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SisterWorks Inc. was officially born in May 2013 when a committee of volunteers joined our founder Luz Restrepo with legal, fundraising, marketing and administrative skills to give support and structure to the project.
The roots of SisterWorks began in 2011, when Luz, along with the group of 25 women started making and selling crafts around Melbourne. Luz had moved to Australia in 2010 at the age of 45, seeking political asylum. In her home country she was a medical doctor and communication expert, but when she came to Australia she couldn’t speak English and she felt like a nobody: frightened, isolated and disempowered. Working with these women she discovered she was not alone. She understood that to support each other is also to strengthen each other and from there SisterWorks grew.
In the first year SisterWorks supported 45 Sisters from 23 different countries. We focused on supporting migrant, refugee and asylum-seeker women in addressing emotional, physical and economic challenges by giving Sisters the opportunity to practice their skills and build social connections. All of this was with a focus on building Sisters confidence and entrepreneurial skills.
Right from the start, we have believed that Work Empowers Women.