International Human Rights Day 2025 On 10th December each year, we observe International Human Rights Day, marking the date the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948. Human rights can sometimes feel like an abstract, distant idea; something reserved for world leaders and landmark moments, but most of us experience them in far … Continue reading The Threads That Hold Us Together
On 15 August 2021, the Taliban seized control of Kabul, marking their return to political power and a devastating turning point for the people of Afghanistan. Nearly four years later, the consequences remain profound, within the country and across the world. As of mid-2025, Afghanistan continues to face a humanitarian crisis: more than half the … Continue reading Four Years Under Taliban Rule: What Has Changed for Afghanistan?
Refugee Week in Australia, which ran last month from 15th to 21st June 2025, is a time to celebrate people from refugee backgrounds. This year’s theme, ‘Finding Freedom: Diversity in Community’, reminds us that ordinary acts of kindness can have extraordinary ripple effects. But the work of inclusion doesn’t begin or end with this week. … Continue reading Why Supporting Refugee-Owned Businesses is Year Round Activism
Refugee Week’s theme, “Finding Freedom - Diversity in Community,” feels tailor-made for Afghan-Australian designer and advocate Anjilla Seddeqi, a woman whose story weaves together strength, dignity and creativity in every thread. Anjilla is a lawyer-turned-fashion designer whose journey from refugee child to acclaimed advocate is deeply rooted in her Afghan heritage and a lifelong sense … Continue reading Community, Craft and Courage: Afghan-Australian Designer and Advocate, Anjilla Seddeqi on the Power of Representation
As we celebrate Mother’s Day this weekend in Australia, we’re reflecting not only on the love and strength of mothers and mother figures everywhere, but the generational stories, recipes, and resilience they’ve passed down. This piece is based on questions prepared by fellow blog writer, Nrutya Sangdhore. Arifur Rahman, via Unsplash We spoke with two … Continue reading ‘A Mother to All’: honouring the women who shaped us, this Mother’s Day
As the Federal Election draws closer, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by campaigns, manifestos, and headlines; especially with fear-mongering surrounding refugees and people seeking asylum fuelling certain political agendas. Despite this targeted misinformation, we invite you to choose community over division this weekend. Across Australia, people from displaced backgrounds are enriching our culture, building businesses, … Continue reading Refugees, Rights, and The Ballot Box
Though we’ve formerly defined refugees and outlined their rights and protections, another critical group to explore and understand is people seeking asylum. Important to note, this group is often referred to as ‘asylum seekers’, however, at Welcome Merchant, we champion person-first language, aiming to grant respect and dignity through primarily acknowledging personhood, hence our use … Continue reading Seeking Safety: Understanding the Process of Asylum
As we mark our fifth birthday at Welcome Merchant, it is the perfect time to reflect on our journey, celebrate our successes, and envision the future of our refugee advocacy. From our humble beginnings as an Instagram page run solely by founder, Marjorie Tenchavez, Welcome Merchant has since blossomed into an award-winning social enterprise, bridging … Continue reading It’s Our Birthday! Celebrating Five Years of Welcome Merchant
On the 8th of December 2024, the brutal regime of President Bashar al-Assad fell. As quickly as the uprising began, it appeared to be over. Following a 53-year rule over Syria by the al-Assad family, the country had been freed from dictatorship. A month following al-Assad’s fall, Syrians reflected on what this historic moment meant … Continue reading Syria After Assad: Hope, Uncertainty, and the Road Ahead
Emmanuel Asante is a visual artist residing in Western Sydney, I caught up with him a couple of weeks after he’d won the Kirk Robson Award for Community Arts & Cultural Development at the 2024 Creative Australia Awards (formerly known as Australia Council for the Arts). Act of Giving, Emmanuel Asante, 2018. Naturally, I was … Continue reading Catching Up with Emmanuel Asante
