Smiles as Somalia Op Shopraises $46k for refugee relief

Eden Magnet
Monday, February 4, 2013

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The Somalia Op Shop enjoyed a frantic last day on Australia Day and when the doors finally closed more than $50,000 had been raised in just 26 days of trade.

Of that $46,000 will directly support Somalian refugees, mainly women and children, with food and blankets.
Several thousand dollars was also raised through the sale of coffee to educate teachers in Natabora and Same in Papua New Guinea.

Organised by Bega Valley Advocates for Timor-Leste the money means adults can be educated in the nation’s capital Dili, or in Darwin, before returning to their villages as teachers.

Several thousand was also raised for a local initiative, Pebbles for Nepal, and now about 200 water tanks cwill be allocated to families in some of the poorest, driest parts of Nepal.

Organiser Michael Brosnan of the Social Justice Advocates (SJA) said support was diverse and varied, from donations of time and valuable goods to profits from music gigs.

“I wouldn’t be a retailer in a million years but this has been great, frenetic even on some days,” he said.
“Everyone is just monumentally fabulous and this year the quality of goods was just excellent.”

The music scene got onboard on January 11, when Melbourne based rocker Dallas Frasca and two local bands, Petrol Bomb and Gerkin donated $1743 from a concert at Club Sapphire.

A total of $1364 was raised from ticket sales and a donation bucket was topped up with Petrol Bomb’s CD sales to raise a further $379.

“The generosity of our local community never ceases to amaze me but for these two young bands to come to us with this proposal (was) nothing short of astonishing,” Mr Brosnan said.

“With young people like this among us shows that our community is in good hands for years to come.”
Contact Social Justice Advocates by phoning 6495 6325.

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