Goya Dmytryshchak
A Footscray-based organisation supporting African Australians is feeding the homeless and people of all backgrounds in Melbourne’s west during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Africause has teamed up with the Somali Star Cafe in Nicholson Street mall and Balaclava-based organisation, Igniting Change, to provide food and materials.
Africause is also helping spread Department of Health messages to African community members about isolating, testing and vaccinating.
Africause founder Berhan Ahmed said the stories he had heard from people were shocking.
“One young man, regardless of his background, had had no food for two days,” he said.
“It is part of our collective responsibility to remember and reach out in these extraordinary times for the less fortunate, not only to families with children in lockdown, which we are supporting, but also homeless young men and women in our streets.
“The fresh meal provided with a drink in a welcoming environment was more than a relief for most of them, with a big smile on their face after the meal.
“There are mothers … they didn’t have milk – the basic products that any family would need to have in their fridge and in their cupboard to serve their kids with some meals.
“We support over 200 families with shopping packages – for a month with non-perishable food and some buying milk on the way to the house – and 55 homeless lunches in Footscray since the second lockdown on every second day.”
Mr Ahmed said Africause was helping community members better understand coronavirus advice, such as requirements if they had been to an exposure site.
“They talk about tier one, tier two, tier three,” he said.
“We need to take this to the layman and to the masses.
“My benchmark of communication is my 80-year-old mother.
“If she can’t understand a message … then it’s not getting there for many of us.”
He said Africause was encouraging community members to line up for the jab.
“We are explaining this in a simple language the mothers and fathers understand and teaming up with community leaders and members from the respective communities to translate in their languages … languages such as Harari, Tigre, Oromo and many other African languages.”
Details: africause.org.au
