NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and recognise their contributions to the country. NAIDOC Week 2018 runs from Sunday 8th July through to Sunday 15th July, under the theme – Because of Her, We Can.
The Nudge Foundation recognises and celebrates NAIDOC week and acknowledge our trainees and staff members at this special time of the year.
Please read the story by Cynthia Nelly and the positive impact her sister has had on her life.
My name is Cynthia Nelly I am a Clerical Trainee at Main Roads WA (Geraldton Office).
To reflect against this year’s NAIDOC theme “because of her we can” one of the important people in my life is my oldest sister Kathleen Nelly. I am proud to have her in my life, she is my best friend, inspiration and mentor in life and a role model that I look up to.
Cynthia Nelly (left) pictured with sister Kathleen Nelly (right).
Because of her and the impact she has in my life she has helped grow and shaped me into this person I am today. My sister has given me many qualities such as teaching right from wrong, gaining the knowledge and skills I learnt throughout with the help of many other strong important independent women in my life. My mother, grandmothers and aunties have also helped me understand the importance of our Aboriginal culture and traditions with their wise words and stories and they pass down.
My sister has set many good examples in her life, sets her goals high and reaches them in her best ways, she has showed me that there are no limits in life and to always follow my heart and my dreams and that anything is possible to achieve if I put my mind to it. My sister has achieved her lifelong goal of traveling to Paris along with many other countries and I look up to her at every aspect of life with one day the goals to achieve my dreams and goals.
KATHLEEN NELLY
A few words from Kathleen.
“My inspiration comes from my family and friends who have always supported my education and supported my tough times in my younger years and still to now. My inspiration is my two grandmothers who has been a large Impact on life throughout many areas including teaching me their great knowledge of cooking and life advice. It is because of them we can have these goals and aspirations to achieve our dreams.
Kathleen Nelly pictured in front of the Eiffel Tower.
I have always had a goal of being in a successful career pathway in a job I love, but from a young age I always dreamt to travel the world. In March 2018 I achieved one of these lifelong goals and travelled to Europe where I spent a month visiting 8 countries one being France my ultimate dream. I currently work at Curtin University in Perth where I work to improve the education of non-indigenous and Indigenous Australians about the Indigenous Cultural Perspectives and to improve the journey to Reconciliation.
Key Achievement’s that reflect my commitment to education is:
- 2016 – Winner in the Central Tafe Institute Award Aboriginal Student of the Year
- 2016 – Semi Finalist in the WA Award for Aboriginal Student of the Year
- 2016 – 3 Scholarships awards for my studies in completing my Digital Media and Technology Cert IV
While these are great achievements, I still look to further my education in many other areas such as Community Development and wish to pursue a degree in Marketing/Events.”
