Elspeth Kernebone
19 August 2023
Each stitch has been small, but over 20 years they have woven a tapestry of change in the lives of dozens of women.
At Dream Stitches, Anglican volunteers have been helping migrant and refugee women learn to sew since 2003.
It’s not only given the women skills as seamstresses, but built their confidence, connected otherwise isolated people, and supported their English language learning.
Dream Stitches will soon celebrate 20 years, with an event for participants and volunteers, past and present.
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But at its two-decade mark, it needs more volunteers to keep it running. Currently, the program is only able to take about half the women wanting to join.
Dream Stitches coordinator Jenifer McKenzie said the program was a valuable way to help women build confidence.
The program began after a large group of Sudanese women moved to Box Hill South around 2003.
Ms McKenzie said then vicar of Box Hill, the late Father Graham Reynolds, wanted to do everything he could to help the people who had moved to the area.
She said the concept of Dream Stitches came about partly because the Sudanese women wanted a business, to make money. Since then, about 184 women have come through the program.
Now, most of the women at Dream Stitches are Iranian. The Sudanese women have mostly found work, and moved to other suburbs.
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“They’ve all gained employment, so they didn’t need Dream Stitches any more. And that’s what we were about, so that’s good,” Ms McKenzie said.
“[One] Sudanese women told me when she was here that she had not only learnt how to sew, but she had learnt how to walk tall in Dream Stitches. It gave her the confidence to mix in society.”
She said the Iranian women had different needs. Many felt isolated and depressed, and often did not speak much English. Some were referred by Eastern Health, or migrant resource centres, others had come through neighbours or acquaintances.
So, Ms McKenzie said Dream Stitches had changed focus, to help these women with their needs. It’s become a point of social connection for the women – and volunteers also encouraged them to go to English classes – as well as giving them confidence as they gained a skill.
“When you see them having created something, they feel so satisfied with themselves that they’ve done it,” Ms McKenzie said. “You can see the look on their face, it’s like a lightbulb went on.”
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Dream Stitches participant Hena BaniArdalan joined the class two years ago, because she had always wanted to learn how to create patchwork quilts – after long admiring her grandmother’s creations.
Now, she counts her days until each Friday when she comes to Dream Stitches.
After starting to learn with small items, Mrs BaniArdalan is now working on a patchwork quilt, with two volunteers helping her follow the pattern.
Her dream is to continue patchworking so she can make a quilt, to give to her children – and perhaps to make quilts for charity.
Mrs BaniArdalan said she liked the atmosphere of the classes, with everyone busy learning and teaching, and she appreciated how volunteers always tried to understand participants and teach them.
“They do everything for us, and it’s amazing … and they are very kind” she said. “We are very appreciative.”
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Ms McKenzie said a desire to make refugees welcome in Australia motivated most of those volunteering with the program.
Volunteer Janelle Bowerman said she found helped with the program – because of the self-worth the program gave both to students and teachers.
“To be able to share the knowledge and to be able to help the women [is valuable],” she said.
“Just the gratitude they show from assisting them, and them being able to create something that they would otherwise not be able to do.”
Ms McKenzie said the program needed volunteers with dressmaking skills, because it couldn’t take all the people wanting to join.
About 16 women take part in the program now, with a waiting list for women hoping to join.
Anyone interested in volunteering with Dream Stitches can contact Jenifer McKenzie at info@dreamstitches.org.au.
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