“Four Walls and a Future”

Originally from Zimbabwe and having lived across four continents by the age of nine, Wendy and her family experienced homelessness firsthand. Like many others facing housing insecurity, they considered themselves simply “in between places.” This is where the story of housing insecurity begins.

In 2025, there were 15,623 women over the age of 55 experiencing homelessness across Australia, including 6,268 women in Victoria without access to a bed. Many of these women become highly skilled at making housing instability appear normal while continuing to balance work, finances, and the everyday demands of life.

The goal of Avenir is to work with what already exists by modifying older homes in Ballarat to provide independent accommodation for multiple women. The initiative aims to identify underutilised or vacant properties across Ballarat and repurpose them into safe, sustainable housing. The wider Ballarat community is encouraged to assist Wendy in identifying suitable properties.

The plan is to complete one house as a pilot project which, if successful, could be expanded across the Ballarat region. Initially funded through philanthropic donations, the project is designed to become self-sustaining through affordable tenant rent contributions.

There are still important considerations to address, including determining who will manage the properties. The focus of the project is prevention — providing stable housing before women reach crisis point — rather than emergency accommodation.

One powerful message shared today was the importance of women keeping their cars registered, because for many, a car may one day become their only form of shelter.