Yonas Shefaraw knows no matter how hard things get, there is one word his community of mostly first-generation Ethiopian migrants will never say — help.
So, when the COVID-lockdown decimated jobs, the 40-year-old — who works as a bicultural worker with the Melbourne community health organisation cohealth — realised offering charity would not do.
"I could see people in my community struggling. Most of them were doing casual jobs like working in factories or driving Uber," Mr Shefaraw said.
"People were losing their jobs, businesses were suffering, and some people couldn't put food on the table.
Then Mr Shefaraw came up with a program that paid businesses to service about 400 of the most vulnerable in the community.
"Getting charity is very shameful for our people, that's why we are trying to create jobs for everyone and survive COVID-19," he said.
"The project is creating business for Ethiopian restaurants [by] giving food … to people who are suffering during COVID.
Funded by the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet, the three-month program, which concludes in February, also engages Ethiopian drivers to deliver essential supplies to families in Footscray and surrounding suburbs in Melbourne's west.
'My earnings dropped 80 per cent'
Abera Ayalew runs an Ethiopian cafe in Footscray.
His is one of the restaurants involved in delivering the 365 cooked meals.
Here, anyone doing it tough, including the elderly, people with disability and single parents, can come and enjoy traditional Ethiopian dishes like doro wot (chicken stew), beyainetu (a combination of vegetarian dishes), or derek tibs (pan-fried tender lamb) — all served on large platters on injera flatbread.
Ethiopian coffee in traditional, long-necked earthenware urns is also on offer.
Mr Ayalew said during COVID-19 they tried to stay afloat by doing takeaways, but it was not enough.
"My earnings dropped 80 per cent."
The father-of-one, who also supports family back home, said it was good to get the extra work through the program.
Community shaping recovery
Nicole Bartholomeusz, cohealth chief executive, said the program had impacts on so many levels.
"It simultaneously addresses a number of social and health problems caused by the pandemic, including unemployment, food security and declining business and supporting people's nutritional health," she said.
Dawit Kebede has been running a shop in Footscray for three years.
He is one of the retailers supplying traditional staples like berbere (an Ethiopian spice mix) and shiro (powdered chickpea) for the 75 boxes.
Each essential food box also contains reusable face masks, hand sanitiser, bulk packs of rice and lentils as well as public health information in Amharic and other relevant languages.
Mr Kebede said the project came at a crucial time for him.
"The shop was open, but people were not coming," Mr Kebede said.
"Even if they came, they didn't spend a lot of money."
The father-of-three said he could sell up to $2,000 on a good day, but during COVID his income dropped suddenly while outgoings, like rent, remained the same.
"During those times, I could not even get a $100 a day," he said.
"I nearly closed.
