Dushy

dushy

Meet Yumba-Meta Ltd CEO Dushy Thangiah, whose contribution to the community has been recognised with the 2019 Telstra Businesswoman Award for Purpose and Social Enterprise.

WORDS BY KYLIE DAVIS

Dushy Thangiah

Matthew Gianoulis Photography

It was a lucky day for Townsville when Dushy Thangiah moved from Darwin to join her husband, who’d taken up a position at the Townsville Port Authority. Originally from Sri Lanka, Dushy has community welfare at heart and her contribution to the region speaks for itself.

“Since I became CEO, Yumba-Meta Ltd has grown from a housing provider managing 33 properties to a multi-faceted organisation that now manages 140 long-term tenancies,” Dushy says.

“We house and support some of the most marginalised people in our community, helping over 500 people every day. Through the assistance provided by Yumba-Meta Ltd, many of our clients have gone on to sustaining tenancies, improving their health and being able to manage addiction issues and gain employment. “I feel very blessed to be able to do what I do.” Being awarded the 2019 Telstra Businesswoman Award for Purpose and Social Enterprise in March was a career high for Dushy.

“The whole experience was unreal. I met so many inspirational women and made so many connections,” she says.

“This award will open a whole new world for Yumba-Meta Ltd as people realise community organisations can be powerful agents for change when well-managed. I’m so proud to showcase our amazing organisation.”

Of course Dushy’s job comes with its challenges too…

“As the leader of an organisation that assists people experiencing vulnerability, we come under the scrutiny of media and the biases of the community,” she says.

“The leadership challenges in the community service sector are unique. One needs to have faith in the purpose, be resilient and commit to the task if we are to succeed.”

Fortunately for the North, Dushy has all of these qualities and more.

WE HOUSE AND SUPPORT SOME OF THE MOST MARGINALISED PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, HELPING OVER 500 PEOPLE EVERY DAY.

Dushyanthi Thangiah holding her award with (L-R) her sister Githa Sekaram and daughters Shruthi and Ashvini.

Photo: Courtesy Telstra Businesswomen Awards 2019

As a grassroots organisation that listens to the community and tailors solutions to meet their needs, Yumba-Meta is ever-evolving. Currently the team have four new projects on the go, so there’s no chance of Dushy slowing down.

“We’re currently working with a highly reputed national provider to establish meaningful programs to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth,” Dushy says.

“The goal is to reduce and eventually eliminate the high representation of Indigenous youth in the juvenile justice system. We also have a project aimed at improving educational outcomes for Indigenous children through an innovative program targeting school retention.”

Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander clients travelling to Townsville to access the Townsville Hospital and health services will also be happy to hear a purpose-built facility to support them is underway.

“Our program will provide accommodation and social and emotional support to clients who experience vulnerability in a new environment,” Dushy says.

“Construction has also commenced on Yumba- Meta’s first specialist disability accommodation.”

Yumba-Meta’s project is different in that the client has been involved from concept to design completion.

“We strongly advocate for community-driven solutions to achieve real and lasting solutions,” Dushy says.

“We’re very excited by the pace at which the projects are progressing and are looking forward to seeing the benefits these programs will bring to the community.”

www.yumbameta.com.au