Afghan Hazara women in Melbourne's south-east will have new pathways to employment and community connection thanks to a grassroots culinary initiative supported by South East Water.
Casey-based Australian Afghanistan Initiative provides support to people experiencing disadvantage in Australia and overseas, particularly Afghanistan.
This includes engaging with young people, providing funds for education, creating partnerships with educational organisations and providing humanitarian assistance.
The organisation received a 2025 South East Water Community Grant to launch its 'Empowering Afghan Hazara Women: A Community-based Culinary Initiative' project, a community-based cooking program designed to break down employment barriers through training, skill-building and cultural exchange.
Through its work the not-for-profit seeks to bring communities together and create common ground.
Australian Afghanistan Initiative president, Ali Yaghobi said the project would help to tackle the significant employment barriers encountered by Afghan Hazara women in the Dandenong and Casey areas.
"Many women in our local Afghan Hazara community possess traditional culinary expertise, but this program helps to provide the confidence, social skills and hands-on training to enter the Australian job market."
South East Water General Manager Strategy and Stakeholder Karen Lau said the grant reflected the organisation's commitment to supporting meaningful, community-led solutions.
"It's inspiring to see groups like Australian Afghanistan Initiative tackling barriers head-on with practical, locally designed programs.
"This project empowers women, strengthens community ties, and celebrates cultural connections in our region."
The initiative is one of 20 projects supported through South East Water's 2025 Community Grants program which has now funded nearly 100 community groups with more than $600,000 since its launch 6 years ago.
To learn more about the program and see the full list of 2025 grant recipients, visit: southeastwater.com.au/grants
For more information about South East Water and what it does, delivered by community in Dari, visit southeastwater.com.au/dari.
