Empowering Positive Change

The JILYA FOUNDATION

This is the second year the Montebello Foundation is providing a

scholarship to the Jilya Foundation to support an indigenous psychology student. The

Scholarship, worth $35,000 covers course fees and other expenses associated with attendance

for the 2026 academic year. The student when graduated will return to country to utilise their

skills in supporting Indigenous communities and individuals as part of the Jilya Foundation

Indigenous psychology program.

O.C.CHALLENGE

O.C.Challenge is a South Australian charity focused on raising awareness

and providing support for women with ovarian cancer. O.C.Challenge works to educate the public about ovarian cancer, the symptoms and the importance of early detection.

They also provide support service for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer and their families. The Montebello foundation is delighted to provide $25,000 to support the employment of a senior nurse as a support nurse for any South Australian woman suffering from ovarian cancer and her family.

This service is available for women being treated in either the public or private health systems.

Flinders University

Institute for Mental Health & Wellbeing

Children in remote Australian communities face persistent barriers to quality STEM and AI education including limited digital infrastructure and a shortage of trained educators in emerging technologies.

To assess the feasibility and establish an evidence-base to addressing these

barriers, the Montebello Foundation will provide seed funding of $49,302. This funding will enable the development and deployment of an AI literacy school program for Years 4-6 in rural South Australia.

This program will centre around low-cost, open-sourced social robots through a

hands-on approach, where children will build their own low-complexity, low-cost robots.

Adelaide University

Rosemary Bryant Research Centre

Prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) men (including black African/Caribbean), and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

(ATSI) men, who are often diagnosed late and suffer from poorer outcomes.

A culture of silence has impacted men and their partners’ ability to have open dialogue about prostate cancer concerns which has contributed to late diagnosis and increasing deaths.

The Montebello Foundation will provide $50,000 to assist in the co-design of a culturally tailored digital application to support the mental health and wellbeing of ATSI and CALD men at high risk

for or diagnosed with prostate cancer including their partners.

The project also aims to empower

ATSI and CALD communities through leadership, co-ownership, and decision-making in the design, content, and delivery of this health innovation, address the culture of silence surrounding prostate cancer and expand on the evidence regarding ATSI & CALD men’s pathways to care for prostate cancer concerns.

Adelaide University and the Nukunu Wapma Thura Aboriginal Corporation

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The value of cool burning within the Australian landscape shows benefits for the broader environment in reducing the fuel loads, reducing weed infestations and promoting the growth of native plants and strengthening biodiversity. However, there are other benefits including reinforcement of cultural practices resulting in important health benefits of appropriate diets, connection to culture and language.

Funding from the Montebello Foundation of $33,120 will assist in developing the evidence base that underpins the cool burning program through the development of the Wilmington Site as a demonstration site for school and university students.

It will also provide training opportunities

for the Nukunu to help other First Nations groups with fire whilst documenting the short and long-

term health benefits associated with involvement in the fire program. This will be achieved through the provision of twice-yearly community fire camps, the development of a Fire Walk across country and a yarning circle at the Wilmington site to encourage community.