English
Naima Ibrahim is a 40-year-old mother of two who is getting a new look, thanks to a charity that helps thousands of women back into the workforce each year.
At a Sydney showroom, Ms Ibrahim and a stylist are matching several outfits with accessories including jewellery, bags and shoes.
Ms Ibrahim is restarting her life after experiencing homelessness, and says the new wardrobe makes a big difference.
"Words cannot describe how I can thank Dress for Success. I feel like an executive. I feel like a CEO. I mean, the confidence goes through the roof, you know?"
Ms Ibrahim hopes to find a new part-time job that will allow her more time to care for her children.
She recently left a fulltime finance role that she was also styled for last year.
"When you have someone that styles you, literally they have a different perspective. It did change my life. It gave me that confidence, it gave me that hope, that humanity. [It got me to think that] people are kind, you know? It makes you feel like you're not alone. Because a lot of women, particularly when they go through a difficult time, they feel ashamed to talk about it. But for someone to say: 'I understand you', it's important."
Understanding and empowerment are the focus of this charity Dress for Success, according to its CEO Leisa Sadler.
"Primarily we provide a set of practical tools from styling through to career support tools, and are all designed around enhancing a woman's confidence and really helping her to believe in herself as she puts herself forward for that important job interview or progressing in her career."
Dress for Success outfits more than 5,000 women each year - and not all are local.
Those fleeing conflict offshore are welcomed too, says volunteer Heather Davie:
"We've helped many asylum seekers, refugees. Over the last year, there have been quite a few Ukrainian women come, and many of them [are] highly educated. They're trying to get work. The situation they find themselves in as refugees is quite difficult. So it's important for them to look good and feel good."
Ms Ibrahim also arrived in Australia as a refugee.
Originally from Somalia she grew up in Kenya’s Mombasa.
And though she now rents a three bedroom ‘affordable housing’ apartment in Sydney, memories of childhood hardship still haunt her.
"My grandmother used to pretty much work so hard even selling street foods, just to pay for school fees. She used to patch our clothes when they got run down. The person who I am [now] is because of my grandmother, her kindness."
Ms Ibrahim first experienced homelessness as a teenager, while she was starting a new life in Sydney in 2002.
“I remember sleeping on the street and a neighbour told me: 'go to the police' because I had no idea where else to go. That's when they took me to Surry Hills, to this young women’s shelter.”
Now a mother of two boys, aged 19 and three, she found herself in a women’s shelter again last year, after leaving an abusive situation.
"That was the lowest moment of my life. I needed more support then and I thought: 'don't get me wrong, a refuge is a peaceful place, but it's not ideal for a family."
Ms Ibrahim was among more than quarter-of-a-million people to experience homelessness in Australia last year, and the situation is worsening according to Kate Colvin, CEO of Homelessness Australia.
“We have got a homelessness crisis in Australia. In the past year we had 278,000 people coming to homeless services. We are expecting that to increase with rents rising and more people being pushed into homelessness. So this is a very vulnerable group; 60% are women and children and many of those are fleeing family violence.”
Starting over with living costs soaring isn’t easy.
But new clothes, a handbag and shoes can make a difference to a jobseeker, says Leisa Sadler the CEO of Dress for Success.
"It's all in very good condition. And it's something that you would feel proud enough to wear to an interview or into a workplace situation."
Italiano
Naima Ibrahim è una quarantenne madre di due figli che sta cambiando il suo look, grazie ad un’organizzazione benefica che aiuta ogni anno migliaia di donne a rientrare nel mercato del lavoro.
In uno showroom di Sydney, la signora Ibrahim e uno stilista provano diversi abiti ed accessori, inclusi gioielli, borse e scarpe.
La signora Ibrahim sta ricominciando la sua vita dopo aver vissuto da senza tetto, sostenendo che un nuovo guardaroba faccia una grande differenza.
"Words cannot describe how I can thank Dress for Success. I feel like an executive. I feel like a CEO. I mean, the confidence goes through the roof, you know?"
La signora Ibrahim spera di trovare un nuovo lavoro part-time che le consenta di avere più tempo per i suoi bambini.
Recentemente ha lasciato un posto a tempo pieno nel mondo della finanza, per il quale anche l’anno scorso aveva ricevuto consigli di stile.
"When you have someone that styles you, literally they have a different perspective. It did change my life. It gave me that confidence, it gave me that hope, that humanity. [It got me to think that] people are kind, you know? It makes you feel like you're not alone. Because a lot of women, particularly when they go through a difficult time, they feel ashamed to talk about it. But for someone to say: 'I understand you', it's important."
Comprensione ed emancipazione sono gli obiettivi dell’associazione benefica Dress for Success, come sostiene l’Amministratrice Delegata Leisa Sadler.
"Primarily we provide a set of practical tools from styling through to career support tools, and are all designed around enhancing a woman's confidence and really helping her to believe in herself as she puts herself forward for that important job interview or progressing in her career."
Dress for Success cambia lo stile di più di 5,000 donne ogni anno – e non tutte sono della zona.
Anche coloro che sono in difficoltà e vengono da fuori sono benvenute, ha detto la volontaria Heather Davie:
"We've helped many asylum seekers, refugees. Over the last year, there have been quite a few Ukrainian women come, and many of them [are] highly educated. They're trying to get work. The situation they find themselves in as refugees is quite difficult. So it's important for them to look good and feel good."
Anche la signora Ibrahim è arrivata in Australia da rifugiata.
Nativa della Somalia, è cresciuta a Mombasa, in Kenya.
Nonostante oggi affitti una casa popolare con tre camere da letto, i ricordi della sua infanzia difficile ancora la perseguitano.
"My grandmother used to pretty much work so hard even selling street foods, just to pay for school fees. She used to patch our clothes when they got run down. The person who I am [now] is because of my grandmother, her kindness."
La signora Ibrahim ha vissuto da senzatetto per la prima volta da adolescente, quando stava cominciando una nuova vita a Sydney nel 2002.
“I remember sleeping on the street and a neighbour told me: 'go to the police' because I had no idea where else to go. That's when they took me to Surry Hills, to this young women’s shelter.”
Adesso madre di due figli, uno di 19 e uno di tre anni, si è ritrovata nuovamente in una casa di accoglienza lo scorso anno, dopo avere lasciato una situazione di abuso.
"That was the lowest moment of my life. I needed more support then and I thought: 'don't get me wrong, a refuge is a peaceful place, but it's not ideal for a family."
La signora Ibrahim era una delle più di 250mila persone che lo scorso anno in Australia vivevano in strada e la situazione sta peggiorando, a detta di Kate Colvin, amministratrice delegata di Homelessness Australia.
“We have got a homelessness crisis in Australia. In the past year we had 278,000 people coming to homeless services. We are expecting that to increase with rents rising and more people being pushed into homelessness. So this is a very vulnerable group; 60% are women and children and many of those are fleeing family violence.”
Ricominciare con il costo della vita alle stelle non è facile.
Ma dei vestiti nuovi, una borsa e delle scarpe possono fare la differenza per chi cerca lavoro, dice Leisa Sadler, Amministratrice Delegata di Dress for Success.
"It's all in very good condition. And it's something that you would feel proud enough to wear to an interview or into a workplace situation."
