Yeli

Back in Singapore, Yeli had built a career in arts management and had just secured her dream job at a new gallery. Leaving it all behind meant starting again from nothing. The loneliness and homesickness of those first years were overwhelming without a support system to fall back on. The kindness of one HR manager who helped her into a job became a rare lifeline, but for many years Yeli felt the absence of a community that truly understood her journey.

This year, everything shifted. At a local craft market, where Yeli was selling her handmade art and jewellery, she met another Sister who encouraged her to connect with SisterWorks. What began as a conversation about stocking her work in the shop quickly opened the door to something bigger—programs, training, and a community of women walking similar paths.

For Yeli, that discovery has been transformative.

“The structure of the program is exactly what I always wanted… they touch on every part, from the beginning to the practical side. It gives me hope that I can start fresh in hospitality, and I know I can go to them for help if I need it.”

“It’s very beautiful to me to see that there is an organisation for women specifically from migrant and refugee backgrounds,” she adds.

Looking back, Yeli often wonders how different her early years in Australia might have felt had she found SisterWorks sooner. Today, she treasures not only the skills she has gained but the confidence and sense of belonging that come from being part of a community of migrant women building independence together.

Yeli continues to pursue her creative practice while developing new skills in hospitality. She hopes to do work that feels meaningful—and, one day, to give back the same care she has found at SisterWorks. Her message to other women beginning their journeys is simple:

“Be brave and know your self-worth. Everyone is different, but we all have talents. Trust yourself—you can do it.”