Dear SICMAA’s Members, Friends 

This year we celebrate 38 years services to our community in a very special way. It’s a first time our AGM has been held in Zoom.

Due to COVID-19, The City of Greater Dandenong advised us that we have to close our office from 20/3/2020.

However, our services did not stop but continued and even increased in activities. We change our service plan for every single project to make sure we are still serving our community effectively in different way despite the Covid-19 crisis. With the support from all bodies government  funding , all our hard working staff , IT group , volunteers , we set up the system so everyone can work at home to continue to assist our client by phone, by email , by post , by video conferencing like Zoom .

We have English and Computer Class on Zoom. Students are really happy learning in new method, they gain experience through new technologies.

Instead of having Excursion within Victoria, with Shared Screen on Zoom they can visit around the world under instruction from teachers …..

The services from In language Gambling Counselling and Support Services, Integrated Family Violence Support Service, Family Service are running very well. We organize many training such as Mental Health First Aide course to all staff and our Management Committee …

On line training: Managing Sleep / Fatigue, Stress, Selfcare

We distribute special gifts, health and Food packages to our clients, special elderly people, disability groups, carers group on Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Gambling Harm Awareness week.

Assisted 2020 Good Friday Appeal in donating on line instead of doing Tin Shaking.

We joined with another 8 organisations, ICV is our Lead Agency. We provided a special Project WORKING FOR VICTORIA which is funded by the State of Victoria as Represented by its Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions. We have a special program to assist to those affected by Covid -19 crisis. It has been started since 7/9/2020.

We proudly produced the wonderful 2021 SICMAA Calendar with 12 delicious popular healthy Vietnamese cuisines and the recipes. The calendar was supported by  Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation , Enhanced Pathways to Family Violence Project.

Also myself as President of SICMAA, I am a member of the Fund Raising Team of the proposed significant project, Vietnamese Museum of Australia (VMA) in Barkly Street, Footscray, Maribyrnong City Council. The proposed VMA will include a museum, gallery, education and community spaces, It has combined Federal Government, State Government and private funding of over $15.5 million and would be develop and managed by the Vietnamese Community of Australia (VCA)

Wow, what a big, busy year of the challenge with everyone. The Covid 19 pandemic affected everyone, everywhere.

We have come a long way and the journey so far has both up and downs, many initiatives and services have started and of course, we have made many life -long friends and many wonderful people have worked and helped us and the people that need help.

These are certainly too many wonderful people, especially the volunteers, we thank  and dedicate our love to them who gives up their time with their families to lent us their knowledge , wisdom and expertise , and their love and compassion to help another human being to make this world a better place to live in.

We would not be as successful as we have been without all our friend’s and our friend’s help.

Together we continue to provide many years of services to our community.

Wishing you and your family a lots of good luck good health and happiness always.

Stay safe, stay healthy.

BE HA OAM, JP
President
Springvale Indo-Chinese Mutual Assistance Association