Category: News

Two massive, deadly explosions shook Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, in the early evening of Aug 4 devastating a huge area of the city.

Current Situation

Over 100 people are dead, while search teams continue to look for survivors.

Many hundreds are injured.

Thousand of house and apartments are uninhabitable.

There is urgent need for shelter,

Disaster Aid Australia’s Response

With travel from Australia not being possible we will be supporting our closer Disaster Aid International Partners; Disaster Aid Europe and Disaster Aid UK&Ireland.

They will be linking with local Rotary clubs who have started talking to the most affected communities.

As they find out more we will work to provide what is needed.

Disaster Aid International will also be working with other agencies to help Beirut recover.

How You Can Help

Your donation today will ensure families who need access to medical services and help with shelter and reconstruction can receive assistance.

We’re determined to reach as many families as possible.

Donation to Appeal

Please Donate Today to ensure as many people as possible have access to Medical Help and and Shelter.

Choose your donation amount to help the people of Beirut.

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

 

 

With the current COVID-19 restrictions in Victoria Disaster Aid Australia’s Office will be closed from 5th August  for a period that is expected to be at least 6 weeks.

During that time the Email, Phone, and PO box will be monitored and we will be continuing to operate the organisation from our homes.

We apologies if there are in any delays in our communication with our supporters during this difficult time.

Aid Will Continue To Be Delivered

Our installation program for the Bhutan 2020 project will be continuing as the latest shipment of 20 SkyHydrants arrived in Thimphu last week.

We will also be looking at assisting our international partners in the worldwide response to the COVID pandemic.

 ‘ZOOM’Guest Speakers Available

We continue to provide the opportunity for Rotary Clubs to have a DAA guest speaker at their ‘ZOOM’ Meetings.

In addition from late August we will be able to host ‘Virtual’ Vocational Visits to our Eumemmerring Office.

 

 

If you would like to help Disaster Aid Australia continue to deliver aid to Developing Countries click on the link below;

DONATE

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

 

We have recently received these results from a SkyHydrant Project for eight schools in India

What this means is; across the eight schools:

• Before the SkyHydrants were installed on average 643 students were ill every week
• Afterwards the number of ill students dropped to 74  per week.
• An overall 88% reduction in illness from all causes.

It would seem that the majority of child illness has been caused by contaminated water and with the removal of bacteria that form of illness has practically disappeared.

If you want to find out how Disaster Aid Australia can help your aid project achieve these results contact us at media@disasteraidaustralia.org.au

To see a short video about this projects follow this link: Indian Project

Thanks to Diganta Swaraj Foundation for providing these results.

 

 

2019 – 2020 has been a difficult year for fundraising for International Aid.

With the summer bushfires many of our supporters understandably diverted their charitable donations to bushfire relief.

As the bushfires died down the COVID -19 pandemic then affected the ability of Rotary Cubs to run fundraising events.

Although our income dropped to $291,000 for the financial year we are pleased to report that we have delivered just over $250,000 in International Aid.

The aid has included

• Earthquake Response in the Philippines.
• Substantial Progress on our Bhutan 2020 Safe Water Project.
• 10 Safe Water for Every Child Installations in the Philippines.
• COVID-19 Relief Grants for, Nepal, Guatemala, the Philippines.
• Assisting other aid organisations in Myanmar, Malaysia, Mozambique and Timor Leste.

It was also great to see our Disaster Aid International partner Disaster Aid Canada supporting Australian bushfire relief with a $60,000 donation.

 

The Engineers from the Bhutan School Planning and Building Division are working hard, and travelling long distances, to continue installing Disaster Aid Australia SkyHydrants.

We have recently received photographs of the installations at three more schools in the East of Bhutan.

COVID 19 has significant problems to the project due to cancelled flights.

Kunzangzhing School Sponsored by Thuringowa RC

After considerable effort by many in Melbourne, Singapore and Bhutan the next shipment of SkyHydrants is now expected to arrive in Bhutan by the 20th July.

When these 20 Units are installed this project to provide safe drinking water to the 120 largest schools in Bhutan will be 75% complete.

Our current expectation is that the whole project will be complete by the middle of 2021.

