Filipina-Australian-founded social enterprise enabling businesses run by refugees & asylum seekers
Average Reviews
Description
ABOUT
Welcome Merchant is the liaison between refugee merchants and the wider community in Australia
How we started Welcome Merchant began in March 2020 as a simple Instagram account created to spotlight refugee and asylum seeker–owned small businesses. At a time of growing uncertainty, we wanted to create space for connection and recognition. The response was immediate, and people were eager to support, share, and celebrate these businesses. What started as a digital initiative quickly grew into something much bigger — a national platform offering real visibility and opportunity to creative merchants across Australia.
Who we are Welcome Merchant is the only platform of its kind in Australia dedicated exclusively to promoting businesses and artists from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. We are an independent social enterprise, run without government funding and driven by the belief that creativity and entrepreneurship should be supported and celebrated, regardless of where someone comes from.
We work to connect communities, break down barriers, and shift the narrative around what refugee-powered businesses can be by centreing recognition, access, and genuine opportunity.
What we do We run a free online directory that features more than 160 businesses and artists from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. These include fashion labels, food ventures, art studios, and more. Each listing opens a story, a culture, a community.
But we’re more than a directory. Welcome Merchant also curates real-world experiences such as pop-up markets, dining clubs, cooking classes, exhibitions, and storytelling events that bring people together in meaningful ways. These events generate income, spark conversation, and build confidence.
We deliver practical support through workshops in areas like accounting, digital skills, social media, and legal basics which help business owners grow with confidence. Our popular gift hampers, created in collaboration with our featured merchants, offer another way for individuals and organisations to support and connect.
Why we do it Entrepreneurs from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds bring a wealth of creativity, resilience, and vision, but often face systemic barriers such as limited networks, visa restrictions, language challenges, and reduced access to capital. These challenges can make it harder to grow and sustain a business, despite the strength of the ideas behind them.
Welcome Merchant exists to shine a light on this entrepreneurial talent by creating space for it to be seen, valued, and supported. We work alongside business owners to share their stories, expand their reach, and foster opportunities for growth. Our focus isn’t just business. It’s community, connection, and building a platform where everyone can thrive on their own terms.
