Sydney Lithuanian Women’s Social Welfare Society

After the Lithuanian community settled in Sydney, many organisations began to emerge, and Lithuanian-style social and cultural activities flourished. However, women were always needed behind the scenes—for assistance, organisation, and preparations. Much of this work was being done informally and separately in different districts, but it was clear that a coordinated effort was lacking. There was also an urgent need for structured social support work, which could only be addressed by a unified women’s organisation.

At the time, there were already small groups of women active in charitable efforts under the Sydney District Council, as well as in areas like Bankstown and Cabramatta. While these groups weren’t yet united under one body, their efforts laid the groundwork for the creation of a formal organisation.

Recognising this, the Australian Lithuanian Community (ALB) Regional Board—particularly its social affairs representative, Vytautas Simniškis—took the initiative. On 18 March 1956, he convened the founding meeting of what would become the Sydney Lithuanian Women’s Social Welfare Society. Attendees included: Mrs. Ona Osinienė, R. Klimaitytė, Cecilija Protienė, Jadvyga Venclovienė, Bronislava Jarembauskienė, Pajauta Daukienė, Wilhelmina Jonaitienė, Elzbieta Kapočienė, Elena Badauskienė, Sofija Dryžienė, A. Zigaitienė, Ona Grosienė, and Marta Cibulskienė.

At this meeting, Simniškis spoke about the vital role an organised women’s group could play in the life of the Lithuanian community—emphasising its independence and self-governance. The idea was unanimously supported, and the Society was formally founded. Its first board was elected with Ona Osinienė as chairwoman, and R. Klimaitytė, Marta Cibulskienė, Bronislava Jarembauskienė, and Elzbieta Kapočienė as members. K. Narbutienė and Cecilija Protienė were selected as board candidates.

The community quickly felt the impact of this new organisation. The Society rapidly expanded its membership and activities, focusing on social service and charity. Within a few months, the board was restructured, and the organisation became a central part of community life. However, the women of the Society felt that their work should not remain limited to behind-the-scenes tasks or private gatherings.

In 1962, they decided to register officially with local authorities as a charitable organisation. On 25 January 1963, the group became legally recognised as the Sydney Lithuanian Women’s Social Services Association, with its own constitution and formal regulations. It was one of the first officially registered Lithuanian organisations in Australia. This step enabled the Society to organise public fundraising events, such as raffles and lotteries, and manage financial resources for charitable projects—including the acquisition of property.

A major goal of the Society was the creation of a retirement home for Lithuanian seniors—a place where they could live out their later years in dignity and among their own community. Through persistent effort, and with support from government programs, the Society acquired a two-acre plot of land in the suburb of Engadine, a location both beautiful and convenient. With further effort and assistance, including help from the Lithuanian SSR, the dream of a “Lithuanian Homestead” began to take shape.

Tanija Simniškienė, one of the Society’s founding members and most active leaders, chaired the organisation from 1959 to 1961.

As the name suggests, the Society’s work began with practical assistance to other groups: helping the sick, supporting those in distress, preparing food and hosting events, and raising funds for charitable purposes. Despite the demands of such work, the Society took on the ambitious challenge of building a Lithuanian Home for the Elderly—a project many considered too large to be led by a women’s organisation. But the Society’s determination only grew stronger.

Following registration as a legal charity, the long and difficult journey to realise this vision began. Finally, the Engadine land was secured, and financial support was obtained to build and furnish the facility. After 15 years of effort, the results were clear: six brick houses, housing 12 apartments, were completed and fully occupied by members of the Lithuanian community, forming a close-knit and caring environment. If not for the economic downturn in Australia, which led to the suspension of government grants, the project might have been completed even sooner.

Despite the scale of the Lithuanian Homestead project, the Society never lost sight of its original mission. Assistance to the living remained a core part of its work—but care for the dead also became part of its service. The Society arranged funerals for many lonely Lithuanian compatriots, maintained their graves, placed modest headstones, and managed their affairs with dignity and compassion.

The Sydney Lithuanian Women’s Social Welfare Society remains a testament to what can be achieved through unity, determination, and community spirit.