SISTERS from the Valley, Walking Beyond was launched earlier this month in Ellenbrook by community service organisation Sister Project with federal Multicultural Affairs Minister Anne Aly and Venezuelan cook and journalist Tamara Rodriguez in attendance.

The project seeks to support women in building a strong sense of belonging, connecting with the local community, developing new skills, and feeling empowered as they build their new lives in Australia.

Part of this entails facilitating experiences and conversations between Indigenous, migrant, refugee and other Australian women through art, cooking and craft.

Sister Project’s Communication Director Paloma Jiménez said around 80 people attended the launch.

“It was very beautiful and showed what the project is all about,” she said.

“The man who came to do the welcome to country came with his wife who is Italian, so it was so interesting and nice to see how we are all mixed and connected, which is the aim of this project.

“In this moment of global social tension about migration, where migrants are seen as different, it is important to create spaces to get to know each other. Show that we can work together through things like art, cooking, conversations…show what Australia really is as a multicultural and rich place and see how we can develop that cultural wealth in positive ways.”

Ms Jiménez said the project has generated interest within the Swan Valley community.

“We are lucky to have well-known artists from the Swan Valley involved in this project. For example, Jude Taylor, she does lino cuts and she’s going to share her knowledge with the ladies. Sculptor Trudy Hardman is also involved and we also have an Indigenous chef who is going to share her cooking and bush tucker knowledge,” she said.

Sister Project provides multiple services to women, including English classes, psychological counselling, and financial and legal resources.

Ms Jiménez said funding is a big challenge for them.

“Each woman brings a different story, so they all need different solutions,” she said.

“The big challenge is to maintain the organisation. We work with what we earn from the enterprises we create, but if we were to receive more grants our work could be more continuous. Sometimes some of us have to step out to do other things for ourselves, so the work stops a little. But issues in women’s lives don’t stop. We have many cases of FDV and they come to us and we do our best to help them.”

The project is funded by the federal government’s multicultural grassroots initiatives grant program and is set to conclude in October 2027 with an exhibition of the women’s artwork.

More information on the project and future events can be found online.