Sisterworks Inc

Farhaneh's Journey: From Iranian Artist to Australian Entrepreneur

In 2022, Farhaneh left Iran for Australia, carrying big dreams and facing bigger challenges. A chance meeting at Melbourne Polytechnic led her to SisterWorks' Small Business Program - and that's where the magic began.

For Farhaneh, SisterWorks wasn't just about learning business skills. It was about finding her supportive group, boosting her confidence, and turning dreams into reality.

Today, Farhaneh runs Queen Koala Shop, teaching paper painting and spreading joy through art. Her future plans? Expanding to more suburbs! "SisterWorks has been enlightening," Farhaneh shares. "The connections I've made have grown into a supportive network."

Are you looking to start your small business in Australia? SisterWorks offers a supportive system designed to help you address these challenges and achieve your entrepreneurial dreams. Join our community and start writing your success story today.

Explore our programs: https://sisterworks.org.au/programs

A Huge Thank You to Toyota Australia!

Toyota Finance and Toyota Motors have truly transformed our SisterWorks Customer Service program with their call center simulation session! Our Sisters gained real-world experience, enhancing their skills in customer service, multitasking, and navigating a fast-paced environment.

The added benefits of interview tips and mentorship from industry experts have equipped the Sisters with a comprehensive toolkit for their job search. Toyota’s dedication to raising the bar of our program and supporting professional growth is truly commendable. We’re incredibly grateful for Toyota’s support in helping our Sisters prepare for the job market.

💜 Want to join our Term 4 Customer Service program? 💜

This 9-week program is designed for migrant, asylum seeker, and refugee women and is completely free! Spots are limited, so please register today. Don’t miss this opportunity to build your career in customer service!

🔗 To learn more and register, visit: https://sisterworks.org.au/articles/customer-service

This week, we're asking our supporters a pretty big question.
What will your legacy be?

Will you be remembered as a devoted friend, a loving parent, or someone who made a difference in your community? You don’t need to be a genius or a billionaire to create a lasting impact. Every person has the power to leave a legacy—and that includes you.

By pledging a gift to SisterWorks in your will, you can make a difference that lasts long after you’re gone. Your support can help us continue to empower migrant, refugee, and asylum-seeking women, providing them with the tools and opportunities they need to build better futures.

Every legacy, no matter the size, is significant. Even a gift of just 1% of your estate could help fund vital programs and services, all while ensuring your loved ones are financially provided for.

Interested in creating a lasting impact? Start today by writing your free online will. Your legacy can help SisterWorks continue its mission of empowering women for generations to come.

🔗https://www.gatheredhere.com.au/c/sisterworks

Thank you for being a part of the SisterWorks community and for considering how you can make a difference.

Meet Victoria, the creative force behind Judy Jewellery!

Victoria’s journey as a jewellery artisan is truly inspiring. From humble beginnings, learning beading through an audio CD class, to mastering metalwork, her passion for bringing beauty into the world shines through each piece she creates. Today, she transforms aluminium, silver, and wax into stunning jewellery, each piece a reflection of her vibrant spirit and love for life.

Originally from a refugee camp in Southern Tanzania, Victoria and her husband arrived in Melbourne in 2007, full of hope for a better future. As a devoted mother of five, she was determined to support her family and build something beautiful. In 2017, Victoria joined the SisterWorks family, where she found not only a community but also the support to grow her craft. With the guidance of our incredible volunteers, she connected with suppliers, learned new skills, and discovered innovative ideas to bring to her work.

Today, Victoria is experimenting with resin to create breathtaking earrings and bracelets, constantly pushing the boundaries of her creativity. Her journey is a testament to the power of determination, creativity, and community.

By supporting SisterWorks, you're empowering talented women like Victoria to thrive, helping them turn their dreams into reality. Let’s continue to uplift and celebrate these incredible women!
https://shop.sisterworks.org.au/judy-jewellery-victoria/

Australian Pharmaceutical Industries (API), National Work Force and SisterWorks have joined forces to enhance employment pathways for migrant, refugee, and asylum seeker women. Through this collaboration five of our amazing Sisters have recently started new jobs at API—and they’re already thriving!

These incredible women are settling in beautifully, embracing their new opportunities with enthusiasm and determination. It’s a true celebration of diversity and inclusion, and a testament to the power of partnerships that create meaningful social impact.

A big thank you to API for their unwavering commitment and support throughout this journey. The wonderful celebration they organised and their choice of delicious catering from our café, Crafted Culture, added a special touch to this milestone.

In Australia, more and more businesses are recognising the value of diversity and inclusion. By partnering with SisterWorks, your business can help create a more inclusive society while enriching your team.

