How Bendigo Foodshare Is Empowering the Karen Community
As Bendigo Foodshare’s Youth Project Officer, Eh Thout leads community initiatives that empower young people to become more food secure. Through hands-on food growing and cooking programs, she helps build practical skills while encouraging positive community action and advocacy. These programs not only increase knowledge of food security but also work to reduce stigma and barriers around accessing food relief.
Eh Thout’s journey is as inspiring as the work she leads. Born in the Nu Poe refugee camp in Thailand, she moved to Bendigo at the age of 8. Now a proud member of the city’s large Karen community, she’s passionate about bridging the cultural and environmental gaps in gardening practices.
Gardening is deeply rooted in Karen culture, but growing food in Bendigo’s climate and soil is vastly different from the warm conditions of Myanmar or the refugee camps of Thailand. In partnership with Bendigo Community Health Services and Long Gully Community Garden, Eh Thout has developed Karen-language resources to help community members adapt their traditional skills to local conditions. These include guides on soil improvement, seasonal planting, and building wicking beds – empowering families to grow culturally relevant produce in their own backyards.
While participants have learned a lot about gardening in Bendigo, the real magic lies in the exchange of knowledge. During a volunteer pilot at Bendigo Foodshare’s Golden Gums market garden, Karen volunteers shared their own farming techniques with young staff, creating a sense of teamwork, contribution, and mutual respect. Volunteers also gained benefits in physical health, social connection, English language development, and a deeper sense of community service.
In recognition of her leadership and impact, Eh Thout was awarded the 2024 City of Greater Bendigo Youth Award for Social Inclusion – a testament to her dedication to building a more connected, food-secure community.