Markets and Celebrations!
Welcome Merchant
Award-winning social enterprise that elevates refugee-owned businesses in Australia through Events, Hampers & directory.
Our birthday was indeed a celebration. We would like to extend a thank you to all you lovely people who visited our markets in Melbourne and Sydney last month.
A big thank you to our Welcome Merchant volunteer for coordinating with the merchants to setting up stalls, and ensuring the event ran smoothly without a hitch.
A big thank you to all the vendors for participating and entrusting their faith in us. It was heartening to see your (merchants) interaction amongst each other in supporting each other’s businesses.
Following the success of our markets, our team received more good news!!
We received our second council grant. Our application to the Randwick City Council (Sydney)’s Community Creative application came through. Welcome Merchant received $10k. This money will go to our Sydney Stories of Power Short Film festival, which will be held on June 27, at the Randwick Ritz. Save the date!
Let’s take you on a quick tour of the Markets through our picture diary:
RECAP- 4th Birthday Market - SYDNEY
Huge thank you to everyone in Sydney who came along to our 4th Birthday Pop-Up Market at Petersham Bowling Club in Petersham on March 16! The vendors were happy, one of them gave us this beautiful feedback:
"I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to you and your team for your invaluable support during the Welcome Merchant Market. Your assistance in setting up and packing up, as well as your efforts in promoting the event, were instrumental in its success. It was truly heartwarming to witness the spirit of collaboration among everyone involved, and I deeply appreciate the support extended by all the attendees who came from various parts of Sydney." THIS IS OUR WHY!
Thank you to Gina Barjeel , Shaajh House of Fashion, ?Sangee's Fusion, ?Just Shea, Daventure Tours, ?African Food Feasts, Nazdana Bakhtiari, AUNTY'S GINGER TONIC and Camiefleur for collaborating with us at this special event and thank you to the Petersham Bowling Club for hosting us as well. We can't wait to do our next market there on Sunday 27th October!
RECAP- 4th Birthday Market in MELBOURNE on March 23
Thank you to everyone who came to our 4th Birthday Pop-Up Market at Melbourne's iconic laneway bar, Section 8 Melbourne, on March 23! Despite competing with FI and the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, we had a decent crowd. We loved seeing the vendors chat to one another as well and mutually supporting each other's businesses. This is why we do what we do! Pics taken by Broke Stills. More photos on our Insta & FB.
Thank you to Sweet Cora Cakes, Chef Aheda, Music in Exile, Akira Grateful Bijouniq, Vanguard Makers, Erica Pearl, Tienda Wuarmi, Zi Accessories, Akos Creative and Rue Ceramics for collaborating with us at this special event, and of course, thank you to Section 8 for hosting us. We can't wait to do our next Pop-Up Market again there in December, so watch this space.
ENTREPRENEUR SPOTLIGHT -
TUKA TUKA KOTHU ROTI MAN, A SRI LANKAN CHEF'S JOURNEY
‘Tuka tuka tuka tuka, this is the noise my kitchen utensils make when making Kothu curry,” says Chef Niro Vithyasekar of Tuka Tuka Kothu Roti Man. This merchant is popular for his lip smacking Sri Lankan street food chicken kotthu roti – stir fried chopped bread in chicken curry and masala dosa. “My family still can’t (cannot) believe I am cooking food in Australia, I didn’t cook much back home.”
You will find him in various markets through the year or pop-up dinners in Melbourne. He has a varied clientele from Sri Lankans, Indians to Australians who track his whereabouts via social media platforms. “People ask me where will you be this weekend? It makes me happy to see my regular customers and new faces too.”
He dreams of having a food truck of his own, wherein all his equipment and food supplies could be easily transported from one place to another and makes it convenient for him to go to new spots to dish up his food.
Unfortunately, the dream is yet to become a reality because of an obstacle – his temporary visa. As a refugee who arrived by boat in 2009 to escape the civil war in Sri Lanka, Chef Niro continues to run from pillar to post to gain acceptance in Australia on a permanent visa status.
“If I can get a permanent visa, I can create job opportunities by hiring 2-3 casual staff to help me out with my business. I can expand my business.”
His message to newly arrived refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia is, “Everything starts from the bottom. Learn the English language, learn and show interest in your chosen field. Hard work makes things easy.” How can you support Niro and his family? Please see below!
WHAT'S COMING UP!
The Tamil New Year will be held this weekend, and to celebrate this occasion our merchant Chef Niro Vithyasekar from Tuka Tuka Kothu Roti Man will be serving a delicious 3 course Sri Lankan Tamil Feast – milk rice with seeni sambal and vadai, Sri Lankan style chicken curry or a coconut chicken curry for lucky Melbourne folks.
