It would be safe to say that underwear – particularly bras – would rarely be discussed at a Sunday church service. So when it was announced to the congregation at Boronia Road UC that organist Max Thomson “needed a lift and wanted their bras” it is not surprising that a few people were a little shocked.
Once he had their attention, Mr Thomson explained that he was helping his daughter, Jenny Free, collect bras for women who live in the Pacific Islands and the Northern Territory. Ms Free is the south west Victorian coordinator for Uplift Bras, a project that began in 2005. As she explained, women in Fiji were asking aid workers and tourists for bras.
“A new bra costs $40, which is out of reach for women who earn from $1.50 to $4.50 an hour, if they have jobs,” Ms Free said.
Lack of a bra is often seen as a sign of poverty. Although many communities access second-hand clothes from Australia, second-hand bras – particularly in sizes to suit larger frames – are rare. While women appreciate the dignity of wearing a bra for occasions such as attending church, the importance of a bra is much more than social. For many of these women, access to such basic items is a very real health issue.
“In heat and humidity, rashes and fungal infections and abscesses occur between the breast and the chest wall,” Ms Free said. “Bras help with air circulation. A thrush rash on a mother’s skin may spread to her baby’s mouth, and then back into the breast itself.”
Since it began, Uplift – with assistance from Rotary Australia World Community Service – has sent nearly half-a-million bras to women throughout the Pacific.
Ms Free hopes other congregations will follow the lead of Boronia Road UC. Since Mr Thompson’s request last year, two collections have been sent and more will be on the way this year.
“It’s something that most women in Australia take for granted, but owning a bra can make such a difference to the lives of these women,” Ms Free said.
For more information go to: upliftbras.org
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