A collective of passionate women taking action to tackle local disadvantage have seen essential local projects funded, and the results are starting to take shape.
Amy Colli, co-ordinator of the Northern Rivers Community Foundation’s (NRCF) Women’s Giving Circle says, ‘The goal is to have 100 women donating $1,000 annually, so we can gift $50,000 each year to grassroots women and girls empowerment projects’.
‘The remaining $50,000 grows the Northern Rivers Women’s Fund, which guarantees projects will be supported each year into the future’.
A postpartum care program recently received a $25,000 grant, which greatly expanded its capacity to support culturally safe postpartum care for Indigenous mothers.
Kirilly is a proud Barkindji woman who collaborates with The Returning Indigenous Corporation in facilitating the program.
She told The Echo, ‘Ongoing colonisation has significantly impacted First Nations women’s maternal and infant health’.
‘Pregnancy, birth and child-rearing practices which have been in place since time immemorial have been disrupted, which affects mums and bubs health over many generations.
First five years critical for long-term health
‘Recent research has highlighted the critical importance of the first five years of life for lifelong health, influencing the likelihood of developing diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, which disproportionately affect our communities.
‘At The Returning, we believe that supporting First Nations mums and bubs with culturally safe care and nutritious ancestral foods during postpartum, will help to foster a foundation of lifelong health from the beginning.
‘The support from the Women’s Giving Circle has enabled us to cook with local volunteers in a commercial kitchen, and collaborate with local Widjabul Wiabul chef Mindy Woods to bring mums the best healing foods with native ingredients from beautiful Bundjalung country.’
To learn more about joining the Women’s Giving Circle, visit www.instagram.com/nrcfwomensgivingcircle and nrcf.org.au/womens-giving-circle.
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