Change the future of young high-potential girls

The final months of 2023 were busy for the ABCN Foundation as we hosted our End of Year Events across the country where we not only celebrated the 35 graduating scholars but also welcomed in our new cohort of 39 deserving young students. Our new cohort of scholars will begin their scholarships in January 2024 at the start of Year 11 and conclude in December 2026.

In 2023 there were a record 303 applicants from 96 different schools in low socio-economic status communities around Australia – an increase of more than 50 per cent from last year. Applications from rural, regional and remote areas continue to rise, having tripled in the last five years – they now account for more than a quarter of total applications. First Nations applications accounted for 11 per cent of the total – a small increase from last year but nearly double the year before. And this year, 15 per cent of the applications were from refugees.

One successful applicant was Tuyet, from New South Wales. In Tuyet’s stirring essay she detailed her childhood with poetic flourish describing growing up in close quarters as a family of eight in a house that also served as a clothing factory owned by her mother: ‘Echoing within the walls of a small house are the sounds of a sewing machine, harmonising with the subtle ripples of laughter across the landscape of shared rooms.’

Life changed significantly for Tuyet and her family in 2010, when one of her six brothers was involved in a serious car accident. The resulting constant struggle of paying the medical and business bills forced her mother into bankruptcy.

Despite her family facing all kinds of hardship, Tuyet still has a goal of getting into medicine or healthcare. ‘This scholarship is more than just financial support – it represents an opportunity to better myself and the community I hope to serve as a productive citizen armed with the power that only education can provide,’ she says.

‘It will alleviate the pressure and stress of educational expenses on me and my family allowing me to remain focused on my academic and personal growth whilst providing financial support.’

A snapshot of our 2023 applicants:

• 68% were female
• 51% had suffered traumatic past experiences
• 45% came from non-English speaking backgrounds
• 26% were from rural/remote areas
• 10% lived in precarious housing
• 11% identified as First Nations peoples

‘This year’s scholarship winners are an inspiring group of students from across Australia with an incredibly diverse range of circumstances and backgrounds with many having faced significant barriers and challenges in life,’ says Phil Gardner, ABCN CEO. ‘What they all have in common is that they exhibit enormous potential that the scholarship will help them realise. It is a very moving and uplifting experience to contribute to their lives that we trust will enable them to achieve great things.’

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