The 24th of January was the International Day of Education, which recognises the fundamental human right to quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all. In recognition of this day, the TFFF celebrates Karrkad Kanjdji Trust and its partner organisations’ on-Country, bi-cultural education initiatives.

The Karrkad Kanjdji Trust (KKT) is a philanthropic trust that was established by Traditional Owners of the Warddeken and Djelk Indigenous Protected Areas in 2010, to support their vision for healthy Country. As custodians of much of West and Central Arnhem Land – one of the largest Indigenous estates in Australia – they recognised the potential strength and increased freedom and flexibility of alternative funding sources.

Today, KKT is a shared resource to eight First Nations community-controlled organisations in Arnhem Land, supporting the preservation and revitalisation of culture, and the conservation of over 50,000 square kilometres of land and sea Country.

One of KKT’s six funding pillars is ‘Educating future custodians’, recognising that on-Country, bi-cultural education enables First Nations children and young people to walk confidently in both worlds. This support began with the Nawarddeken Academy: the Warddeken Indigenous Protected Area (IPA)’s first independent, bi-cultural school. Expanding on this success, KKT supported the establishment of the Nawarddeken Academy’s Early Learning Program, which centres families as first teachers.

This is a bush library, this is where you learn your knowledge.

- Ross Guymala, Bininj teacher at Nawarddeken Academy

In 2019, Traditional Owners and senior leaders of Bulman-Weemol communities came together to design the Mimal Learning on Country Program: a collaborative, on-Country initiative between Mimal Land Management and Bulman School that safeguards the passage of intergenerational knowledge.

This journey of regional, place-based approaches continued when KKT commenced support for the Homeland School Company, an on-Country, bi-cultural organisation that will support children to learn on their homelands within the Djelk IPA. In particular, the Homeland School Company intends to register independent, bi-cultural schools at three homelands communities, ensuring that families have access to full-time, on-Country education.

By setting up independent schools on the homelands, we’re thinking about how our old people’s knowledge can be respected, and how we can teach the young ones on Country.

- Dale Pascoe, Chair of Homeland School Company

By connecting their partner organisations with additional, often more flexible funding sources, KKT is bolstering this incredible wave of Aboriginal community-controlled education initiatives. This two-way, community-led approach to learning is transforming the state of remote education across West and Central Arnhem Land.

The TFFF first partnered with KKT in May 2023, supporting the expansion of the Nawarddeken Academy at two sites, Manmoyi and Mamadawerre. Now, this partnership will similarly support the Homeland School Company to prioritise the intergenerational transfer of Indigenous knowledge and sustain natural and cultural ecosystems at three schoolhouses within the Djelk IPA.

The Karrkad Kanjdji Trust and the Homeland School Company are supported through the Futureproof funding stream.