Ada Lo, a talented seamstress from Hong Kong, moved to Australia to be closer to her daughter and start a new chapter. Language barriers and job challenges didn’t stop Ada from finding a supportive community at SisterWorks' Richmond Empowerment Hub.

With improved English, new friends, and a boost in confidence, Ada turned her passion for sewing into a flourishing business—Ga Yae Designs. Her unique, colourful handcrafted products are now featured in our online and retail shop, making a meaningful impact and helping her business grow.

Support Ada’s journey and explore her beautiful creations!
Check out Ga Yae Designs here: https://shop.sisterworks.org.au/ga-yae-design

Last week, our Chief Commercial Officer, Shamila, and Sister, Farah, had the incredible opportunity to speak with David Astle on ABC Australia!

In their engaging conversation, Shamila shared a powerful insight:
“When we are able to train our Sisters, give them the confidence, put that advantage in their hands to become economically empowered, it contributes not only to themselves, it contributes to their families, their communities and ultimately to the country as a whole.”

This interview beautifully captures the essence of our mission at SisterWorks and highlights the impact of empowering women from migrant, refugee, and asylum-seeking backgrounds.

If you do anything today, listen to this inspiring interview. It’s a testament to the difference we can make together.

🔗 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kYsMZvtqtkBmeFt-He9syvmYtWECWxDa/view?usp=sharing

A huge thank you to Sheila, Senior Executive Assistant at Australian Pharmaceutical Industries (API), for sharing her powerful story with us at SisterWorks. As a migrant woman herself, Sheila spoke from the heart about the challenges she faced and the determination that fueled her journey in Australia. Her words resonated deeply with our Sisters, sparking meaningful conversations and inspiring everyone in the room. We are so grateful for partnerships like this, which bring encouragement, hope, and positivity to our community of strong, resilient women.

"I was honoured to be invited by SisterWorks to share my story as a migrant woman. The challenges I faced 24 years ago are no different to what most migrant women are facing nowadays. By sharing my experience I felt connected with the Sisters, and I hope I made a positive impact on their journey to get job ready. My heartfelt thank you to SisterWorks for allowing me to be one of them." - Sheila

Petronia is an extraordinary artisan from Burundi, specialising in handmade earrings inspired by her heritage and digital textile printmaking for beautiful purses and coasters. Her vibrant and eye-catching designs reflect the rich cultural tapestry of her Burundian roots.

Since starting her journey with SisterWorks in 2013, Petronia has completed several courses, including our intermediate clothing design and sewing class. Her creativity also shines in our eco-conscious Bamboo Coffee Cup and Mother’s Day Hamper.

Petronia’s dedication to her craft is evident in every piece she creates. Explore her stunning work and support her journey by checking out her brand, Petronia.

Discover more at: https://shop.sisterworks.org.au/petronia-by-petronia/

Our inspiring Sister, Saima, arrived in Australia in March 2023. Despite applying for over 60 jobs without success, she never gave up. Amazon.com.au is her first job, and she is incredibly happy there. Saima feels welcomed and included in a safe and supportive work culture that respects her culture and beliefs, including time to pray during her breaks. She spoke about being really grateful to SisterWorks and eager to inspire other women to join our warehousing program and achieve their dreams.

Click here to learn more about our Warehouse Program 👉 https://sisterworks.org.au/articles/warehousing

🌟 Join Us for an Unforgettable Experience!🌟

This International Women’s Day weekend, we invite you to embark on a remarkable journey through the Victorian Alps. Climb three of Victoria's highest peaks with Inspired Adventures and support women from refugee, migrant, and asylum-seeking backgrounds through SisterWorks.

This adventure offers more than just breathtaking views—it’s a chance to contribute to fundraising efforts that directly benefit SisterWorks' programs. Connect with like-minded individuals, challenge yourself physically and mentally, and make a meaningful impact in the spirit of women’s empowerment.

With only 20 spots available, gather your friends and secure your place in this extraordinary adventure!

👉

SisterWorks - Three Peaks VIC 2025 | Inspired Adventures Climb three of Victoria's highest peaks to support SisterWorks in empowering refugee, migrant, and asylum-seeker women!

Such a fantastic achievement and definitely worth celebrating! 🎉

Emma and Abigail were born in the Philippines, and have been friends for a long time. They first met in Pyramid Hill, while working at a Hog Farm. When Emma suffered a back injury, they decided to finally put into action a long-held plan: to become business partners and own a café!

Learn more about their story: https://sisterworks.org.au/articles/sister-highlights/emma-and-abigail

💜Pyramid hill bakery cafe

Emma and Abigail | Sister Story | SisterWorks Emma and Abigail’s shared dream of owning a café became a reality with the help of SisterWorks. From overcoming a back injury to running Pyramid Hill Café, their story is a testament to friendship and determination. Read about their path to business ownership and empowerment

Our wonderful Sister, Taeba, migrated to Australia in April 2024 and joined our Warehouse Program. With the support of our amazing team, she secured a job at Amazon.com.au and is absolutely loving it! Now, she's giving back by introducing other women from Afghanistan to our program, knowing firsthand the challenges they face as new migrants.

