Tenth International Conference on Health, Wellness & Society

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is fundamental to social integration, especially for migrants displaced from their home countries due to political, economic, and environmental disruptions. Women tend to bear much of the burden for re-establishing their families in a new country. The survival strategy of Migrant African Women Entrepreneurs (MAWEs) aims to avoid poverty and the discrimination that can be encountered in the mainstream labour market. Entrepreneurship benefits the individual, contributes to economic stability, and builds sustainable communities that are accepting of migrants. Migrant women are almost always responsible for child-care and home management, responsibilities that often lead to work and family conflict. The expectations regarding family responsibilities are underpinned by cultural norms which act as a significant barrier to venturing into their own business. Constraints associated with commitment to traditional family roles and responsibilities are pronounced among migrant women. Participants in this study bring with them potentially valuable cultural, social and economic ties to the region. They are hard-working migrants with a diverse and rich cultural background that can contribute to growing Australia’s strength and affluence. MAWEs, as minorities, face barriers concerning language, racism and prejudice that do not confront non-migrant entrepreneurs. This too is a barrier to achieving economic and social inclusion. In North Queensland, MAWEs represent a growing proportion of the self-employed, and many are now opting for autonomy and the return on investment that business ownership promises. This paper discusses the importance of entrepreneurship in building sustainable communities and the challenges this marginalised group faces.