Most weekends, outreach group 'Daughters of Jerusalem' walk the streets of Dandenong in Melbourne's south-east providing support for young members of the South Sudanese community.
The service evolved from predominantly South Sudanese church-groups in the area, where unemployment, substance abuse and crime are all issues community leaders are determined to overcome.
Volunteer Nyawaraga Cham says the group decided to carry out patrols to take their message to the streets.
"First thing, we [the South Sudanese community] need to respect the law," Ms Cham told SBS World News.
"Number two, we don't want to be bad people in this country because this country now is a second home for us... We are citizens here."
In the 2017 census, 7,700 Australians said they were born in South Sudan, but the true population is estimated to be over 20,000 nationally.
Volunteer Nyawaraga Cham: 'We don't want to be bad people in this country'. Source: SBS World News
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Rita Modi, another Daughters Of Jerusalem volunteer, says the work can be challenging:
"It's really sad because coming to this country our first aim was seeking a better life and better opportunities for our children, so seeing them [other children] in this situation, it does make me sad.”
The group often provides simple solutions for those in need, such as a lift home, a train ticket or just the right advice.
Apprentice builder Gach Chuol says there were times when his life strayed "off-track" - but advice and time spent with Ms Cham and the 'Daughters' were invaluable.
The group provides advice to those in need. Source: SBS World News
"They observe the role of a mother figure - someone that's loving, understanding, that's going to trust you no matter what you do," Mr Chuol said
"They've personally helped me... just to understand the meaning of life."
But the volunteers can only do so much. South Sudanese community leader Kenyatta Wal is pushing for more African welfare workers to provide culturally specific programs.
Gach Chuol, right, says the support he received was invaluable. Source: SBS World News
"We have so many young people who are graduates, who are just looking for work and could not even get an opportunity to start with," Mr Wal says.
"If the various organisations here in Dandenong can be able to employ these young people - African or South Sudanese - I think that will make a very big difference."
Victorian Multicultural Affairs Minister Robin Scott says he sees merit in the concept.
“It's important that the services that assist a community reflect the diversity of our society and that's something we're looking at in government,” he said.
Until then, selfless volunteers of the Daughters Of Jerusalem will continue to walk the streets.
- This is the second part of an SBS World News series of special reports focussing on the South Sudanese community in Australia.
- Sunshine, a new four-part drama series starring Anthony LaPaglia, is about a young South Sudanese-Australian basketballer who dreams of playing in the NBA and premieres on Wednesday, October 18 at 8.30pm on SBS.
