Kowa
A Journey of Purpose and Impact
Kowa, meaning "purpose" in the Awabakal language, was born from a vision: to see First Nations Communities leading the way in shaping our futures.
Kowa’s story began in 2019, sparked by the passion and determination of Dr. Skye Trudgett. Skye saw a need for impact evaluation that truly honoured First Nations knowledge, values, and aspirations. She knew that communities had been applying evaluative thinking since time immemorial, and she believed it was time to dismantle the patriarchy and for Blak voices to lead the way in evaluation.
And so, Kowa was born.
From our very first steps, we've been committed to doing things differently. We don't measure outputs; we work alongside communities to understand and evaluate the real impact of initiatives, programs, and services. We believe in self-determination, ensuring that First Nations Communities have the power to shape their own narratives and drive meaningful change.
Today, Kowa is a thriving team of passionate change-makers. We're partners, collaborators, and advocates, walking alongside individuals and Communities on their journey towards embedding UMEL and Indigenous Data Soverignty for meaningful changemaking.
We're proud to be a First Nations, profit-for-purpose enterprise. This means we reinvest our profits back into people, opportunities and initiatives calaysing change.
Our journey is guided by our deep respect for First Nations Cultures, knowledge systems, and the wisdom of Elders. We believe that by weaving together Traditional knowledges with innovative approaches, we can create a world where First Nations voices lead the way in impact measurement, evaluation, and learning.
This is the story of Kowa: a story of purpose, passion, and unwavering commitment to First Nations communities.