Sanctuary Appeal

Dear Sanctuary NR supporters

We have an urgent need to raise $10,000 so that we can continue to provide interest free loans to refugee families who seek our assistance.

As many of you would know, Sanctuary NR has been operating a revolving Loan fund for many years. Loans have assisted many refugees to fund their airfares once they have had Visas approved.

In recent years, we have also been helping families who initially resettled in Lismore through Sanctuary NR, to fund Visa applications for relatives who are still refugees. 

Why do we need additional funds?

In the past the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has provided loans for 75% of the airfare cost for Humanitarian visas and Sanctuary NR has funded the remaining 25%. This has meant that loan amounts were kept relatively low, and our funds could support more people. Unfortunately, this arrangement is no longer available, so loans for airfares are much larger now and our funds have become stretched. 

The urgent need

We have two recent and urgent loan requests that we have agreed to support. 

1. Airfares for a family of 7 who have been granted their Visas. 
2. DNA testing for a family Visa application which is in process and which we have helped support. This payment is needed before 6 September 2023.

The families requesting these loans are known to Sanctuary NR and originally settled in Lismore. Although they have now moved away, we retain a personal connection.

We are aiming to run some fundraising events, but the need is more immediate, so we are asking members and friends of Sanctuary NR to donate to our Loan fund now, if they are able.

Donation details

If you would like to help us meet these requests, please use payment details below.

To donate to the Loan fund, you can transfer by EFT into our account....
Sanctuary Northern Rivers
BSB: 728-728
Account number: 25806710
Reference: YourName-LoanFund

Please also send an email to the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to advise of your deposit. This will ensure that we can email a Tax receipt. Donations over $2 are tax deductible.

Alternatively, you can donate via credit card through our Give Now portal. Tax receipts are also provided through Give Now.

Thank you for your continued support of Sanctuary Northern Rivers.

Welcome

Sanctuary Northern Rivers is a local community based not-for-profit organisation run by volunteers that assists off-shore refugees to come to Australia under the Government’s Humanitarian Settlement program.  Founded in late 2003, Sanctuary has assisted approximately 200 African refugees to settle in Lismore and Mullumbimby.  It provides advice and sponsorship when applying for a visa under the program, financial assistance in the form of airfares for these people to come to Australia when a visa is granted and personal support throughout the settlement process.  

In addition, it auspices the Universal Declaration of Human Rights project to schools as one of the organisation’s key objectives is to educate young people and the community about the plight of refugees.  Article 14 of the Declaration says people have the right to seek asylum in another country when under persecution in their own country.

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.