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After losing her business in a terrorist attack and facing trauma, displacement and uncertainty, Agatha arrived in Australia searching for safety and a chance to rebuild her life. Through community support, resilience and SisterWorks’ employment programs, she found renewed confidence, meaningful work and hope for the future.
Before coming to Australia, Agatha had built a life through hard work and resilience, running a fruit shop in Nigeria that supported her family after becoming a widow.
But in August 2022, everything changed.
A terrorist attack near the police station where her shop was located destroyed businesses and buildings across the area, including her own. Overnight, Agatha lost the livelihood she had worked so hard to build, leaving her deeply traumatised and fearful for her future.
Seeking safety and a chance to rebuild her life, Agatha came to Australia in March 2023 after being invited by her stepdaughter to help care for her children. She hoped the move would give her stability and a fresh start after everything she had experienced in Nigeria.
Instead, only months later, Agatha found herself alone and without support in a new country.
“That very day, my life broke the second time as a widow. I was overshadowed with darkness. I was heartbroken with sorrow and trauma.”
During one of the most difficult periods of her life, Agatha found support through her local Catholic church, where members of the community connected her with people and services who could help her access safety, legal support and stability.
With support from refugee legal services, Agatha applied for asylum and later received permission to work in Australia. Eager to rebuild her confidence and regain her independence, she was soon connected with SisterWorks.
From the moment she walked through the doors, Agatha felt hope begin to return.
“When I visited SisterWorks, what I saw renewed my hope for a better future.”
Through SisterWorks’ employment support programs, Agatha received support to rebuild her confidence, strengthen her communication skills and prepare to re-enter the workforce. Surrounded by a community of women who understood the challenges of starting again in a new country, she began to see a future for herself again.
As part of her journey with SisterWorks, Agatha participated in employment readiness programs designed to support women from migrant, refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds to build skills, confidence and pathways to meaningful work in Australia.
The experience helped her begin to see a future for herself again.
“SisterWorks renewed my hope for a better future. My experience there changed my life. I can tell you categorically that SisterWorks programmes reshaped and remolded me to be fit for the labour market.”
With support from SisterWorks, Agatha later secured employment with L’Oréal Australia, where she is now rebuilding her life through meaningful work and contributing to her community in Australia.
Today, Agatha looks ahead with hope and gratitude for the people and community who supported her through some of the most difficult moments of her life.
“My life and my future have been renewed.”