Global volunteer partnership contributing to MDGs
08 January 2009
Midwives, primary teachers, fundraisers and HIV/AIDS specialists
are first to be mobilised by AVI in 2009 to contribute to programs
in East Africa and Asia, as part of a joint project between AVI and
the UK's Voluntary Services Organisation.
Midwives, primary teachers, fundraisers and HIV/AIDS specialists
are the first Australian volunteers to be mobilised by Australian
Volunteers International (AVI) in 2009 to contribute to community
and maternal health programs and education initiatives in East
Africa and Asia as part of a joint project between AVI and the UK's
Voluntary Services Organisation (VSO).
According to AVI/VSO Project Coordinator Aarathi Krishnan, AVI's
partnership with VSO continues to provide more opportunities for
more Australians to participate in the global effort to eradicate
poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as
international volunteers.
"More than 18 Australians are now participating in a four-day
pre-departure training to help prepare them for two-year volunteer
assignments in more than 12 countries in East Africa and Asia," she
said.
"These Australians include midwives from Bellerive in Tasmania
and Holland Park West in Queensland, who will travel to Sierra
Leone to work in areas of maternal health. There is also a HIV/AIDS
advisor from Chatswood in New South Wales, travelling to Kenya to
work on community health programs focused on HIV/AIDS, as well as a
volunteer development officer from Fitzroy in Victoria who will be
working with the YWCA in Rwanda on gender-based programs.
"Up to 10 of these Australians will be working on assignments
focused on improving access and delivery of primary education and
developing curriculum in countries including Gambia, Eritrea,
Mongolia, India and Ethiopia."
These Australians will join 41 AVI volunteers currently working
Africa throughout South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland and Malawi as
part of the Australian Government's overseas aid program.
The AVI/VSO partnership was established more than two years ago.
Since then the partnership has recruited up to 30 Australians to
work in 18 countries in across Africa and Asia in the areas of
primary education, pharmacology, nutrition, fundraising and
midwifery.
"While these 18 Australians will enter the new year ready to
take on the life-changing experience of a volunteer assignment,
there are still more international volunteer opportunities
available on a range of AVI programs in over 40 countries in Asia,
the Pacific, Africa and the Middle East," Ms Krishnan said. "We
need Australians with experience in a range of areas of education,
health, finance, special education, community development and
fundraising."
For more information on how you can be a part of the effort to
achieve the Millennium Development Goals as an AVI volunteer or
through the AVI/VSO partnership visit the AVI/VSO
page.
- Ends -
Contact:
Christine Crosby
Publicity and Media Liaison
Australian Volunteers International,
Phone: +61 (0)3 9279 1763
Email: ccrosby@australianvolunteers.com