25 July 2008
Australia helps fight poverty with small-scale community grants
Health indicators in Sayaboury Province for maternal mortality rates and infant mortality rates are significantly better than the national average. In 2007, the maternal mortality rate was 33/ 200,000 live births compared with the National average of 403/100,000. In 2007, the infant mortality was 15/1000 live births compared with the National average of 70/1000.
Health Centres and District Hospitals in Sayaboury province have received a number of small grants, $2,000-$5,000, under the Australian Government’s Direct Aid Program (DAP), over several years. In 2007-08, Save the Children Australia received a US$5,000 DAP grant to purchase essential medical equipment for nine district hospitals and thirty village health centres in Sayaboury. The equipment will assist staff to improve the quality of services offered at health facilities throughout the province.
According to Carol Perks, Health Adviser for Save the Children Australia who has overseen several DAP projects, ‘All the health indicators in Sayaboury Province have improved significantly, especially in the reduction of infant and maternal mortality rates, due to Australian Government support over several years’.
Australian Ambassador to Laos, Dr Michele Forster said ‘The improved health indicators in Sayaboury province are an important reminder of how small amounts of funding, given to communities in need can lead to significant changes in people’s daily lives’.
A further 25 grants ranging from $1,000-$8,000 were awarded to similar small scale community projects, by the Australian Government under the Direct Aid Program (DAP) in 2007-2008.
Other projects funded under DAP this year, include the construction of a teachers building at the local primary school in Ban Nom Houn, toilets at the local high school Hin Heup, 40 tricycles, 50 wheelchairs and 130 pairs of crutches for people with disabilities distributed throughout Laos; a new roof for a primary school building in Champassack and construction of a well at the Centre for Victims of Human Trafficking in Savannakhet.
The Direct Aid Program (DAP) is a small-scale grants program managed by the Australian Embassy in Vientiane. The purpose is to support community projects that address basic humanitarian hardship and reduce poverty by directly assisting poor and disadvantaged groups in the areas of community health, schools/ education, small-scale infrastructure; rural development; and the environment.
The Australian Embassy in Vientiane is currently receiving applications for for funding for good small scale community development projects in Lao PDR. For further information about DAP visit http://www.laos.embassy.gov.au/vtan/cooperation.html or telephone 021 353 800