SydWest CEO named Blacktown Woman of the Year

“EDUCATION is the key to empowerment” — this is the core philosophy of Elfa ­Moraitakis, CEO of SydWest Multicultural Services, who was named Blacktown City’s Woman of the Year.

SydWest CEO Elfa Maraitakis is passionate about empowering women.

• Disease a ‘silent killer’
• Greens hopeful in Labor heartland

“Education is the key to empowerment” — this is the core philosophy of Elfa ­Moraitakis, the chief executive officer of SydWest Multicultural Services, who was named Blacktown City’s Woman of the Year.

The community advocate, who has more than 25 years’ experience in developing services for linguistically disadvantaged communities, believes domestic ­violence and employment are the two major issues ­affecting women, especially in Blacktown.

“We have at least one ­person a day coming into the office as a victim ­of domestic violence,” Ms Moraitakis said.

“With Blacktown projected to grow in the coming years, the people projected to be coming into Blacktown will be young mums and newly-arrived communities, such as from Syria.

“These are people who want to build businesses.’’

Ms Moraitakis said while government might fund job programs they were not ­always appropriate for ­migrant communities.

“Giving a phone and computer to someone newly arrived won’t work,’’ she said.

“We need to hold them by the hand and assist them. My role is to identify new opportunities to meet needs.”

Ms Moraitakis received the award at Blacktown Council’s International Women’s Day breakfast last Wednesday.

“It’s hard enough for women out there,’’ Ms Moraitakis said. “Let alone when we start talking about women that come from ­diverse backgrounds. It’s just another hurdle.”

She said she was honoured and humbled to receive the award.

“When my staff said they wanted to nominate me, I said ‘this is simply our job’,” she said.

“The most important thing is to empower young women and girls, so that they can believe in themselves. And empowerment comes through education. That’s all it takes.”