Jimmy Nguyen, Business owner

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Resident of Sunshine

Local business owner of Essence Dry Cleaners Yarraville

I fled Vietnam for Philippines in 1987, risking my life for happiness and freedom. Along with friends and family, we crossed the Pacific Ocean over 6 days 5 nights, exposed to the elements and short of food and water. We arrived at Palawan Refugee Camp before Australia welcomed us. I arrived in Australia with just the clothes on my back and thongs.

In searching of freedom, I knew I had to keep a sense of appreciation for everything Australia has done for me.

With the practice of meditation and values from Initiatives of Change (IofC), I’m able to run my business with utmost integrity and bring values into everyday life and at-work practices. I have two businesses – LCN Fashion which produces Australian-made, high end female fashion garments and Essence Dry Cleaners with alterations in Yarraville. LCN Fashion was recently accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia and I hope to do the same for Essence.

I feel connected to the Yarraville community vibe; my life choices have led me here and I live my life by taking less, and giving more.

One day I was serving a lady at Essence, with an open heart exchange and turned out she used to volunteer in Palawan Refugee Camp teaching English back in 1982. She didn’t teach me as I arrived in 1987 but she could have taught my uncle who was there then. I didn’t charge her for the dry cleaning service as it was my way of saying ‘Thank you’ on behalf of Vietnamese refugees in Palawan. Better yet, she actually lives in Yarraville!

I now call Yarraville and Australia home. This is where I received a second chance – to live, to grow and learn that freedom must never be taken for granted.

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