Flying Doctors, Koalas, Trees and Other Things

Supporting the Royal Flying Doctors Service:

During their holiday travels, Tamara and her family had the honour of seeing the Royal Flying Doctors Service in action, meeting the dedicated team at Broken Hill, and witnessing first hand the impact they have on regional and rural communities throughout Australia. 

The Royal Flying Doctor Service has been saving lives in rural and remote Australia for more than 90 years. Delivered by a dedicated team of professionals, using the latest in aviation, medical and communications technology, and supported by a vast number of volunteers and supporters, the RFDS provides a lifeline for those that live, work and travel in rural and remote Australia. 

From June 1st, we have donated $1 from each fabric order to the Royal Flying Doctor Service. This helps contribute to the running of their fly-in fly-out GP and Nurse clinics, mobile dental services, and patient transfers, as well as all their other incredible services. As at the end of April 2022, you have helped us to donate $1401! Thank you!!

 

Our Tree Planting Program:

In early March 2019, we partnered with OneTreePlanted and pledged to plant one tree for every fabric order we receive through this website. By the end of October 2020, we have planted 2113 trees - smashing our goal of planting 2020 trees by the end of 2020! By the end of June 2021, we had planted 2812 trees! 

Why are we doing this?

  • 80% of the world's forests have already been destroyed
  • Every two seconds, humans destroy an area of forest the size of a football field
  • At the current rate of deforestation - ALL of the remaining forests will be gone in just one hundred years
  • 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions are the result of deforestation
  • Climate change is real

Our Adopted Koalas:

In 2019-2020 Australia experienced its most ferocious fire season on record. For more than six months multiple bushfires burned over 46 million acres, killing 34 people and destroying more than 2700 homes. Ecologists estimate that as many as half a billion animals died as a result of these bushfires. A large percentage of the Koala populations in NSW and on Kangaroo Island were lost. The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital is a not-for-profit organisation that has been supporting sick and injured koalas since 1973. They have a great e-adoption program that helps them to raise money so they can continue providing medical treatment, rehabilitation and training. These are our adopted koalas!

 

Other Things:

In February 2020, we joined Kiva which is a global not-for-profit organisation that provides micro loans. These loans help people around the world create opportunities for themselves and their communities. Through Kiva's work, students can pay for tuition, women can start businesses, farmers are able to invest in equipment and families can afford much needed emergency care. We selected eight women in countries such as Columbia, Jordan, Paraguay, El Salvador, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Nicaragua that had applied for small loans to fund their sewing businesses. Some simply wanted to upgrade to a better sewing machine, while others needed business capital to buy fabric and thread. Once the micro loans are repaid, we'll select another group of people to help, perpetually reinvesting in enterprising women around the world, helping them, their families and in turn helping boost the economy in their communities.

Straight Talk

Straight Talk is an Oxfam-supported forum where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women like Agnes Pigram (pictured below) can meet, exchange ideas and develop the leadership skills they need to inspire positive change. Each regional gathering brings together women from all corners of Australia, connecting them with community leaders and decision-makers to explore new ways to make change happen in their communities. Rubyjam Fabric became a financial supporter of Straight Talk in October 2020, to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to learn about the political system. By forming strong networks with female politicians, political leaders and each other, women are empowered to become change-makers in their communities and beyond.