An Afghan womens group - rebuilding lives

Un grupo de mujeres Afganas: reconstruyendo vidas

"We always go home feeling lighter". This was a comment made by a woman from Afghanistan after attending a group run collaboratively by the Dandenong Community Health Services and the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture. She is part of the second largest 'newly arrived' refugee population settling in the South Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne.

Amongst this group are a considerable number of women living in isolation as sole parents, many are widows as a result of the civil war in Afghanistan. The group for women from Afghanistan has been running since November 1999. Twenty-five women attended the group last year.

The aims of the group are: to encourage the women to share their life stories to facilitate a process of healing from their traumatic past; to inform workers about cultural beliefs and how the lives of women from Afghanistan had been affected by civil war and displacement; to provide information in a practical and informative way that will increase access to local community services and increase their connectedness in their new community and the richness of these connections; to provide an education/information program that is generated by the women's specific requests; and, to identify processes and the small steps required for this group to develop and form as an independent group.

The group provided a unique opportunity for women to share their experiences of settlement in Australia. It was mentioned that it was unusual in Afghanistan to socialize outside of the extended family. Information sessions were run on topics requested by the women. Some of the topics covered were on Women's Health, accessing local dental and health service, immigration advice, family life in Australia, social services, tenancy rights, accessing public housing, volunteering and nutrition.

The Afghan women's group developed slowly into a cohesive and supportive group of women who showed an interest in learning more about services in Australia as well as developing new networks. It is an example of a community approach to tackling isolation as a health issue.