Mount Gambier is host to about 350 Karen and Karenni as of 2022 who first arrived in the region on 24/10/2007 as refugees. Alongside many other Myanmar ethnic minorities in Myanmar, Karen and Karenni had to flee their homes as a result of brutality caused by the Myanmar military called Tat-Ma-Taw.
Although many didn’t survive, some fortunate Karen and Karenni found safety at their new home in Mount Gambier. They contribute to the regional economy through working in different employment sectors such as aged care, cleaning, pine plantation, and nursery, etc. The community has a great interest in playing soccer and volleyball.
The Karenni Community of South Australia hosted the “Myanmar Food Fair and Fundraising for Myanmar” on 06 August 2022 with an estimated 350 attendees. It performed traditional Karen and Karenni performances to raise awareness about the situation in Myanmar and sold their traditional Myanmar foods to donate to Internally Displaced People in Myanmar.
Following the event, the community established the “Karenni Kitchen” which sells Myanmar and Karenni foods regularly at the Farmers’ Market and different local community events in Mount Gambier. This has occurred every Saturday morning since 10/09/2022, with a focus to raise funds for the local Karenni community and donating to Internally Displaced People in Myanmar.
The participation of the Karen and Karenni in the Mt Gambier community is growing, and it is well supported by the wider community in Mount Gambier.
Dr. Paul Thu
Director, AMIDHRP
Making a donation is the ultimate sign of solidarity. Actions speak louder than words.
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