Great stories of success

Mariam Ajang arrived from a Kenyan refugee camp with her South Sudanese mother and five older brothers when she was just two years old.

Jessica moved away from home to study vet science in Wagga but recently returned to Griffith with her fiancé and a small menagerie of animals. With a love of good food, wine, cheese and Italian restaurants, she believes the country town lifestyle can’t be beaten.

With the support of her community, Ceridwen completed a Bachelor of Archaeological Practice (Hons) and Doctor of Philosophy (Evolutionary Biology/Palaeoanthropology), receiving a myriad of commendations, awards and accomplishments along the way.

Jacob, who has a powerful connection to the land and his home community, moved his young family to Canberra, where his fiancé was provided an excellent work opportunity. This signalled a change in direction for Jacob who is now studying online for a double degree in environmental science and law. He’s also working with the Australian Government’s Clean Energy Regulator towards a clean and sustainable future. This year he received a 2018 Innovation Award for his contribution to an Emissions Intensive Trade Exposed IT project.

Students from Brisbane and Bathurst are the inaugural recipients of the Origin Foundation Grant King Indigenous Scholarships program. Caitlin Ramsey and Patrick Long were selected for the scholarships which aim to help two Indigenous students each year study for a career in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Despite being vice-captain of her school and the first in her family to finish year 12, Michal Purcell didn’t leave school with many plans, other than to get married and raise a family of her own.

Did you know…2-3kg of our body weight is made up of bacteria alone? Or, that there’s more living organisms in a handful of soil, than the total number of humans that has ever walked the planet!? Hear more fun facts about science from Marianne Haines in these short ‘Slice of Science’ videos.

There's much to love about country life: fresh air and wide-open spaces; close-knit communities and that certain breed of hospitality found only in a country pub. But if you're a young person living in a regional, rural or remote area, life can be less idyllic when it comes to education. In fact, young people living in the country are amongst Australia's most disadvantaged when it comes to further education and training.

How far could you walk in a day? 10kms, 20kms? Michael Ward clocked up to 66kms per day, when he decided to walk from Origin's Adelaide to Melbourne offices.

Year 5 and 6 students at the Oatley Public School in Sydney were asked to build a sustainable house for Rex and Jemima, who are concerned about climate change. They wanted their home to be fun, comfortable, creative and sustainable. Rex and Jemima may be fictional characters, but the challenge was real: how can a group of 9 and 10 year olds design a comfortable home that reduces waste, generates its own energy, produces its own food, and treads lightly on the environment?

Building balloon and solar powered race cars is not your average approach to learning about the principle of stored energy. So, when Origin volunteer Randeep Agarwal developed the lesson with Year 7 teacher Mr Prout, they knew it would be a hit with the students at Corinda State High School. And it was.

Indigenous students from all over Australia are being invited to apply for the Origin Foundation Grant King Indigenous Scholarships, which will provide two students each year with a full residential scholarship to undertake a degree in Engineering or Science at the University of New South Wales.

If you’ve ever worked in hospitality, you know how important teamwork is. Just ask Origin’s Risk Management team. In December they worked together with The Big Issue to host a Christmas celebration for their magazine vendors in Sydney.

Rural and remote students face more obstacles when it comes to accessing further education and training, compared with their metropolitan counterparts. So when a team of data specialists from Origin’s Sydney office were asked to help Schools Plus and the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) better understand the funding landscape for rural education, they rose to the challenge. And quickly!

What do wooden stakes, a toilet plunger, and a piece of charcoal have in common? These, and other materials, are used in the classroom to help students understand the positive difference engineering can have on people’s lives.

Sibling rivalry can be a great motivator. Just ask Barry Burke, a Health and Safety professional at Origin, who was challenged by his brother Rick to compete with him in the Melbourne Marathon last year.

In a one-night special, a newly-formed Origin band played to a packed out, enthusiastic crowd at the Condamine Pub and raised money to combat mental illness.

Most days, Will Pearse can be found at his desk in Sydney, buying and selling gas to service Origin’s largest business customers. But on Friday mornings he heads back to school to help young Indigenous children learn to read.

Imagine being a child and feeling sick to your stomach every time an excursion is announced at school, knowing you’ll miss out again.

When Taminya was growing up, she had no role models to emphasise how important education and learning is. Her schooling was patchy and she missed out on opportunities.

Laura Taylor isn’t worried she’s outnumbered by boys four to one in her engineering course at Australian National University

Sharing books with children is a great way to build relationships, develop their language skills and help them learn about the world. And it’s never too early to start!
Thanks to a new initiative being trialled in Origin’s Adelaide office, employees can borrow books to share with their children, without leaving their desks.

Early childhood is a time of great discovery, learning and growth. Educators play a vital role in the development of our children at this time.

In Australia on average one woman is killed every week as a result of domestic violence. In fact, domestic and family violence is the leading contributor of death, disability and ill-health in Australian women aged 15-44. It is also the primary reason for homelessness of women and their children.

Imagine designing a clean drinking water system for a remote Nepalese community, or a modern road system for farmers in central Africa - all before graduating from university. Thanks to Engineers Without Borders (EWB), first-year engineering students across Australia are getting the chance to do just that, and more.

The Big Issue magazine provides employment to hundreds of disadvantaged, homeless and marginalised people, but selling the magazine on the streets is not a safe or viable option for many women, particularly those caring for children or fleeing domestic violence.

We are proud to help thousands of young people all around Australia get a flying start with their education each year.

Remember her name, you may be hearing more of her in the future

Kyle was going nowhere at school. He couldn't see the point. An introvert, he hid behind long hair and his beloved computer screen, where he could do what he really enjoyed - gaming.

It’s hard to fit in when you’re a teenager.

Running in undies for a good cause

Young people in the country face more barriers to education than their metropolitan counterparts. Often the costs associated with further education prohibit kids in the country from reaching their potential.

The Fulbright Professional Scholarship is an exceptional opportunity for emerging leaders working in the not-for-profit sector. Find out more!

With funding from the Origin Foundation, Rhett Corker is working to raise awareness and funds for prostate and testicular cancer and mental health.

Skilled volunteers from Origin helped expand the reach of The Big Issue, Australia's most successful social enterprise.

The Origin Foundation supports Gawura, Sydney’s day school for Indigenous students, so kids like Izak and Biwali can be the best that they can be.

A postgraduate course in rural education has begun at Flinders University thanks to a $414,000 gift from the Origin Foundation. Find out more!

Origin employees rolled up their sleeves to help convert a drab rooftop into a bright playground for Sydney’s youngest Indigenous students.

Thanks to a scholarship from the Origin Foundation, Ferizan is studying for a degree in Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies through Charles Sturt University.

The Origin Foundation helped Jessica Weekes complete a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at Queensland’s James Cook University.

Big Picture Education Australia, supported by the Origin Foundation, has allowed students like Alex succeed through personalised education programs.

The Origin Foundation is supporting the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal’s ‘Back to School’ program, to help kids like Joel to fit in at school.

AIME is a dynamic educational program that helps Indigenous students like David Bruton-Duroux achieve at the same rate as their peers.

Preschooler Kate is participating in The Smith Family’s Let’s Count program, which improves the early numeracy skills of children aged three to five years.

Read the Grattan Institute's report 'Making Time for Great Teaching', which was supported by the Origin Foundation.

The Origin Foundation is proud to support the educational goals of these talented individuals in the fields of Sustainability and Engineering.