Harinder Kaur
providing safety, guidance and practical support to women and children escaping violence.
Since opening, HER House has supported 110 women and 22 children, helping them rebuild their lives in safety. From this cornerstone initiative, the Harman Foundation’ s services have continued to expand.
Today, its core programs include:
• Domestic, family and sexual violence refuge and support services
• A 24-hour multicultural helpline( 1800 116 675), which has received more than 120,000 calls since 2013
• Community food drives and emergency hampers
• Multicultural chaplaincy and bereavement support
• Youth, women’ s and senior empowerment programs.
“ We’ ve had the support of more than 200 volunteers, contributing whatever time they can,” Harinder said.“ We only have one full-time employee. Community support is the backbone of everything we do. It’ s challenging, but it’ s the most rewarding work I’ ve ever done.”
Despite the scale and impact of the foundation’ s work, Harinder says government funding has been difficult to secure.
“ We’ ve applied for assistance, but it hasn’ t been granted,” she said.
While funding remains a challenge, Harinder’ s dedication has not gone unnoticed.
In 2024, she was awarded the Order of Australia Medal( OAM) for her exceptional service to the community.
Her many honours also include:
• Australian Sikh Women of the Year( 2024)
• ZEST Award for Outstanding Community Leadership( 2023)
• NSW Volunteer of the Year – Outer Western Sydney( 2023)
• Blacktown Woman of the Year( 2021). Yet her focus remains firmly on the people she serves.“ When we uplift women, we uplift families, societies and future generations. Empowerment begins with safety and respect,” she said.
Harinder says many people seeking help face complex cultural and social barriers.
“ In our culture, stigma and shame can prevent women from speaking out,” she explained.“ There are language barriers, visa concerns, religious differences and fear of what the community might say. Some survivors are also threatened by their partners.”
Education is a critical part of the foundation’ s mission.
“ Many people don’ t understand their legal rights,” she said.“ Some don’ t know the processes around custody or property. That’ s why HER House runs education programs not just for women, but for entire families.”
Harinder believes prevention, education and community support must work together.
“ We don’ t believe women should face this alone. Community is like a village.
If we want stronger generations, we must protect women and that includes educating men as well.”
She also acknowledges the complexity of domestic violence issues within migrant communities.
“ There are cultural expectations, stigma, and sometimes a lack of knowledge about rights and responsibilities,” she said.“ Making information accessible can prevent many problems before they escalate.”
The foundation works not only with survivors, but also encourages perpetrators to seek help, with the goal
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“ We always try to keep families safe and prevent further harm,” she said.“ It’ s painful to see children suffer. We must break that cycle.”
More than a decade after its founding, the Harman Foundation continues to grow— powered by volunteers, compassion and Harinder’ s unwavering commitment.
She encourages anyone who would like to help whether through donations, volunteering or support to become part of the mission.
Contact the Harman Foundation at contactus @ harmanfoundation. org. au
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BLACKTOWN CITY INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine. com. au ISSUE 60 // MARCH 2026 7