Vittoria Pasquini on behalf of the Coordinator Marisa Katis
Our beautiful organic vegetable garden blossomed in 2021 among many difficulties (Covid lockdown the main one), many thanks to Ann Game’s continuous, generous work and expertise, to Marisa Katis for general coordination, to Jill Romuld for account keeping and to our volunteers working in the garden individually or in pairs whenever restrictions allowed them and if they felt safe to go to the garden.
Throughout the year the garden looked fantastic! Full of veggies and flowers. Bees did their best to pollinate plants and we even had a blue tongue lizard taking naps in bed number 11! Our horse manure is top quality, our compost comes from our kitchen’s organic leftovers, the green manure helped heaps, so that almost none of our plants got sick. And our compost box, thanks to Murray Cox who built it, is the envy of local gardeners!
We produced: kale, silver beet, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, chili, radicchio, snow peas, green beans, and a variety of different herbs.
Due to protracted lockdowns our team unfortunately wasn’t able to gather and make our delicious pesto like we have done for many years, hopefully we will do it this year!
We were very happy to donate our veggies to people in need, especially during this very difficult time. In particular our produce went to:
(In the first months of the year):
– Redfern Community Centre (Indigenous Drop In Centre)
– Jarjum College (College for Indigenous young students)
(In the following months):
– The Safe House (female refugees or asylum seekers fleeing from modern slavery)
– Our Big Kitchen (non-profit organization preparing and distributing meals across Sydney to people in need including refugees, asylum seekers and Indigenous people).
Although we couldn’t attend to the garden as a group as usual, we still had many conversations via WhatsApp, emails, texts and telephone calls, reporting, advising, seeking advice etc. – all in all trying to envisage the best possible solutions to help the garden do well during this difficult time.
Ten years ago, we started; Valerio had wanted to build an organic vegetable garden and our community of good intents did it in his memory.
Through many ups and downs, a turnover of people, many discussions on how to do it better, the garden is still alive and well and we know that we are doing good for people who are in need.
The result is positive, and we are looking forward to having great crops in 2022!
Author: VDSA blog
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Veggie Garden Report 2021 report
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Lunch Group 2021 report
By Mariella Totaro-Genevois
In 2022 the VDSA Lunch Project Group for the ASC in Newtown will celebrate its 10th birthday, and notwithstanding the disruption and distress provoked by COVID-19, as I will illustrate later, there is definitely cause for being proud of its work and achievements during very difficult times.
So far, the VDSA Lunch Group has always succeeded in meeting the growing and quantitatively unpredictable demands of ASC lunch guests thanks to its unfailing and generous approach, and even during the COVID-19 new and volatile circumstances our team’s response has remained steady and productive:- Firstly, on three occasions the scheduled groups instead of our traditional monthly lunches, have delivered generous food and toiletries provisions to the ASC collection point. The shopping list, for a value of over $100 each time, had been compiled according to the instructions appearing on the ASC website.
- Secondly, in March, April and May we have offered the usual lunches in Newtown, because at that stage we were allowed to do so.
- Thirdly, when the late June NSW lockdown blocked again our cooperation with the ASC, our resourceful President, Vittoria, asked me to write a letter to the VDSA Membership with the aim of raising funds. If successful these funds would allow us to purchase food-vouchers for as many as possible refugees and asylum seekers, whose situation had become even more critical due to the prolonged lockdown.
The response of VDSA members and friends to this appeal was astounding, in a few weeks $12,180 were received. This unexpected, substantial result has allowed VDSA not only to strengthen its assistance program for existing beneficiaries such as the ASC, but also to include a larger number of their clients who were reached directly and independently by our association.
Finally, as the restrictions relating to COVID 19 are gradually easing, our commitment to provide regular monthly lunches for the clients of the ASC has already resumed since February, and the first face to face lunch took place on March 17. The ASC Staff really looks forward to our physical return to their premises, and our teams are equally keen to resume and continue our ‘nourishing’ collaboration with them
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Refugees & Asylum Seekers Program 2021 report
Visiting refugees has continued this past year despite the Omicron variant of Covid being present. The first event in 2021 was a picnic for a group living in the Auburn area, which was dominated by the youngest taking his first steps! A feature of our visits is seeing the progress of the children and the pleasure that a small gift like a book can give, plus the enormous help it is for parents to receive nappies, formula & other essentials, even a pram and school uniform as the children grow up.
A feature of last year has been the relocation of several families to new ac-commodation. This has often meant extra expenses, such as help with the bond or the need of a vacuum cleaner, since the new house has a carpet! One refugee has progressed from living in a garage, to a women’s shelter, to finally renting an apartment. Her joy has been overwhelming! Other activi-ties this year have ranged from help with translation of court documents into English, payment of car registration and TAFE fees. Nathan, who wrote a letter to us last year, has just completed a car mechanics course at TAFE and now has full time work spray painting cars. He has recently been able to move from a tiny upstairs apartment to a ground floor one with a garden and is close to a park. This has greatly benefited his wife and their two-year-old daughter.
