Refugee Small Business Program Gains Praise in Parliament

Tuesday, 28 March 2017

Federal Member for Parramatta, Julie Owens MP praised Settlement Services International’s (SSI) Ignite Small Business Start-up program in Parliament House on Wednesday 22.

“Every blade of grass has an angel bending over it whispering ‘grow, grow’,” said Ms Owens, borrowing from the Talmud, at the program’s final evaluation launch, ‘From Refugee to Entrepreneur in Sydney in Less Than Three Years’.

The program equips refugees to launch their own small business.

“Migrants and refugees often come here with brilliant skills and ideas but a lack of resources and networks can be a barrier to getting into small business,” said Ms Owens.

“SSI’s Ignite program prepares the ground so that small businesses can grow,” she said.

“The evaluation of the program shows that it doesn’t cost much to provide these programs which bring a huge return on investment to benefit the individual, the community and the economy,” said Ms Owens.

Sisters Mojgan, Ava and Marjan Rachabali, will open a hair and beauty salon in North Parramatta after being supported by Ignite Small Business Start-ups.

The Rachabali sisters sought refuge from Iran, and were met on arrival to Sydney in 2013 by Settlement Services International. Ignite helped them get their qualification recognised and gave them the courage and confidence to continue with the business they know and love.

“Our mother was a hairdresser and we had a lot of ladies coming to the house to get ready for weddings and parties. From a young age I pretended to also be a hairdresser and helped do peoples hair,” said Marjan Rachbali.

“I studied architecture but soon realised that I didn’t want to work in a male dominated field. The situation for women in Iran is very different to Australia, and women are not treated with respect. I decided it would be too difficult to fight the situation so I helped my mum open a salon and we started there together,” she said.

“Ignite has helped us pursue our dreams and stay on the right path in doing what we love for our business,” Ava Rachbali added.

Ignite helped the sisters get their qualifications recognised and gave them courage and confidence to continue with the business they know and love.

“It is a powerful thing to witness the successful transformation and empowerment of another human being. At SSI we are so very proud to be part of this transformation,” SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis said.