Ghana, Here We Come!

The AYAD Program has a distinguished history working with communities, organisations and governments across the Asia Pacific to fight poverty, empower local people and improve the quality of life of communities in developing nations. Since 1998 the AYAD Program has sent over 2700 volunteers to live, work and make a difference in 21 countries across the Asia Pacific region. In 2010 the AYAD Program is excited to welcome not only a new country but a new region to our growing family as the first AYAD volunteers are mobilised to Ghana in Africa.

It's a long way from Copenhagen

As an archipelago of small islands in the Pacific, the Solomon Islands are feeling the direct impacts of climate change on communities and the environment. For AYAD Gillian Cook, raising awareness on not only the impact but also possible responses to climate change is a community affair that needs to reach an international audience and the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen is an important step in that process.

The Amazing Race: Dili

In-country orientation is a key training element for newly arrived AYADs in every country but as our East Timor AYADs discovered, it isn’t necessarily about sitting in a classroom. Intake 26 AYAD Jennifer Ward shares the fun (and controversy) of the Amazing Race: Dili.

In the Field

A strong collaboration between the University of Adelaide, Tibet Agricultural Research Institute and the AYAD Program has had excellent long-term results in agricultural development in one of the world’s poorest regions. In 2009, AYAD agronomist Tim Heath joined the project in Tibet and discovered the challenges and successes that working in the field can bring.

Giving Back Sight

Robert Dashwood has spent the last 12 months working at theTilganga Eye Centre, Kathmandu, Nepal. Through the support of The Fred Hollows Foundation, Australia, the Tilganga Eye Centre are performing fantastic work, giving people back their sight and reducing the economic burdens blindness places on everyday Nepali families… 

New Life in a New Home

AYAD Sarah Miller has just finished her assignment as a Project Development Officer with the Foundation for Developing Cambodian Communities (FDCC) whose main project is Mekhala House, an orphanage for 45 children. During her time working with the dedicated staff of the FDCC, Sarah has seen the impact of poverty and HIV/AIDs on communities and particularly on orphan children and the changes wrought in these children’s lives when they are given access to good nutrition and education.

AYAD volunteers meet the Minister
 

The AYADs in Samoa recently got the chance to meet the Hon Stephen Smith, Minister for Foreign Affairs during a recent visit he made to the region. The Minister was in Samoa participating in the ground-breaking ceremony of the Australian funded new Headquarters for the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture. The project is a joint partnership between Samoa, Australia, Asian Development Bank and New Zealand to support education in Samoa.


 

Building Communities

AYAD Carly Sheehan discovers the true meaning of building community in the diligence, pride and hard work of the local people in flood-ravaged Bangladesh. Here she shares her story:
 

The power of butchers' paper

Butchers’ paper is not usually considered an official document, yet on 11 September 2006 a delegation led by the Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education took four large sheets of butchers’ paper to the Australian Parliament. The butchers’ paper contained messages from community leaders from the Pacific nation of Kiribati seeking to inform Australian parliamentarians and the Australian community to the effects that climate change is having on their islands

Raising Lotus Flowers

Becoming part of an extended family at the Lotus Children’s Centre in Ulaanbaatar may not have been what AYAD Ben Rodgers was expecting when he applied to the AYAD Program but his time in Mongolia, lending his business and organisational skills to the Centre has been full of unexpected and unexpectedly moving experiences.
 

AYAD Documentary

Whether it’s cycling through the crazy traffic in Hanoi, Vietnam or trekking through calf deep mud in Bangladesh, there’s been no shortage of adventures for the documentary crew following some of our AYADs around in their daily lives.

Tina Macumber-Sports Tonight

Tina Macumber spent 12 months as an AYAD in Samoa as a Cricket Development Officer for the Samoa International Cricket Association (SICA) with the support of her Australian Partner Organisation The International Cricket Council East Asia Pacific (ICC-EAP) . While on assignment as an AYAD Tina assisted SICA to develop a women's cricket program which also provided her with the opportunity to continue to play the game she loves.

Tina finished her AYAD assignment in September of this year and has since been employed as the CEO for SICA. To see Tina in action in her new role in Samoa watch her on Sports Tonight by viewing the flash presentation.

The AYAD Program and AusAID have developed a television documentary to share some of the stories from AYADs in the field, Tina Macumber is one of these AYADs.  To view 'No Ordinary Journey' click here. 

Tools of the Trade

Trades based assignments are on the rise with the AYAD Program as we work with trades and vocational partners to bring these valuable skills to assignments across the Asia Pacific region. AYAD James Allsop is a carpenter who spent ten months working in Papua New Guinea, his story shows how strong trade skills can have a tangible and long lasting impact on communities that goes beyond just having four walls and a roof. Here James shares his story.

Caring for land, people & culture

AYAD Scott Graham spent 9 months on the island of Bohol in the Philippines. During that time he found great beauty in both the land and the people, which has inspired him to continue to work with them beyond his assignment.

Marine stewardship in Bali

AYAD Anya Lam is an ecologist working with Reef Check Foundation Indonesia in Bali and is demonstrating how education and training in marine stewardship is is providing long term results for local reefs and ensuring local communities have sustainable livelihoods.

Bangladesh - A Healthier Future

In Bangladesh, AYAD Erin Law is working with the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research to ensure a healthier future for the children of Bangladesh through a program of health education for communities and health workers alike.