Olá!

If you’re here, you probably know us. You’ve read our story, seen our posts, shared your support—and we are so, so grateful. Thank you for listening. Thank you for standing with us. Thank you for not looking away.

We’re Matheus and Diogo—two migrant workers who poured everything into building a life in Melbourne. We worked in hospitality with heart, dedication, and love. We believed in our workplace. We believed we were helping build something good.

Instead, we were exploited. And when we spoke up, we were punished.

We paid for our own visas—tens of thousands of dollars between us, including a forced trip for an offshore application. We were made promises about support, stability, sponsorship—but behind the words were manipulation, underpayment, fear, and silence.

When I (Matheus) asked for a commission estimated in at least $17k that I was contractually owed after helping land the biggest gig the business ever had, they retaliated. They denied it. They revoked my access. They tried to erase my work. Then, without even a direct conversation, I was made redundant through a third-party firm—costing me not only my job, but my visa. Diogo lost his too.

We had to leave Australia. Not by choice—but because we had no choice left.

We didn’t sleep. We didn’t eat. We cried in silence and in rage. We watched everything we’d built disappear overnight, knowing that it wasn’t just bad luck—it was done to us. Intentionally.

We were left with shame, heartbreak, and the devastating reality of starting over—again—while the people who hurt us kept smiling for social media, pretending nothing happened.

We lost our income, our home, our visas, and our future. We lost the friends we made, the safety we built, the life we loved. And we lost so much money—visa costs, broken lease contracts, relocation, emotional and legal support. All of it. Gone.

Since we shared our story, many of you have reached out with support. Some of you said, “You should start a GoFundMe.” Others asked, “How can we help?” That’s why we’re doing this—not out of expectation, but out of openness. You don’t have to feel pressured to donate. Just being here already means so much to us.

We don’t feel proud of doing this. We feel exhausted. Angry. Embarrassed, even. Because this isn’t how it was supposed to go.

But the truth is, what happened shattered our trust—in fairness, in safety, in everything we thought we had earned.

That’s why your presence here matters. Every word of support helps piece back something that was ripped away.

But if you are able to support, in any way, it will help us get back on our feet. It will help us recover even a small part of what was taken from us. It will help us start again.

Since we don’t have Australian passports, which are necessary to access the funds, our friend Gab is kindly helping us create and manage this fundraiser.

And if you’re someone willing to share a larger amount and would like to exchange that support for design work we can do, please don’t hesitate to reach out and discuss it. We’d love to offer something meaningful in return.

Because what happened to us is not rare—it’s just rarely talked about. And we’re not just trying to survive this—we’re trying to expose it.

Hospitality in Australia runs on migrant labour. On visa holders. On people like us. And we deserve better.

Thank you, again, for everything. Truly.

To our friends in Australia: thank you for making those years the most beautiful and meaningful of our lives. The friendships, the laughter, the shared meals, the dancing, the quiet support. All of it mattered. Australia gave us unforgettable moments, unforgettable people. And although our time there ended painfully, we’ll never forget the kindness and joy you gave us.

This fundraiser is not just about survival. It’s also our way of saying goodbye—for now. We hope to meet again one day, under better circumstances, with open arms and stronger hearts.

With love and rage,

Matheus & Diogo

You can read our full exposé here:

4 Letter Tacos

We’ll be sharing regular updates, thank-you notes, and everything we learn along the way.

Your support helps us survive—and helps make sure this never stays hidden again.