Stories, Style and Enterprise: An Evening with In Her Name
Event Information
What does it really take to build a business in the fashion, design and lifestyle industries as a young woman in Melbourne?
Hosted as a free public talk, this evening of industry insights is presented by In Her Name, a national scholarship program delivered by the Australian Multicultural Foundation in partnership with the Carla Zampatti Foundation that honours the legacy of the late Australian designer and businesswoman Carla Zampatti AC.
It's your chance to hear from six Victorian founders from first generation migrant and refugee backgrounds who have developed their businesses with the help of In Her Name. Browse their collections, hear their stories and be among the first to discover the emerging business as they trade in a retail environment for the first time during a two-week pop-up residency at South Melbourne Market.
Presented by In Her Name by the Australian Multicultural Foundation in partnership with South Melbourne Market and supported by National Fashion College.
About In Her Name by the Australian Multicultural Foundation
In Her Name is a national program built in the name of Carla Zampatti AC one of Australia's most celebrated designers, and a migrant herself. Delivered by the Australian Multicultural Foundation in partnership with the Carla Zampatti Foundation, it exists to resource, connect, and platform the untapped and underutilised talent of young multicultural women.
We are building an ecosystem that resources young multicultural women of Australia financially through scholarships, connecting them to mentors and networks, platforming their contributions and creating programs that generate meaningful pathways.
Carla Zampatti arrived in Australia as a migrant and became one of its most influential voices. In Her Name exists so the next generation of multicultural women can do the same leading beside her, rising with her.
Meet the Founders
Aayushi Khillian
Founder of Body Buddies. Aayushi is a 25-year-old social entrepreneur, founder of Body Buddies and recipient of the 2026 In Her Name Business Scholarship. Body Buddies is a social enterprise creating organ-shaped plush toys, scrubs and accessories designed to make health education more accessible and engaging for young people and families. Since founding the business during the pandemic in 2021, Aayushi has donated and fundraised more than $330,000, supported more than 50 non-profit organisations and distributed more than 2,000 toys globally.
Donna Sherwani
Founder of Kind Rebel. Donna is a human rights lawyer, peace scholar, author and founder of Kind Rebel, a social enterprise building values education for young people globally. A refugee from childhood, Donna arrived in Australia at thirteen and has built a life and business grounded in the belief that kindness is not weakness. Kind Rebel’s founding book, The Way of the Kind Rebel, launches in 2026. Alongside it, Donna produces a range of bucket bags inspired by her refugee experience of carrying water, creating a distinctive retail offering connected to the wider story and purpose of Kind Rebel.
Henrietta Amevor
Founder of The Good Gratitude Journal. Henrietta is an actress, group facilitator at Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre and founder of The Good Gratitude, a wellness organisation and product brand responding to social isolation and loneliness. At the heart of her offering is The Good Gratitude Journal, a self-reflection tool designed to support mental wellbeing through gratitude practice. Since launching in 2024, she has sold more than 800 journals, received a micro-grant from Blackbird Foundation, secured sponsorship from JD Sports and hosted an international journalling event in New York for International Women’s Month.
Mona El-Rahi
Founder of Henna HQ. Mona is an artist and the founder of Henna HQ, a creative enterprise built on a commitment to accessibility and ethical practice. Her journey began at 16 when, unable to find anyone willing to teach her the art of henna, she taught herself. That experience became a founding principle of the business: that others should not face the same barriers she did. Over the past seven years, Henna HQ has grown from a creative outlet into a structured enterprise, delivering workshops for councils and non-profit organisations, increasing community access to the art form and establishing Mona as a recognised leader in her field.
Murzal Azizi
Founder of Hoori Handmade. Mursal is a multidisciplinary artist, social entrepreneur and refugee from Afghanistan, now based in Melbourne. She founded Hoori Handmade in 2025, a social enterprise connecting Afghan women artisans with global markets through traditional Afghan embroidery and handmade products. What began with 36 women has grown to 75 artisans, most of whom are the sole income earners for their families. The enterprise launched through a Creative Australia-funded exhibition at Next Wave in Melbourne, attended by the Governor-General, who purchased works from the show.
Natacha Adanlessossi
Founder of AFRO Hair by Natacha. Natacha is a 2022 In Her Name alumna and one of the program’s most compelling success stories. Based in Ballarat, she built AFRO Hair by Natacha in direct response to a gap in specialised Afro hair services in regional Victoria. What began as a service-based business has evolved into a vertically integrated practice. Natacha has developed more than 15 Afro hair products alongside a range of face and body soaps, all formulated to support Afro hair but accessible to any customer. She brings an established client base across regional Victoria and Melbourne and the experience of an In Her Name alumna who has continued to build her business since receiving her scholarship.
Event Details
- When is this event?
Tuesday 20 October 2026, 6:30pm-7:30pm.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity