed to meet their ‘sisters’ in Gippsland.
The Women’s Friendship Café Pakenham started a little over four years ago and has a sister relationship with multicultural women’s groups in Warragul, Moe and Wonthaggi.
On Wednesday 7 July, the Moe multicultural women’s group had its fourth birthday – an occasion for the groups to come together and celebrate.
So on Thursday 8 July, the Pakenham group went on a train journey to meet their Gippsland-based friends.
A total of 23 women boarded a train at Pakenham and headed out to Morwell to meet up with their counterparts from Moe and Wonthaggi.
There, they visited the ‘Our New Home’ exhibition at Latrobe Regional Gallery.
The exhibition showcases the stories of migrant and refugee women who have settled, found work and built a home in Gippsland, and even featured some of the women in the friendship groups that visited.
It was a special celebration of the feeling of belonging that the friendship groups create.
The day out also provided an opportunity for the women in the groups to catch up face-to-face.
Some of them have been isolated by Covid or other personal issues lack of a car, age or language.
The day allowed them to explore Victoria with friends and learn to be more confident on public transport.
The Women’s Friendship Café at Living and Learning Pakenham invites women of all abilities, ages and cultures to find welcome.
The café meets on Thursday mornings from 9am-12pm.
For more information, visit https://www.livinglearning.org.au/services.php?type=service&level=2&ID=10
