In the heart of Yarrabah, Charanti Andrews discovered a burning passion. It wasn’t sparked through an inspiring book or in the office of a career counsellor, but instead in the familiar, comforting corners of her own home.
Charanti’s family is incredibly close, and her grandfather was always someone she deeply admired. When he suffered a stroke in 2019, Charanti was there, throughout his rehabilitation, as a carer, helping him every step of the way. Once her grandfather got back on his feet, Charanti wanted to focus on her two younger nephews. Each faced unique challenges; one diagnosed with ADHD and the other autism. She spent a lot of time with her nephews, helping them navigate the world and their own personal challenges. Through caring for her grandfather and understanding her nephews’ needs, her purpose became clear: to make a meaningful impact in the healthcare industry and transform lives with her compassionate nature.
Charanti was fortunate to have supportive parents who taught her the value of hard work and resilience. Their roles as leaders in their community served as a source of inspiration – her mum is the CEO of the local health service, and her dad served his community, as the mayor[CA1] of Yarrabah. With their encouragement, Charanti applied and was accepted into the Cape York Leaders Program, which offers scholarships to Indigenous students to attend the best boarding high schools in Queensland.
“When I first started the scholarship, I was so quiet; I wouldn’t talk to anyone. Mum and Dad are leaders in their community. I feel like I look up to them and want to follow in their footsteps,” Charanti says.
Charanti ventured out of her comfort zone when she started boarding at The Cathedral School in Townsville. For someone who had spent her whole life in Yarrabah, a quiet community in Far North Queensland, this was a far cry away from home. Charanti was ready to apply herself to her studies and overcome any challenges that lay ahead. In her new school, she found herself stepping into leadership roles, ones that she would have, previously, shied away from.
“I put my hand up to be on the Indigenous Student Council at school, stepping up and being a leader. We organised things like NAIDOC week and other activities,” she says.
The Leaders Program also allowed Charanti to discover potential career pathways. With the help of her Student Support Officer, she participated in the University of Queensland’s Health Science Camp – a week-long university experience to help Year 11 and 12 students explore tertiary study options in health sciences.
Her passion for health sciences was already evident, but the chance to delve into various disciplines, including occupational therapy, nursing, dentistry, psychology, midwifery, and pathology provided her with the clarity she needed.
“I liked being surrounded by other Indigenous kids who have a passion for health, and I really enjoyed visiting the Occupational Therapy Rehabilitation Centre,” Charanti says. “I love interacting with people with sensory disabilities. It just makes me happy.”
CYLP Scholarship Manager, Rhys Hollo - Russell said, “It's inspiring to see young individuals like Charanti transform their passion into purpose. She’s come a long way since starting the and has emerged as a competent, engaged and aspiring community leader. We can’t wait to see what impact she has in the healthcare industry”.
Once Charanti completed Year 12, she pursued a Bachelor of Public Health at The Queensland University of Technology. Her decision to study was supported by a Cape York Leaders Program tertiary scholarship. “I’m enjoying every bit of my degree,” she says. “I love that it’s so broad and that there are multiple career areas I could go into”.
Charanti is determined to turn her dream into a reality She know that Public Health needs Indigenous Leaders like herself and she is adamant to take her skills, knowledge and expertise back to her community to give back as much as she can.
Recently Charanti took proactive steps to engage closer with her community by picking up some casual work during her uni breaks at the local Aboriginal Clinic in Yarrabah –Gurriny.
“It is so rewarding for me to pick up some work on my uni breaks back at home,” Charanti said.
This was Charanti’s first experience with hands-on remote health care in her community. One of the things she noticed was the overwhelming number of missed health check-ups.
“I was surprised by how many youths are reluctant to come in. It’s taking a lot to gain their trust,” Charanti said. “They struggle to build rapport due to an unfamiliar face at the clinic,”
Charanti believes when there is a familiar face in clinic the young people will engage more.
“What I try to do is create a space for conversations about their goals and dreams,” Charanti said. “This has helped me break the ice and build rapport with the young people.”
Charanti is determined to complete her bachelor’s degree and then pursue a Master’s, hoping to inspire others in her community to follow in her footsteps and enter the field.