A pregnant mum set to benefit from a Clean Birth Kit. (Photo: Birthing Kit Foundation Australia)
Story by Julie Nance
A small group of Blue Mountains women is helping local women survive and thrive and also contributing to improve maternal and newborn survival in developing countries. Assembling birthing kits for women in remote locations is just one of the many ways the Zonta Club of the Blue Mountains is empowering and supporting women, both abroad and at home. Maree Cairns is a driving force in the Club. The retired educator of 37 years – 30 of those as Assistant Principal – dedicates her life to giving back.
Key Points:
Zonta International is a leading global organisation of individuals working together to build a better world for women and girls. The Zonta Club of the Blue Mountains meets monthly, alternating between venues at Glenbrook and Wentworth Falls.
Zonta works locally to improve educational outcomes by providing local women with TAFE and high school scholarships and mentorship. Members also sew breast care cushions to aid local women’s recovery after breast surgery and they provide care packages including toiletries for a local women’s refuge.
The Zonta Club of the Blue Mountains has also been pivotal in helping Blue Mountains City Council put together their gender equity strategy, along with the Women’s Health and Resource Centre and Belong Blue Mountains. They’re also a representative on the Mayoral Reference Group for family and domestic violence and part of the Coalition Against Violence and Abuse (CAVA), which is a collection of social welfare groups.
Q and A with Maree
How did groups of Aussie women end up helping mums-to-be in developing countries?
This all started about 30 years ago when an Adelaide doctor attended a United Nations conference on women, in Beijing. She heard actor Sally Field talking about a birthing kit she had seen in Nepal. The doctor came home to Adelaide and developed the Birthing Kit – a small zip-lock bag containing six basic, clean items. The doctor asked her local Zonta Club to help assemble the kits and it morphed into the Birthing Kit Foundation Australia. Every Zonta Club continues to help with this work.
I hear the kit has gone green?
Yes. The plastic bag and cloth – designed to be put on the ground where the woman gives birth – are both biodegradable. The kit also includes vegan soap, a pair of surgical gloves, swabs, sterilised strings to tie off the umbilical cord and a sterile blade.
Pregnant women in a remote community hold their Clean Birth Kits, providing them and their unborn babies with a better chance of a positive outcome. (Photo: Birthing Kit Foundation Australia)
Watch BKFA’s compelling videoThe Journey of the Birthing Kit:
It must be satisfying for you and your fellow Club members to play a part in this important initiative.
Research has shown that maternal and infant death are high if you don’t even have the basics. It’s really about trying to create a hygienic little environment wherever the women are. In addition to assembling kits we also fundraise. A kit is only $5 each – the price of a cup of coffee. It has such an incredible, tangible impact.
Zonta members assembling the Clean Birth Kits, wearing gloves and masks to help to keep germs away. (Photo: Zonta Blue Mountains)
Congratulations on receiving the Blue Mountains Senior Citizen of the Year award in 2022. Trish Doyle MP said at the time:
“I hold Maree in the highest regard, as an educator of excellence, a mentor, a supporter of community organisations, a tireless volunteer and an advocate for change in the field of gender equality. She has had a lifetime of service in public schools throughout New South Wales, making a significant contribution to the lives of families in the Hazelbrook community over many years as a classroom teacher and assistant principal.”
That’s very impressive and adds up to a great deal of giving to the community. What motivates you and did your drive to support others start as a child?
I came from a family of domestic violence, as a child. It’s what forms you. My mother had five children and had to work. There were times when we didn’t eat, when we didn’t have shoes. So when you break out of that, you feel you have to give back. Education was what opened all the doors for me.
As a teacher, I spent a lot of time with those kids who didn’t come from ‘typical’ backgrounds, with all the issues that can bring. I knew if I could encourage them and make them really excited about learning, they had a chance. I’m very fortunate where I sit now. I own a house and I’m comfortable and that’s because of education. I feel an obligation to make sure other women have those opportunities. I also call out gender inequity all the time.
Maree Cairns, former president of Zonta Club of the Blue Mountains and now member. (Photo: Julie Nance)
It was interesting to read that Zonta International started with a club in 1919 in Massachusetts, set up by Marian de Forest, with aviator Amelia Earhart a member.
Zonta is a Lakota Sioux Indian word that means ‘honest and trustworthy’. The main focus of Zonta is to empower women and girls through service and advocacy. There’s always an education program and a health program.
Zonta runs a whole range of international scholarships, and the one that stands out for me is the Amelia Earhart Scholarship, which is for a woman doing postgraduate studies in Aeronautical Science. They award 10 a year and it’s $10,000 US dollars. Australia has had young women recipients and we had one last year. It’s career changing for them.
