Tuesday, 7 March 2023

 Bronwyn HALFPENNY (Thomastown) (13:21): The Australian Vietnamese Women’s Association turned 40 years young, as they like to say, and is thriving. I had the great pleasure of attending the celebratory dinner as well as the opening of the impressive exhibition at the Immigration Museum. The AVWA is extremely valued and well respected, with a reputation for its professionalism and the quality of its services while it continues to fulfil its mantra to care and empower.

We heard the inspiring story of humble beginnings that started with 18 young women and mothers coming together one evening in 1983 determined to establish an organisation to provide for the needs of the Vietnamese migrants and refugees that now call Australia home. This group of women volunteered countless hours and made many sacrifices to establish the organisation for the benefit of others. From these humble beginnings the AVWA has grown to an organisation that now provides its important welfare, home care, training, disability and family services across Melbourne. With a workforce of over 300, three offices and an income of over $25 million, they are leaders in the not-for-profit sector.

We celebrate International Women’s Day tomorrow, and I want to give special mention and celebrate the contributions of brave, inspiring women such as Cam Nguyen, president and former CEO of AVWA, new CEO Ngoc ‘Nicky’ Chung, the 17 women who met to start the journey and those who have worked with and for AVWA along the way.