Our communities are not just about the here and now, they’re also about tomorrow and the years that come after that. To create and build thriving communities, we need to put the building blocks in place that sustain them and help them grow. A recent example was the creation of a second-hand store in Mutitjulu.
After a series of meetings held in Mutitjulu, it became clear to Rise-Ngurratjuta that the Mutitjulu community was in need of a second-hand store, as clothing is not available otherwise and travelling the 4-hour journey to Alice Springs was difficult – especially with limited access to transport for many community members. Mutitjulu is a small Aboriginal community located in the shadow of Uluru, the massive red sandstone monolith in the Northern Territory and the heart of Australia.
Using the Business Incubator Pilot Program, the Rise-Ngurratjuta Business Development Officer (BDO) set about having consultations with community members and the Mutitjulu Community Aboriginal Corporation (MCAC). The aim was to secure a building from which a second-hand store could be run and identify a suitable community member who could own the store and be trained to run it. An old night patrol building, on a peppercorn lease (nominal rent) was agreed to as the ideal location for this new venture. Evelyn Alike a senior member of community was selected as a suitable candidate to own the business and she is delighted to be setting up a shop that is needed by the community. Word has quickly spread amongst the wider community and we are delighted to announce that donations for the shop are rolling in from many sources – all the way to Alice Springs.
We are committed to supporting communities with more than just jobs, our aim to provide them with a continuous income through business initiatives. The second-hand shop in Mutitjulu is a perfect example of this, and we are delighted that Rise-Ngurratjuta has been able to help the Mutitjulu community turn their vision into a reality.
