The Echuca Aboriginal Co-operative was established by the hard work and political efforts of many of our Elders who saw a need for a community controlled organisation to run culturally appropriate services. We first set up the Echuca Aboriginal Co-operative in the Milewa Chambers in 1974, in 1990 the name was changed to the Njernda Aboriginal Corporation, Njernda means “to know our living culture” in the Wemba Wemba language of northern Victoria, Southern NSW. Like many other Aboriginal co-operatives across Australia, we believe in a holistic view of health that recognises the inter-connectedness of body, mind and spirit… not just of the individual but of their family and the community. This means we work across a range of program areas including housing, employment, cultural heritage, education, child care and health.