Barunga
The very first Remote Laundries project unit was opened in Barunga in February 2019. For us, the Barunga laundry was a pilot, a test to see if the project could work, but for the people of Barunga, it has made a very big difference to their lives. For example, since the laundry was installed scabies cases in Barunga have fallen by a whopping 60 per cent.
Employment is one of the key outcomes of each laundry and currently, Barunga employs TEN locals. Opportunities for meaningful and ongoing employment in Barunga were few, so it was big news when jobs came up to work in the laundry. Staff turnover is low which we see as proof that the staff value their jobs.
The Barunga community celebrated a simple, life-changing solution to improve health and wellbeing in their community, with the Bagala Laundry turning five yesterday.
Opened in 2019, the Barunga laundry was the Remote Laundries pilot program. Four years later, the community cannot imagine life without it.
In 2019 the first Remote Laundries project laundry was installed in the remote Aboriginal community of Barunga in the NT and cases of scabies have been falling ever since.
The data from 2021 shows a 60% drop in the number of cases, and we’re thrilled to see proof our laundries are working!