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When Yarrie Bangura arrived in Australia aged 11 in 2004, she brought with her an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to give back to her new country through a homemade ginger tonic recipe. Fifteen years later, with the support of the SSI Ignite® Small Business Start-ups initiative, Ms Bangura has been able to take a much-loved family recipe and empower herself and others by developing “Aunty’s Ginger Tonic” into a fully-fledged business. The recipe originated in Sierra Leone, West Africa,…

Like his father before him, Mohammed Reza built a successful business that brought smiles to people’s faces, serving freshly made Iranian-inspired sweets, ice cream and juice from his store in Merrylands. Mr Reza learned the trade from an early age, helping in his father’s shop in Abadan, Iran, and dreamed about one day owning his own shop and exporting Iranian products to the world. “Half that dream has come true when I built my shop,” Mr Reza said. “And the…

Once the dazzling capital of ancient Persia, Esfahan is still known for its unmatched beauty, Islamic architecture and picturesque sights. With the support of the SSI IgniteAbility® Small Business Start-ups initiative, a young baker has spread the name of his hometown to the other side of the world, establishing Esfahan Sweets — a business selling traditional Persian sweet delights on the streets of Sydney. Mehradad Mohammodian, a connoisseur in Iranian traditional pastries and sweets, became the owner of his bakery…

Australia has a proud tradition in volunteerism, as shown by a remarkable 36 per cent of the population aged 18 and over who regularly offer their time to support others. Those who volunteer for SSI are prime examples. The options for aspiring volunteers are endless, although sport, community and education have long maintained their status as the most popular recipients of the volunteering efforts of Australians. SSI volunteer Lewis Klipin is one of over six million Australians who have incorporated…

When thinking of a menu for a celebration, head chef Fatima Kourouche draws inspiration from an important woman in her life — her mother. Among the eclectic spread of dishes on offer at an event held at the Settlement Services International (SSI) Community Kitchen was a yoghurt pasta recipe that Ms Kourouche’s mother cooked for her and her five siblings while they were growing up in Lebanon. “My mum always made that recipe,” said Ms Kourouche, who is the NSW…

With the support of Ignite® Small Business Start-ups, Ed Yousef established a catering service — Syriana Traditional Cuisine — that takes Sydneysiders on an authentic journey through the tastes of traditional Syrian food. Captured is Ed Yousef at the refugee-run café the Four Brave Women in Summer Hill. “Ignite was the initial step which helped me to move forward and establish the business,” he said. Mr Yousef grew up in a family passionate about cooking delicious, authentic food and he wanted…