SCARF shares healthy food facts

SCARF Refugee Support won the major award at the International Women’s Day awards ceremony in the Illawarra this year.

The award funding will go towards continuing to deliver programs that support healthy eating and lifestyle for refugee women in the Illawarra. The programs are the Lunchbox for Learning and the Healthy Communities initiatives, which may also lead to employment opportunities for SCARF community members.

SCARF’s Lunchbox for Learning program seeks to improve nutritional awareness and to provide healthy, budget-friendly cooking and food preparation information and practical skills for refugee families. The focus is on preparing healthy school snacks and meals.

The Healthy Communities initiative is an online forum that encourages refugee women to make healthy and happy lifestyle choices. Healthy food recipes, information about local health services and programs and tips are shared to encourage physical activity, building confidence to access local health services when needed.

Refugee women settling in Australia face many disadvantages when it comes to healthy food and eating choices. These may be language and literacy barriers, a lack of familiarity with Australian supermarkets and food products, existing health conditions, lack of nutrition and diet education in their country of origin, basic food-preparation facilities and limited financial resources, which can in turn result in food insecurity. All these factors can contribute to less healthy eating habits and poorer health outcomes.

These two programs seek to break down barriers and provide opportunities to make healthier choices.

Thank you to the volunteers, staff and partner organisations that make our programs possible.

It is World Refugee Day on Sunday, June 20.
Find ways to help locally at www.scarfsupport.org.au