In the remote communities of Northeast Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, we are proud to support an Indigenous-led antenatal and postnatal program known as Frangipani.
This program is guided by Yolŋu women elders and facilitated alongside a local midwife and educator. It provides culturally grounded care for pregnant women who are often required to leave their communities and travel to Nhulunbuy to await birth.
For many women, this journey means separation from family, Country, and cultural support systems.
Frangipani changes that.

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A Culturally Safe Space for Women
The program offers a culturally safe, supportive environment where women can reconnect with Country, culture, and each other.
Weekly gatherings include:

 

• Time on Country
   

• Fishing, hunting, and gathering
   

• Swimming and storytelling (yarning)
   

• Cultural crafting and art-making
   

Embedded within these experiences is antenatal and postnatal education—shared through the knowledge and leadership of Yolŋu elders.
This approach ensures care is not only clinically informed, but culturally grounded.

Why This Work Matters
Many remote First Nations women must travel hundreds of kilometres alone to give birth within a Western medical system.
This often means:

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• Isolation from family and kinship systems
   

• Language barriers (English may be a 4th or 5th language)
   

• Feelings of fear, loneliness, and disconnection
   

• Culturally safe care has been shown to significantly improve outcomes for both mothers and babies.
   

• More importantly, it restores dignity, strength, and cultural continuity to the experience of pregnancy and birth.

Creating Pathways to Economic Independence
Alongside health and cultural support, the program creates opportunities for women to generate income through traditional art practices.

This includes:

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• Pandanus weaving – a highly respected cultural craft
   

• Traditional painting – widely valued within local and global art markets
   

With access to materials and support, women can create and sell artworks through local art centres and online platforms.

​This initiative supports:
 

• Financial independence
   

• Skill preservation
   

• Cultural continuity