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Donate to the 2013 OASES Financial Appeal and help us engage more people in our leading programs in transformative learning for sustainable living
As a non-profit organisation, OASES depends on the generous support of our donors. Your support is an invaluable and necessary complement to the income we receive through tuition fees. Thank you for helping us to continue working towards our vision:
Contributing to a world where people recognise they are part of a natural global ecosystem and live sustainably in community with all human and non-human beings.
To make a tax deductible donation, donate online via our affiliate, the Port Phillip EcoCentre. Stipulate that your donation is for OASES. To make a donation without a tax receipt, visit www.givenow.com.au/OASES, or mail your cheque or money order made out to OASES Community Learning Ltd, to PO Box 3079, Auburn VIC 3123 For more information, visit www.oases.edu.au |
Applications are now open for the semester 2 intake into our fully accredited Masters program in Integrative & Transformative Studies.For more information or to chat about your interest in the program, contact Anthony James, Head of OASES Graduate School via the website www.oases.edu.au.
For Mother’s Day (May 12), show you care with a feminist gift that supports women’s rights in Asia and the Pacific.
International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA) is offering a special Mother’s Day gift pack including a feminist t-shirt and Gift of Change card. Proceeds support the work of IWDA and their partners – so do something good by giving a meaningful gift this Mother’s Day:
Purchase online at: http://www.iwda.org.au/donate-and-shop/mothers-day-womens-rights-gift/
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The human spirit finds optimism, determination and hope even in seasons of hardship and despair. This is the message depicted in a new photography book by Asian Aid Australia.Seasons of Hope displays a stunning collection of photographs and stories from everyday life in Asia.“After visiting and living in India, Bangladesh and Nepal, and photographing people often experiencing difficulties, I was inspired by their resilience,” says Joshua Moses, the book’s photographer and an Asian Aid Field Media Coordinator. “I wanted the book to tell realistic but positive picture stories of people who often maintain joy even during seasons of hardship.”Whether portraying the busyness of India, the monsoon rains of Bangladesh or the social interconnectedness of Nepal, the book shares the stories of people and communities, who cannot, at this season of their lives, stand up boldly for themselves.“
To borrow words from Seasons of Hope, it is the images crying out for opportunity, equality and order that give this book intangible importance,” says Quentin Campbell, Asian Aid Australia’s international program manager. “And that’s why we will use proceeds from the sale of the book to help victims of human trafficking in India regain dignity and hope.” Human trafficking, with up to 2.5 million victims and 1.2 million children slaved around the world, is a $32 billion annual business. And India is one of the countries that struggles the most with the issue of human trafficking. Asian Aid’s Anti-Human Trafficking Program, coordinated by partner Oasis India, rescues, rehabilitates and reintegrates abused women and children, and educates communities about sex trafficking and prevention. “Buy a copy of the book, or more, and advocate for and support vulnerable women and children in India,” says Joshua. “It sounds simple because it is.” To order a copy of the Seasons of Hope book or to find out more about the Anti-Human Trafficking Program, visit www.asianaid.org.au, call 02 6586 4250 or email contact@asianaid.org.au. Books cost $30AUD (including postage). |
Christmas Appeal
Friends Vision would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and we hope all your dreams come true for the New Year. We would like to extend our gratitude to everyone who was able to help and support in our Christmas Appeal for 2012. This year we were able to raise enough money to put on three Christmas parties at children’s rescue centers in Naivasha, Thika and Machakos. The children enjoyed entertainment by local musicians, acrobats, new mosquito nets and lots of food, lollies and games as well as a special visit from Father Christmas himself. Thank you to all who donated to our Christmas appeal and for your on going support. We can not do this work without you.
Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year from Friends Vision! To see our photos from the Christmas parties, click here.
Child Sponsorship
After a few days of crazy shopping and organising, this January our sponsorship program has allowed 35 children to return back to school for first term this year, including 4 new children. We have two remaining student who will be starting High School in February who are awaiting the results of their KCPE (Kenyan Certificate of Primary Education). If you would like to join our program and give a child the gift of an education we have many more children in need of sponsorship waiting for you. Check our website here for more details.