We are still unable to visit Villawood Detention Centre, for fear of spreading Covid. This has been extremely disappointing, since a lot of the refugees have been there for many years. Phone recharge vouchers have been a great way to enable them to keep in touch with their families, lawyers, etc. One has a five-year-old son, who was only two months old when he was detained. He is very upset that his son doesn’t call him daddy but only uses his given name. He has won his court case but has not been released….no ex-planation given. Others, after ten years in detention, have been returned to their country of origin.
VDSA has an important role in supporting refugees and asylum seekers not just financially but emotionally, such as when they have accidents here or are going through difficult times, or when tragedies happen to close family members that they have left behind in their country of origin -
Garden report 2021
During the pandemic volunteers were encouraged to do planting and routine maintenance work in pairs
or small groups.
At the beginning of the year we redesigned the garden to allow for plant rotation and including bee –
attracting plants.
Initially, despite the pandemic, we were able to deliver our vegetables weekly to the Redfern
Community Centre and Jarjum College when open. Unfortunately, the recent lockdown prevented us
from continuing with the deliveries. Deliveries to the Redfern Centre have now ceased and instead we
deliver to The Salvation Army refuge for refugees who are victims of slavery.
The proceeds of pesto sales enabled a slow-cooking pot to be purchased for Jarjum College to prepare
hot lunches for the youth. -
Lunch Project Group 2021 report
By MarielIa Totaro-Genevois
In 2021 the VDSA Lunch Project Group has marked its ninth year of existence, and
notwithstanding the disruption and distress provoked by Covid 19 there is still cause for
celebrating its work and achievements.
Since its foundation the VDSA lunch group has prepared, transported and served lunches to clients of the Asylum Seekers Centre despite the ever-increasing need. This has been possible thanks to the flexible and generous approach adopted by our team.
So, when with COVID 19 we had to face new and volatile circumstances, our response once again was accommodating and constructive:
Firstly, on three occasions the scheduled groups instead of the traditional monthly lunches, have delivered generous amounts of food and toiletries to the Asylum Seeker Centre for distribution to refugees and asylum seekers.
Secondly, in March, April and May before lockdown we provided lunches for refugees and asylum seeker clients of the Asylum Seekers Centre.
Meanwhile a warm, heartfelt thank you to all member of the VDSA Lunch Group for their unfailing contribution to the cause of our association.
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Looking back on VDSA’s Indigenous Youth Program
By Vittoria Pasquini
Since its foundation almost 10 years ago, VDSA has been committed to the improvement of the lives and wellbeing of Indigenous youth. We know that there is still a lot to do in Australia to close the gap between non-Indigenous population and First People and that the reconciliation process is slow. We are a small Association with limited resources and volunteer members but we strongly believe that every act of kindness and every opportunity contribute to the well-being of Indigenous youth. Each small donation counts towards closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth and we believe we all have a responsibility to reduce it. In the course of the years The Valerio Daniel De Simoni Association has had the opportunity to show support to Indigenous youth by way of providing:
– Drama workshops to assist youth at risk of leaving school and becoming alienated from their culture, and video courses at Alexandria Park Community School
– Offering free psychotherapy sessions
– Facilitating inspirational workshops for WEAVE’s Culture and Personal Development Camp attended by Aboriginal youth
– Partnering with WEAVE on the introduction to Permaculture & Rooftop Garden, a course which is part of WEAVE’s Step Up Learning Program, which aims to assist young Indigenous people to re-enter mainstream education, training or employment
– Partnering with Marrickville Youth Resource Centre on Aboriginal Art & Outreach
– Partnering with Marrickville Youth Resource Centre and Connect Marrickville on Yarn N’Arts & Aboriginal Art & Outreach offering facilitated art workshops for indigenous youth and families
– Collaborated with Jarjum College in the provision of a soccer training program for students (Research has found that sport helps reduce violence, keeps Indigenous youth out of serious trouble and is essential to counter the moral despair of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)
– Donating organic fresh vegetables from VDSA organic vegetable garden in Bronte weekly to the to The Jarjum College, Redfern and to the Redfern Community Centre.
VDSA is acting locally but we members of the Association are thinking globally. We know for example that Australia is the only nation in the whole world without a Treaty with its First People who are still not recognised in the Australian Constitution.
We hope that the Yolngu word of Makarrata (coming together after a struggle, facing the facts of wrongs and living in peace again) which is embedded in the Uluru Statement from the Heart, will have an impact in the recognition of Aboriginal peoples’ rightful place in Australia. -
Letter from Justin, Asylum Seeker
My name is Justin [we have changed Justin’s name for anonymity and safety] from Sri Lanka. I came Australia to seek asylum by the brutal war against Tamils.
