Huw Kingston will ski 700km to raise money for First Nations literacy initiative

Freya Lucas

Aug 10, 2022

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Adventurer, environmentalist and Save the Children ambassador Huw Kingston will undertake a 50-day, 700 km skiing journey to raise $50,000 to support Australia’s first free library of books authored by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Mr Kingston will weave his way through the Australian alps to raise funds for the Our Yarning project, Australia’s first free library of books authored by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to grow children’s literacy through culturally relevant stories, working with communities across Australia to gather unique stories that reflect the diversity of Indigenous Australians’ lived experiences.

Run by Library For All, which merged with Save the Children Australia in 2020, Our Yarning aims to publish 500 books over the next five years that will reach 95,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

“Aboriginal people have a rich tradition of storytelling, and we know that children learn better and enjoy reading more when the story they are reading has characters that reflect their lived experiences,” said Dr Julie Owen, Library For All’s Cultural Advisor.

“If you cannot relate to a story, then you tend to be less interested and struggle to engage, with research showing that a lack of culturally relevant stories has an impact on overall literacy rates among Aboriginal children.”

Mr Kingston has raised $32,000 for the literacy project thus far, beginning his Alpine Odyssey with a cross country ski at Victoria’s Lake Mountain resort on the 29 July, where the Taungurung traditional owners sent him on his way with a smoking ceremony and a Welcome to Country.

He then headed off from Mt Baw Baw on Sunday 31 July for the 700 km journey north. He will travel via every Australian ski resort, as well as through nine Aboriginal nations, before finishing up at Mt Selwyn in New South Wales, some 50 days later.

“I am extremely pleased to be raising money for Our Yarning, which supports First Nations children to learn their own stories from books by Indigenous authors,” Mr Kingston said.

“Aboriginal culture dates back tens of thousands of years and is rich with stories. The best way to ensure these stories live on is to pass them on to children.”

Follow Mr Kingston’s progress here. To contribute to the fundraising effort, please see here.

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