Poonam Arora has dedicated her life to supporting women and providing reprieve to community members facing challenging circumstances.

She teaches university courses in community and family services and has spent over 10 years working with those impacted by family violence.

“The joy is seeing the smile on someone’s face when they realise somebody actually cares for them and is willing to do something for them,” she says. “My motto is always – community supports community.”

Poonam has lived in Melbourne’s West/Truganina for the past 13 years, and in that time, she has seen the community change, grow and develop.

“There are so many gaps in the community services sector, I volunteer with Women of Wyndham, and we try to be as creative as we can to offer help to survivors.”

In the past year, Poonam has been returning eligible drink containers at Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic) Tarneit Central Shopping Centre and using refunds to support local women in need.

“I try to make a monthly trip to return containers,” she says. ”The refund point we use is near the shops, so it’s always a good reminder when I’m going to the shops that I can also stop there and return some containers. Whatever refund I get back can be used to buy someone a coffee or top up my car to make a trip to see them.”

“It doesn’t have to be big, even small things can make a huge difference. More often than not, the real value is in taking the time to sit with someone and listen. A bonus is cultural understanding, since many of the women I spend time with are also from an Indian background.

Alongside culture, isolation can be one of the biggest barriers for women surviving family violence. Poonam emphasises the difference that every community connection can make.

“If they need it, I can accompany women to court, hospitals, the police station, or to organisations like the Salvation Army and the Orange Door.”

Poonam describes her community work as a calling, one that gives her purpose and meaning, and as a mother, it’s also a practice she can share with her daughter.

“I think it’s important to lead by example,” Poonam says. “When my daughter sees me returning containers, she learns the habit and starts to incorporate it into her life as well.”

“We get to tick off two activities at once. We can look after the environment, and we can use the refund to support a real person. It’s like looking after the planet and the people on it at the same time.”

For Poonam, the simple act of returning containers has led to building community and making sure everyone feels seen, heard and helped.”
To find out more about CDS Vic, visit cdsvic.org.au