Our History
Renew the Spirit Foundation helps to heal the hearts of child survivors of war and terrorism through creative arts therapy programs. The Foundation has strong support from business, the arts and leaders from the community sector and politics. The Foundation was officially launched by the Hon. Jacinta Allan MP, Minister for Rural & Regional Development and Minister for Workforce Participation, in August 2008.
The Foundation was an initiative of Dr Phil West, who, with the support of Walter Mikac, initiated and set up the Alannah and Madeline Foundation in 1997 in the wake of the Port Arthur massacre a year earlier in which Walter’s wife and two young girls were murdered. The establishment of both foundations had the same genesis.
Dr West's Honours and Ph.D studies concerned the civil wars in Central America in the 1980s. During his overseas-based research, he saw at first hand the devastating physical and psychological impact of war and armed violence on individuals and communities and was especially moved by the plight of children.
Victims of land mines, Nicaragua, 1986 (photo: P. West)
After his return to Australia, he vowed that upon completion of his doctorate, he would try and set up an international organisation to support child victims of war.
Then just a few months later, in April 1996, a war-like act of violence occurred which shocked the nation: the Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania.
Thirty-five people were slain by one gunman with military-style weapons. Among the victims were Alannah and Madeline Mikac aged six and three respectively. They were murdered with their mother, Nanette.
The two girls were very similar in age to Dr West's two children – also two girls – Gabriela and Caity. Then, a few days after the massacre, he saw some drawings by Alannah Mikac flashed on the TV news. He looked at his own children's drawings around his house and at that very moment the idea for the Alannah and Madeline Foundation came into being.
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1996: Alannah & Madeline Mikac (left) and Gaby and Caity West, shortly before the Port Arthur massacre |
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Walter with his murdered family and Dr West with his two children, 1996. |
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The idea for a foundation to help child victims of war had changed into a vision to establish a lasting memorial to be named in honour of two little girls so shockingly murdered in Port Arthur.
After eight months of turning the idea around in his mind, Dr West contacted the murdered girls' father, Walter, and explained his vision. The two men met in January 1997 and so the Alannah & Madeline Foundation was born.
(click here to read an editorial and feature article by Dr West which appeared in the
Herald –Sun the day after the launch).
Three months later, coinciding with the first anniversary of the massacre, the Foundation was launched by the then Prime Minister, John Howard, who agreed to become Patron. The Prime Minister was later joined as Patron by then Victorian Premier Steve Bracks and as International Patron by Crown Princess Mary of Denmark - who grew up in Tasmania.
After seeing the Alannah & Madeline Foundation consolidate and expand over ten years, Phil West returned to his original dream and established Renew the Spirit Foundation to support child survivors of war and terrorism.
The Foundation principally works through the use of creative arts and creative arts and play therapy. RTSF will establish new Community Healing Centres in communities where no similar organisation exists, but, at other times, will work closely with existing organisations in the host country who will be RTSF Project Partners.
We would like you to support the development and growth of an Australian-based Foundation to help heal the hearts of children caught up in the destructive adult violence of political and religious hatreds, violent conflict and indiscriminate terrorism.
