DAVID ADAMS reports on an Australian initiative which has been helping international students weather the coronavirus crisis…
Melbourne, Australia
A pop-up grocery story in the heart of the capital of the Australian state of Victoria has fed thousands of international students in recent weeks after the coronavirus pandemic plunged many into food insecurity.
Operated by Foodbank Victoria, the International Student Pop-Up Grocery Store – which is located in the UEM Sunrise Auroa Melbourne Central complex on La Trobe Street in Melbourne – is assisting almost 2,000 international students a week. The store, which is open for three days a week, provides free fresh food and other supplies to students who are experiencing food insecurity as a result of the COVID crisis.
Foodbank Victoria CEO Dave McNamara and Ong Chee Wei, Director of UEM Sunrise in Australia. PICTURE: Supplied.
International students have faced particular hardships in many cites around the world during the crisis. Many in Melbourne have been unable to return to their home countries and have seen employment opportunities curtailed particularly during lockdown periods. They are not generally able to access governmental financial supports which have been available to Australian citizens during the pandemic.
Dave McNamara, CEO of Foodbank Victoria, says international students have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic.
“Many international students were supporting themselves by working within industries that had been completely shut down during the lockdowns.”
– Dave McNamara, CEO of Foodbank Victoria.
“Many international students were supporting themselves by working within industries that had been completely shut down during the lockdowns,” he said in comments emailed to Sight.
Citing the findings of the 2020 Foodbank Hunger Report, he said it showed that of the 7,000 students surveyed, 63 per cent of them had lost part-time work due to coronavirus-related restrictions.
“Unlike others, international students were also unable to access certain government support programs and many were unable to return home due to travel restrictions and COVID-19 lockdowns. Essentially, our international student community were unable to work and support themselves, isolated from their friends and family, and unable to return home.”
Students from more than 70 different nationalities have visited the store witth the highest numbers coming from China, India and Vietnam. They have been enrolled at more than 230 different learning institutions across the city.
“Many students report that they can now eat healthy fresh food for the first time since the crisis began – which is helping both their physical health and concentration levels around exam time,” said McNamara.
“Others have said the money they are saving on food can now be used to pay rent and utility bills. Others have said it has enabled them to continue to support family members back home, many of whom rely on the part time work of these students here in Australia to feed extended family or pay medical bills.”
Ong Chee Wei, director of UEM Sunrise in Australia, said the organisation was proud to provide rent-free retail space for the store.
“It’s been a difficult year for many globally, and the UEM Sunrise team wanted give back by working with a non-profit organisation to use one of our retail spaces to create a positive community impact in Melbourne,” she said.
The pop-up store, which is operating until the end of December, has also received support from the Victoria Government and tertiary educational institutions including the University of Melbourne, RMIT University and the Kaplan Business School. Coles provided a free “supermarket-style” fit-out for the store.
Correction: This article initially said the project has received support from the City of Melbourne based on supplied information. That has been corrected to the Victorian Government.
