Local Bhutanese community celebrates people with disability at Refugee Week event
28 June 2022
About 80 members of the Bhutanese community in Adelaide came together to celebrate the achievements of people living with disability from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds at a Refugee Week event on Saturday, 25 June 2022.
The event at Salisbury Anglican Church was organised by JFA Purple Orange in partnership with the Bhutanese Australian Association of South Australia (BAASA) (Nepali speaking).
JFA Purple Orange Project Officer Esther Simbi said the celebration had brought the Bhutanese community in Adelaide together.
“It was a celebration to honour refugee migrants with disability and to celebrate their achievements,” Ms Simbi said. “It was great, people coming together and sharing their stories.”
Community member Prabin Basnet shared his experience of leaving Bhutan for a refugee camp in Nepal in the 1990s, before coming to Australia.
“I didn’t really know Nepalese, I didn’t learn it, and I didn’t learn sign language at all,” Mr Basnet explained through an interpreter. “Most of the people were hearing in that camp and I was the only deaf person in that group, and I couldn’t communicate with anyone.
“My family said that I needed to be taught how to sign to have an improved life. So, the United Nations supported me and my family, and I was asked which school to go to in Nepal.
“I went to a school in Nepal that was a deaf school, just deaf children in that school. I was in that school for three years and I got to learn how to communicate. [But] we didn’t have a very good system in Nepal for education.
“So, now I’m living in Australia, and I’ve been going to school from Year 7 right through to Year 12 and it’s been an amazing experience. I’ve learnt lots… I’ve developed a better understanding. I wish Nepal had the same system as Australia because then deaf people in Nepal would be able to improve.”
Certificates of Appreciation were given to community members who assisted in organising the event, performed, or shared their story, including Mohan Bhattari, Krishna Basnet, Netra Dulal John, Dhan Rup Biswa, Sital Singaure, Prabin Basnet, Kamal Panday, Mohan Hangkhim, Purna Bhattarai, Tika Katel, Bikash Biswa, and Bhakta Rai.
Member for Newland Olivia Savvas, representing the Minister for Multicultural Affairs Zoe Bettison, Shadow Minister for Multicultural South Australia Jing Lee, and City of Salisbury Mayor Gillian Aldridge also joined the celebrations.
JFA Purple Orange has been working with the Bhutanese (Nepali speaking) community in Adelaide to deliver workshops as part of the SKILL Project for the past 15 months.
“SKILL stands for Strengthening Knowledge, Ideas, Linkages, and Leadership,” Ms Simbi explained. “We link people from CALD communities to the NDIS, share information about how to access and navigate the Scheme, educate people about the different forms and impacts of disability, and build connections with support services in the community.”
Media enquiries
Cathy Cochrane
Phone: 0401 308 957
Email: cathyc@purpleorange.org.au
Photo credits: Isabel Ying Chen
Support worker Emily, police officer Taryn Trevelion, Shadow Minister for Multicultural South Australia Jing Lee, JFA Purple Orange Project Officer Esther Simbi, Denis Yengi, and Mohan Bhattarai.
Community members enjoy the handkerchief game.
SKILL Project Officer Esther Simbi with Purna Bhattari.
Mohan Bhattarai entertains the crowd with a solo dance.
Shadow Minister for Multicultural South Australia Jing Lee speaks to the audience.