Building self-employment and business opportunities for Indigenous women in Northern Australia
Future Weavers is an Indigenous women's movement building leadership through self-employment and business.
The movement elevates remarkable First Nations women in remote and regional communities across Northern Australia and reimagines self-employment and business as a leadership and social change tool.
Good Return is a proud partner in the movement, bringing our expertise in responsible financial inclusion and capability development and working with Indigenous leaders to build resources and training programs and help the women become investment ready.
Future Weavers is led by Natasha Short and her business, Kimberley Jiyigas. It is locally implemented by Enterprise Partnerships WA and supported by the Menzies Foundation and Good Return.
“Dollar Reef” by Paula Savage for Saltwater People is a colourful and intricate representation of Future Weavers. Paula is an acclaimed artist from Moa in Torres Strait, and this piece is about the main reef where people fish and hunt.
“We help women see they have the assets, the cultural knowledge, the strength, and the creativity to venture. I love the light that comes on people’s faces when they learn there’s a different way to make money and they can consider opportunity for themselves,” Natasha Short, Kimberley Jiyigas, Future Weavers Ambassador
Right support, right story, right capital
While there exists a varied system of business and capital advisory support providers for Indigenous people, many do not consider the cultural context of this work or the unique Indigenous approach to business.
This is why the Future Weavers is Indigenous-led: we work by understanding that business and venturing for women must be woven in with family, cultural and community responsibilities as well as a deep connection to Country.
This movement honours the thousands of years of wisdom and lived experience of First Nations women who have contributed to building and shaping our communities, blazing a trail to this moment.
Cindy Mitchell, Program Director at Good Return, explains the unique cultural and environmental contexts in which Indigenous women venture and grow businesses.
A business club flourishes in the Kimberley region
Our first implementation has been the Maganda Makers business club in the Kimberley region, which has connected over 100 women with business and leadership opportunity.
The club brings the women together in person or online, to network and share ideas, access resources and connections, and learn new skills. The women share learnings on marketing, budgeting and finance, production and sales and how to deal with the unique challenges of doing business in remote areas - where even getting to the post office in the wet season can be impossible.
Maganda Makers are in different stages of their business ventures across the arts, food and catering, hospitality, mining services and much more.
Three years after the inception of Maganda Makers, Kowa Collaboration have reviewed the club’s achievements, activities and challenges. This important exchange of information shares the journey to date with hope that the story will encourage other actors in the Indigenous women's entrepreneurial ecosystem to join the movement to ensure that women entrepreneurs have access to the resources, tools, and networks necessary for success.
“As part of the Maganda Makers, I encourage other women to consider cultural tourism - and see that their understanding of culture and unique perspective on the land is a valuable asset. Indigenous women in business see competition as a positive and an opportunity for growth and learning - I love to refer visitors to other Indigenous businesses in the Dampier Peninsula.” Kathleen Cox, Maganda Maker
Reaching more women
As the initiative expands across Northern Australia, we are adopting a localised approach - uniting women on Country, building solidarity and leadership through yarning circles and local mentors. We want to connect more Indigenous women in business to skillbuilding resources, networking opportunities and responsible finance - the right tools for women ready to rise.
Our movement invites other remarkable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women so that we can see new possibilities—not only for ourselves but for future generations.
