Water Minister Dave Kelly today met with Aboriginal development organisation, Wunan, to provide $28,260 in funding to help support female Aboriginal students from the East Kimberley with their education expenses.
The funding was raised by the sale of Rhodes grass hay, produced at the Water Corporation’s Broome North Wastewater Treatment Plant with recycled water used to irrigate the crop.
The new partnership between the Water Corporation and Wunan will assist 30 Aboriginal female students with tutoring services for science, technology and mathematics subjects, and other essential items.
Wunan’s Kimberley Education Excellence Program provides Aboriginal high school students with the opportunity to attend schools in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.
The program was started by Wunan in 2012 and provides students studying away from home with support from Aboriginal ‘house parents’ in a model designed to assist students to excel academically.
The Water Corporation also uses funds raised by the sale of Rhodes grass hay for a community grants scheme for not-for-profit groups and schools in the West Kimberley, and has so far contributed more than $80,000 to community projects.
Kelly said he was thrilled that the Water Corporation has partnered with Wunan to assist in the education of young women in the East Kimberley.
“Also as the Minister for Science, I am particularly pleased that this partnership will assist 30 Aboriginal female students with tutoring services for science, technology and math subjects, and other essential items.
“It is great to see water recycling used in an innovative way that not only helps the environment but also the community.”
Kimberley MLA Josie Farrer said “I’m blown away by this ingenious program and commend both the Water Corporation and Wunan on this partnership.
“Using water to generate money that will benefit the East Kimberley community is a clever idea.”