By Gabriella Payne
This year, 52 outstanding Victorian people and organisations were recognised at the Multicultural Awards for Excellence – and one inspiring project was run right here in the Cardinia Shire.
Throughout 2021, the team at AfriAus iLEAC (Inspire Lead Educate Advocate for Change) INC and LUVPACKS partners provided hundreds of supply-filled ’Luvpacks’ to women in need – and their incredible efforts were recently honoured at the highest level.
During the pandemic, the joint project managed to give out 533 ‘Luvpacks’ to single mothers, women with large families, under/unemployed women, women with disability and other vulnerable or emerging communities in the local area – which comprised of culturally appropriate food, baby necessities, household items and personal protective equipment that they may need.
Not only that, but the AfriAus iLEAC team also delivered health information and Covid vaccine online sessions throughout the year, helping educate and inform members of Cardinia’s many CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse) communities.
Their efforts increased food security for community members who were isolating, which reduced stress, anxiety and fear of going without, and proved the organisation was a worthy recipient of this year’s ’community response and recovery’ award.
Cecilia Rabecca Mphande, the president and co-founding director of AfriAus iLEAC, said that it had been fantastic for the organisation to be recognised in this way and was greatly appreciated by everyone involved in the project.
“Working together in partnerships and also with government support enabled us to continue and deliver [this project] effectively and in a timely manner,“ she said.
“Despite lacking a relief transportation vehicle, eventually our local council (the Cardinia Shire community engagement section) identified support funding from EACH, which enabled AfriAus iLEAC to hire a van for the distribution of culturally appropriate food relief, PPEs and other essentials.
“We would like to thank our strong supporters: the Victorian state government through the department of families fairness and housing (the funding sponsors/providers of three priority responses amounting to $133,000 excluding GST, since October 2020).
“We have managed to feed about 462 families/households – about 3,600 plus individuals,“ she said.
“[Thanks also to] the Cardinia Shire Council (connecting with EACH to provide funding for hiring transportation of relief food, PPEs and other essentials), Living & Learning Pakenham (auspicing AfriAus iLEAC and the LUVPACKS Partners during priority response two), and our local MP, Jordan Crugnale.“
Ms Mphande said that AfriAus iLEAC had some grand plans for the new year, including a “CALD youth leadership program as primary prevention of family violence“ and another program to help “CALD women to establish small business, to enable their empowerment for economic security“.
“We will continue to serve where we can with our partnerships,“ she said.
For more information on the work that the organisation does, head to afriausileac.org/
