Thrive Refugee Enterprise x Queen Vic Market

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Posted 2022-08-16 by Jen ⇒ follow

Queen Victoria Market has entered a new partnership with Thrive Refugee Enterprise and its all good news. In support of refugees and asylum seekers opening their own businesses at the iconic market, QVM has welcomed a new group of refugees trading at the market, so come along and welcome and support their new venture. The new traders are as follows.

Darago Leather - a family-owned Ethiopian business by Zeritu Darago who handmakes and handcrafts leather products including handbags, backpacks, duffel bags, laptop bags, wallets, belts and other accessories. Darago Leather operates as a social enterprise by providing women from socially and economically marginalised backgrounds, many of whom have suffered sexual abuse or are fleeing domestic violence, with training and employment pathways. Find Darago Leather in L Shed, Stall 87-88 every Thursday to Sunday.

Mediterranean Pastry - Turkish sweets including baklava, shortbread, cookies and tulumba made by Tahla Gok (click on link to find out more about Tahla's journey). Raised in Turkey, Tahla served in the Turkish Army before arriving in Australia under a protection visa. Find Mediterranean Pastry in L Shed, Stall 15 on Saturdays.

Salma By Nature - All natural soaps and candles handmade by Samar Chami, a refugee from Lebanon who learnt the technique from watching her grandfather make soaps from extracted olive oil on their olive farm in Lebanon. Find Salma by Nature in L Shed, Stall 91-92 every Thursday to Sunday.

African Elegance (also on [LINK=https://www.instagram.com/ysk_fashion_melbourns/ Instagram])[/LINK] - Traditional and modern African dresses, clothing and accessories designed in Melbourne for weddings, events and special occasions. The business is run by two friends, Saleh Siraj and Aimen Abu Beker, who are both Eritrean refugees. Saleh and his family fled the civil war, first seeking refuge in a UNHCR camp in Sudan before spending time as a refugee in Israel where he began selling African-designed clothes at markets; harnessing his entrepreneurial spirit. In 2003, he was granted a refugee visa to Australia where he went on to study Multimedia and Graphic Design at Victoria University. Aimen joined Saleh in the business a year ago, bringing with him his own business skills and mindset. Find African Elegance in L Shed, Stall 89-90 every Thursday to Sunday.

Research commissioned by Thrive shows that almost 30% of refugees will start a small business by their 10th year of being in Australia. Thrive's mission is to encourage and support business ownership in refugees to bring this forward to within their first three years. This inaugural partnership with QVM is an important step toward achieving that goal. Thrive assists refugees and asylum seekers in Australia motivated to become financially independent by providing self-employment business ideas, support, mentoring and financing for their new or existing businesses. QVM has a long history of supporting immigrants with many of the Market's 600-plus small businesses made up of multi-generational families from around the world who have made Melbourne and QVM their home.

Thrive Refugee Enterprise Executive Chairman Huy Truong says, "The benefits of enabling refugees to start businesses in Australia quicker reaps significant benefits for not only the immigrants themselves but also for Australia as a whole. Refugees and asylum seekers make an enormous contribution to Australia's economy. They bring a level of determination, work ethic and resilience that comes with a need to rebuild one's life. However, it's not easy when these new arrivals have no social or financial capital to leverage their natural talents. Queen Victoria Market is helping refugees overcome these disadvantages through the provision of invaluable opportunities like opening stalls at the Market. It is these opportunities which are invaluable long-term.".