I was incarcerated at Sydney immigration residential housing between 2011 to 2016 by the reason of adverse security from ASIO. Those period of my life was limbo. I was suffering by depression, insomnia and lots of medical issues.
That time Victoria Paola, Nicoletta Alison and Megan from VDSA started to visit me. They are very kind and always encourage me to come over from those mental illness and they tried to make my spirits up.
They sent students to entertain me and others in the housing. And also they usually bring foods & fruits for us each visits and mingle with us as one of us.
Their visits made me relieving from the depression.
I have been released on 2016 to the community by ASIO, who made the decision as I am not security threat to the community.
Even though I have been released, they’re still visit and support me and keep the relationship with us as a mentor. We are impressed by Valerio’s thoughts too.
My family and I are thanking everyone who visited us and your continuous support for us. Cheers, Justin & Family -
Refugees & Asylum Seekers Program 2021 report
Charity Haynes for Alison Raco
Much of this year has been dominated by the Coronavirus and its impact on vulnerable people like asylum seekers highlights the importance of VDSA in their lives. All those asylum seekers and refugees living without visa or on welfare are not eligible for the government’s special benefits like JobSeeker. So, if they lost their job they were without support, and even for those that might have been eligible the process of applying was very complex. In addition, many do not have Medicare, which leaves them very vulnerable during a pandemic.
The support from VDSA to this group has taken many forms and often had unexpected benefits, such as providing Day Care support to their children. This enables the child to learn English, and so become more integrated and able to respond to visitors, and for the parent(s) it enables them to spend time on other activities, such as going to classes at TAFE (English, sewing etc.), driving lessons or taking part time work, or being able to focus on the new baby – thus a win/win for everyone. Such generosity is life changing.
Some refugees have needed ongoing support for many years while they look for work, but when they do finally get employment and are able to cope on their own, their gratefulness for having been believed in and helped to survive those difficult years is wonderful and very rewarding.
For many refugees with ill health, Coronavirus has been especially frightening, since often they do not have Medicare, so the fear of getting Covid is exacerbated. Sensible advice like not taking public transport means that essential activities like going to the Foodbank at ASRC (Newtown) or to LWB (Parramatta) becomes an added burden, if advised not to travel.
One of the big changes this year has been that visiting Villawood Detention Centre was banned since March, for fear that Covid could be spread there. This has meant that the only contact is by mobile phone. The government tried to introduce a bill banning mobile phones in detention centres. Luckily the campaign against this bill was successful, with a deciding vote from Jacqui Lambie defeating it. Many people in detention have been there several years, have partners and children in the community or back in their country of origin. So this potential cruelty to already deprived people was extremely distressing and puts our Lock Down experience in perspective.
There are however highlights even in this area, with one of the refugees in detention for 10 years being released and now living with his brother, who was more fortunate and had only stayed in detention about 5 years. It is lovely to see them reunited and able to share a couple of rooms in a rented house.
The appreciation of VDSA by therefugees is enormous but it is a two-way process, since the members of VDSA benefit and are enriched by having the opportunity of friendship with them. Celebrations of weddings, birth of babies, birthdays, picnics, and casual meetings have enabled members of VDSA to get to know them and we have benefited enormously from this. -
VDSA Sponsors Jarjum College Soccer Program
In 2019 VDSA partnered with Redfern Jarjum College support to a Term 3 soccer training program for students. “While challenging at times, the kids really enjoyed playing as a team. Learning how to play within the rules and navigating the emotions of winning/losing is really important for these kids” said one of Jarjum College teachers. Research has found that sport helps reduce violence, keeps Indigenous Youth out of serious trouble and is essential to counter the moral despair of Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Redfern Jarjum College
rjc.nsw.edu.au -
VDSA REFUGEE GROUP 2019 – REPORT
This year brought deep and abiding sadness with the death of one of our long-serving and very active members, Nicoletta. Her absence is strongly felt. Many refugees and asylum seekers attended Nicoletta’s funeral and wrote moving tributes.
We have continued with our usual activities of visiting refugees and their families in the community. Some steadfast members visit Villawood Detention Centre as well. We provided refugees and asylum seekers with much needed funds and relief from distress, poverty and misfortune where there was most need. We have assisted them with medical, legal, pharmaceutical, rental and power bills and purchased food and groceries, phone cards, a pram, clothes, essential household items and a child safety-gate.
We provided emergency assistance to a single Tamil mother who suddenly found herself in a desperate situation with no government assistance.
We also assisted a small refugee family who had to transfer to a regional centre for two years. The father was unable to funds work at first and this was very distressing for them as they found it difficult to pay rent and buy food. After weeks of searching he has now found employment.Some members have attended court hearings to support refugees.
From time to time we meet with ex-detainees to share a meal or go on an
outing.A sense of hope has arisen for three refugee families who have recently celebrated the births of babies after experiencing many years of helplessness and hopelessness whilst in detention.