Moorditj yorga means "strong woman" in the Noongar language of Western Australia's South West and it is a fitting description for Susan Ford-Young.
At 67, the Noongar woman is a first-year student at Perth's Curtin University, where she is pursuing a career in Indigenous mental health.
With a background in childcare, and more recently as a FIFO worker, she had never considered a university-level education until she spotted an advertisement for the Moorditj Yorga Scholarship.
The program was launched in 2019 to support and empower mature-age Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to attain a degree at Curtin.
Scholarships address barriers to education by providing financial assistance for up to five years, as well as mentoring to support the yorgas transition into their careers.
Mineral Resources (MinRes) recently bolstered the campaign with a commitment of $55,000 per year until 2026 to fund four scholarships.
Mrs Ford-Young was awarded one of those scholarships this year, with the financial support covering the purchase of a computer and software to overcome a visual impairment.
She is now determined to build a career in Indigenous mental health and hopes to inspire others to consider higher education later in life.
Her message to older Aboriginal women: "Just do it."
"If it doesn't work out, that's fine. There's no shame. I tell the young fellas and the young girls all the time – you can do it. You are moorditj," she said.
25 year-old Noongar woman Brittney Hart, who has already received a high distinction and distinction in her Indigenous Pre-Medicine and Health Sciences Enabling Course, said she is "determined to have a career within the health sciences field as I would love to contribute to better health outcomes for my mob, as well as provide my children with a better future".
The two other MinRes-supported yorgas are Yamatji woman Tracey Gentle, who is studying a Bachelor of Applied Science, and Noongar and Yamitji woman Donna Cuttabutt, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Psychology.
"I embarked upon my studies especially in mental health due to my own struggle with it and the education and answers I needed for myself," Ms Gentle said.
"I have come from a traumatic background and want to use my new knowledge and skills to create a space for my community to assist them on their healing path."
Curtin is seeking the support of its alumni and wider community to ensure the scholarship is available to more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
MinRes Chief People and Shared Services Officer Bronwyn Grieve said the company is "so proud to partner with Curtin to help support these moorditij yorgas enter and succeed at university".
"They truly are an inspiration."
