Something Meaningful | Empowering the Burmese Rohingya Community
Have you met any Burmese Rohingya?
Do you know what they had gone through before settling in New Zealand?
How does a young organisation set up by mostly former refugees help their contemporaries achieve successful lives in Aotearoa?
Established in 2020, the Burmese Rohingya Welfare Organisation NZ Trust (BRWONZ) is comprised almost entirely of former refugees who are committed to supporting and empowering their peers. This young organisation is dedicated to helping Rohingya individuals navigate their new lives, aiming to foster successful integration and contributions to New Zealand society.
The Rohingya people from Rakhine State in Myanmar are a stateless ethnic group. Since being denied citizenship under the 1982 Citizenship Law, the Rohingya people had limited access to health care and education among others. United Nations report that over 750,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh in 2017 when Rohingya villages were subjected to violent attacks and persecution, joining refugees from previous waves in the 1970s and 1990s.
Predominantly Muslim, the Rohingya community faces discrimination due to their ethnicity and religious faith, further complicating their resettlement journey in New Zealand. Women in the Rohingya community often wear traditional attire, making them visible minorities. Sadly, this visibility can lead to increased racism and discrimination, adding layers to their trauma. Despite these challenges, the members of BRWONZ leverage their own lived experiences in various sectors, including education, health, mental well-being, and the creative arts. Their initiative and hard work are integral to establishing a supportive network for community members.
Since 2022, BRWONZ has collaborated with the Ministry of Education to develop an educational learning hub specifically designed for Rohingya families and children. This initiative has introduced a range of education programmes aimed at addressing the unique settlement challenges faced by the community, such as language and transport barriers. Experiences of trauma, uprooting, marginalisation, and the process of acculturation in the country of resettlement are risk factors for family harm. In 2024, BRWONZ was a recipient of funding from the Ministry of Social Development through the Ethnic Communities Innovation Fund to work around family and sexual violence with the Rohingya communities in Auckland and Blenheim. Funding received through the eCALD® Equipment Grant in mid-2024 enabled the organisation to purchase a sound system that has been invaluable in facilitating larger workshops for the community.
As the Burmese Rohingya Welfare Organisation NZ Trust continues to grow, it remains a testament to the strength of the community, offering hope, empowerment, and a pathway to success for its members as they build a better future in New Zealand.
Please contact BRWONZ for more information via https://www.facebook.com/brwonztrust
Dulani Abeysinghe, eCALD® Educator
