Liz continues to support disadvantaged communities in Asia
A highly qualified nurse, medical anthropologist and former senior lecturer in the School of Health, and retired associate professor at Deakin University, Elizabeth Hoban has continuously studied ways to help people in need: the poor, the disadvantaged, and those living predominantly in rural areas across Asia.
In 2003, this widely recognised, compassionate woman established the ‘Hope Project Cambodia’.
It aimed to offer a better life to a group of local women to assist them to sew and market a range of nightwear, caftans and robes — all produced in top quality 100 per cent cotton, in a range of styles and colours suitable for men, women and children.
The proceeds were to be used to enable children to attend school, improve older students’ future employment opportunities, fund scholarships and to enable girls who lived too far from a school to be housed in hostels and take part in leadership programs.
Hope Project Cambodia has not just changed the lives of each of the students but their entire families.
It is a commercially-based organisation that works to break the poverty cycle of families living in outer rural areas.
The women work under fair trade conditions and the beautifully sewn nightwear, made with quality cotton fabric, purchased by Elizabeth in both Bangkok and Singapore up to three times a year, is eagerly sought-after by delighted shoppers for its rare quality.
A devoted humanitarian always seeking ways that will benefit the people of Cambodia, Elizabeth recently launched her latest venture, online shop ‘Hope and Dreams Sleepwear’.
“It’s now time to embrace a new era in e-commerce, and we are excited,” she said.
“It’s the result of a long friendship with my very good friend, Bunhoeun, who was project manager at Hope 20 years ago in Cambodia.
“She was also my research assistant for my PhD fieldwork conducted in Banteay Meanchey Province.
“Hope and Dreams Sleepwear is a collaboration between original makers Sangkem, who designed and made the Hope nightwear, Hope Project Cambodia, who will receive 30 per cent of proceeds and Hope and Dreams Sleepwear.
“It is bringing the business and lives of rural Cambodians into a new era.”
Elizabeth has formed strong friendships across the board in Cambodia and is treated with great respect by locals, business people and government officials, all of whom she communicates with, in the Khmer language.
She has an adopted son, Ly, who was just a young boy when they travelled to Australia more than 15 years ago.
Elizabeth is the eldest daughter of Anne and the late John Hoban, and a groundbreaker for her four highly educated sisters and brother.
If readers are interested in the sleepwear, may I suggest they check out ‘Hope and Dreams’ at Hope Project Cambodia on Facebook.
I can personally recommend the quality of the beautiful fabric and skill that goes into this wonderful sleepwear.
VCE students take time out
A group of VCE students from Cobram Secondary College took time out recently from their busy schedules to enjoy lunch together before getting back to their studies in what is undoubtedly the biggest year of their school lives.
The five friends have all set big goals for the future and appear determined to give it their best shot with just five months of the school year left before their final exams.
The girls are aiming high for a variety of degree courses at university which include, medicine, law, real estate, psychology and teaching, keeping them extremely busy until exam time.
It’s a tough assignment but the students are up to the challenge and hugely determined.
Once the year is over they can celebrate and enjoy a long break and perhaps decide to take a gap year and look at their future options or head off into the adult world in 2025 to begin their life’s trajectory at university.
Whatever their decision, it is theirs to make — 13 years of schooling has given them the right to decide their futures.
Ukuladies podcast
A recent performance at Thoona CWA by talented musical group the Ukuladies, resulted in Country News inviting the group along to do a podcast last week.
The CWA was enthralled with the group’s performance and sent a video copy to Shepparton News.
Just six members of the talented group were available to showcase their combined musical talents that day, and after performing two selected songs, were interviewed for the podcast.
The Ukuladies are eager to hear their performance and interview, which is yet to be edited prior to the broadcast.
On the way to Shepparton for their appointment the ‘girls’ discovered they had a flat tyre.
Not to be deterred, two of the Ukuladies set to work while parked precariously on the edge of the road to jack up the car and change the offending tyre.
While they removed it and replaced it with the spare, they were not entirely confident they had tightened the bolts sufficiently.
Coming to their aid was a kind chap who stopped to offer them a hand and soon were back on the road, making it just in time to the Shepparton News. A flat tyre was not going to stop them.
Can Hannah bring home a medal from Paris?
Top Australian women’s golfer Hannah Green, who took out the Cobram Barooga Webex title in 2022, is kitted out in the green and gold over the next two weeks as she proudly represents Australia in Paris.
In Tokyo, in 2020, she tied for fifth place but today the 27-year-old, one of the hottest upcoming players in LPGA women’s golf, has risen in the world rankings to number seven, and hopefully can go that bit further to bring home a medal from the 2024 Olympics.