RCAA COVID-19 Relief Taskforce established in collaboration between the Refugee Communities Association of Australia Inc (RCAA) and Help Himalayan Youth Foundation (HHYF) has continued food distribution to refugee communities, Asylum Seekers and international students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The RCAA is an independent refugee-led peak national advocacy organisation providing a unified voice for people with a lived refugee experience in Australia. RCAA Chairperson Juma Piri Piri said, “We are very humbled and touched by the appreciation, trust and hope refugee communities and international students have shown to us for our small contribution when they are doing tough.”

Since the start of the relief program, RCAA COVID-19 Relief Taskforce distributed over 2 tons of food packages, each package includes essential food items to last for ten days to Assyrian/Chaldean, Iranian, Bhutanese, Burmese and Rohingya Asylum Seekers families including Nepali, Nigerian and Vietnamese international students. This initiative has brought established refugee communities to support refugees from new and emerging communities together and empower each other. RCAA would like to acknowledge kind and generous contribution from Vietnamese Community members, refugee businesses and wider Australian communities.

While receiving a gift of vouchers and welcoming card from 14 year old Kyana Bui, a daughter of a former Vietnamese refugee, an ISIS survivor, ten year old Chrestina Obada said, ‘ she was very empowered by the generosity and support and pleased to see that refugee communities are helping their own at time when they need support the most’.

Thanks to the RCAA COVID-19 Taskforce Relief Committee members, Elijah Buol OAM, Parsu Sharma- Luital JP, Juma Piri Piri, Bwe Thay and Nasiba Akram for their hard work and commitment to create a better place for our community members. Also, thanks to Co-patrons Huss Mustafa OAM, Hakeem al-Arabi, Inspector Chris Allen, Victoria Police and Victorian Multicultural Commission for helping with relief distribution. Thank you to Muslim Aid Australia for adding a good donation to the relief package.

‘In life there is no greater joy than knowing that fellow former refugees and the organisation that you belong to, have helped someone in a time of need’ said Huss Mustafa OAM, a former refugee.

Please join us and let’s support our brothers and sisters in need. For donations, financial or in-kind, please visit our website www.rcaoa.org.au for details or contact RCAA General Secretary, Parsu Sharma Luital JP on 0412 265 317 or by email: [email protected].