Openaid has recently purchased land in Mon State, Burma, with plans to commence building an Education and Training Centre. Decades of conflict in Mon State has led to displacement, unemployment and deep poverty leaving thousands vulnerable to trafficking into Asia’s growing web of illegal commercial sex.
Working closely with our Burmese team, we aim to construct a centre where vocational training, education and support are made available to struggling families and vulnerable women in the area. We envision a space which allows people to gain the skills and support they need to break cycles of disadvantage, with an emphasis on support for women at risk of being trafficked for sex.
Construction is underway and our aim is to see the program up and running by April this year. We need support in the crucial first steps of this project, so if you’d like to connect with us and find out more about supporting the Education and Training Centre please email or visit our website. Thanks for supporting!
Guest blogger Rachel Kurzyp
By Rachel Kurzyp
Most non-governmental organisations (NGOs) agree that sustainability and poverty alleviation are inexorably linked. For future generations to be sustainable, communities need to be independent and empowered so they can meet their own needs, be equipped to form mutually beneficial relationships, and put in place systems and structures that contribute to the elimination of poverty. With the increasing challenges to sustainability, including food security, climate change and decreasing availability of resources, it has become clear that we must work together to eliminate poverty.
Like other organisations, businesses and governments, NGOs too are forming partnerships to create a sustainable future. While each partnership is formed for unique reasons, most NGOs seek to increase the likelihood of achieving their mission by combining core competencies and networks, amplifying their reach, discovering new ideas and fresh perspectives, and gaining access to resources and income.
An organisation with a unique partnership model
One organisation with unique partnerships is People & Planet, a small social enterprise based in Melbourne that believes in a more just and environmentally sustainable world. The dedicated team of two part time staff and one volunteer work towards this goal by raising funds for, and promoting the work of, its partner network of 42 Australian environment and social justice organisations. For some of the partner organisations, the money generated through People & Planet ensures the continuation of their work. Most of the organisations are also driven solely by dedicated and passionate volunteers. Three of the organisations who partner with People & Planet share how forming partnerships can help us create a sustainable future – MADGE (Mothers Are Demystifying GE), Familia Moja and Scarf.
Swapping and selling home grow food
MADGE Co-Founder Fran Murell hopes their work ‘may change others perspectives on the world and how they fit into it.’ The group of women from Melbourne came together in 2007 concerned over genetically modified food. Since then they have been educating people about where their food comes from, who grows it and how it is grown. Murell believes people work together to improve a situation because they are guided by human values of caring for one another. This is why many people are finding great satisfaction in going to farmers markets, growing their own food, developing ways of buying directly from farmers as well as swapping and sharing food at local food swaps. MADGE believes through working with others we can repair our climate, create sustainable food systems and ‘eat our way to a future of luscious gardens, farms, fields and wildness.’ MADGE’s partnership with People & Planet allows them to gain an overview of the important and diverse issues other organisations are working on in the industry. Murell says, ‘it’s great being a part of the People & Planet family.’
Shopping and supporting businesses locally
Familia Moja is a home that provides food and shelter for orphaned and vulnerable children in Kenya, but their vision is greater than that. The organisation hopes that people will become more socially and environmentally conscious, that they will consume less and develop a greater understanding of their impact on the environment. Jess White, the Co-Founder, plans to lead the way by establishing a greenhouse, farm and vegetable garden next year that will provide the home’s food, reduce environmental impact and generate an income stream to help the home become self-sustainable. While the organisation helps children in its care it also benefits the community, ‘injecting money into local business, farms and schools,’ says White. The organisation believes the key to a sustainable future is becoming more community minded – shopping and supporting local independent business people where we can. Familia Moja relies on its ‘invaluable’ partnership with People & Planet to help them raise funds for their home. Last year alone, funds raised covered approximately one-third of the home’s running costs.
