Category: Smart Aid

Our disaster responses

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.

Rebuilding Pamanukan Houses

by Brian Ashworth, posted in Indonesia, News, Smart Aid

Back in April we posted about the floods in Pamanukan, Indonesia.

Since then rebuilding of homes, with help from our Smart Aid grants has been underway.

The RC Bandung Pakuan through their President Tanti Mariani and Rotarian Honey Kurnia have been our partners in this project.

The local catholic church has been involved in managing the day-to-day activities including purchasing materials locally . 

The church has had previous experience helping people repair their homes including:

  • Dealing with government department.
  • Purchasing repair materials.
  • Helping the affected people carry out the repairs.

If you would like to help Disaster Aid Australia continue to deliver Smart Aid to people in need in developing countries during the pandemic click on the link below;

DONATE

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

Myanmar Coup Update

by Brian Ashworth, posted in Myanmar, News, Smart Aid
SkyHydrant on the move

Since the coup in Myanmar in February life has been tough for many of the ethnic groups in the country.

Villages of the Karen people have been under frequent attack by the army.

This has meant that the people have had to leave their homes and retreat to the forest on the border between Myanmar and Thailand.

The SkyHydrants provided through our partner ‘Safe Water for Every Child Myanmar‘ have been moved with the displaced people.

This illustrates a key advantage of the SkyHydrant in areas affected by conflict.

The units can be rapidly relocated and set up quickly to make river water safe to drink.

Temporary set up.

Safe Water for Every Child Myanmar is using the money donated through Disaster Aid Australia for these two GEM Rapid Response Packs which will be on their way in the next few days.

The units with the smaller GEM SkyHydrant, tank used as the ‘packaging’, and a kit of parts will make it much easier to change location quickly, and set up a temporary system.

If you want to support ‘Safe Water for Every Child’ projects why not visit our DONATE PAGE

Timor Floods Response

by Brian Ashworth, posted in Smart Aid, Timor, Uncategorized

In early April our northern neighbour Timor Leste was hit by the biggest floods in 50 Years.

As well as the immediate devastation a major issue was the lack of safe drinking water.

Disaster Aid Australia SkyHydrants have been used to provide clean bacteria free water in several locations with substantial contributions from many partners.

‘Balibo House Trust’ and ‘Engineers Without Borders’

In 2020 Disaster Aid Australia provided 5 SkyHydrants to Balibo House Trust. (3 provided at cost and 2 donated) to be used for schools and communities around Balibo

With the disruptions due to the pandemic it had not been possible to complete the permanant installation and the units were still in storage.

Engineers Without Borders, who have people based in Timor Leste, were able to collect the SkyHydrants, on loan, and set up a temporary safe water supply.

DAA assisted with technical advice.

Rotary Projects East Timor

This West Australian based project is supported by the Rotary Club of Kwinana and Rotary District 9465;  with additional support from the Rotary Club of Philip Island and San Remo and Disaster Aid Australia.

The project had a SkyHydrant which has been urgently installed in the Don Bosco Centre, Comoro.

This SkyHydrant is now supplying water to around 500 Students and to the local villagers.

DAA assisted during the installation and commissioning with advice by phone, e-mail, and our You Tube Videos.

If you would like to help Disaster Aid Australia continue to work with partners to help disaster affected people you can donate at the following link:

DONATE

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