Reconciliation Australia Did you know...? Indigenous people have a shorter life expectancy - around 19 years less than non-indigenous people, and the death rates for Indigenous people are three times higher than the rest of the Australian population. Not only do we want to support our local communities, we also want to make a difference to those Australians living further afield who are not as fortunate as us. We thought the best way to do this would be to form partnerships with various organisations working towards reconciliation, unity, and a brighter for future for Indigenous Australians. The Mutitjulu Aboriginal community is located in the shadow of Uluru. Around 200 people live there – the residents have gone without basic services that most Australians take for granted - there is no child care, few youth services, no permanent doctor, not even a community bus. A respite centre has been recently established for elderly community members, and when we heard that the centre, managed by Frontier Services, was in desperate need of clothing, which we gladly helped. We hope that this small gesture will enable the centre to focus it’s limited funds on providing respite care, and assist in preserving the dignity of the people living in this harsh area. We have also formed a partnership with the The Long Walk. This initiative has provided a much-needed public vehicle allowing Australians to express their commitment to reconciliation and a united Australia. Michael Long and his supporters promote the story of The Long Walk in all communities, and distribute funds through programs supporting community leadership, social projects, and the encouragement of young Indigenous people. By supporting events where funds raised are used to support Indigenous leadership initiatives by providing sponsorship, products for auction, and by promoting their goals of sharing stories across generations and cultures, we can really make a difference. Photographs taken as part of the Reconciliation: It’s All About Us workshops held in 4 schools across Australia this year.