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Infrastructure fund assists Bendigo's Stupa to become self-sustainable

Everyone who comes here, the immediate response from people is how peaceful it is here. It's a peaceful refuge for people to come and also a place where everyone feel welcome.

Our main issue here is that we are a long way from the town water supply in Bendigo. We basically have to truck water into the Stupa, particularly over the summer months.

We'll have trucks carrying water here, up to one truck per week.

So, we were very fortunate that we were able to be successful with a grant and this grant is for the water collection.

If we can collect a lot of what falls here, on the Stupa, or on the grounds around the Stupa, and collect it in tanks and then treat it through a bio-filter and then after that through a actually filtration plant - then we have enough water here to actually make the operation all collected on site.

And this means that we are self-sufficient.

If I was to advise other people on how to apply for this sort of funding, speak to the people at the grants system because they are full of advice.

They do actually have information sessions that come to regional areas as well as in Melbourne. By all means attend those sessions and if you have any questions you've got contacts you know who to follow up with.

Yes, that would be my biggest piece of advice. Ask questions.

Find out more about the Multicultural Community Infrastructure Fund at vic.gov.au/multicultural-community-infrastructure-fund-grants

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