Sharing knowledge, skills and experience
Scarf is a Melbourne based social enterprise that believes individuality is an asset. Co-Founder Hannah Colman formed Scarf to train and mentor young people who face barriers to obtaining fair access to training and work opportunities within the hospitality industry. The organisation understands the importance of personal relationships which is why it focuses on fostering social and professional networks so that young people have the confidence and connections to get the job they want. Scarf relies on sponsors for produce, restaurant space and training sessions. Trainee referrals mainly come through partnerships with other organisations. Colman says, ‘Partnerships are hugely important to our organisation. Without them we literally could not run our programs.’ Scarf believes that social businesses are important for a sustainable future as they allow marginalised people to participate in society, reduce demand on services and create a stronger economy. This paired with fresh, healthy, local and sustainable produce will result in a happier and healthier society. The organisation is new to the Melbourne business scene – Scarf was founded in 2010 – so its partnership with People & Planet ‘greatly helps us spread the word,’ says Colman.
Help People & Planet’s partnerships grow
People & Planet, like its name suggests, is committed to helping its partner organisations create a more just and environmentally sustainable world. Since being established in 2007, the organisation has helped to raise almost $350,000 for its partner organisations through the sales of an annual diary and calendar featuring 54 amazing images of people and places around the world. Each beautiful image is accompanied by its own, unique story about one of the planet’s social or environmental challenges. As well as raising funds the diary and calendar help people to learn about food sustainability, global warming, urbanisation, conflict, gender, and the organisations that are doing something about it.
You can purchase a diary or calendar for 2013 and help People & Planet’s 42 partners continue their work.
Find out more
Read the full interviews with Scarf, Familia Moja and MADGE.
Want to find out about becoming a partner organisation? Contact Lexi Randall-L’Estrange, Project Coordinator, at admin@peopleandplanet.org.au or by calling +613 9419 3757.
Openaid 1000 Villages is laying the foundations for a three-story community centre right in the heart of Thailand’s sex district, Pattaya city. The centre will offer an open space where young girls, women and mothers experiencing difficulty and vulnerability to sex work can come to access support. Women from the city, slum communities and surrounding rural villages will have the opportunity to connect with each other, as well as with local staff who will offer counseling, guidance and vocational support. The top level of the centre will become a training centre where women can learn computer and language skills, sewing and other handicraft to help them build the skills and confidence to overcome chronic poverty and dependency on sex work. We envision a space where women can access friendships, skills and networks that will empower them to take more control over their relationships and livelihoods, and to break cycles of sexual exploitation.
This is a big vision, one that we have been carrying for a long time and we need your support in this first phase of the project. If you, or someone you know would like to donate to the Pattaya City Connect community centre, please visit our website and be part of the beginning.
Photo credit: Nina Vallins
International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA) has released their 2012 Gifts of Change catalogue. These gifts represent IWDA program costs and show your solidarity with women in Asia and the Pacific. Choose from a selection of uniquely designed gift cards to show your support for gender equality and your love for someone who cares about it. Send an e-card for instant sharing or mail a beautiful card in the post.
View the Gifts of Change catalogue.
The 2012 Australian Human Rights Commission photo competition will explore the broad theme of Human Rights.
There are two categories for entries: Under 18 and 18 & over. Each month the Australian Human Rights Commission will choose a winner from each category, and towards the end of the year overall winners will be chosen from among the monthly winners. Overall winners will receive a Canon EOS-1100D Digital SLR Camera Single Kit, presented at the Human Rights Awards Ceremony in December 2012 in Sydney.
The best entries will be showcased on the Australian Human Rights Commission website and Flickr site.
Entries close 23 November 2012.
16 Days of Activism Against Gender based Violence is an international campaign calling for an end to violence against women. From the 25 November to the 10 of December organisations and individuals will take a stand against gender-based violence
On the 23 November IWDA will join with a coalition including White Ribbon and Not1More to mark the International Day For the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
Visit us on 23 November at our stall at Federation Sq. to write a short message about ending gender-based violence and become part of a video for the IWDA website and Facebook page.
If you can’t make it, email us your photo to take part in the campaign. Watch the IWDA website in early November for more info.
International Women’s Development Agency is the only Australian development organisation entirely focused on women’s rights and gender equality
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and former Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, Dr José Ramos Horta has agreed to act as Patron for volunteer sending agency, Palms Australia. Dr Ramos-Horta will begin his patronage with a keynote address at Palms Australia’s Inaugural Solidarity Awards on 16th October 2012 wherein he will outline ongoing development issues facing the East Timorese people, particularly those in regional areas.