I understand Zonta also works locally to improve educational outcomes by providing local women with TAFE and high school scholarships and mentorship. What outcome have you been particularly proud of?
I think the TAFE awards are the ones that mean the most to me because we give two: one to a young woman who chooses an alternate pathway to her higher school certificate and the other to an older woman who is retraining or training to join the workforce for the first time.
Our recipient last year was a Japanese lady in her 40s. She didn’t have the opportunity to study because her mother had a stroke and at the age of 19 she became her carer. Once her mother passed away she spent her time working 12 hour-days in a Japanese restaurant. She did the TAFE pathways course and then a maths degree at Western Sydney University. She is now a maths teacher.
The support Zonta provides is so diverse, including sewing breast care cushions to aid women’s recovery after breast surgery?
Women often have lymph nodes taken out during breast surgery. The cushion sits under their arm and takes the pressure off the wounds. Every now and then we get an email from someone who says something along the lines of: “I had one of your breast cushions and it really helped, thank you so much.”
Zonta sewers making a difference with their breast care cushions. (Photo: Zonta Blue Mountains)
I hear you also provide care packages including toiletries for a local women’s refuge?
We’re noticing an increasing trend of women having to stay long periods at the refuge because they’ve got nowhere to go. A lot of the toiletries and other essentials we provide are donated to us. Many of us put an extra deodorant or shampoo into our trolley when we shop. We also had a great big timber table made for a refuge courtyard. We received a photo of the table covered in kids’ paintings, playdough, blocks and teacups.
Supplies heading for a local refuge. (Photo: Zonta Blue Mountains)
Is there anything else you feel is important to highlight about Zonta?
Advocacy! Advocacy is making sure that everywhere there’s something happening, Zonta is there saying ‘what about women? What about women? What about women?’.
We were pivotal in helping the Blue Mountains City Council put together their gender equity strategy, along with the Women’s Health and Resource Centre and Belong Blue Mountains. That was really important. We’re also a representative on the Mayoral Reference Group for family and domestic violence and part of the Coalition Against Violence and Abuse (CAVA), which is a collection of social welfare groups.
You must have incredible energy. How do you keep up with everything?
You always find time for the things you love. I encourage people to just get involved and find something that is your passion. Everyone has something to contribute. Older people particularly have got so much life experience and wisdom to share.
Look out for the Zonta stall at Glenbrook Rotary Markets (Photo: Zonta Blue Mountains)
Take Action:
If you are interested in finding out more about the Zonta Club of the Blue Mountains and getting involved, visit their website, their Facebook page or phone Maree on 0419 638 912.
Zonta meets on the first Monday of the month at 6.30pm, alternating between Glenbrook Panthers and the Grand View Hotel in Wentworth Falls.
Help Zonta Club of the Blue Mountains raise funds for more birthing kits.
This story has been produced as part of a Bioregional Collaboration for Planetary Health and is supported by the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF). The DRRF is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments.
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Learn about intumescent fire retardant paint and a range of other strategies to prepare for extreme weather events, and to manage hazardous materials, at the upcoming Expo and Family Day at the Planetary Health Centre on Sat 22 Nov. You can register to attend here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J We checked out how intumescent paint works in this video.
When temperatures reach a certain point the intumescent paint begins to swell and expand, often up to 50 times its original thickness. It forms a thick, carbonaceous "char" that acts as an insulating barrier. This layer slows the rate at which heat reaches the structural elements and buys valuable time for people to safely exit a building during a fire. It makes the structure safer for firefighters and rescue teams. #intumescentpaint #fireretardant #bushfire @firecoat_au...