Now, now, we understand your taste buds are tingling, so let’s keep the dessert a surprise. The event caters to vegetarians, and vegans too, hurry and book your ticket (only 4 left) for the dinner on April 16 at Molly Rose Brewing in Collingwood (MELB). Indulge in traditional Sri Lankan music and dance whilst you sip on your wine or chosen beverage. We will also have a raffle Draw with prizes including books and a Hamper with Bite. The sale will be donated to Palmera – a not-for-profit providing food relief to villages in Sri Lanka.
Welcome Merchant is currently working with a group of students from Macquarie University in Sydney on a research project. We want to show the Australian government the benefit of having an online directory like Welcome Merchant's. Our aim is to publish the research paper by July 2024. To help us with the research project, could you please complete this survey, it will take 10-15 minutes of your time. ?The deadline for the survey is next Friday 19th April.
CALLING ALL MIGRANTS, REFUGEES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN AUSTRALIA!
Are you looking to enter the world of entrepreneurship but not sure where to start? Catalysr - Accelerator for Migrants & Refugees has got a perfect program designed just for you!
Catalysr?Migrapreneur Fellowships?is an 8-week program where you'll gain the foundational knowledge needed to start a startup or get a role in one. The best part is you can choose which Fellowship suits you the best!?
Here are 3 reasons why you should apply to be a part of the Fellowship Program!
Since 2016, Catalysr has supported over 900 Migrapreneurs (including WM Founder, Marjorie) and built a community of 1200+ professionals, advisors and investors.?
Who can apply??
They highly encourage migrants, international students and refugees from all backgrounds to apply for our Fellowship Program.?For more info & to apply?click here
Applications for the Migrapreneur Startup close at 5 pm (AEST) this Sunday 14th of April 2024, so apply early to avoid missing out!?
APPLY NOW?to our 2024 Migrapreneur Fellowship Programs.
Full?scholarships
As a member of our community, you get full?scholarship?to participate in the Migrapreneur Fellowships at Catalysr. To use this opportunity, please tick “Yes” on the question “Are you applying for the?scholarship?” in the application form.??
And then in the following question asking for the reason, you can mention that you have been referred by Welcome Merchant.
领英推荐
MULTICULTURAL CELEBRATIONS COMING UP
Sharing important dates of multicultural celebrations of faiths in
April along with the significance of each date.
April 2024
Songkran - Saturday, April 13th ?to Wednesday, April 17th
Religion: Buddhist
The Thai New year and Water festival. Marks the beginning of a new solar year, a time for renewal.
Thingyan – Saturday, April 13th ?– Tuesday, April 16th ?
Religion: Buddhist
Myanmar New year festival. People throw water on each other to symbolise the washing away of the old year, and renewal of the new year.
Choul Chnam Thmey – Saturday, April 13th – Tuesday, April 16th
Religion: Buddhist
Khmer New Year celebrated by Cambodians. Families pour water over one another as a symbol of cleansing and purification.
Pii Mai– Sunday, April 14th to Tuesday, April 16th
Religion: Buddhist
Celebrations of letting go of the past and embracing the new.
Aluth Avurudda – Sunday 14th April
Religion: Hinduism
Sinhalese New year, marks the beginning of the Solar New Year celebrated by
Sri Lankans.
Puthandu ?– Sunday, 14th April
Religion – Hinduism
Tamil New Year is celebrated by Tamils around the world to usher in the
Solar New Year
Vaisakhi – Sunday, 14th April
Religion – Sikhism
Vaisakhi also called Baisakhi is celebrated by Sikhs to mark the first harvesting of crops for the year.
Ridvan – Saturday, 20th April – Monday, 1st May
Religion – Baha’i
It is a twelve day festival of the Baha’i, commemorating Baha’u’lláh declaration that he is a manifestation of God.
Passover – Monday, 22nd April – Tuesday, 30th April
Religion – Jewish
Celebrates the redemption of by God of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt.
Hanuman Jayanti – ?Tuesday, 23rd April
Religion – Hinduism
Celebrates the birth of God Hanuman.
Hung Vuong Festival – ?Monday, 29th ?April
Vietnamese festival celebrates the contributions of the Hung Dynasty.
Wishing anyone and everyone celebrating Eid, an Eid Mubarak.
Learn a new phrase - Ko??ā?uki?ārka?
‘Celebrate'' in Tamil
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