Deloitte Access Economics’ evaluation on the breakthrough education, health and social impacts of Indi Kindi, has demonstrated that the Indigenous-led early years program is equipping a generation of Indigenous children with the tools to break cycles of disadvantage.

The evaluation highlighted Indi Kindi’s unique methodology that blends traditional cultural methods with established Western constructs, as an exemplar in the early years sector for Closing the Gap for Indigenous children.

This book was written by a group of women from Borroloola, a small community in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Northern Territory. They gathered on Centre Island in June 2021 for a bush camp to yarn up how they stand tall and strong in difficult times. They share stories about how they care for each other and grow up their children, to help their families and community grow strong and healthy.

This book is a collection of their strengths, skills and knowledges that help them weather the storms of life. This is women’s wisdom from Borroloola.

“Tree of Life: Growing up Strong Children – Borroloola Way” is a collection of unearthed stories that was co-created with the women of Borroloola, a remote community in the Gulf of Carpentaria in Northern Territory. It shares their wisdom on parenting skills, knowledges, beliefs, and abilities to grow their children up strong, and the history of this wisdom from their family and community.

The stories were compiled by the Indi Kindi team during Tree of Life workshops, facilitated by Sudha Coutinho and Lucy Van Sambeek from Telling Story and supported by Artback NT.

Moriarty Foundation Co-Founder and Hon. Managing Director, Ros Moriarty, is the author of the memoir ‘Listening to Country’, published by Allen & Unwin and shortlisted for the both ‘The Age’ 2010 Book of the Year, and the Australian Human Rights Commission Literary Award.

Full of warmth and honesty, ‘Listening to Country’ opens a rare and vivid window to the voices, humour and strength of the remarkable Law women of the remote Gulf of Carpentaria. It is an uplifting tribute to them and a celebration of love, family and belonging.