Rise Ventures is looking to further increase our involvement as a key sponsor and supporter of the Remote Laundries Project. The Remote Laundries are run by The Aboriginal Investment Group (AIG)
The aim of the project is to help the community be healthier, have a better quality of life, education, and more local employment opportunities.
What is remote laundry?
A Remote laundry is “a public laundry with washing machines and dryers that work, power and hot water that is reliable and detergent that never runs out” These laundries are 100% moveable and can be moved to a different region or be a permanent fixture to service community.
For example: There are currently six pop-up laundries in the western region of Queensland, servicing an estimated 1000 residents living in remote areas. Each laundry includes two washing machines and dryers, detergent, sinks and is staffed by two paid employees, 9am to 5pm, seven days a week.
The Remote Laundry Project in the Northern Territory aims to do the same as the above Queensland example. The project is giving laundry access to remote communities that either do not have access to a washing machine, do not have one at all, or are struggling to replace a machine that has broken down.
“8 out of 10 Aboriginal children living in remote communities are diagnosed with skin sores before their 1st birthday.”
Key risk factors for skin infections include overcrowding in homes and limited access to washing machines, hot water, and power.
If scabies is left untreated it can lead to more serious health complications such as kidney disease, ARF and RHD.
Remote Laundries are an easy and viable solution to stop scabies and help people empower each other. The remote laundry is free to use, and the facilities are reliable for the local people.
Remote Laundries have the following impact in communities:
- Improved social & Economic Outcomes
“Each laundry creates 5 sustainable Indigenous-identified employment positions within the respective community”, which injects $55,105 of wages into the local area. The laundry also helps children stay in school which helps minimise “negative indirect employment & criminality outcomes.”
- Improve Health
Access to laundry facilities means that it reduces the occurrence of primary and secondary medical conditions associated with skin infections.
- Improved Quality of Life (QOL)
Better quality of life with the absence of disease and secondary illnesses. The laundry removes the scabies health issue that is present in remote communities.
Rise Ventures and Nyirrunggulung-Rise are thrilled about the remote laundry project. It is a service that is greatly needed and will help change lives. Currently there are three laundries available, and they are at the following locations:
- Casuarina (Darwin)
- Barunga
- Alyangula (Groote Eylandt)
The Barunga Laundry is in our Nyirrunggulung-Rise CDP region and is operated by AIG. Our CDP team helped recruit five workers for the laundry.
“The Remote Laundries project is now operating in Barunga, Darwin and Angurugu, with five more laundries scheduled to launch across the Northern Territory in the next financial year.” (https://www.remotelaundries.org.au/proof-our-remote-laundries-project-is-reducing-scabies/)
We are now looking at how we can provide further support for the project. To find out more about the Remote Laundries Project visit their website: https://www.remotelaundries.org.au/
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