Dr Ramos-Horta’s address will echo the direct request he made to Palms for urgent help with persistent problems of malnutrition, poor water management, lack of access to education and other indicators of widespread poverty in his country.
Palms Australia has a 50 year track-record successfully embedding skilled volunteers willing to live simply where the greatest needs exist, and is set up to meet Dr Ramos-Horta’s request however, it can only be done with the assistance of many hands.
Palms is currently recruiting volunteers for 2013 placement and welcomes all enquiries.
This 2 minute YouTube clip  provides a fantastic example of how skilled Australian volunteers are assisting justice, peace and poverty reduction, and offers insight to the life-enriching, cross-cultural experience of an international volunteer.
Next month: Read about the recipients of Palms Australia Solidarity Awards – acknowledging Australian individuals and organisations who have demonstrated a commitment to solidarity with the world’s poor in combating injustice and poverty.
 Organisation: Asian Aid AustraliaEvent: Hope-a-Thon for Bangladeshi Children, a sponsorship campaign Date: 1 September to 24 December 2012 About the Event:Â One hundred and fifteen children in Bangladesh, one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world, need support to gain an education and break the cycle of poverty. That’s why Asian Aid, a non-profit organisation that provides education and vocational training to children and young adults through sponsorship programs in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, has recently launched Hope-a-thon for Bangladeshi Children, a focused sponsorship campaign. By educating a child in Bangladesh you can help break the cycle of poverty for them and for their families.Sponsorship cost: $40/month, Donations over $2 are tax deductible. Visit www.asianaid.org.au, find us on Facebook or call us on 02 6586 4250 for more information and to sponsor a child.
For a full media release, or for more information, contact Sonja Larsen on 02 6586 4250 or at: sonja.larsen@asianaid.org.au |
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Every year, People & Planet exhibits at Fair@Square Festival. We love getting the chance to sell our beautiful diary and calendar directly to enthusiastic shoppers looking for fair-trade and ethical gifts.
Now in its 4th year, Fair@Square fair-trade+ethical Festival is an annual event celebrating ethical, sustainable, morally responsible products, services and businesses, designed to nourish mind, body and soul. The festival promotes ethical consumption and purchases in time for Christmas.
Have you thought about Exhibiting at Australia’s largest Fair Trade and Ethical event!?
Do not miss this amazing opportunity to showcase your brand and products in front of some 85,000 expected attendees and network with key figures in the social trade category.
For more information, please refer to the exhibitor page moralfairground.com.au/stand and complete the application form. Registrations close October 1st.Â
Organisation: International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA)
Program: Empower – Monthly Giving Program
IWDA has a monthly giving program, Empower, which is one of the best ways to support IWDA. Empower provides IWDA with financial stability through predictable income, allowing us to make and keep commitments to our partners in Asia and the Pacific.
Even a small amount given each month can mean big things for IWDA’s partner organisations.
You can also ask your employer whether they support workplace giving, allowing you to make Empower contributions directly from your pre-tax salary.
What do Empower donors support?
- Women garment workers organising and educating each other in Phnom Penh
- A leadership school for young Karen refugee women from Burma
- Radio broadcasting training for rural women from Fiji
- Emergency accommodation and resources for women facing violence and trafficking
Join Empower today and create lasting change for women in Asia and the Pacific.
Organisation: Openaid 1000 Villages
Program: Life Choices Program – Baan Toongraharn
In mid August, Openaid 1000 Villages ran the Life Choices Program at Toongraharn school, which is situated in a rural village just outside of Thailand’s infamous Pattaya city. The one-day workshop encourages young girls to think about problems and personal issues and develop solutions to overcome them. Three female members of our Thai team run the day, providing mentorship as well as sexual education that the girls don’t normally receive through their school or households. The program offers a space where young girls can feel safe to ask questions, express their emotions and concerns, and begin to think about their futures.
Girls in Thailand are frequently exposed to the pulls of the sexual entertainment industry in various forms and this can start from a very young age. Many enter the industry naively, often under pressure support the family income. Any investment in keeping girls in school must also be paired with equipping them with the knowledge and understanding of all sides of the sex industry so that they can make informed choices about their futures as they grow into young women.
