Addressing loneliness and isolation
"Refugees often arrive in a new country without family or friends, lacking ties or connections, unfamiliar with the culture and bureaucracy, sometimes unable to understand the language and burdened by post-traumatic experiences."
Last month Stand Up held a private screening of an inspiring documentary to commemorate Refugee Week.
Rosemary’s Way tells the heartwarming story of Rosemary Kariuki, who was honoured with the Australian of the Year – Local Hero award in 2021. A charismatic Kenyan woman, after fleeing her own country in 1999, Kariuki became a mentor and advocate for newly arrived refugees in Sydney.
“In an era characterised by constant connectivity, it may be surprising to learn that a growing number of individuals in our closely knit community are grappling with profound feelings of loneliness and isolation,” said Gali Brooks, Stand Up’s refugee partnerships coordinator.
“This sense of isolation is commonly experienced by various groups, including the elderly, single parents, migrants, people with disabilities and especially refugees. Refugees often arrive in a new country without family or friends, lacking ties or connections, unfamiliar with the culture and bureaucracy, sometimes unable to understand the language and burdened by post-traumatic experiences.”
Stand Up dedicated its main Refugee Week event to address the plight of those experiencing loneliness and isolation.
An inspiring Q&A session with Kariuki followed the screening of the documentary, where she emphasised the importance of sharing information and noted that women excel in this regard.
“Once a woman has access to useful information, her entire community can benefit,” Kariuki said.
Kariuki dedicates her life to empowering refugee women in Australia, but she highlighted the issue of loneliness among men, stating, “Unless it’s about football, men don’t talk.”
“The film served as powerful reminders of the significance of compassion, empathy and looking out for our neighbours,” Brooks said. “It highlighted the power we possess as a community and as individuals to create meaningful change.
“After the event, Stand Up reminded audience members that as Jewish people, we have a long-standing history of being refugees and understand what it is like to be a stranger in a strange land.”
Stand Up continues to support refugees in crisis and has committed to a new arrival program called Project Eden, powered by Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia. Project Eden has gained recognition for its innovative community-led approach, which enables Jewish community members to assist refugees in rebuilding their lives and integrating into society. By embracing Jewish values of justice and compassion, the Australian Jewish community now has an avenue to support those most in need.
Project Eden is running in NSW and Victoria. If interested in joining a Stand Up group, contact gali@standup.org.au
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