Pinay receives Chief Minister's Medal in Australia

Published March 29, 2012 6:00pm

Leony Bowey, a Filipina based in Alice Springs, Australia was awarded the Chief Minister’s Medal for her outstanding service to the multicultural community there. A news release of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the awarding ceremony was during the Northern Territory Harmony Day celebration at the Parliament House in Darwin last March 20. Bowey was commended for assisting migrants in Alice Springs. "The award, which was bestowed by Northern Territory Chief Minister Paul Henderson, is in recognition of Ms. Bowey's outstanding service to the multicultural community in Alice Springs, Northern Territory," the DFA said. Bowey started the Multicultural Playgroup (now the SusuMama Playgroup) and is one of the founders of the Multicultural Community Services in Central Australia. Her achievements include:

providing transportation to mothers and babies to attend the playgroup sessions
home and hospital visits to new mothers and babies for emotional support and comfort
the organization of specialist clinics for the needy members of the community
helping newly arrived migrants to settle into the community
interpretation and translation services
assisting in the relocation of migrants and refugees and their families
assisting migrant women in availing of women's health services
facilitating information sessions on Australian law practices on health, domestic violence and the general legal system
hospital visits of terminally ill migrants , and
assisting in multicultural fundraising events and community awareness gatherings.

Philippine Ambassador to Australia Belen Anota lauded Bowey as a "role model worthy of emulation by other migrants, especially our kababayans in Australia." — VVP, GMA News

Tags: australia, pinoysinaustralia, pinoyachievers