Positive Ageing

Everyone has their story. So too Italian women who came to Australia in the 1950’s and 1960’s. These women’s stories are very similar, and yet each one is unique.

They all made the long sea journey from Italy to Australia. They all left behind parents, siblings, friends, not knowing when or if they would ever see them again. Some came with family, some with husbands. Many came alone to a husband they had not seen in years or to a fiancé they hardly knew. Once here they all confronted a new country, a new culture and language and the imperative to adapt, survive. They all worked hard, raised families, contributed to their communities and prospered. Each woman did this in her own unique way.

In collaboration with the Office for the Ageing through the Positive Ageing ProjectAustralia Donna volunteers have recorded and transcribed the stories of some of these women. As part of this project the volunteers have introduced the women to computers and assisted them in learning how to access the internet, the Australia Donna website and eventually their own stories on line. In turn the women have taken to the opportunity of developing their computer skills with enthusiasm.

Now well into their eighties, these women look back on their life and the courageous journey they embarked on over fifty years ago with a positive, benign perspective. Their remarkable strength and courage shines through their narratives and the spirit of their youth lives on in their words.

Australia Donna wishes to thank the Office for the Ageing of SA Health for their financial support with this project. We also wish to thank the Coordinating Italian Committee for their continued support, Anna Sheridan, professional translator, for her valuable work, and finally, the project coordinator, Francesca Sasanelli, and volunteers from Australia Donna for their very generous contributions of time, effort and ideas to this project.

Giuliana Otmarich
Australia Donna Committee, November 2014

Click on the names below to read these women’s stories: