Jarrah Young Scholarships

The Australian Qualifications Institute (AQI) supports a range of Jarrah Young scholarships, with a focus on girls,  in Australia, Nepal and Cambodia. The international focus is on developing communities and ultimately nations.

“Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world” – Nelson Mandela

Currently AQI friends and family generously sponsor many of these girls. It is intended that ultimately the allocated 30% of AQI profits will be enough to sustainably and fully support all Jarrah Young Scholarships.

100% of all donated funds go to keep the girls and some boys at school. Scholarshp funds are kept separate from  AQI business finances to allow for external donations.

Jarrah Young 30/7/1985 – 8/2/2012

The Jarrah Young scholarships are inspired by Jarrah’s zest for life and her contribution to international aid projects.  She displayed a wonderful acceptance of all people and cultures.  Jarrah lived at Brisbane International House in 2003 and 2004. During this time she had a profound impact on peoples’ lives and made many international friends.

As a Vet she enjoyed her time in Australian practice but felt that she could offer more by working as a vet in developing countries. This was typical of her desire to help others and she was able to offer a great deal.

Her main work was in Africa where for many tribes their life and wealth is built upon livestock. For the men it is cattle, for the women chickens. For those women chickens provide eggs and meat, something to barter and a means of generating savings for the payment of school fees.  Imagine the devastation when the flock is wiped out overnight by Newcastle disease. Imagine the benefits of having a vaccine to prevent such a disease.  That Australian developed vaccine was available and Jarrah’s quest was to see that it was effectively distributed and also that villagers felt confident to use it. In doing that Jarrah saw herself as improving the lot of chickens and of women. Jarrah’s work continued after her death in a bus accident in Namibia in 2012. She left a research contribution through 7 published papers but importantly has set the base work for the continued improvement of the lives of women in Africa.

The Jarrah Young Scholarship Cambodia

Our Jarrah Young Scholarships provide bikes and educational resources to Cambodian village girls so they can cycle to secondary school in the larger villages. No bike, no school!
In the village of O’Rumchek the number of girls attending secondary school has increased from a handful to up to 20 per year with the introduction bikes. From a second village Chobb Kompleng, where the primary school only goes to Grade 5, the year 6 students now they have bikes can access Grade 6 at a neighbouring village 8 kilometres away.

Bikes cost just $50. With a bike the 10-20 kilometres to school becomes an option. Parents mark a contract which requires that the girls attend school if they want to keep the bike this is not generally an issue as school is a draw card. The parents are mostly illiterate and see education as a passport out of working in the fields or in the sex trade.  There is a further option of providing $30 per year which covers the cost of a school books and resources. We are also building support for teacher training for the lesser trained, or untrained, primary school teachers within the villages.

“Thanks very much for the funds transfer. The bikes and books presentation for this academic year went down a treat as usual. One additional feature this year was the school cluster director spoke at length to the parents about the advantages for their children if the parents send them to school instead of putting them to farm labouring or the sex trade. He was very forthright and told the parents not to treat their children as slaves and explained the benefits that can accrue to everyone in the long term with educated children. The parents have to sign a contract agreeing to send the kids to school and ensure the students look after the bikes. None of the parents signed their name. All used thumb prints!!!! All illiterate.” Mary

The Jarrah Young Scholarship  International House

This University of Queensland Scholarship is in its fifth year. The criteria for the award are compassion, participation, encouraging others to participate and academic achievement and is open to males and females. All recipients have been exemplary role models and have gone on to be leaders in their student association among a vast array of other achievements.

The Jarrah Young Safe House Scholarships Nepal

The Safe House near Kathmandu Nepal has been set up through the Kumari Project. The Safe House is caring for girls who generally have at least one and often the only pparent in prison. The Safe House is an alternative to living in prison with their parents or in substandard orphanage care.

Jarrah’s family and friends and AQI now support the education of all girls living in the Safe House as well as that of their younger brothers – a list of this year’s donors are below.

$530 per year supports one year of education for a girl. Some donors sponsor part and some the whole of the fee with donations ranging from $20 to $530+. All are very welcome. These scholarships cover fees for a non-religious private school, uniforms, back pack, stationery and books.

Donations toward the Jarrah Young Scholarship Fund can be made to:
Account name: AQI Holdings Pty Ltd ATF AQI Trust
BSB: 124-001
Account No: 21926647
Please email us at accounts@aqi.edu.au with details of your EFT so that we can acknowledge your donation.
It is possible for you to sponsor a specific child. Where possible we will keep you informed with genuine updates on that child.

Donors through 2020 include

Australian Qualifications Institute, AQI
Lyn McKenzie
Rohan and Lindy Harris
Marilyn Sorbello and family
Lorraine Riseley and family
Sue Harris
Denise Benjamin and family
Rosanne and David Osborne
The Harris Young Family
Hilary Morgan
Robyn and John Downey
Kerry Anderson
Simon Madin and family
Mary Ann McCarthy
Jan and Greg Cater
Susie and John Burns
Decima Frazer
Clair Pell and family
Stella Madzerevic
Emelia O’Brien
Moira O’Leary
The Wand family
Kate Riseley and Joel Young
Mat Palmer
Kobi Haworth
Nicole Fernando
The Burns family

Many thanks to current and past donors!

“Investing in girls is one of the smartest things we can do to promote a healthier, more prosperous world. More importantly, it’s the right thing to do.”
~ United Nations Foundation ~