Disaster Aid Australia

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.

 

 

 

Disaster Aid Australia are helping our environment with our ‘Safe Water for Every Child’ Program.

Every permanent SkyHydrant, can deliver the following environmental benefits, as well as providing safe drinking water to up to 1,000 children.

• Saving of  energy used for bottled water – No need for industrial plants and commercial transport
• Reduced use of raw materials – Disposable bottles replaced by re-usable bottles;
• Reduced private transport energy – No need to drive to buy bottled water
• Reduced plastic waste – No plastic bottles to dispose of;
• Reduced deforestation – No need to burn wood for boiling water to make it safe;

All this can be achieved with a unit that uses no power, and just a few kilos of cleaning chemicals a year.

 

Safe Drinking Water and Major Environmental Benefits delivered for $1/person per Year

 

You can help the environment and protect lives by clicking on the link below

DONATE

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

 

Although it’s been a difficult year for fundraising Disaster Aid Australia has still delivered huge benefits to families and children overseas.

Safe Water for Every Child

• Bhutan – We are currently planning the shipment of a further 20 SkyHydrants, to be 75% complete for our project to supply safe water to every major school in Bhutan. (Currently 35,000 children protected)
• Colombia – 48 schools have been provided  with SkyHydrants.(9,800 pupils protected)
• India – A project has provided 8  Schools with safe drinking water (Protecting 8,500 children)
• Philippines –  We have provided 16 Skyhydrants for  communities with our partner Balay Mindanaw and the Rotary Club of Cagayan De Oro West. (8,000 people protected)
• Myanmar – In conjunction with the Rotary Club of Yangon we provided a SkyHydrant at the Mawlamyine University.

Smart Aid

We have also provided a disaster response to:

• Mindanao Earthquake – Shelter materials and SkyHydrant installations
• COVID -19 – Food Aid to Philippines

Working with Partners

In addition to our own projects we are currently assisting the following aid organisations:

• Safe Water for Every Child Myanmar;
• Balibo House Trust, Timor Leste;
• Ebeneezer Trust, Mozambique;
• Disaster Aid Malaysia;
• Poverty No More, Philippines.

Tax Deductible Donations

To support Disaster Aid Australia’s Work, which protects tens of thousands of children every year,  with a tax deductable donation click on the link below;

DONATE

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

 

 

 

In the last two weeks a further two SkyHydrants have been installed as part of our Bhutan 2020 Project.

The photographs show our hard working Bhutanese engineers completing the work at the Mendrelgang Central School, and the Tsangkha Central School.

Although Disaster Aid Australia seek sponsorship of installations the SkyHydrants for both these sites have been provided from general donations to DAA.

If you have made a donation of less than the sponsorship level of $5,000, you have contributed to both these installations.

If you want to support Disaster Aid Australia’s project to provide more SkyHydrants which 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.