Sallymatu Kuyateh fled a war-torn Sierra Leone for Australia in the early 2000s.
Now the Logan local runs an organisation helping others struggling with the same challenges she faced in her new home two decades ago.
Sierra Leoneans in Queensland (SLiQ) is a volunteer-run organisation, founded by Ms Kuyateh and four of her friends three years ago.
Ms Kuyateh founded the group to raise community spirits, improve cultural bonding, and create a reliable support network for a group of people without in-person access to their extended families.
“We were lacking in community spirit because we were not coming together as a community to celebrate,” she said.
“There were a lot of quarrels in the community, and people not talking to each other.”
SLiQ was among 224 community organisations in 2025 that received a grant of up to $2000 in Australia Post’s ‘People of Post’ grant scheme.
Ms Kuyateh plans to use the funds to address mental health concerns in the community.
“In our culture, most people don’t admit when they are going through mental health issues,” she said.
Many in Sierra Leone and Australia who suffer from mental health episodes rely on their families for support.
But for migrant communities, this is often not possible.
“Back home, everybody is supported by their families. Coming here, most of us are single families in the sense we don’t have our extended families with us here – they are overseas.
“The aim of this project is to let people know that it is okay to admit when you are going through rough times.
“We don’t expect you to do it all by yourself.
“This is the help you can get depending on whatever you are going through, and these are the people that you can call on or you can go to when you need help.
“It’s just giving out the information to people and letting them know that, yes, we can trust the community.”
Monthly meetings, where quarterly celebrations are organised and support strategies are devised, have boosted communication and connection in the community.
Recently, a community member of SLiQ passed away. Together, they supported each other and raised funds for the family members affected by the death.
“We were able to raise funds and give the family support after her passing,” Ms Kuyateh said.
SLiQ plans to host a ‘Christmas in July’ celebration and in September a Father’s Day celebration to match the Mother’s Day counterpart they held in May.
“We just try as much as possible to bring people together every quarter to celebrate,” Ms Kuyateh said.
This year to celebrate Sierra Leone’s Independence Day, 27 April, SLiQ held a small celebration for the community to participate in.
“We did just a family day, we went to a hall where people wore their African dresses, we had a barbeque, some drinks, and cultural performances just for ourselves.”