Click here to learn more about our Warehouse Program 👉https://sisterworks.org.au/articles/warehousing

New Mobile Hub Programs in Geelong! SisterWorks has partnered with Cultura to bring two job-ready programs and a creative craft program to our members in Geelong!

With over 20 wonderful women in each group, we've hosted hands-on food handling and barista courses, along with creative macramé classes as part of our craft program.

These job-ready programs offer women a chance to explore the hospitality industry in a safe and supportive environment, helping them gain valuable skills and make meaningful connections within their communities.

Our macramé craft program has been a fantastic opportunity for participants to try new activities, form new friendships, and practice conversational English in a welcoming and encouraging setting.

We are thrilled about this partnership and cannot wait to continue to reach other communities across Victoria!

Meet Mu Aye!
Ten years ago, Mu Aye arrived in Australia from a refugee camp in Thailand, bringing with her valuable hospitality experience. After settling in Bendigo, she joined our SisterWorks Job Readiness Program in Term 4 of 2023. Thanks to her hard work and the skills she gained, she secured a position at Estia Health right after completing the course.

Mu Aye is now thriving in her role and is excited to share that she is training to become a Personal Assistant, an opportunity provided by Estia Health. She looks forward to a bright future in her current workplace.

Mu Aye's words about her experience with SisterWorks: "SisterWorks is supportive. It fills my heart thatI found all the Sisters and the idea that we are all called sisters makes it feel like we are all the same. The program helped me with my resume and understanding of hospitality in Australia, which helped me get my job as a Food Service Assistant (FSA)."

We are so proud of Mu Aye's incredible journey and her achievements. Her story is a beautiful example of the impact of support, community, and perseverance.

Discover more about our programs and how they can make a difference: https://sisterworks.org.au/programs

Big News! Last night, SisterWorks and Yarra Trams won the Social Traders Australia Social Procurement Impact Partnership Award!

SisterWorks and Yarra Trams are setting new records with their Shared Value Partnership! Together, we’ve maximised opportunities, built new revenue streams, and supported social procurement maturity, resulting in ongoing collaboration and mutual investment for a more inclusive and resilient Victoria.

This partnership creates over 833 hours of jobs each year and saves more than 4 tons of waste from landfills. Our Sisters are learning new skills and helping the planet at the same time.

Thank you to our amazing team, partners, community, and our incredible Sisters. Together, we’re making a big difference!

Our friends at HeapsGood are selling these incredible Tees For Change. For every Come As You Are Tees sold, $15 goes directly to SisterWorks, helping migrant, refugee, and asylum-seeker women become financially empowered and happily settled in Australia.

Looking for a tee that does more than just look good? Each design has been crafted by artists from around the world, with every shirt telling a story.

Wear your values proudly and be part of the change!

Come As You Are Tee Designed by Graphics and Grain. These tees aren’t like the other threads. If you’re looking to wear your values on your chest and choose clothing that really gives back, meet Tees For Change. Our sweet graphic tees are unique, bold, and crafted by artists from around the world. Each shirt tells ...

We are thrilled to announce Sisterworks’ new partnership with Expression Australia Reconnect Program for a Mobile Hub Sewing Program!

Expression Australia Reconnect Program aims to provide those who are deaf and hard of hearing the opportunity to connect with and contribute to society, and have the ability to develop in all aspects of life. Through the Mobile Hub Sewing Program, participants have been able to learn the basics of sewing and are now working on simple projects such as making pencil cases, drawstring bags and other things.

We have received some great feedback from the group, stating that “the participants have thoroughly enjoyed the sewing classes, gained confidence, and are looking forward to the next few sessions.” The coordinator from Expression Australia Reconnect Program also shared that “the venue was lovely, warm and the SisterWorks teacher was both informative and patient with deaf migrant beginners.”

SisterWorks is very excited to continue this partnership by providing more Mobile Hub Programs that allow Sisters to develop different skills and increase their confidence across many areas!

Dinithi specialises in Paper Quilling - a papercraft used to create beautiful artworks and designs. Hailing from Sri Lanka, she moved to Australia in 2017 with her family seeking new life.

Back in Sri Lanka, Dinithi would sell craft cards adorned by her paper quiling designs in local stores. As a full-time mother, her creative pursuits took a backseat until she was encouraged by her husband to join SisterWorks.

