The healthy homes home hygiene initiative aims to improve the overall health and wellbeing of the people of Wadeye. During the course of 2019, service providers in the Thamarrurr region with similar vested interests in the areas of community safety and health have been working together to address health issues.

“There’s been nothing like this here in Wadeye” Joseph Tipiloura, community development supervisor.

In the past, service providers have had a tendency to operate independently. In creating clearer channels of communication between stakeholders it has allowed the community to address a range of different health issues more efficiently.

The clinic Save the children, catholic care, aged care, safe house and NDIS have the ability to give references and recommendations to community members and the Thamarrurr development corporation’s healthy homes team if they become aware of any health issues in their day to day operations.

Another important aspect of the healthy homes program is capacity building for the healthy home’s supervisor and teams.

“We are trying to give them a good opportunity to get a proper job in the future. This is the start-up for them to teach people how to clean their yard, put the fences up and then it will be a goal for them in the future” Joseph Tipiloura

The program also builds capacity and awareness of community members by educating people about various health issues and ways each household can make improvements to combat these issues with a collaborative approach.