TRANSCRIPT
Packing is in full swing at warehouse supplying fresh food to customers across Melbourne. And keeping a careful watch over the production line is Mo Nabaei, a refugee from Iran.
“My role is supervisor but actually I do for produce checking quality, checking the item.”
It’s hard work but Mo is grateful for his role at a social enterprise that gives refugees a start. It was the 38-year-old’s first job in Australia. He has risen through the ranks and now leads a team, teaching others like himself.
“Most of the people here is working here is refugee and student and understand each other. Teamwork is very important. And always we say we are one team.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by CEO Cinnamon Evans, who describes Mo as a great role model.
“He's always upbeat and smiling, motivated, enthusiastic, extremely hardworking, always above and beyond. And in his leadership of the team here in the CERES Fair Food Warehouse, he's able to pass those attributes on to others.”
Being part of the team for almost nine years has enabled Mo buy a car and build a new life in Melbourne. But it‘s been a long journey for the electrician and pro-democracy protester, who fled his home in Iran after an uprising in 2009.
“They catch my friends, we've been together in that protest. Some people put mask, their face is not very clear but we didn't do, that’s why our face was clear. And they have a photo and video from us. And my dad and my brothers helped me to run away. I went to one of the uncle farm, very far from Tehran. That three weeks for me is very hard time in the life. I never forgot this one. And my family also never forgot because my mom that time is just crying, because if they catch me maybe I'm not been here now.”
Mo later flew to the Indonesian capital Jakarta, and from there boarded a boat for Australia. Despite assurances it would be a large ship – the reality was anything but!
“This fishing boat, 55 people sit in the one small boat. Everyone gets sick. You can't see anything in the big ocean with a small boat and we don't know you will reach alive or not. And it was so risky.”
Mo recalls that after five difficult days the group from Iran, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka was intercepted approaching Christmas Island.
“The police they catch us and take us there in the detention centre. You cannot go out in one detention – so slowly get boring and little bit get many people get depressed.”
After being transferred to Darwin, Mo spent another year in detention. Almost three years after fleeing Iran, he received a bridging visa and later moved Melbourne. However, new challenges awaited.
“It was so hard for me to connection to people or talking to people because I didn't know any too much English. A very bad situation was there. Without a visa, not work, I don't have any job, I don't do anything.”
It’s this problem that social enterprise CERES FINE FOOD aims to tackle. The Preston warehouse supplies organic and fresh food from 200 Victorian growers to fill online orders, but its mission is far broader.
CEO Cinnamon Evans explains.
“We wanted to offer people opportunities. Often people come with a lot of skills and a willingness to work and a real passion for their new country and a desire to establish a new life. We are really thrilled to be able to provide those opportunities.”
From humble beginnings in the late 1970s, CERES has grown into an award-winning ethical food company. Ms Evans couldn’t be more proud to be part of its success.
“Over 40 years the park has evolved. In the very early days the projects were community gardens and chickens and then the education was established. And then over the years we've grown a group of social enterprises. So we're now quite a large organization spread across four locations in Melbourne's north. About half a million people come through the gates of the CERES park in Brunswick East every year and we also reach another million people online.”
Its workers hail from 25 countries, a diverse team that’s set to grow thanks to a funding boost from White Box Enterprises. That money has paid for a new head office, freeing up community space for other events, according to White Box CEO Mark Daniels.
“They needed 1.85 million to acquire that building and they were not able to raise finance because their balance sheet isn't strong enough. So, what we did was we bought the building, we attracted finance from impact investors, so people who were looking for financial and social returns. And we then signed a lease with CERES. Because we know that work integrated social enterprises are the best organisations from employing disadvantaged people.”
Mo still gets emotional remembering his first life-changing job offer.
“…almost crying, because I get job in Australia. Wow - I have a job, I'm going to work. This is, in that weekend, I can't sleep because that for me was amazing. This job exactly changed my life!”
And this year Mo has even more to celebrate - he has just become a permanent resident of Australia.
“I've waiting for this long time and actually 15 years. My life is changed and it’s beautiful.”
