By Isaac Murphy
NATIONAL Close the Gap Day on March 19 gives the public the chance to celebrate the history of Australia’s Indigenous peoples’, but also serve as a reminder of the inequalities Indigenous Australian’s still face.
Caritas Australia’s Manage Your Income, Manage your Life program is an initiative dedicated to closing this gap.
Caritas partners with Centacare Wilcannia-Forbes to focus on the central New South Wales rural communities.
The program identifies dietary requirements and their causes in indigenous communities, liaising with the people to best understand the areas needing to be addressed.
The program is related to Project Compassion theme Food for Life, attempting to empower underprivileged people with the knowledge to establish sustainable food sources.
This is exactly what the program has allowed mum of six, Karen to consistently achieve.
“I was in a lot of debt and wasn’t handling my money properly, feeding the kids was about what was easiest not what was healthy,” Karen said.
By undertaking budgeting, nutrition and cooking workshops, Karen combined the support, understanding and discipline to provide a steady healthy diet for her kids.
By working in partnership with communities Caritas are able to build closer relationships with families benefitting from cause.
