We are incredibly excited to announce that we have opened our new Young Women’s Freedom home in Melbourne’s South East.
This Therapeutic Home will provide a safe space for young women who have escaped, or are at risk of, early or forced marriage, modern slavery, and other forms of gender-based violence.
Today, Wednesday 10 July, we officially opened the home and were joined by 70 guests to celebrate. We heard from the City of Stonnington Mayor, Cr Joe Gianfriddo, Executive Director of Hansen Yuncken, Louise Hansen who was the former director of TEN Women when they raised the funds for most of the construction, Faten Sadik, Senior Development Manager – Apartments Stockland, speaking on behalf of PIF, Manuela, Therapeutic Case Manager for the home and Lighthouse’s CEO, Brenda Boland.
Witnessing our community come together to pull off such an enormous and important project was heart-warming and inspiring. It takes a village to raise a child which was evident in the room today and throughout the project.
Many people made this project possible, including the TEN Women and the Property Industry Foundation who raised funds for the renovation and Hansen Yuncken, who kindly led the build. Together, they have demonstrated a true collaboration by pulling their resources to provide materials and over $100,000 worth of pro bono support from consultants, contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers to make the renovations for this beautiful home possible. The home has been made to look beautiful and homely thanks to Provincial Home Living for providing high-quality furnishings, and T.House’s Tina Nettlefold for her thoughtful interior design, styling and gifts for the young people. We extend a big thank you to everyone who was a part of this project for their generosity and for turning this house into a home.
We can’t wait for the young women to move into the home and begin to enjoy the space.
