Made for Life is the strategic plan developed for the Resilience Programme for the 100+ children (aged 4-11 years) living in Apollo Estate (Dubbo), the most deeply marginalised Aboriginal urban ghetto in Australia. Apollo Estate is an urban conclave of about 400 homes, with close to 85% of the adult population addicted to Meth and other substances. Many of the children have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, suffer from third-world levels of mulnutrition, and most lack basic life skills.

The Resilience Programme is located in Apollo House, sitting on a large piece of grassed land in the heart of the Apollo Estate. The strategic plan was developed on request of Aborginal Elders who wanted the Resilience Programme to protected and financially self-sufficient with long term sustainability, as a key step in rehabilitating Apollo Estate.

Central ot the strategic plan was a social enterprise structured around food and cooking, as basic nutrition was a key issue for the children. The key product was How To books on practical skills competencies. The first book was MADE FOR LIFE [In the Kitchen] - the 99 essential skills that every person should have the basic knowledge and skills to turn ingredients into food. From turning eggs into a meal, and tomatoes into sauce, cooking fluffy rice, making gravy and bread from scratch, through to preserving jam, stuffing and roasting a chicken.

To create content for the first book, Eco Shepherd set up the Made for Life Test Ktichen on the large grassed area next to Apollo House. We brought in commercial kitchens and professional chefs to create a fully working (albeit outdoor) ktichen where all 100 children were taught simple cooking and baking skills over two weeks. The most wonderful experience of our lives.