Cultivating vegetables such as white eggplant, corn and lenga lenga, Joselyne Ntahomvukiye could be forgiven to think that she was back to agriculture in Burundi in Central Africa.
Key points:
- The program of skills in food motion teaches African refugee women financial skills to develop their market business
- The two -year program was the first managed by researchers at Macquarie University and the food cooperative next door
- The organizers hope to extend the program to other non -English -speaking farmers in regional Australia
In fact, it is more than 11,000 kilometers on the outskirts of Mildura in Victoria's Malee.
Ntahomvukiye is a mentor participating in a two -year financial literacy pilot program for former refugees called Food Move Skills, which is a joint initiative between Macquarie University and the food cooperative next door.
She said that the program had changed the way she was thinking of pose her cultures in the ground.
“It was new for me to discover financial literacy, the prices (and) how to work on a business web,” she said.
“We learn to save and keep registers, which I did not do before.
“Thanks to training, it is a great opportunity (for) me, (the) local community and the members of food next door.”
The online program has equipped women with migrant and agricultural history with knowledge of business planning and banking systems to fill cultural shortcomings within the community.
He will help Ms. Ntahomvukiye to evolve her business, which operates from the market of the next door and sells to businesses and local families in the region.
Food next to it, established in 2019, transforms vacant agricultural land into productive plots, using regenerative agricultural practices. (ABC Mildura-Swan Hill: Emile Pavlich))
Ms. Ntahomvukiye said that in the economic climate, the program was particularly relevant.
“While we cultivate organic foods, (it) is very healthy. When we go to the supermarket (to) buy organic food (it's) very expensive,” she said.
“”The money we would spend (in the) supermarket, (we) will keep for other things, by paying your bills.“”
The program hopes to develop throughout regional Australia
Fabiola Barba Ponce directed the project at the Center for Risk Analytics of Macquarie University.
She said the success of the two -year program could pave the way for other migrant communities, in rural and regional Australia.
“Wherever we have farmers whose first language is not English, we can use this program to help them pass and be more integrated in Australia,” she said.
“Even if we used this with African women, we can do it with other communities.”
Members of the African diaspora in Mildera would go to Melbourne or Adelaide to buy dry beans and a corn meal before the creation of the cooperative. (ABC Mildura-Swan Hill: Emile Pavlich))
The Macquarie University team aims to obtain more funds to improve the educational aspects of the program and compensate for participants.
“Now they can start presenting their own businesses,” said Dr. Ponce.
“”For example, a woman is fascinated by the cultivation of cassava, which is a fruit that is not only consumed by Africans, but by the Brazilians, the Fijians.“”
Dr. Ponce said that many Burundian migrants in Australia were now attracted to Mildura because they could cultivate cultures.
“They have skills as mentors, so that they can supervise other women in the community,” she said.
“There are great leaders in Mildera.”
Pass leadership skills
Another important element of the program is to develop leadership within the Coop.
The Congolese migrant and generational farmer Dorika Nkamiye works alongside Ms. Ntahomvukiye on the farm.
“It's my work when I was (a) baby,”
She said.
“This is why I like this work (here in Mildura). It's (it has been) for a long time in Africa, but not here.”
She benefited from Ms. Ntahomvukiye transmitting her new acquired company acquired during the pilot program of skills in food moving.
Dorika Nkamiye chooses Broadbeans on the farm outside of Mildura. (ABC Mildura-Swan Hill: Emile Pavlich))
Ms. Nkamiye has lived in Mildura for four years, but it is only during the last seven to eight months that is involved in the market of the market.
It plants, weeds and attends harvest at the market market, with the support of Ms. Ntahomvukiye.
