Shepparton, which has the largest Afghan population in regional Victoria, has become a hub for community groups started by Hazara women to support other women still in Afghanistan
“They were looking for the Hazara people,” she says. “My daughter was four and my son was 18 months. We had to walk through the mountains at night until we reached the border.”
In February, Khademi co-founded the Goulburn Valley Afghan Women’s Association Shepparton, a space for the region’s Afghan women to have a voice, support each other, and encourage younger people to take on leadership roles.Greater Shepparton has the highest Afghan population in regional Victoria, with 1,144 Afghans calling the town home as of 2021. The community has been growing since about 2005 when many arrived to work on the region’s fruit farms.
The 26-year-old worked as a police officer and for the Ministry of Defence. After the Taliban returned, she lived in fear of being kidnapped, raped or imprisoned.“Please don’t forget us. Don’t turn your back on us. Australian people are our last hope.” RAR Afghan subcommittee convener, Marie Sellstrom, says the regions have much to gain from the leadership of newly arrived migrants and the exchange of cultural practices and experiences.