Communities strengthen us.

Small communities are just how they sound; small. Small which can be defined as insignificant and unimportant, negligible compared to the much bigger and ‘better’ cities with their booming tourism and excessive population. They may not sound like much of a life, and it certainly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it is mine.

My parents grew up in a rural, small town and so did I. Tocumwal, a town on the New South Wales side of Murray River, has a mere population of approximately 2,800 people. My dad, who has lived there his entire life would probably know at least half of them and my mum who lived in a neighbouring town likely knows the other half. Therefore, most of the town knew me but I would have no idea who they were. It was never surprising when a person would greet me in the street, and I would gaze up at a face with no recognition at all. So that’s how I grew up, and as a classic introvert I absolutely hated this and could not wait to leave this obscure world.

Yet I am still in Tocumwal. I can proudly say that now I am the one that knows people around town. Some were my babysitters, some my teachers and most, my friends. At a young age I was oblivious to the essential role of my community in my life and how they raised me. As a local kid, people looked after me. They would offer a ride home if I was walking, they would be up for a chat in the street and congratulated me on my achievements. This small community in Tocumwal has been with me my whole life, provided undying support and now I feel like I belong here.

Just a 10 minute drive from my house was where Pamela Bone used to live. She was a human rights activist, a persistent person, a UN Peace Prize in Media recipient, and most of all a strong leader. Even though she came from a disadvantaged family and a small community, like me, she was able to make a difference to hundreds of lives. She travelled to poverty filled countries to spread the word on women’s rights and fairness for all. A particularly moving story about how she was able to change the outcome of the law by just her words proved just how committed she was towards justice. After a man who had raped his wife was released by the court, she wrote an article in the Age and caused an uprising by the community resulting in the decision being changed and him being rightfully convicted.

We strengthen communities.
Now it is my turn to return to the community what they gave to me. We are the future of the small towns; we are the ones that will make or break propitious change. Small towns would never survive without the flow of young, ambitious leaders that contribute and push the community to do better.
I want to make a change.
I want to make a difference in someone’s life.
I want to help others that grew up in rural towns.
I want to help women.
These are not things that I need to do, instead it is the things that drive me to persevere, to strive and to continue in my mission to help others. I never promised to change the world but changing my community for the better has always been my purpose.