Program that helps communities grow and cook fresh food reaches remote town with diabetes issues

A healthy-eating initiative has come to the remote town of Ampilatwatja, that has a diabetes rate nearly two times the national average.

EON’s Thriving Communities program teaches young Aboriginal students in remote community schools how to grow and cook fresh food, and all about nutrition. Picture: Supplied

A foundation has taken its initiative that teaches young Aboriginal students in remote community schools how to grow and cook fresh food, and all about nutrition, to a remote town that has a diabetes rate nearly two times the national average.

The EON Foundation’s Thriving Communities program, delivered 596 edible garden classes and made 297 community visits across the 2022/23 period and they have now reached the town of Ampilatwatja, 325km northeast of Alice Springs.

Ampilatwatja has a mind boggling rate of diabetes, with one in two people suffering from the disease, compared to the national rate of one in 20.

EON Foundation executive manager Kathryn Taylor said bringing the Thriving Communities program to Ampilatwatja would help the community access fresh fruit and vegetables that they often can’t.

EON NT operations manager Donna Donzow at one of the classes. Picture: Supplied

“As you’re probably aware, over 50 per cent of the Ampilatwatja population has diabetes, and fresh fruit and vegetables are really inaccessible,” she said.

“Or if they are available in the store, then they’re quite expensive and they are just limited, limited by supply.

“So we plant an orchard with the kids at the front of the school, we plant vegetables and then we harvest them and use them in cooking classes and talk about healthy eating on a fortnightly basis.”

What sets the Thriving Communities program apart from others is that it’s not a one-off visit, but a program that extends for five years, Ms Taylor said.

“Our program trains locals, and really engages with the kids, the school, the teachers and the principal to make sure it’s as sustainable as possible,” she said.

“We employ locals, we call them community assistants to help in the garden and they also learn all the great horticulture skills, how to grow, how to harvest.

“Also where to get a local supply of good manure from, which is really important to make it as affordable and easy as possible.

“We want to make sure that it lasts long beyond the five years that EON partners quite intensively and we do keep supporting beyond the five years.”

EON’s Thriving Communities program teaches young Aboriginal students in remote community schools how to grow and cook fresh food, and all about nutrition.

So, what does the Thriving Communities program help grow and harvest and then teach the students to cook?

“Lots of sweet potatoes, beans are great, peas are great,” Ms Taylor said. “We do lots of stirfrys, and stew is often a core meal that’s delivered in the community.

“So, we just make sure that instead of just the beef, or potatoes, that we’re adding a whole lot of other ingredients.

“Like zucchinis that grow really well, and lots of green leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli. We try to grow everything.”

The Ampilatwatja community reached out to the EON Foundation about bringing their program to town, as that is the basis of the initiative, the community itself must make first contact.

If you feel your community or school could benefit from the Thriving Communities program, you can reach the EON Foundation through their website at eon.org.au/.