Find out more about Openaid 1000 Villages
Organisation: International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA)
IWDA has released the first edition of a new publication, Gender Matters. Gender Matters is a mechanism for IWDA to share emerging ideas and new research. It will come out twice a year and provide insights into gender and development issues from both a theoretical and a practical perspective.
The inaugural issue of Gender Matters addresses “gender synchronisation”, or working with both men and women in an intentionally coordinated way to address gender inequalities. Case studies of IWDA’s work with partners explore gender synchronisation in practice in Cambodia and Melanesia.
Read Gender Matters on the IWDA website, and subscribe to the Gender Matters email list to receive future issues by email as they are published.
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You won’t hear it from the mainstream media, but Burma’s struggle is not yet over.
Burma is still in crisis. Half of Burma’s political prisoners remain imprisoned and serious human rights abuses continue – as do military attacks on civilians. The people of Burma continue to need our support! Burma Campaign Australia (BCA) works for democracy, human rights and peace in Burma. BCA runs strategic campaigns with the aim of supporting real change in Burma. We do this by: |
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- Organising within Australian communities to build a larger support base for campaigning on Burma; We look to the democracy movement inside Burma for direction in our campaign work at all times. Get involved and help us build a lasting change in Burma! You can be a part of real change in Burma! Your efforts to build a lasting change in Burma make a difference! Get involved with Burma Campaign Australia and know you are helping make a difference for the people of Burma. There are many different ways you can join in.
Want to learn more and get involved? Email us at admin@aucampaignforburma.org Visit Burma www.aucampaignforburma.org Follow us at facebook.com/BurmaCampaignAU and twitter.com/BurmaCampaignAu
Burma Campaign Australia is now part of our network Australian organisations doing vital work for social justice and the environment. Subscribe to our Monthly Update email to stay up to date with news, events, stories and volunteer opportunities with our partner network! |
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Hope is something that everybody has a right to, yet so many go without. Since 1966, Asian Aid (www.asianaid.org.au) has been working in Asia to foster permanent positive change and create a better reality for thousands of women, children and underprivileged people. Asian Aid believes in people, service, and the rights of the most vulnerable. We are a Christian non-government organisation who, following Jesus’ example of love and compassion for the poor, endeavor to empower the poor and lend a helping hand regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender or culture.
Imagine waking up everyday worrying where your next meal will come from – with begging your only hope. Imagine losing both your parents and being shunned by your family members. These are a few examples of the stories that reflect the reality many people are facing. These are the people Asian Aid is passionate about helping.
Our projects are designed to bring a better reality for people where hopelessness seems normal.
Child sponsorship is Asian Aid’s chosen way of providing education and care to needy children in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. When thousands of children miss out on an education, sponsorship gives them hope for a brighter future.
Daily, women and children are trafficked and often sold as sex slaves. The Safe Haven in Nepal, and the Anti-Human trafficking project in South India are both working towards helping women and children escape the binds of slavery.
Beyond slavery, Asian Aid is also concerned about health. In South India the Community Health Project provides affordable health care and teaches good hygiene and proper nutrition to people living in the slums and to children in neighboring schools. Go north to Nepal, and we run the Women’s Health Project, which aims to raise awareness, while helping to prevent and cure the incidences of uterine prolapse among many rural, poor women of Nepal.
By supporting Asian Aid through donations, monthly sponsorship, or expertise, you too can help rewrite someone’s normal. Your generous gift can provide education, improve health, empower people and give someone hope.
Visit www.asianaid.org.au or call (02) 6586 4250 to sponsor a child, donate to your preferred project, or to learn more about Asian Aid.
Alternatively, ‘Like’ us on Facebook – www.facebook.com/AsianAid – and become part of our online community.
Asian Aid Organisation Ltd. signatory to the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) Code of Conduct demonstrating our commitment to high standards of public accountability, governance and financial management.
Asian Aid is now part of our network Australian organisations doing vital work for social justice and the environment.
Subscribe to our Monthly Update email to stay up to date with news, events, stories and volunteer opportunities with our partner network!
