Five Year Grandma

80% of high school students of migrant background indicated they have experienced racism in school, with the majority of them taking no action to report it. These attitudes and behaviours which young children learn at school carry over into their adulthood. A separate Scanlon Foundation report on Social Cohesion said 99% of young adults with university education agreed that accepting immigrants from many other countries makes Australia stronger.

“Five Year Grandma” is a deep look into the impact of one-sided assimilation and uncovers incredible Australian history not taught in schools or even known by the general population . It brings to light history of Indians during “Australian discovery” times and even well before that.

It also sheds light on brutal “Girmit” history.

When slavery was abolished the British used loopholes to bring indentured Indian labours that faced a horrific famine, to work on European settler sugar plantations around the world in slavery conditions.

“Five Year Grandma” will shed light on the damaging effects of assimilation. Immigrants pushed into an “all or nothing” approach to Australian culture, resulting in children ostracising themselves from their culture and self, to great detriment.

It aims to give Australian’s, particularly youth, the knowledge that they don’t need to give up their culture in order to be Australian.

Five Year Grandma is now being developed into a docu-series.

Five Year Grandma aims to harnesses the strength of local, state and federal youth, education and cultural organisations to develop cultural awareness and anti-racism amongst school children around Australia as part of their curriculum. It will be the vehicle to construct a national curriculum that fits within the education sector.

Using existing research, Five Year Grandma will aim to significantly decrease instances of racist behaviour and attacks in high schools around Australia.

Producer / writer / director Ravi Chand is of Fijian-Indian heritage and been working with Indigenous and Hindu Elders around the world.

1. Viewers to ensure their local school is implementing the Five Year Grandma curriculum to tackle racism in high schools around the country.

2. Contact their local member to ensure their local school is implementing the Five Year Grandma curriculum to tackle racism in high schools around the country.

3. Advocate on social media for their networks to watch the documentary.