Heam Elasmar goes above and beyond to support community.
Since retiring in 2021 after 23 years assisting locals as an electorate officer in Cooper, Heam has been relied on in the Lebanese community for those who cannot navigate government departments, such as grants, aged care, NDIS and immigration. For this community work, Heam received the Australia Lebanon Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s International Women’s Day March 2022 award.
She’s also the president of the Deir El Ahmar Region Melbourne, a group formed in 2017 to help those experiencing hardship in Melbourne and in Heam’s village, Deir El Ahmar, in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley.
Heam was a founding member of the Australian Lebanese Women’s Christian Group, helping women connect around Melbourne regardless of religion. The group continues to grow across all age groups, providing networking, day trips and events.
Until recently, Heam volunteered on the governance committee at the Jika Jika Community Neighbourhood Centre.