The dry and dusty landscape of drought-affected eastern Australia is hauntingly unmistakable as Zoe Cox sits and listens to a farmer reflecting on what was once his thriving livelihood. His identity. His community.
Zoe (pictured above) is a registered counsellor for Rural Aid‘s Counselling program, which relies on donations and support from partners such as Toyota Australia.
It’s her job to make home visits to farmers struggling with the emotional impact of the drought that’s currently gripping 97 per cent of NSW, along with areas of Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. The ramifications of what some have called Australia’s worst drought in living memory is far reaching: farmers face ruin and local communities and their businesses suffer a profound toll. The recent bushfire disaster only added to the strain on these communities.
Zoe speaks primarily with farmers,…