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Meal packs help out starving Swinburne students in Croydon

Some university students — particularly those from overseas — are finding it difficult to get by with coronavirus killing off their jobs. But a student union has stepped in with much-needed help.

Swinburne Student Union welfare officer Budveen Hewabaddage and activities officer James Atkins at the stall.
Swinburne Student Union welfare officer Budveen Hewabaddage and activities officer James Atkins at the stall.

A Melbourne uni is helping starving students — many of them from overseas who have lost work thanks to coronavirus — with much-needed meal packs.

Swinburne University students union has started preparing meal packs for students, comprising five pre-cooked meals and some groceries which vary from week to week.

Student union president Param Mahal said more than 100 people had taken up the packages in the first week alone, particularly international students.

An example of the meal packs.
An example of the meal packs.

“The government can’t help them … and that’s understandable, but we felt that we can’t just let it go and we should be pitching in because we are for all students,” he said.

Mr Mahal said some students had been getting by on just one meal a day and hoped the packages would help them stay inside and sustain themselves.

“International students … can’t leave, they can’t get money from home because their countries are also in lockdown, they can’t work and their savings are dwindling at a very fast rate,” he said.

The packages are only available at Swinburne’s Croydon campus.
The packages are only available at Swinburne’s Croydon campus.

“The least we could do is get some food to them during this time.

“It’s a blanket program for anyone who needs it and lacks food.”

Students can choose between a vegetarian meal pack or a meat and vegetarian combination.

The program is only operating in Croydon, as the union at the Hawthorn and Wantirna campuses do not have the resources to cook food.

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/outer-east/meal-packs-help-out-starving-swinburne-students-in-croydon/news-story/03da73127556280d8dd6a93c6d2c45d1