VAAN’s Afghan Community Hub, established in March 2022, continued to serve as the heart of our work. It enabled deeper collaboration with government departments, refugee advocacy groups, faith leaders, mainstream services, and community organisations. Through the Hub, we delivered structured multi-session group programs such as Emotional Management workshops, Parenting classes, Citizenship and Australian Values courses, Digital Literacy training, Male Club programs, and one-off group sessions on Tenancy Rights, Consumer Protections, Gambling Harm Reduction, Taxation, Health and Wellbeing, and Education Pathways.

In the 2024/2025 financial year, VAAN’s first year of delivering the SETS Program achieved strong outcomes, reflecting the community’s trust and reliance in our services. During this period, 800 new clients were registered on the DSS Portal, 3,537 participants were recorded at the VAAN office for direct support services, and a total of 1,516 support sessions were delivered. These results highlight both the scale of community demand and VAAN’s commitment to providing culturally appropriate and high-quality settlement support.

Cultural and community events remained central to VAAN’s role in fostering belonging, identity, and multicultural harmony. The Nowruz Festival at Dandenong Park, Victoria and most likely Australia’s largest Afghan cultural celebration, drew over 10,000 participants each year. In 2025, the festival reached new heights, with a budget of $180,000 generously supported by sponsors and partners. Other signature events included the Nowruz Gala Dinner, Refugee Week celebrations, Youth Week events, Children’s Week event, Iftar Dinners, and the Afghan Sportswomen Appreciation Celebration (the first of its kind in Australia). These events not only brought our community together but also built bridges with the wider Victorian society.

Our advocacy work has also remained strong. VAAN continued to raise the concerns of Afghan refugees and asylum seekers, including those on SHEV and TPV visas, while promoting pathways for education, employment, and social inclusion. We engaged closely with decision-makers and advocacy bodies to ensure that the Afghan community’s voice was heard on key issues, particularly around settlement challenges, family violence prevention, and digital and social inclusion.

Feedback from stakeholders, community members, and government partners has consistently highlighted VAAN’s effectiveness in fostering community connections, preventing family violence through education, supporting small businesses, and promoting Australian laws and values. Our role in bridging services with communities and building networks across cultures has been widely acknowledged.

In conclusion, the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 financial years have been transformative for VAAN. We have secured critical funding, expanded our programs, and strengthened our role as the largest Afghan umbrella organisation in Victoria, representing several member associations. I am proud of what we have achieved together and deeply grateful to our executive team, volunteers, sponsors, and partners whose contributions have made this success possible.

As I conclude my presidency, I look forward to continuing to support VAAN in new ways and remain confident that under future leadership, our organisation will grow even stronger and become more impactful.

Sincerely,
Hafiz Asadi
President
 Victorian Afghan Associations Network Inc.