About us
A non-profit association run by Iraqi women in Melbourne since 1998, open to women of every background.
Our story
Bint Al-Huda was founded in 1998 and registered in 2002. It was the first Iraqi women’s association in Melbourne, created to support the newly emerging Iraqi women’s community and their families.
Every project and activity is run by women of the community, through countless hours of volunteered time. Our doors are open to women from a wide range of cultural backgrounds and of all ages.
Our purpose
We provide direct relief to refugee and newly arrived Arabic-speaking women in Australia who are facing hardship, through three kinds of support.
Settling in
Essential settlement support that eases immediate hardship and helps women become part of the Australian community.
Learning and growth
Education and capacity-building programs that reduce the financial and social disadvantage newly arrived women face.
Health and services
Help reaching health, housing and welfare services for women who have left war-affected or impoverished backgrounds.
What we work towards
For women and families
- Support families as they settle into a new community
- Help women move out of isolation and into the wider community
- Promote physical and mental health and wellbeing
- Build awareness of the services available to them
For growth and leadership
- Training in leadership and interpersonal skills
- Opportunities to learn about local laws and life in Victoria
- Support for young people facing questions of culture and identity
For the wider community
- Build a network between emerging and established communities
- Form cultural bridges with the general community
- Share women’s needs with the wider Victorian community
- Celebrate and preserve our cultural traditions
How we are run
Bint Al-Huda Iraqi Women’s Association Inc. is a not-for-profit incorporated association in Victoria (registration A0110628J, ABN 30 232 753 206), governed by its members and an elected committee under the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012. Any surplus is used only for the association’s purposes.
Membership is free and open to everyone
Women from all communities are welcome to take part in shaping and uplifting our community.