Aputula Women's Centre

Aputula Women's centre is set up by the community for young women to come and work when they are on CDEP. There are three ladies working at the women's centre, Alison Wing, Lily Minungka and Julie Wing as well as young girls who sometimes come and help. The activities that happen here are cooking, raking, sweeping up and generally looking after the women's centre. On Monday we make lunch here for everyone in the community. Monday is a good day to cook lunch for people because everybody has run out of money by then. NPY Women's Council helps us with the kitchen stuff. They supply saucepans, frying pans, crockery and knives and forks. The food is supplied by the Aputula Community Council.

There used to be arts and crafts activities going on here, but not for a long time. We would like to get some funding and some more help to get this happening again. The women's centre has recently re-opened after being closed for a long time. There are lots of things we need, such as washing machines, so that we can get organised and have jobs for young women. Years ago it used it use to be really good here at the women's centre. We used to have a Toyota and we used to be able to deliver tucker for the old people, and look after them. The women's centre could have lots of important jobs going on but we need some more support. There's not enough help going on.

Alison Wing - Women's Centre Co-ordinator

"My name is Alison Wing Bayles. I grew up in Dunjibar (Oodnadatta). I grew up in a home there and I went to school there. After that I came back to my families in Aputula Community and I have been here ever since. A long time. I like working in the women's centre because there's nothing else to do and I like working. On my average day I come to the women's centre, open the door and sign in on the timesheet. Mothers come here and the kids can play on the play equipment outside. Unfortunately we haven't got anything in the kids room for kids to play with. Us women sit down and talk about things that we would like to happen in the women's centre. On Mondays we cook lunch and then clean up. I would like to see more young women come and work here."