Karen community celebrates football premiership in Australia
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Ah Nee Nwe led the Nhill Tigers under-14s team to their first football premiership in 28 years in Victoria, Australia, becoming best on ground in the victory over Ararat.
Nwe, whose family migrated from Myanmar as part of the Karen ethnic group, only began playing Australian Rules football seven years ago. He and several teammates were born in refugee camps before coming to Nhill, where they now make up around 10 percent of the town’s population.
Margaret and John Millington helped bring Karen refugees to Nhill in 2010 to work at Luv-a-Duck, a local duck meat producer, and the community has since embraced them. The Millingtons and others noted the Karen people have contributed significantly to the town beyond employment, revitalizing the Nhill Football Netball Club by filling junior ranks. Tracey Bell, a club volunteer, worked to build trust with Karen families, helping them integrate into the team and community.
The influx of Karen children allowed the club to field a competitive under-14s team, ultimately winning the grand final with significant support from the wider community. Nwe hopes to become the first Karen player in the Australian Football League, believing it would bring pride to both his community and the town of Nhill.
