Economic empowerment

Teaching First Nations women it’s OK to stand up and be leaders

“The first time I visited Balgo, the local women cried,” says Bianca Long. “It made me realise how welcome I was. It really warmed my heart.”

Balgo (Wirrimanu), is one of Australia’s most remote Aboriginal communities, located in the south-east Kimberley region of Western Australia.

There’s little in Balgo. It’s a town of red dirt. The football field is gravel. The population of 500 people includes over eight First Nations language groups.

With limited job opportunities, people have to make their own.

That’s why, thanks to you, Mary Ward International supports Bianca’s work at Piriwa.

Through the Piriwa Enterprise Hub, Bianca, also known as ‘Jaru girl’ on her fashion label, visits frequently as a business development mentor.

Bianca works with local First Nations women to develop financial literacy, to create products and businesses and acquire the skills they need to succeed.

“I work with the local women to teach them about printing and designing clothes,” says Bianca.

“The goal is for Piriwa to develop their own fashion label and for the women to learn about fabric printing and design and making clothing via upcycling, as well as business and selling.”

Their goal is to have a range of locally produced or upcycled clothing products for the Kimberley Showcase In 2025.

“We hope to have young women model and be photographers.”

“We’ll have a market at the showcase, which will help raise funds and also help young women learn financial literacy.”

“We sell through the Piriwa op shop and aim to sell online as well.”

Their plans are modest – photography, retail, fabric design, soap making, clothing upcycling.

“But,” says Bianca,“It’s not just about skills, it’s about leadership development too.”

“I’m teaching them to be stronger women who can speak up and lead the change in economic development.”

“We need to empower more women to become leaders in their communities for their families and generations to come. It has a multi-generational effect.”

“And it’s good for the community because everything they do through the Piriwa op shop comes back to the community. Selling clothes and the fashion label gives them money to take young people out on country as well as older people and keep people strong and promote wellbeing.”

“And it teaches them that it’s OK for women to stand up and be leaders.”

“By me coming out and giving them these opportunities it makes the women at Piriwa feel strong and right,” says Bianca. Thank you for making that happen.

Transforming lives, tackling climate change: An Interview with Maria Tilman

In August, Mary Ward International Australia board member Alzira Reis sat down with Maria Idalina Tilman, the coordinator of HAFUCO, to discuss life, climate change, and its impact on women and their communities. The following is an insight into their conversation, exploring the origins of HAFUCO, its response to environmental challenges, and the collective’s approach to empowerment and sustainability.

Maria Idalina Tilman, the coordinator of HAFUCO (Haburas Futuru Komunidada – Growing the Future with the Community), shed light on the origins and evolution of this transformative collective. Founded in 2014, HAFUCO currently has eight dedicated members, five women and three men. The group’s mission is to provide women with economic and leadership opportunities, guided by the core values of equality, empowerment through sharing, learning, and enacting change.

The collective’s agricultural programs focus on growing chickpeas, taro, and other crops, coupled with training for women and youth on food processing and preservation. These efforts aim to diversify food sources, mitigate hunger during climate shifts, and improve nutrition through cooking demonstrations for pregnant and lactating mothers.

Economically, HAFUCO enhances family income by selling products at markets and fairs, while also providing leadership training and constructing a training room funded by Mary Ward International and our supporters. The room has proved a valuable resource for HAFUCO and other local organisations striving to advance their mission.

Climate change and environmental impact
Climate change poses significant challenges to the communities within HAFUCO’s network. It disrupts agriculture, reducing daily food availability and household income and contributing to poverty. In response, HAFUCO implements strategies to counter these effects. They provide training on food preservation to ensure long-term sustainability, diversify local products, and manage seeds effectively for continued agricultural activities. Despite these efforts, challenges persist, such as the high cost of renting equipment like hand tractors.

Empowerment and community model
Operating as a collective rather than a hierarchical organisation, HAFUCO fosters mutual contribution and decision-making, particularly benefiting women in the community. This structure offers flexibility in food processing and income generation. An example of empowerment is seen in how the collective supports idea-sharing and decision-making during meetings, rotates production schedules, and strengthens collaborations with neighbourhood groups. These practices bolster individual members and promote a resilient and collaborative community model.

Sustainability and future outlook
Sustainability is a core focus for HAFUCO, ensured through regular seed storage, enhanced marketing efforts via social media and local stores, and collaboration with agricultural fairs. The collective faces challenges, including the high cost of renting agricultural equipment. Looking ahead, HAFUCO aims to expand its membership and production, enhance training activities in more villages, and continue inspiring others with their approach. The government has recognised HAFUCO’s success as best practice, setting an example for other groups in modern agricultural techniques.

Inspiring collective change
For Maria, the most rewarding aspect of her role with HAFUCO is the ability to inspire and lead, particularly in public speaking and coordination. A standout story involves her colleague, also named Maria. Over time, Maria’s improved skills in food processing and income generation have improved her confidence in leaps and bounds, as well as the respect and confidence of her family, illustrating the collective’s impact on individual lives.

HAFUCO continues to drive positive change through dedication and collaboration, proving that a community-focused approach to agriculture and empowerment can yield extraordinary results.

Sukhni and Binita Oraon, sisters from Sukna, West Bengal, were raised in a community where their parents, like most, worked long hours at the tea plantations for marginal wages. Although they went to school, they had little else to occupy their time as children. Most evenings and weekends were spent doing household chores, helping mothers in the plantations or aimlessly roaming the streets. When the Darjeeling Mary Ward Social Centre (DMWSC) began the "Sukna Jute Program" under the Ethical Enterprises initiative, the sisters were among the first few students. Eleven years later, they are now teachers in the program, empowering other girls from their community.

Sukhni and Binita's classroom is not only a place where girls learn to make jute products but a space where friendship blossoms, stories are shared, and knowledge is gained about how to identify and protect themselves against child marriage, domestic violence, trafficking, and child abuse. The sisters themselves acquired vast knowledge from the program and now aspire to share the same with the girls from their local community. With the income earned from teaching and selling their jute products, they are each pursuing their bachelor's degree with the dream of becoming teachers at the local university.

"Being associated with this program and DMWSC has given us the confidence, the independence and the faith to dream big and dream for more. We have received immense knowledge, life skills and support from the Sukna Jute Program. From the income earned, we are now pursuing our higher studies. We recently bought a bike to help with transportation, especially at night, and aspire to build a permanent house for our mother.

“Initially, our community hesitated to change and frowned upon us because we continually defied their ways. We also faced many difficulties, especially with the elders, when we encouraged the other girls of our community to be self-reliant and confident in their rights, but now, with help from DMWSC and our own unbreakable spirit, we have been embraced by our people, they even come to us with their problems and trust and respect us – this change is our most significant achievement."