Category: WASH

General Information about; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

WASH Myths No 4 – Safe Water Is Just About Health

by Brian Ashworth, posted in WASH

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimate than 80% of all illnesses in developing countries are caused by contaminated drinking water.

This makes the provision of safe water a major health improvement!

Over the time that Disaster Aid Australia have been working on our Safe Water for Every Child program we have found it impact other problems.

Here are some other issues where we have discovered safe drinking water has made a difference.

Education

Following the installation of a SkyHydrants absences due to illness have been seen to drop by 70% or more.

As a result:

  • Students studies are less disrupted.
  • Teachers have more time to teach rather than deal with children becoming sick during classes.

Poverty

With better health people in rural communities can do more work in their fields growing more crops with more produce to sell.

It also means that those who were paying a substantial part of their income to drink bottled water can now drink from the local water supply.

Plastic waste

With no need to buy bottled water we often get reports that bins that were previously overflowing with plastic bottles.

Now they rarely need emptying.

If you would like to help Disaster Aid Australia continue to provide safe water in developing countries then click on the link below;

DONATE

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

International Recognition for Bhutan 2020

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

Disaster Aid Australia (DAA) has just been notified that Bhutan 2020 has been selected for a National Award by the Energy Globe Awards.

The awards, organised by the Energy Globe Foundation, are the most prominent worldwide environmental project recognition.

It’s a great that we have been chosen, from 2,500 entries worldwide, to receive one of the 180 National Awards.

This recognises that this project delivers safe water in a sustainable way across the whole of Bhutan.

Key Aspects of the Project

The project, which will shortly be completed, is much more that a DAA project, and could have not have been achieved without:

  • The Rotary Club of Thimphu who first approached DAA in 2017 and have since been working continously on in-country liasion.
  • The Bhutan Government that have have provided ongoing support through their Education Department.
  • The Installation Team from the School Planning and Building Division.
  • The SkyHydrants, from the SkyJuice Foundation, that provide safe drinking water without the use of electrical power.
  • The generous support of Australian Rotary Clubs and individual supporters.

If you would like to help Disaster Aid Australia continue to provide sustainable safe water in developing countries click on the link below;

DONATE

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

Latest Bhutan News

by Brian Ashworth, posted in Bhutan, Safe Water for Every Child, WASH

This Safe Water For Every Child project continues to deliver

Chhokhorling MSS, Gelephu

In the past few weeks our Bhutan team have installed a further 7 SkyHydrants.

They also conducted a training session for the Caretakers/WASH officials of a number of schools at Damphu, Tsirang.

Training Session

The team are now in quarantine as Gelephu, where some of the installations took place, is classified as a High Risk Area.

When they are able to return to Thimphu they will be taking a short break at home.

Pelrithang HSS

They will then be heading out to the East of Bhutan to install 8 more filters.

Disaster Aid Australia would like to acknowledge the contribution of the School Planning and Building Division (SPBD) in providing the two engineers of the Installlation Team to this project.

If you would like to help Disaster Aid Australia continue to help children in developing countries 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.

WASH MYTHS 3 – FOREIGN AID MEANS CASH

by Brian Ashworth, posted in DAA Stories, WASH

Australia is budgeting to provide $4.335 billion in Foreign Aid in 2020-21.

Judging by some of the comments we see on facebook there are lots of people who think that the Australian Goverment provides this aid in the form of cash.

They also belive that foreign government can choose to spend aid money how they like.

Below is some real information about Australia’s foreign aid.

Some Facts

Here is some information that busts the cash Myth and some other foreign aid myths

The Australian Gov’t decides how the most aid is spent.

The Australian Government provides aid through defined programs.

It also provides grants to chosen in-country organisations and Australian organisations.

The expenditure is monitored by Embassy Staff.

A large amount of aid money never leaves Australia

A considerable amount of the aid budget involves providing Australian good and services to foreign governments.

Examples include;

  • COVID Vaccines, such as doses of Astra Zenica manufactured in Australia, but not taken up in Australia;
  • Naval Patrol boats, manufactured in Australia, but used by foreign goerments to control people smuggling;
  • Consultancy services, such as engineering and financial management, by Australian companies.
There are many countries which are far more generous than Australia

The standard way of measuring aid generosity is as a percentage of Gross National Income (GNI)

The 2020-2021 aid budget is 0.21% of the GNI; with an average of developed countries being 0.31%.

Here are a few of the countries that are ahead of us, with their aid as a proportion of GNI; Austria (0.29), Britain (0.7) Germany (0.73), Japan (0.31) (New Zealand (0.27)

Disaster Aid Australia has never received any Development Aid Funds

Although DAA’s Supporters receive tax relief on their donations Disaster Aid AUstralia has never received and financial support from the Australian Aid Budget.

We are only able to deliver aid through the generosity of our supporters.

If you would like to help Disaster Aid Australia continue to deliver Aid in developing countries then click on the link below;

DONATE

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