🌟 This Christmas, Open the Door to Opportunity with Western Chances 🎁
Rotary Melbourne's Christmas Appeal recipient in 2024 is Western Chances.
At Western Chances, young people are at the heart of everything they do. Their dreams for a brighter future inspire us to break down financial barriers, open doors to education, and light the path to success.
📚 Why support Western Chances?
Since 2004, they've transformed lives in Melbourne’s west:
✨ $9.4 million invested in scholarships for over 10,000 young people.
✨ Provided 4,067 students with the tools to overcome barriers.
✨ Empowered youth through leadership and confidence-building programs valued at $5.1 million.
✨ Delivered outstanding Year 12 completion rates, helping young people achieve their dreams.
Rotary Melbourne has been a regular supporter over the past 20 years, helping young people's dreams come to reality.
Through scholarships, opportunity programs, and ongoing support, we don’t just help young people achieve their goals - we empower them to return to their communities with knowledge, skills, and hope.
🎄 This Christmas, every donation fuels a spark.
Help a young person dream big, ignite their potential, and love their journey. Together, we can uplift the community, one scholarship at a time.
👉 Donate today and be the reason a young person thrives.
or contact the Rotary Office.
Here are just a few of the students Western Chances have awarded scholarships to over the years (view all stories here on Western Chances website):
Ellen, 14, is in Year 9. She excels in STEM subjects and also enjoys her studies in humanities.
“My goal is to be a kindergarten teacher. I’m one of five and I look after my younger siblings. I really love kids. My mum works two jobs and because we’re a single parent family, things are difficult financially. It was hard to find the money for textbooks and things like that. The Western Chances Scholarship helped me buy books for the year, and a laptop. It felt good to have the stuff I needed. It’s hard to find the right books second hand, I was worried about that. Mum was very proud of me when I was awarded the scholarship. Western Chances does very good work. I’m so thankful that I’ve been given this opportunity.”
Geu, 24, holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil and Infrastructure) (Honours) degree from RMIT University and is working as an engineer for Major Road Projects Victoria. He has been a Western Chances Scholarship holder throughout university.
“At school my strengths were science and problem-solving, so engineering was a logical career choice. Also, I spent seven years in a refugee camp when I was young and saw first-hand the negative impact that underdeveloped infrastructure can have on people’s lives. I wanted to make a real difference. Because of the Western Chances Scholarship I was able to cut back on my part time work, focus more on my studies and buy essentials like a laptop and textbooks. That was fantastic. And it’s been inspirational to meet other Western Chances students who have the same drive and mindset as I do. The support I’ve received from Western Chances makes me determined to succeed. It’s a great organisation and I’m so grateful for their help.”
Sammie is in her final year of a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil and Infrastructure) (Hons) / Bachelor of Business (Management) degree at RMIT University. She is undertaking an internship with a major commercial construction company.
“A career in building and construction is totally right for me. It’s long hours, but I love the mix of office work and being on site in my hard hat! I wouldn’t be where I am without my Western Chances scholarship. It gave me the opportunity to prepare for VCE exams. Without that stepping stone I wouldn’t have had the marks to get into my course. Coming to university from a less privileged background is harder. Reducing the burden on my parents was a great feeling. It’s fantastic to be backed by an organisation where people believe in me. I’ll always be grateful to Western Chances and I’ll do whatever I can to help them now and in the future.”
Saeed arrived in Australia in 2012 as a refugee from Afghanistan. A very talented maths student, he works part time in a restaurant on weekends.
“School is great. I love learning new things every day, solving problems and building my knowledge. Maths is my favourite subject. It’s hard at home for my parents to manage when they don’t have work. They help me as much as they can and they want me to get a good education. My scholarships have covered my textbooks, a desk and tutoring in English, because it is an important subject and I want to do well in VCE. I’m very serious about my studies. I know that I wouldn’t have been able to get these things if it wasn’t for Western Chances. I’m really Sa
grateful and so is my family. It means less stress for them and for me as a student. In the future I want to become an architect or a civil engineer, designing and creating practical buildings.”
Learn more about Western Chances
