Clare McBride-Kelly (LLB (Hons), BAsSt - Current Student)

Congratulations to Clare McBride-Kelly (LLB (Hons), BAsSt - Current Student), our Student Volunteer of the Year (Undergraduate) for 2022.

 

Clare McBride-Kelly and her friends founded The Refugee & Migrant Swimming Project, in memory of their friend and fellow ANU student, Najeeb.

 

The Refugee & Migrant Swimming project provides free, culturally-safe and trauma-informed swimming and water safety lessons to refugees and migrants. The project is partnered with the UNHCR, Companion House and the Migrant and Refugee Settlement Service ACT. It is entirely reliant on community donations, and Clare has raised over $30,000 to cover costs and works tirelessly to secure more funding to ensure the project's sustainability. 

 

The Project is not just a response to Clare and her friends' tragic loss, it is also a way to spotlight the plight of migrants and their trauma. Between 2008 and 2018, 800 people of a refugee and migrant background have drowned in Australia. Clare ensures that no one will experience the loss she has, while honouring her friend's memory and cultivating a stronger sense of community and care between all who participate.