THE FRED HOLLOWS FOUNDATION, OPTUS AND THURAYA SUPPORT REMOTE COMMUNITIES IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

Optus, Thuraya and The Fred Hollows Foundation have teamed up to offer young Indigenous people from remote communities in the Northern Territory the chance to undertake leadership and event management training through the Community Event Management Training Program.

The program will offer six Indigenous trainees the opportunity to work closely with the organisers of two major 'Top End' regional festivals in 2009 - The Barunga Festival and the Walking with Spirits Festival.

Over coming months, the trainees will be involved in all aspects of the organisation of these events giving them a sense of ownership and responsibility. The program will provide the trainees with a range of event management skills that will improve their future employment opportunities.

"We're very pleased to have Optus and Thuraya on board to support a program that is giving young Indigenous people an opportunity that they otherwise wouldn't receive," said The Fred Hollows Foundation's CEO Brian Doolan.

"The Barunga Festival and the Walking with Spirits Festival are very important cultural events for these communities in the Top End. Being responsible for the organisation of these events will give these young trainees a very valuable experience."

The Fred Hollows Foundation Community Event Management Training Program is supported by Optus and Thuraya. This includes financial support and the provision of Optus Thuraya satellite phones enabling communications access in a very remote part of Australia.

"As a communications company we're in the business of connecting people, so we are proud to be working with The Fred Hollows Foundation and our technology partner Thuraya to connect these young people to training and technology they have previously not had access to," said Optus CEO Paul O'Sullivan.

"This program offers the opportunity to learn valuable skills and build self confidence while giving back to the community. By providing practical support, Optus can help young people to realise their potential," Mr O'Sullivan said.

The community of Barunga, 80km south-east of Katherine, has hosted the Barunga Festival since 1985. Held on the June long weekend, the Barunga Cultural & Sports Festival generally attracts around 5,000 people to the town, with participants engaging in a range of sporting events as well as Indigenous music and cultural activities. The Indigenous event management trainees will be directly assisting with production of the Festival, working with musicians, dancers, bush tucker displays, art exhibition and spear throwing.

'Walking with Spirits' Festival takes place on the last weekend of July and has been running for seven years. Held at exquisite Beswick Falls, the Walking with Spirits Festival offers visitors a rare insight into the life and culture of the community, with more than 100 community members actively participating.

Media Contacts:

The Fred Hollows Foundation
Joe Boughton-Dent
Phone: 02 8741 1928
Mobile: 0401 650 440
Email: jboughtondent@hollows.org

Optus
Simone Bergholcs or Siobhan Quinn
Optus Corporate Affairs
Phone: 02 8082 7850

About The Fred Hollows Foundation
The vision of The Fred Hollows Foundation is for a world where no one is needlessly blind and Indigenous Australians enjoy the same health outcomes and life expectancy as other Australians. Our organization is inspired by Professor Fred Hollows (1929-1993). Fred was an eye doctor, a skilled surgeon of international reknown and a social justice activist who championed the right of all people to high quality and affordable eye care and to good health.

We are an agent for development in Australia and internationally. We focus on blindness prevention and Australian Indigenous health. We are independent, non-profit, politically unaligned and secular. The Fred Hollows Foundation strives to achieve four goals:

1. End avoidable blindness in the communities and countries where we work
2. Improve the life chances and choices of Indigenous Australians through improving their health
3. Work through strong partnerships and cross-sector collaborations – at local, national and global levels
4. Build a strong and dynamic organization, capable of facilitating effective eye and Indigenous health programs and have a positive impact on public opinion, policies and practices

About Optus
Optus is an Australian leader in integrated communications. The company specialises in a broad range of communications services including mobile, local, national and long distance telephony, business network services, internet and satellite services and subscription television. For more information please visit www.optus.com.au

About Thuraya (www.thuraya.com)
Thuraya is a world leading mobile satellite operator, providing its cutting-edge services in around 170 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Services provided by Thuraya include mobile voice, broadband, maritime, rural telephony, fleet management and other advanced applications that enable people and businesses everywhere under its coverage to enjoy constant access to communications and information. The Company launched its third satellite (Thuraya-3) in January 2008, which has brought countries of the Asia-Pacific region under its footprint and extended its coverage to nearly two thirds of the globe’s population. Thuraya was founded in 1997 by a consortium of leading national telecom operators and reputed investment firms from the region.