This article appeared in the Spring issue of Enhance magazine.

The policy around processing asylum seekers arriving by boat has changed since this article was written, so I've omitted that information, and just left the basic statistics. For a bit more information on what is happening now in Australia and those who are helping make a difference, here is an article about the Salvation Army missions on Nauru and Manus Island. 

It was a small, half broken boat that bought Ajmal* to the shores of Australia. The leaky boat flirted with death, as the ferocious ocean carried the tiny vessel and 80 or so desperate souls further from their nightmares and closer to their dreams.

“We spent, maybe, 5 or 6 days in the sea. You lose count. But every minute we were expecting a drama because of the sea,” says Ajmal, “it was about 50 per cent chance that I didn’t expect to get here”.

Sitting in a small, dimly lit room, Ajmal describes his journey from Afghanistan to Australia, seeking asylum. Leaving his wife and young family in Afghanistan, he risked his life in order to find safety and security. He planned to eventually bring them over, where they could be raised in freedom and opportunity away from the terrors of Afghanistan. The journey took six months, including the life-threatening week at sea. That was three years ago. Since his arrival, Ajmal has remained locked up in a detention centre, while the Australian government processes his application for refugee status.

Ajmal’s story represents the plight of so many other desperate men, women and children fleeing their homeland, seeking asylum and placing their hope for a better life in the Lucky Country. Contrary to what our media may lead us to believe, only 2 per cent of the world’s asylum seekers arrive in Australia each year. We have 0.21 per cent of the global share of refugees, ranking us 79^th in comparison to our wealth (GDP) per capita. 

If you are surprised by those statistics and expected them to be a lot higher, you’re most likely among friends. 

Many of us barely understand the difference between an asylum seeker and refugee and the media is quite rash in telling us our borders are being flooded by ‘boat people’, illegal immigrants and queue jumpers.

Perhaps you oscillate between a compassionate heart, moved to love these strangers, yet your fears hold you back; What if they’re from a terrorist group? Aren’t they all going to come if we allow a few in? If Australia can’t deal with its own issues such as homelessness or indigenous issues, how can we help these foreigners?

Here’s the thing; these people aren’t illegal. Nor are they queue jumpers. Seeking asylum from persecution is recognized internationally under the UN Refugee Convention, to which Australia is a signatory. Even arriving without documentation (sometimes it’s too dangerous in their country of origin to access their documents) is completely within their rights if their fears are well-founded. And as for queue jumping, there is no queue to join when you are fleeing persecution with your life in danger. Many are sent to wait in Malaysia, where waiting for resettlement is like winning the Lotto. Statistically, it will take 150 years. To make matters worse, places like Malaysia and Indonesia aren't signatories to the UN Refugee Convention, so asylum seekers have no support, protection and can't work. What choices are they left with? 

A very small margin of people seeking asylum come via boat. Australia’s borders are among the most secure in the world. The majority of these people are arriving by plane, not boat. And plane arrivals typically have a 40 per cent success rate, 85-90 per cent of those arriving by boat are granted asylum. 

The concept of a refugee is quite a foreign concept to many Australians. It is not a choice. It is about life or death. They have to flee for their life. That is the foreign thing about it. 

Ajmal is still awaiting the outcome for his application, but fears return to Afghanistan will surely mean death by the Taliban. 

we were warriors - Vintage Fashion

we were warriors ~ a cutesy online vintage boutique. There are some gorgeous little pieces, sourced from all over Australia. My favourites are the twinsets and jumpsuits, perfect for an Australian summers afternoon BBQ. All original we were warriors products are made from as much recycled and vintage material as possible keeping it eco and friendly.

Buying vintage and recycling our clothes means we reduce our effect on the environment. There is less pollution poisoning our atmosphere and our landfills aren't getting as full so quickly.

So what are you waiting for? Pop along now lovelies, and check out the latest from we were warriors!

Happy Election Day

Who can you smile at today?

Whose day can you brighten?

White Gold

How many of us know the story of our clothes?

In Uzbekistan, children as young as 7 are forced to hand pick cotton by the government. Taken out of schools, they live in Soviet style camps, without clean drinking water, protective clothing and adequate renumeration. Many leave in debt because their living expenses out weigh how much cotton they were able to pick.

Uzbekistan is a former Soviet Union country in Central Asia, ruled by a brutal Totalitarian regime.

The second largest producer of cotton, also known as White Gold, the Uzbekistan government continues to profit from the back breaking work of its people who farm and pick the cotton.

Sadly, the largest inland sea is now a mere desert. During the Soviet occupation and in the years since, irrigation to produce cotton has dried out the sea. This has left a large majority of the 10 million Uzbeki people without an income. The left over sand and dust cause cancer and other respiratory diseases.

It takes 2,000 litres of water to produce one cotton T-shirt.

This is a grim story of our clothes. But there is hope.

As we increasingly choose to wear organic cotton T-shirts, we are voting with our wallets and demanding a fairer deal.

This modern day form of slavery must end in our lifetime. Children deserve an education rather than being forced to hand pick cotton and families deserve to reap the profits from their harvests.

Inner peace. 

How do you find yours?

One of my favourite things? Jeans. And even better than jeans? Organic jeans. 


These ones are perfection. 


Kuyichi - started 7 years ago and dedicated to Organic Jeans. They're a far cry from the typic fisher man's pants we think of when we talk about organic pants. 

ORGANIC COTTON

Did you know that more than 25 % of all insecticides used globally are used for growing cotton? These chemicals pollute soil and water, kill wildlife and are harmful to the people and land they work on. Organic cotton guarantees it is been made with respect to the people and environment. Kuyichi is the first jeans brand to make 'Pure Denim' out of organic cotton.