Many of our women have played a central role in caring for our people. Strengthening our women enables our communities to restore harmony and balance and grows our children, families and communities.
The Healing Foundation endeavours to support projects that promote healing for girls and women.
In the past, healing programs for women have included the use of traditional healing methods and bush medicines, and cultural renewal activities such as dance, song, craft and rituals.
In addition, the Healing Foundation aims to build leadership capacity and opportunities for women.
At one of our healing gatherings, in the Torres Strait, many women said they wanted to play bigger roles in the leadership and governance of their communities. Following the gathering, three strategies were developed to restore harmony and balance for Torres Strait Islanders, with the first being a specific women’s leadership strategy. The strategy recognises the role women must play in developing local solutions to issues of domestic and family violence and child abuse. It also recognises that if women are not given the tools to deal with challenging issues like trauma, then these issues will impact on their wellbeing and ability to support others.
The Healing Foundation embraces the role of collective healing for women in funding projects like the Coota Girls Aboriginal Corporation. The corporation acknowledges that while each woman is unique, they are made ‘All One’ by the experiences they shared in the Cootamundra Domestic Training Home for Aboriginal Girls. The organisation aims to support the Coota Girls to support each other by providing opportunities for the women to come together for healing gatherings and support groups. It also plans to document the stories of the women’s lives.
