Gold Coast Bulletin Women of the Year by Harvey Norman nominee Manuela Whitford

Manuela Whitford is a conduit for hope for survivors of domestic violence. See your latest Gold Coast Bulletin Women of the Year by Harvey Norman nominee.

Manuela Whitford is the Founder/CEO of Friends With Dignity, a charity that provides practical programs to assist survivors of domestic violence. Picture Glenn Hampson

Manuela Whitford is a conduit for hope for survivors of domestic violence.

The mother of three and Angel Among Us Gold Coast Bulletin Women of the Year by Harvey Norman nominee founded the national not-for-profit Friends with Dignity in 2015.

The organisation has completed over 755 homes across the Gold Coast, south east Queensland, Perth and Newcastle working with agencies and refuges to furnish empty houses with everything from white goods to soft furnishings and food.

“We provide everything people would need to start their life afresh,” Mrs Whitford said.

“We also have our scholarship program which runs biannually that offers a child up to $500 each and we’ve helped just over 1000 children to date.

Manuela Whitford is the Founder/CEO of Friends With Dignity, a charity that provides practical programs to assist survivors of domestic violence. Picture Glenn Hampson

“These children often just ask for a pair of shoes – it’s just amazing to see how the dollar can help somebody that already has such financial burden.

“If it’s not shoes it’s help to go to a camp and we all know how isolating domestic violence is already. To further isolate these children or these families is wrong so if we’ve got the means and the resources to help them, why not.”

Mrs Whitford was born in Mozambique and grew up in South Africa. The registered nurse for over 25 years said she was fortunate to be sponsored by Queensland Health to come to Australia and saw Friends with Dignity as her chance to “give back”.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to bring my family along and live in a safe and peaceful place and this is my turn to give back,” she said.

“The concept of Friends with Dignity came from witnessing victims of abuse becoming perpetrators themselves during my time as a health care provider in the prison system.

“It was a cycle I couldn’t stand back and watch happen so what we do is provide practical and tangible help not as a hand out but as a step up.

“I have been a victim of assault myself, not from domestic violence but from the ongoing violence in South Africa – people just watched and nobody stepped in to help me. Now I’m just fortunate to be in a position where I can help.”

Mrs Whitford said she was humbled to see the cycle of abuse change for many thanks to the help and generosity of the local community.

“Kudos to the Gold Coast community for being so giving. We couldn’t do this otherwise.

“I’m just so happy I could be the conduit of that and just give people who have been exposed to domestic violence a new path,” she said.

“We had people who were helped by us who are now volunteers with us and that within itself speaks volumes.

“We had people that had been set up in a home that are phoning us saying because of us they’ve been able to start again. That inspires me to do more because we’ve now given them that step up – it’s about giving people dignity, hope to move forward and believing in them. It’s not about: ‘oh you’re a victim, poor you,’ it’s going: ‘okay, we’re going to do something about this, get behind you and walk with you and get you sorted’.”

Nominations close on August 1 followed by a glittering awards night dinner to announce the winners on September 16 at Star Gold Coast. For more information or to nominate visit www.womenoftheyear.com.au

Originally published as Gold Coast Bulletin Women of the Year by Harvey Norman nominee Manuela Whitford