MCWH Visits the Women of Mushroom Exchange (a mushroom picking and packaging factory at Mernda)
March 2009

In 2008 MCWH continued to bring immigrant and refugee women health education sessions in the workplace through its Industry Visits Program. This included visits to Mushroom Exchange a mushroom picking and packaging factory at Mernda.

Our Educators ran 128 sessions with women from 13 different groups including Arabic, Chinese, Indian, Liberian, Macedonian, Papua New Guinean, Somali, Sri Lankan, Sudanese, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese and English. We made 535 contacts, distributing hundreds of copies of useful information in women's preferred languages. Topics included reproductive and sexual health, OH&S, and mental health and wellbeing.

One the brightest examples of the difference our programs make came during these sessions. A newly-arrived pregnant woman unable to find permanent housing reported that she had been greatly supported by the agency she had been referred to via the support and assistance of our educators. She was soon moving into her own apartment, and a social worker was also assisting her with hospital arrangements and essential baby goods.

For a more detailed report on these visits please see the March 2009 issue of 'Working Well' the MCWH newsletter.