Doors open to shop for the future

A NEW shop owned by a group of African women who recently settled in Ballarat opened in Bridge Mall last weekend.

The Women of the Well is located at 66 Bridge Mall and offers a range of jewellery, clothing, and homewares.

Mary Top, one of the store’s owners, said the group is thankful for the opportunity and to see the group’s vision come to life.

“These women had a big dream, they wanted to do something, they wanted to use their talents because everyone has a talent,” she said.

“I’ve never been to school myself so there was no language, no education there and I was not allowed to go to school where we came from, you just become a girl and become a mother.”

It is hoped the shop will create meaningful change for the women and their communities, many of whom are former refugees.

“Please don’t feel sorry for our story, this is a journey that we have walked and it is about to change,” said Ms Top. “It’s going to change for the generations to come.

“What you can do is support us from this point in time.”

Ms Top said she hopes the shop will be a place for community to come together.

“This space where we are standing now will be a free space where kids can run around in the back,” she said.

“The kids can come here and do their drawing and colouring and people can sit down and have their coffee and learn about what we do.

“This is not about us, it’s about the community.”

The group of women met through the Brotherhood of St Lawrence’s Stepping Stones program that aims to improve the financial situation of women from refugee, migrant, or asylum seeker backgrounds, and their opportunities for success.

The Ballarat Regional Multicultural Centre delivered the program and sought to provide a safe environment for the women that undertook the course, including offering free childcare and business mentors.

“The programs aim is to work to address barriers against women in particular and those financial and economic barriers,” said Julie Ware, chief services officer at the Brotherhood of St Lawrence.

“As the women here have shown, however, Stepping Stones can really become a community within the broader Ballarat community and each group becomes an extended family.”

The program is funded by the State Government and has supported nearly 2000 women since 2011.

Member for Wendouree, Juliana Addison, was at the opening of The Women of the Well to celebrate the achievement.

“We are here as the result of so many good people breaking down barriers, demystifying cultures and bringing us all together,” she said.

“This is a celebration of culture, heritage, empowerment and the spirit of entrepreneurship.”