AusAid Takes Community Development to the North

AusAid Takes Community Development to the North

The AusAID funded Fiji Community Development Program will mark its one year anniversary with the commissioning of its Labasa Office on July 17th, 2013 by Ms Joanne Choe, Counsellor, Development Cooperation Fiji and Tuvalu.

With more than half of the Northern division in poverty, “This is the first AusAID program office to set up operations in the north. This decision allows AusAID to support the increasing number of Civil Society Organisations (CSO’s) providing services to poor and vulnerable communities.” Ms Choe said while commissioning the FCDP office in Labasa today.

“The establishment of the FCDP Office in Labasa will provide more readily available support to the good work done by CSOs to help the vulnerable and marginalised in these communities. FDCP, with an annual investment of FJ$7.5 million/year (AUD4.35 million), is the largest CSO support program in the country,” She added.

Data from the Fiji Islands Bureau of Statistics shows that 53% of those living in the Northern division are poor. FCDP will be investing over FJD40 million over the next five years in the program.

The FCDP Team Leader, Michael Brownjohn said that “what this means for CSO service delivery in the Northern Division is that 11 organisations have been provided with funds for a range of activities for communities in the North.”

“Some of these activities include counselling services, support to the visually impaired as well as people living with HIV, wetlands protection for several communities, reproductive health services, rural development and ear and eye testing for primary school students”, he added.

During the launch 11 Northern based CSOs will also showcase their organisations and disseminate information on how individual organisations can assist those in need.

FCDP provided approximately FJD$800,000 to 9 organisations for post cyclone Evan emergency relief and disaster preparedness. For the North, this included funding to the Northern Charity Alliance for 400 emergency food packs, 9 water tanks, 192 school packs and school fees for 174 students.

The Labasa Office would ensure prompt coordination of AusAID funded CSOs especially in cases of immediate humanitarian assistance following any natural disaster.

The FCDP began operating in Fiji in June 2012 .It succeeds Australia’s previous support to civil society through the Australian Civil Society Support Program (ACSSP). The event will be held at the Friendly North Inn on 17th July, 2013. Media organisations are invited to send a reporter/ photographer to the event. Please find the attached program for the workshop. Media organizations are invited to send a reporter/ photographer.

ENDS

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