Kimberly-Clark says its Family Care & Professional division is supporting efforts to address preventable disease in the Northern Territory with the launch of a new community laundry in Borroloola.
According to the company, Kleenex toilet paper produced in Millicent, South Australia, is being supplied to the facility as part of a partnership between Kimberly-Clark’s International Family Care & Professional (KC IFP) division and the Aboriginal Investment Group (AIG) through its Remote Laundries program.
In a news release, the company said the initiative aims to improve hygiene access in remote Aboriginal communities, where overcrowding and limited facilities continue to contribute to high rates of preventable illness.
Kimberly-Clark cited figures showing that eight in ten Aboriginal children in the NT develop skin sores before turning one, leaving them at greater risk of scabies and rheumatic heart disease.
The company said its support includes a year’s supply of Kleenex toilet paper for the new Borroloola laundromat, which will operate alongside free washing and drying services.
“As a leader in health and hygiene, we’re proud to support AIG’s Remote Laundries program and the incredible work they’re doing to improve outcomes for remote communities,” KC IFP Managing Director David Tyack said.
“We know how tough it can be to access everyday essentials in these areas, so we’re happy to also donate an annual supply of our toilet paper for the people of Borroloola. We’re excited about what’s ahead and look forward to building a lasting partnership with AIG.”
The Borroloola site is the seventh facility established through the Remote Laundries program, which is also supported by the Heart Foundation and the Mabunji Aboriginal Corporation.
According to AIG, the laundry is expected to support more than 1,000 people by completing more than 3,000 wash cycles each year.
Program data provided by AIG shows that since 2019, Remote Laundries has delivered more than 73,000 laundry cycles across remote NT communities, achieved a 96 per cent utilisation rate, and created 117 local jobs.
Remote Laundries CEO Elizabeth Morgan-Brett OLY said the service is intended to deliver health, economic and social benefits.
“We are thrilled to be delivering a service that will benefit the Borroloola community from a health, economic and social perspective,” she said.
“With six years of laundry operations behind us, we’ve seen firsthand how access to clean clothes and bedding improves health, school attendance and employment. Our laundries deliver health, social and economic outcomes for Aboriginal people living in remote communities—one wash at a time.”
