The diverse nature of society was evident on Thursday when the Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council held a pop-up market at its Barkly Street welcome centre. With craft items being sold by budding entrepreneurs, the benefits of a united society were on display.

One stall holder, Nyibol Deng, has lived in Ballarat for 15 years. She emigrated from South Sudan to escape war, coming to Australia via Kenya.

"It's been a long journey," Ms Deng admitted.

Ms Deng is one of many migrant women who have created a small enterprise to establish independence and contribute to the town.

"My business' name is Atuk," Ms Deng proudly said.

"I make cushions, pillow cases, scarves, napkins, and face masks."

Another stall holder, Mary Top, also of South Sudan, arrived in Ballarat at the age of 21. She had fled to Egypt before travelling to Australia. For Ms Top and her then-husband, leaving South Sudan was their only option. She is still able to describe their mentality at the time.

"We have to leave," Ms Top said, taking herself back to the time.

"This is not a place for us. There is no future for us so we need to go somewhere."

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Having had to endure a 12-month wait in Egypt, during which Ms Top fell pregnant, the couple were faced with an unenviable situation. They were compelled to leave their one-month old daughter.

"When we did our (immigration) forms, I wasn't pregnant," Ms Top said.

"The (immigration) process took 12 months and I got pregnant. The baby wasn't part of the plan. We were approved, we got our visa, and they said, 'What are you going to do (now that there is an unaccounted-for baby)?'

"We had to leave the baby. She was in Egypt for 12 months. It was horrible."

Ms Top further explained the dilemma.

"A tough decision had to be made. My ex-husband decided we (needed to) leave Egypt. The life was difficult, the food, the shelter, there was no support. We needed to take this opportunity," Ms Top said.

"There was a lot of people encouraging me, saying 'A lot of people have done that. Your child will come in a month'.

"When we first got here, immigration (officials) said, 'How can you you leave a child? It must not be your baby.' We tried to tell them the situation. They did not accept it."

The Lutheran Church came to the couple's rescue. The church provided funding for all manner of requirements, including a DNA test, a pram, clothes, and a plane ticket. Unable to fund an additional plane ticket, the family was again aided by another's decency.

"One of our friends went to Egypt for a holiday," Ms Top explained.

"It happened at the same time as the visa was granted."

The friend returned with the baby, Nyadoar, now 15 years-old.

Ms Top acknowledges the positive intervention of others in her journey.

"Sometimes, people come into your life at the right time," she said.

"They came at the right time and we feel very blessed because we couldn't have done it without them."

Ms Top's story is one of courage and commitment. When she arrived in Ballarat, she had no money and she could not easily communicate.

"I could not speak one word of English," Ms Top said.

"A home tutor would come in and try to teach me how to read and how to write, how to speak."

Ms Top knew she had to grow in other ways as well.

"There was a lot of people supporting us," Ms Top said.

"We thought, 'We have the ability to do something'. We wanted to be a part of the community, to give to the community what it has given to us."

Ultimately, Ms Top was taught to sew. She began a business, named Mat Tetni (Hands Joined Together), making aprons from old jeans. Tea towels linked to traditional culture are now also produced.

Feeling blessed in Ballarat, Ms Top aims to assist other women.

"We are helping other women stand on their feet," Ms Top said.

"It can be hard, but it can get better. If you don't have a job, you can create a job."

Amongst market traders from distant parts was Lance Jewell, 75, a retired jack-of-all-trades and member of the Ballarat Community Men's Shed. Mr Jewell indicated he had not had an easy life.

"Thirteen years ago, I had a blockage in my artery to my brain; I could have died. The doctor told me, if it had gone to my brain, I would have had ten to fifteen seconds to live," Mr Jewell described.

"Last year, I had pains in my stomach; I found out I had an infected gall bladder. They kept me in hospital for a week, then sent me home. A week later, the pain's there again. I went to hospital and they had to take my gall bladder out. I was home for four days. I got pains in the stomach again. It was 28 August.

"On 29 August, I died. They don't know why my heart stopped. I went into a coma. I came out of a coma. I'd lost 15 kilos. Three days out of the coma, I couldn't get out of bed. Then I was in rehab for five weeks.

"So I appreciate my life."

Despite hurdles experienced, Mr Jewell enthusiastically displayed his handmade wooden treasures, like clocks and toys, at the market. He was taken with the vibrant items being offered at the surrounding stalls run by migrant women who had brought with them to Australia a desire to create and a love of colour.

"The colours coming out of other countries are unbelievable," Mr Jewell observed.

Although possessing an entirely different background to many of the stall holders, Mr Jewell shared a similar dedication to giving back to Ballarat.

"The Community Shed here offers people (the chance) to come, relax, have a cup of coffee, have a laugh, or have a joke," Mr Jewell said.

"You don't have to do anything. If you want to make anything out of the wood, they give you the wood. It offers comfort. You can come and have a talk, read the paper."

Like the others there on Thursday, Mr Jewell embraced the notion that simple actions can have large impacts on others.

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