There are many words to describe what Good Karma Networks do; support local community, provides the opportunity for to connect with others and all of this amplifies the impact of interactions within our community.
In each of our testimonies from various GKN members from numerous areas, the feeling of being connected stands out.
Being connected means different things to different people, take Raina Reyes from the Brunswick Good Karma Network. Raina first saw a flyer advertising Brunswick Good Karma Network in a local Yoga class. Raina had just moved from Vietnam to Melbourne and was feeling overcome with how to connect and gain support with no family and only a handful of friends to lean on.
These are her words, “We had just moved to Melbourne from Vietnam in 2017, and without any family and only a couple of friends here in Melbourne, we were feeling completely overwhelmed by everything. A month after moving here, my car was stolen from our driveway, and I just felt that there was no one we could ask for help - even the police couldn't offer us any help, their advice was to just wait for the car to turn up!”
“We had heard so many great things about this city, but found ourselves struggling to find things to enjoy about it. Since joining BGKN, I have felt so supported by the kindness of strangers who have not only provided us with help and advice when we needed it most but have also introduced us to so many things we have learned to love about our local community”.
To Raina, the Good Karma Network means “Supported” and since joining in 2017, Raina has been amazed by gaining “so much more local knowledge compared to when we first arrived, we are always so happy to share what we've learned from others in the community. Local advice makes such a huge difference, and I find it amazing that sometimes the people who need help literally just live next door to me - which makes providing help quicker, easier and more relevant!”
Raina says, “As a migrant to Australia who has been so used to being a part of a close-knit community, it can be incredibly isolating and overwhelming to be in a new country. BGKN has been absolutely essential in helping us feeling included, supported and welcomed. It has definitely been one of things we love the most about Melbourne and has contributed greatly to our decision to stay here long-term and call this place our home.
