Wesa Wai-Sum Chau

Wesa Wai-Sum Chau is a dedicated advocate for cultural diversity, providing leadership in the disability, mental illness, women and international student communities.

In 2002, at the age of only 21, Wesa founded the Australian Federation of International Students (AFIS) to provide support and assistance to international students.

She is a role model for a new generation of young leaders, promoting mentorship and social inclusion for young women from migrant and refugee backgrounds.

Recently, Wesa started a business developing cultural orientations for new arrivals to Australia. She has devised management models that encourage active participation and leadership from people with different cultural backgrounds.

Wesa is an Australia Day ambassador, Deputy President of the Victorian branch of the Chinese Community Council of Australia and received the Melbourne Award (Youth) in 2005.

Wesa was announced as the Young Victorian of the Year in 2010 in recognition of her work for international students, people with a disability and her advocacy for embracing cultural diversity in our state.