 

If you would like to help Disaster Aid Australia provide Safe Water for Every Child at every major school in Bhutan click on the link below;

DONATE

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

 

Our partners the Balay Mindanaw Foundation have converted their Disaster Response HQ (the DREAM Hub) into an Isolation Unit for Cagayan de Oro City.

A Disaster Aid Australia GEM SkyHydrant is used to protect the heath of volunteers and patients by supplying safe drinking water

Isolation of those returning is a huge issue in the Philippines as many work overseas, and on cruise ships.

With no work large number of these Filipinos are now having to return home.

Since April the Balay Mindanaw volunteers have been responsible for three groups of patients

1. Returning construction workers who lost their jobs in Davao and were sent home, and had to undergo quarantine for 14 days.
2. Family and neighbors of a patient who died because of Covid. Four of them initially tested positive but eventually got healed after being quarantined for 21 days.
3. MSU Marawi students who are Cagayan de Oro residents.  After 12 days they all tested negative.

Further groups will be looked after as the pandemic continues.

To ensure isolation a number of tents have been set up inside the DREAM Hub building.

If you want to support Disaster Aid Australia’s COVID Aid, or Safe Water for Every Child click on the link below;

DONATE

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

 

 

The Rotary Club of Kathmandu have taken an important role is responding to COVID -19 in Nepal

Supported by a range of organisations within Nepal and internationally they have;

• Supplied food to disadvantaged people, students and others at high risk due lock down conditions.

• Provided personal protective equipment (PPE) to health facilities in support of the Ministry of Health.

• Increased awareness of the risk through public service announcements, brochures and social media.

• Provided pedal operated hand washing stations.

Disaster Aid Australia is helping the response with a grant of $5,000.

If you want to support Disaster Aid Australia’s COVID aid click on the link below;

DONATE

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

 

 

Our team in Bhutan have been continuing to install SkyHydrants.

In the past few weeks they have been working in the South East of the country in the region around Nangkor

It can take 3 days travel by road to reach this remote area, from the capital, Thimphu.

The Installation on the right is at the Nangkhor Central Schools.

This substantial installation will ensure the SkyHydrant is protected and will be able to provide safe drinking water to the school well into the future

The unit in the photograph below has been taken during the installation at the nearby Yurung Central School.

As well as the installation of the units the schools are also installing tap units to allow students to fill their drink bottles.

Disaster Aid Australia are planning to send another 20 SkyHydrants to Bhutan, which will mean that deliveries for this ambitious project will be 75% complete.

If you would like to help Disaster Aid Australia provide Safe Water for Every Child at every major school in Bhutan click on the link below;

DONATE

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

 

Disaster Aid Canada has been supporting Mayan Women’s Groups in San Lucas Toliman and San Antonio Palopo, Guatemala for many years.

In this area most Mayans are marginal farmers, or work at minimal wage for the 22 families that control 80% of the land in Guatemala.

Effect of COVID-19

As a result of COVID-19 pandemic there is currently massive unemployment and no money to buy food.

In response Disaster Aid Canada has been providing food aid.

Following the recent major support of Australian families by DA Canada’s bushfire appeal, the board of Disaster Aid Australia has decided to support this initiative to help the people of Guatemala.

$5,000 has been sent from DAA, via DA Canada, to buy food for the worst affected families.

Disaster Aid UK and Ireland has also provided $3,500 for the program.

Bulk purchasing and distribution of food is handled by four Mayan volunteer women.

Before distribution food is repackaged according to family size

The food packages contain; corn, beans, oats, rice, sugar eggs and a nutritional supplement for children.

 

If you want to support Disaster Aid Australia’s food aid to Guatemala click on the link below;

DONATE

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

 

 

Our team In Bhutan continue to install Safe Water for Every Child SkyHydrants in Bhutan.

The team from the Bhutan Education Department have been busy travelling through the East of the country to reach some of the more remote schools.

These three installations are at

• Daga School;
• Orong School; and
• Gyalpozhing School

Three very happy school principals, and over 1,500 pupils will now be protected from waterborne disease.

If you want to support Disaster Aid Australia’s ‘Safe Water for Every Child’ project to provide more SkyHydrants to protect tens of thousands of children: click on the link below;

DONATE

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