By BRIDGET COOK
THE International Friendship Kitchen is cooking up more than just a tasty meal each week.
The initiative is also helping to create friendships, promote community inclusion and is breaking down barriers between different cultures.
The program, run by the Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Coalition (VIRWC), takes place at the Arthur Wren Hall in Hampton Park each Thursday.
Women from across the local community are invited to come together to cook a meal and then enjoy it over lunch.
Laughter and chit-chatter fill the room each Thursday, along with the aroma of foods from across the globe – proving the initiative is achieving what it is aimed to do.
Project leader Elaine Smith said the International Friendship Kitchen was one of a number of programs run by the VIRWC to help immigrant and refugee women settle into their new lifestyle in Australia.
“We are trying to make Hampton Park a really nice neighbourhood,” she said.
“On where people know each other and get along no matter what cultural background they are from.
“We want women to make friendships, build up contacts, be able to see each other down the street or at the bus stop and say hi and have a chat.
“No matter what culture they are from, they should know they’ve got a friend.
“That then extends into their families – to their children and partners.
“We want to get people involved in their community.”
Each Thursday, the group meet at the hall from 9.30am before hitting the local shopping centre together.
“First we gather and talk about what we are cooking,” Ms Smith said.
“We usually have one lady lead the class each week who shares some of her cultural cooking with the group.
“We then explore the local shops for our ingredients. We have a great variety of different cultural grocers in Hampton Park.
“We then cook it together and enjoy the meal together.
“The conversations over lunch are wide-ranging from family, to work and aspirations.
“Friendships develop, as well as great networks for things like finding employment.”
Hampton Park woman Natasha Hayward said she originally joined the group last term, when they were making cupcakes.
She said she joined the group by chance, after being invited in while walking past one day, and has been coming back ever since.
“It creates a feeling of team work and allows me to make new friends and learn new skills,” she said.
“I moved from Canada and was originally from India, so I didn’t have many friends here.
“It was difficult in the beginning but this has helped me get involved in the community.”
Ms Smith urged women to come along and see what they were all about. To find out more about the International Friendship Kitchen, call Ms Smith on 0427 596 977.
Other programs the VIRWC ran include the Casey SuperDriver Support, which helps migrant women over 25 years old to get their licence.
There is also a Girls Friendship Cafe for young women, aged between 12 and 25 years old, each Thursday afternoon. Participants do activities including sports, drama, dance, music and craft together at Cairns Road Community Rooms.
To find out more about the above two programs, call Weda on 0413 401 629 or email weda.mohseni@live.com.
