NAIDOC Week is an opportunity to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The Fred Hollows Foundation is joining in with a program of community activities in Darwin and Katherine, in the Northern Territory. These include a pregnancy and parenting workshop for young Indigenous mothers and a NAIDOC march in both places. Other activities include sporting competitions, seniors' events and cultural celebrations.

The Foundation is continuing the work of Professor Fred Hollows to tackle the crippling health conditions and inequities experienced by Indigenous Australians.

In 2010, The Foundation supported eye care and sustainable health systems across 55 Aboriginal communities, in partnership with local Indigenous organisations.

Achievements in 2010:

Eye Health

• We worked in partnership with the Australian and Northern Territory Governments, the Alice Springs Hospital, the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, and the Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation to run two surgical intensive weeks in Alice Springs: 62 cataract operations and 28 other eye procedures were performed on patients from Central Australia and the Barkly region
• Led health system reform in Central Australia and the Barkly region
• Provided optometry services and affordable spectacles
• Planning continued for the new eye clinic at Alice Springs Hospital - part of the Central Australia and Barkly Integrated Eye Health Program.

Families

• Supported treatment of chronic middle ear infection in young children in the East Katherine region
• Devised new ways to deliver child and maternal health care in remote communities in South Australia through a new Nganampa Health Council partnership.

Nutrition

• Trialled a nutritional supplement to combat iron deficiency in Indigenous infants, and a peer support program for mothers on healthy feeding for babies.

Literacy

• Supported the Indigenous Literacy Project (ILP), which distributed 13,700 books to schools and other organisations across Australia - helping Indigenous kids improve their literacy skills.

Women's development

• Banatjarl Women's Council was elected - made up of women from Jawoyn communities. Members now want to see cultural regeneration and family support programs offered through the Banatjarl Family Resource and Healing Centre.

Speaking out

• Supported the Close the Gap coalition - bringing public attention to the health issues facing Indigenous Australians
• Supported research into Indigenous health, education and housing - the results will inform our future work.

Find out more about The Foundation's work in Indigenous Australia.