Not breakfast, not dinner! … women are busy with their own lives, work, family, and recreation … so lunch it is. Fearless Women is hosting a series of lunchtime talks throughout the year. Our little lunches will bring women (and men) together for networking and for inspiration from an interesting and notable female speaker.

3 Women, Many Miles with Greta Mauwa, Viola Kalokerinos and Zakia Patel

Fearless Women invites you to an afternoon of empowerment, connection, and inspiration.

Guest Speakers:

Greta Mauwa - Greta is Fearless Women’s Program Coordinator. She has been in Australia just over 2 years, coming from Zimbabwe. Mid-career, with experience working in community development and as a gender advocate, is gaining her Australian qualification as a psychologist. Bringing about positive and lasting change to the lives of girls and young women in a new country, with a new workplace culture and cold weather has been exhilarating, exciting, and at times exhausting.
Viola Kalokerinos - Viola came to Australia from Greece in 1975 as a new bride. She had been working in Athens, a city of more than two million people and came to Canberra, that had a population less than 200,000 people. She could not speak the language and found the food very different – but adapt she did. Working alongside her husband, they owned the Curtin milk bar which became renowned for its pizzas. In her later years, after selling the shop, Viola became increasingly involved in the community and to commemorate Canberra’s 100th birthday, she was one of 100 women honoured by UN Women for their contribution to Canberra.
Zakia Patel- Zakia has a passion for using her skills to support marginalised communities, with a particular passion for working with young people and women. Zakia is the Executive Director of the Multicultural Hub Canberra, with responsibilities for Multicultural Centres in Canberra as well as Queanbeyan, Goulburn and Cooma. Zakia has over a decade of experience working in the community sector, and holds a Bachelor of Law/Economics. In addition to her professional work in the community, Zakia has been a volunteer with the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) for 16 years and is the Unit Commander for the Queanbeyan SES Unit with over 100 volunteers. Zakia is passionate about encouraging and empowering migrant women to volunteer in a predominately male dominated industry and to challenge the cultural stereotypes that impact women being able to volunteer in these types of industries.

Discover the inspiring journeys of three remarkable women who left their homelands behind and faced the challenges of starting over in a new country—navigating unfamiliar cultures, overcoming obstacles, and building new lives from the ground up.

All proceeds will support Fearless Women’s mission to empower and uplift women in our community.

Venue: Canberra Bowling Club, 25 Hobart Avenue Forrest

Cost $55

Lunches will be provided. Seating for this event is not assigned.