Healing in the Kimberley

In January 2023, the aftermath of ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie saw flooding inundate homes and communities across the Kimberley region in Western Australia.

The recovery has been complicated by the increasing cost of living, and the remoteness of the impacted areas. Despite these barriers, GIVIT continues to work with the Department of Communities to get essential items and services to people affected.

Marra Worra Worra Aboriginal Corporation are the oldest and largest Aboriginal Resource Agency in the Kimberley, so working with them to get supplies to remote communities has been important.

With many remote communities cut off by floodwaters following the event, it was tough for people impacted to communicate and access support. GIVIT provided Marra Worra Worra with phones and sim cards to distribute to communities to ensure people could stay in touch with loved ones and contact support organisations.

Marra Worra Worra operate a night patrol program for youth in Fiztroy Crossing. During winter, the organisation identified that many families whose homes had been flooded were yet to replace ruined clothing, so local children and teenagers had no warm clothes for the cold. MWW were finding that children were gathering in other people's houses that had blankets, warm clothing or heating.

GIVIT provided hundreds of jumpers, tracksuit pants and blankets for the service to provide to young people.

Early on we identified the importance of getting boots on the ground in the flood-impacted Kimberley to engage with the community, show our support, and educate recovery organisations on how to use GIVIT to get essential items and services to flood-affected residents.

Engagement Officer Lisa, based in Broome, regularly visits Derby and Fitzroy Crossing to meet with recovery organisations, train not-for-profits and charities registered with GIVIT, and drop off donations.

Visiting affected areas is also an opportunity to spread the word about GIVIT, so organisations working in recovery can register to place requests, and so people who've been affected are aware of GIVIT as an avenue for support.

Shortly after the Kimberley Floods, a staff member from Goolarri Radio, a community radio station with a First Nations focus, uploaded a time and skills offer to GIVIT's online warehouse to assist with promoting GIVIT's role in the recovery. Sarah dropped into Goolarri (image below middle) and chatted with Matty J about how locals could access help.

Following the floods, GIVIT's support focused on providing vouchers to support organisations working in recovery, and we sometimes get questions on why we ask our supporters to FUND requests rather than donate items.

The homes of a mum and her five young children was inundated during the floods, and they fled Fitzroy Crossing wearing only the clothes they were wearing. They were staying in Derby in temporary accommodation, and were sleeping on mattresses on the floor with no bedding. There were also very few kitchen items for cooking and eating.

Thanks to generous donors, GIVIT provided the funds for the request, and support workers were able to quickly go shopping in Derby, and drop off the bedding and kitchen items to the family. 

Especially in regional areas like this, donating funds is a practical, efficient way to get essential items to people who've been affected.

Nindilingarri Cultural Health Services runs a maternal health promotion program to support and improve the health of pregnant First Nations women and their babies. The pregnancy group aims to empower women by their understanding of how to keep themselves and their babies healthy.

The program supports families across 35 remote Aboriginal communities, all of which are around four hours from the closest shopping centre. Many locals in these communities are yet to replace their cars which were destroyed in their floods. 

Thanks to corporate partner Hanes Brands Australasia, GIVIT provided hundreds of baby blankets to Nindilingarri. The new blankets will help mums feel excited and looked after as they welcome their new babies, and give them peace of mind to let their babies sleep in their own bed.

This recovery is expected to take some time. GIVIT will be here as a long-term support for the communities impacted.

You can see below the essential items and services that are still needed by people affected by the Kimberley Floods. Consider donating money by clicking on the FUND button next to a request. 100% of publicly donated money received by GIVIT for this appeal will be used to buy exactly what's needed by people impacted by flooding in the Kimberley region.