Award-winning Western Sydney Indigenous Health Challenge returns

An award-winning initiative, Burbaga Burawa is on again in 2023 - a 10-week Knockout Health Challenge targeted to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities all across Western Sydney improve their health outcomes.

The challenge assembles groups from all across the region to take part in a friendly weight-loss competition while encouraging healthy eating and lifestyle habits, with some fantastic prizes on offer.

As home to one of the biggest urban Indigenous communities in the country, Western Sydney has always played a vital role in the program.

The challenge has regularly benefitted community members through the promotion of exercise and a healthy diet and has become a key element in NSW Closing the Gap initiatives.

There is still a great disparity in health outcomes for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, with a higher percentage of health issues and shorter life expectancy still prevalent. Though the Closing the Gap initiative has been able to boost key statistics for infants and babies, other issues are struggling, including education, incarceration rates and life expectancy.

initiatives like Burbaga Burawa are playing a vital role in reversing these statistics. The initiative has proven resilient in recent years, overcoming the many challenges presented by Covid and adapting to continue helping the community. Over the past two years the program has at times been forced into an online-only model. Though it presented challenges to the delivery of the program, the passion and determination of both organisers and participants has ensured support remains consistently strong.

Registration is now open for the 2023 event, with entries closing on April 9.

All participants in the free challenge will receive a training shirt, gym membership, an eating plan and plenty of other materials to help them succeed.

For more information and to sign up, follow the links on our website.

‍