Sally Irwin is the founder of The Freedom Hub, a social enterprise that supports survivors of modern slavery. In this issue, she reflects on how the organisation began with a café in Waterloo and grew into a national model for ethical business and how a small café became a base for survivor recovery, ethical employment, and systems change. Social enterprise, she argues, is activism, just done differently.
When I first hung the origami‑butterfly motif in our Waterloo café, it wasn’t just décor, it was a message. A whisper that small, intentional acts can trigger a butterfly effect of big change. Behind those wings lies the heartbeat of The Freedom Hub and our journey into social enterprise.
Why The Freedom Hub took flight
In 2012, I returned from Berlin, where I’d witnessed firsthand the horrors of human trafficking. But what truly shocked me was discovering that modern slavery was happening in Australia, too.
Here, it looks like a woman cleaning hotel rooms, unpaid and unseen. A man on a farm, his passport confiscated. A child forced into a marriage. A young woman, groomed and sold for sex.
There’s a conservative estimate of 41,000 people in slavery in Australia today. That number breaks my heart, and it fuels our mission.
I knew I had to act. Government efforts were too slow and underfunded. But business, I believed, could be nimble, sustainable, and powerful enough to drive change.
That’s how The Freedom Hub began: a social enterprise café, with 100% of profits funding long-term recovery through our Survivor School. Today, we are Australia’s only independently funded, wraparound care provider for survivors of slavery.
Social enterprise: activism reinvented
When people think of activism, they often picture marches or petitions. But social enterprise is a modern form of community action, activism backed by business strategy, ethics, and impact.
Our café and event venue in Waterloo isn’t just a coffee stop. It’s a space for survivor voice, for human rights education, and for people to take everyday action that matters.
From coffee shop to community HQ
When I opened the café, I thought the profits might support a few survivors referred to us by The Salvation Army. But the need grew fast. More survivors reached out. More businesses wanted to help.
So our café evolved into a headquarters for community-powered impact. We began hosting corporate events, product launches, team offsites, birthdays, and even bar mitzvahs. Every single function became a freedom-funding force.
With 100% of profits going to our cause, we’ve helped hundreds of survivors. In fact, 75% of our graduates enter work or education within 12 months, often through jobs with our ethical business partners.
It’s where community, creativity and action blend. A simple coffee fuels recovery. That café counter became a hub for storytelling, awareness, and connection.
Turning purpose into systemic change
In 2018, the Australian Modern Slavery Act required large companies to address slavery risks in their supply chains. I knew we had the unique experience to lead, not just comply.
With a background in corporate procurement, 40+ years in business, and 15 years supporting survivors, we launched our B2B model:
Ethical Business Services and Ethical Business Catering. Through training, advisory, and survivor-informed compliance support, we help businesses lift humanity in the workplace. We co-design policies with lived experience. We build trauma-informed cultures, not just tick boxes.
Feeding people. Fuelling freedom.
To complete the model, we added catering for local businesses. But our catering isn’t just food, it’s food for thought. Every order funds Survivor School. All suppliers are vetted for slavery risk. You’re not just feeding people. You’re funding freedom.
What community action looks like today
Waterloo has been our launchpad and our classroom.
For us, action isn’t just lobbying. It’s being an ethical business. It’s helping employees become advocates. It’s giving customers the power to align their spending with their values.
It’s a café that doubles as a safe space.
It’s events with purpose.
It’s supply chains that empower.
It’s a local business driving national impact.
I invite all locals to be part of this movement. You don’t need a protest sign to make a difference. You just need to choose where to spend, where to host, and whom to partner with.
Visit The Freedom Hub and follow us on LinkedIn to join the movement.