Drive behind years of volunteering – Australia Day honours

WORKING in education since the 1960s and volunteering in Timor-Leste since 2006, Heather Ridge has had her tireless work recognised with an Order of Australia Medal.

“It is an honour, but as with anything like this they’re not so much about the individual as they are about the organisation, the projects the person’s been involved with, and the partnerships that have been established as a result of that,” she said.

Ms Ridge recalled in 2005 when conversations began about establishing a relationship between Bendigo and the regional Timor-Leste town of Maubisse.

Today, the Bendigo Maubisse Friendship Committee operates as a partnership between the towns, with teams of Bendigo locals assisting in dental health, building and teacher training projects.

With decades of teaching experience over the world, the BMFC provided the perfect opportunity for Ms Ridge to help others less fortunate.

She travelled to Maubisse once a year between 2006 and 2019, driven by her love of education.

She helped establish a scholarship program, helping hundreds of Maubisse children to complete their schooling.

Children in Maubisse often attend school with no supplies and school may be cancelled in the wet season due to building leaks.

“We have these privileges, we grow up in situations where we have opportunities to be educated,” she said. “That’s not a given for kids in Maubisse at all, and for kids across Timor-Leste.”

She said she is amazed by the growth of the rural community in Maubisse.

“It’s not a case of us going in with a top-down model, it’s really a true partnership where we work side-by-side, shoulder-to-shoulder with the Timorese and it’s been so exciting to see that,” she said.

“It’s not just about undertaking a project, the people are real, their needs are real and so are the friendships you establish too.”