Mould, lead paint, asbestos, silica dust from engineered stone bench tops and a wide range of chemicals, are amongst some of the many hazardous substances entering our environment and negatively impacting our health. Asbestos is found in over 3000 products including textured paints, moulded garden pots, brake pads and clutch linings in older cars, floor and ceiling tiles, lino, fibro, roofing, pipes and gutters, hot water systems, backing for switchboards and insulation boards in air-conditioning ducts, insulation, sealants, fillers, caulking and adhesives, gaskets for industrial and lab equipment and more. We’ll have information to take away and Blue Mountains City Council and the Asbestos and Hazardous Materials Consultants Association (AHCA) will be running free workshops on how to identify and manage these hazardous substances at the Planetary Health Centre`s Disaster Risk Awareness Expo in Katoomba on Sat 22 Nov. Find out more and register to attend here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
Are you ready for the next bushfire, heatwave or flood? Why not take steps to prepare at the Planetary Health Centre`s Expo and Family Day on Sat 22 Nov. Award-winning Hempcrete designer Kirstie Wulf from @shelter.building.design will share 10 steps to build or renovate for sustainability and resilience; engineer Mark Liebman will share how you can build a green roof to reduce stormwater runoff and cool your building; Dr Agnieszka Wujeska-Klause will share research results on the most appropriate actions to lower heat in summer and help you use a thermal imaging camera to identify which surfaces retain the most heat; Frank Inzitari will introduce you to the @firehalo.au which can help reduce ember attack; and a team from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) will work with you to use the Bushfire Retrofit Toolkit to design your own personal bushfire plan. We`ll also be launching Firecoat`s new Bushfire Home Protection Kit. Learn more and register to attend here: https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
There are so many extraordinary volunteers keeping us and wildlife safe all year round! Come along and meet them at the Expo and Family Day at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba on Saturday 22nd Nov. Learn what you can do to be ready for emergencies, and how you can volunteer or help in some other way. Together we can be more prepared and reduce the risk of disaster. There`ll be a free sausage sizzle so help give us an idea of numbers by registering here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
Thank you Blue Mountains community for the generous donation of 11 sewing machines which we`ll be using for our free sewing workshop with Boomerang Bags at the Expo and Family Day on Sat 22 November at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba. It`s an opportunity for the whole family to make free Christmas presents that `don`t cost the earth`! Register here if you`d like to attend (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J (and you`ll get a free fire retardant plant from Santa while you`re there!)
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Emily from @handsheartfeet will be leading a free drumming workshop at the Planetary Health Centre Expo and Family Day in Katoomba on Sat 22 Nov. It`s suitable for all ages and so much fun! Places are limited so reserve your spot here: https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J (link in profile)
The Planetary Health newsletter is now out! Read it here: https://bit.ly/4o1FflK (link in profile)
It includes: • Expo and Family Day on Nov 22 • A Story of Purpose & Mental Health with Rotarian Peter Joseph AM from the Black Dog Institute on Nov 29 • How to Use a Sewing Machine Workshop on Nov 29 • Qigong, Upper Mountains Seed Saving & Gardening Group and Planetary Health Bushcare on Dec 6 • Legalising human composting as a sustainable death care option in NSW • The Climate Risk and Adaptation Plan for the Blue Mountains
We are so excited to be launching revolutionary new fire protection coatings that can stop your home burning down and slow the spread of fire. Learn more and pick up a sample pot at the Planetary Health Expo on Sat 22 Nov at 10am. FIRECOAT interior and exterior undercoat has been developed by scientists at UNSW and is already available for this fire season but new products will also be shared at the Expo, including a flexible fire-protective covering designed for temporary use on windows, doors, poles, fences, vehicles, equipment and other small assets. There is even a product that can create a fire-protective barrier around your home and these assets. FIRECOAT is waterproof, non toxic and game changing. Register here to attend the launch (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J and PLEASE SHARE. This breakthrough technology can help make our communities safer.
We’re thrilled that engineer Mark Liebman, who built a green roof in Blackheath, will be giving a free talk at the Planetary Health Centre Expo in Katoomba on Sat 22 November. Green roofs cool buildings, reduce stormwater runoff and increase biodiversity. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions and get tips on how to do it yourself. You can register to attend here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
Are there native bees and insects in your garden? Today is the first day of Australian Pollinator Week and native bee ecologist and musician @amelie_ecology has just released a new single with Costa Georgiadis @costasworld called ‘Not all Pests’. We’re thrilled that Amelie will be performing her songs and running a free interactive workshop on what we can do to support our native pollinators at the Planetary Health Expo and Family Day on Saturday 22nd November. You can register to attend here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
and you can stream ’Not all Pests’ here (link in profile): https://amelieecology.bandcamp.com/track/not-all-pests
Julie Nance is a community storyteller with the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative. In her coverage of the Lower Mountains area, she brings 30 years’ experience in communications, publishing and journalism.
After specialising in health and social issues as a journalist, Julie led creative teams in the government and not-for-profit sectors including the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, YMCA NSW, Cancer Council NSW and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
Julie is passionate about empowering people with quality information to help them make informed choices.
Julie Nance invited her 82-year-old mum to join her on outings in Lower Mountains parks, after months of being confined to home due to sickness. With fond memories of family picnics growing up, their quality time together in nature gave them both a much-needed lift.
