News

Two Safe Water Projects for the Philippines

by Brian Ashworth, posted in News, Philippines, Safe Water for Every Child

Disaster Aid Australia has decided to commence two ‘Safe Water for Every Child’ projects in the Philippines.

The projects will be carried out with our long-term partner based on the island of Mindanao, the Balay Mindanaw Foundation.

Bangsamoro Health and Peace Project

This Bangsamoro Region of Mindanao is one of the poorest in the Philipppines and in the recent past has suffered from armed rebellion.

The Balay Mindanaw Foundation have been a key influencer in the peace process over the past three years.

They feel that providing communities with better health, through safe water, is key to improving living standards.

This will strongly demonstrate to those communities the benefits of peace.

Our project is based on providing SkyHydrant installations to at least five communities a year for the next five years.

Mindano Safe Water Project

This project is based on providing safe water to the remaining regions of Mindanao.

Past projects have resulted in reduction in illness in the communities of more than 70%

Again this project is based on providing SkyHydrant installations to at least five communities a year, for the next five years.

Timing

Balay Mindanw are currently engaged in carrying out investigations on rural Barangays (villages) to identify 10 locations for installations.

In the next few months the first five Barangays, for each project, will be identified and a full consultation will be carried out.

This will confirm that they accept the SkyHydrant solution, and will participate in the installation, as well as the ongoing operation.

SkyHydrants will be shipped later this year for installation by the end of June 2022.

Sponsorship Opportunities

You can sponsor a SkyHydrant installation for one of these projects for $5,000.

That is less than $1 for every person protected for one year.

All sponsors will be acknowledged with a plaque on the SkyHydrant, photographs of the installation, and a certificate from Disaster Aid Australia.

If you would like to help Disaster Aid Australia continue to help the Philippines with ‘Safe Water for Every Child’ projects click on the link below;

DONATE

Charity donations of $2 or more to Disaster Aid Australia are tax-deductible in Australia.

Build Back Better

by Brian Ashworth, posted in Smart Aid

When Disaster Aid Australia responds to a disaster one of the key elements in helping those affected is ‘Shelter’.

Our SmartAid approach to Shelter is to help people repair and/or rebuild their homes.

The first step in this approach is to arrange for in-country purchase of materials, which we have found is faster, and less expensive, than trying to import materials or temporary accomodation.

Distribution of building materials, Philippines

By helping those affected build their home, rather than provide temporary accomodation, we help build pride and certaintly.

A second step is to help people build more resilient homes, a process known as ‘Build Back Better’.

Build Back Better -Timber Frames

Timber frame construction is quite common in the Asia Pacific region.

When ‘Building Back Better‘ we help people rebuild homes with;

  • Foundations that tie the building down, and the structure together;
  • Bracing against movement:
  • Stronger fixings
Rebuilt home in the Philippines

These make the buildings more resilient to the typhoons that sweep the pacific on a regular basis.

Build Back Better – Masonry

Although masonry construction is generally more resistant to typhoons is can be severly damaged by earthquakes.

Our help for rebuilding masonry homes in earthquake regions includes:

  • Strong foundations;
  • Reinforcing the walls horizontally and vertically with reinforced concrete columns at corners and openings;
  • A lightweight roof.
Rebuilt Home in Chiapas, Mexico

If you would like to help Disaster Aid Australia continue to help disaster affected people ‘Build Back Better’ with Smart Aid . . . click on the link below;

DONATE

Charity donations of $2 or more to Disaster Aid Australia are tax-deductible in Australia.

SkyHydrant in Shipping Container for Timor Leste

by Brian Ashworth, posted in News, Safe Water for Every Child, Timor
During Construction

Disaster Aid Australia have been pleased to play a small part in this project by Rotary Projects Timor-Leste East (RPTLE), based in Western Australia.

The unit is now supplying 10,000 litres of clean filtered potable water every day to the students and the local community of the Don Bosco centre in Comoro, Dhili.

The project of the Rotary Club of Kwinana , led by project manager Max Bird, also involved considerable support from the Rotary Club of Phillip Island and San Remo, in Victoria.

With the problems of COVID the role of Brother Adriano and the students of The Don Bosco Technical Training Centre has been vital in completing the construction.

The Completed Project

Prior to its final installation the SkyHydrant was used in a temporary installation in response to the Dhili Floods in April this year.

If you would like to help Disaster Aid Australia continue to help children in developing countries, such as Timor Leste, have ‘Safe Drinking Water’ click on the link below;

DONATE

Charity donations of $2 or more to Disaster Aid Australia are tax-deductible in Australia.

100% Aid Delivered In 2020-2021

by Brian Ashworth, posted in DAA Stories

In the financial year, which has just closed, Disaster Aid Australia delivered $240,661 in international aid to developing countries.

This was slightly over our annual income for the year of $239,144 (which was down approximately 30% from our pre COVID income).

The result is due to the DAA Board deciding in June 2020 that the COVID 19 Pandemic was a ‘Disaster‘ and many of the developing countries, which we help, would be hit harder than Australia.

Accordingly a considerable portion of the financial reserves that enable us to respond to disasters has been used over the past 12 months.

This 3 minute video shows photographs of the many aid projects we have assisted in the last 12 months.

With the pandemic travel restrictions we have only been able to deliver this aid due to the strong partnerships we have built up since DAA was founded in 2010.

Our Philippine partner Balay Mindanaw was also able to build links with the following Rotary Clubs during the Typhoon Goni response: RC of Pasig, RC of Legaspi North, and RC of West Cagayan de Oro.

We also wish to thank: Rotary Clubs, individuals, and companies around Australia for their continuing support of DAA in what has been a difficult year.

If you would like to help Disaster Aid Australia in 2021-2022 continue to help developing countries with ‘Smart Aid’ and ‘Safe Water for Every Child’ projects click on the link below;

DONATE

Charity donations of $2 or more to Disaster Aid Australia are tax-deductible in Australia.