Surrounded by opportunity and encouragement, her passion for paper quiling was reignited. She started her to start her own brand, Quill Bucket. Her paper-quilling art, once confined to Sri Lankan cards, now illuminates Australia, embodying resilience, adaptability, and the enduring power of creativity.

Check out Dinithi's handmade colourful collection: https://shop.sisterworks.org.au/quill-bucket-dinithi/

Thank you for your incredible support this past financial year. Your generosity has helped us achieve amazing milestones and change the lives of so many women. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Together, we’re empowering migrant, refugee, and asylum-seeker women, giving them the confidence, skills, and opportunities to thrive.

Let’s keep making a difference, one Sister at a time. Here’s to another year of empowerment and growth!

The Country Women's Association of Victoria Inc. - CWA has once again shown their incredible support by donating yarns from Collingwood Children's Farm to SisterWorks!

This generous donation will empower our Sisters to learn the art of dyeing and crocheting in our life skills classes. It's heartwarming to see this continued partnership helping us create new opportunities and skills for our Sisters.

"The Collingwood Branch of the Country Women’s Association Victoria, Inc. (CWA) is thrilled to support SisterWorks with a donation of ‘Collingwool.’ Collingwool is an initiative of the CWA that involves making yarn from the fleece of the sheep at the Collingwood Children’s Farm. The partnership between the CWA and SisterWorks is the final step in the process - grown in the community, processed locally in Victoria, and then used to support the community. CWA is very proud of the Collingwool initiative and our partnership with SisterWorks, and thanks the Yarra City Council for the financial support for this project through its Community Support Grant Program."
- The Country Women's Association of Victoria Inc.

A huge thank you to CWA for their ongoing support and dedication to making a difference!

Maria's courageous decision to leave Colombia for Australia in 2023 led her to find a second family in SisterWorks. Navigating the challenges of a new culture, language barriers, and isolation, Maria discovered a supportive community that helped her adapt and thrive.

Starting as a beginner in our Sewing Program, Maria's journey of growth saw her become a skilled seamstress and now a SisterWorks Social Enterprise teacher. Her transformation from student to teacher and business owner is a testament to the power of community and the impact of SisterWorks.
"SisterWorks has been very accommodating and welcoming to my new living conditions. They have given me the confidence to start my own business and work with community members," Maria shares.

Maria’s story exemplifies the profound difference SisterWorks makes in supporting refugee, migrant, and asylum-seeker women, enabling them to become economically empowered through employment, entrepreneurship, and social impact.

Feeling inspired by Maria's journey? Help us spread the word! Share this story with someone who might benefit from SisterWorks' support or anyone who needs a dose of inspiration. Your share could be the serendipitous connection that changes someone’s life!

Want to read all about Maria’s journey? Click on the link 👉 https://sisterworks.org.au/articles/sister-highlights/maria

Crafted Culture currently supports around 63 talented Sisters who transformed their program knowledge into unique products like jewellery, artwork, homewares and much more.

By joining our free Small Business Program, you not only learn the foundation for starting or growing a business, you gain the opportunity to showcase and sell your products through our SisterWorks shop, Crafted Culture.

Crafted Culture is a space built to help and empower our Sisters.
https://shop.sisterworks.org.au/all-collections/

We’re feeling super grateful for the incredible generosity of Grant Thornton Australia! They have kindly donated 15 refurbished laptops to SisterWorks!

A huge thank you to Alvin Goh and Katherine Shamai for facilitating this amazing donation, and to Companion Trading for the fantastic refurbishment work.

Our team (especially our IT Manager, Sabrina) is very excited with these much-needed computing resources.

Together, we are making a difference. Thank you, Grant Thornton! 💻❤️

🚨 Our Biggest Sale Yet - Don't Miss Out! 🚨

We are excited to announce our EOFY Sale with up to 60% off on a wide selection of our unique, handmade products. This is the perfect opportunity to snag some amazing deals while supporting a great cause.

Every purchase helps empower migrant, refugee, and asylum-seeker women, providing them with the skills and confidence they need to thrive.

Shop now and make a difference! Limited time only!
https://shop.sisterworks.org.au/eofy-sale/

🌟 Meet Ginny! 🌟

Ginny joined our Term Three 2023 Small Business Empowerment Program, and her journey since has been nothing short of inspiring. After completing the program, she launched her very own home-based business, Giggle Bites, specialising in delicious Korean BBQ. 🍢

Ginny takes packed lunch orders from local businesses and delivers them right to their doorsteps, spreading joy and flavour with every bite. Just last Saturday, she made her debut at the Moonlight Market, wowing the crowd with her signature Korean chicken skewers. 🎉

Ginny shares, "The SisterWorks Small Business Program helped me decide which business to start from home." We're so proud of her success and can't wait to see where her entrepreneurial spirit takes her next!