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City2Surf – Join our team and run for Action on Poverty!

Did you know that if you join our team in this year's City2Surf, you could also be changing lives for the better? This year we have teamed up with social enterprise Join the Pipe to help raise funds for the Voza Community in the remote outskirts of the Solomon Islands.

Women in Phalombe District, Malawi, draw clean water from their borehole - Action on Poverty

Clean water is a basic human right

Clean water is a basic human right, but many remote communities in Malawi rely on hand-dug wells that can carry life-threatening diseases.

Reflections on Kiribati from our CEO

Back in Fiji, after a week in Kiribati. A week that has left me with a lot of feelings and thoughts… Action on Poverty (AOP) and Foundation for the South Pacific Kiribati (FSPK) are partnering on a water and food project on Aranuka Island, one of the many coral atoll islands in the Kiribati group. Kiribati is one of the poorest countries in Oceania, and one of the most affected by climate change. Aranuka is smack bang on the equator. Day and night time temps hover around 36 degrees, so yep, it’s hot. There is no power beyond the solar cells, so no fridges or fans, just a little light at night. There’s a little internet in one spot on the island (as of two weeks ago!), no mobile coverage and one payphone. A small plane comes in a few times a week, but is often cancelled. Small planes are like buses in lots of parts of the Pacific – they are a metaphoric and actual lifeline to the outside world. This is a very beautiful place but it is a tough environment. Villagers live simply here, and they have done for hundreds of years. The people of Kiribati feel connected to the sea – it has provided for them and been good to them. But rising sea levels and climate change mean that water sources, which have been clean and good, are now brackish and unsafe to drink, and no good for gardens. Rains, which were predictable and plentiful and filled wells and tanks, have changed a heap in the last five or so years, and there hasn’t been any decent rain for that time. Food variety and quantity is pretty limited on Aranuka. Fish, rice, breadfruit, some pumpkin and papaya… AOP’s and FSPK’s water and food project aims to address the need for clean water, and a better variety and quantity of food via veggie gardens. FSPK and the local council have trained the community in how to make a nursery and gardens, how to compost, and how to prepare and cook veggies. AOP has provided technical and financial support. The community has literally dug in by digging the trenches for the water pipes from the water sources to the simple water pumps. I shook my head many times on this trip when I thought about how much work this was, in 36 degrees heat. The momentum for the project is growing and there are literally gardens popping up everywhere! People realise they can do it when they see their neighbours doing it. With the support of FSPK and the council officers, the free seeds provided, and good water – it’s possible! I saw so many gardens and water pumps that I lost count! These were on the main track/road around the island. People came up to us at different times to invite us to come and see their gardens! I was gobsmacked to see the juggernaut effect of the project. The people on Aranuka have a very small environmental footprint. They don’t want a lot and don’t have a lot. They don’t waste a thing – everything is used and reused and repurposed. The community is generous with all they have and they opened their hearts to me. I felt a strong desire to right the wrongs of climate change for and with them. I thought about my own huge environmental footprint. I felt happy to see that life was made a little easier, especially for women. I was relieved to see kids who are well and not sick from bad water. Like I said, a lot of feelings and thoughts. We are funding this project again in 2018/19 and I am intrigued to see what happens next in Aranuka. The energy and will from the community and council is there, and we are too. Christine Pollard CEO Action on Poverty

Pioneering preschool in poor Cambodian villages

Chan is a 5-year-old girl from a poor village in Kampot Province. Due to her remote location, she couldn’t attend preschool. Unfortunately, many Cambodian children in poor villages stay at home or go to work with their parents because they have no access to preschool. They are deprived of important opportunities to play, develop social skills, and receive the basic education. This leads to high drop-out rates once they enrol in primary school. Girls in particular often leave school early to find work to support their families – putting themselves at risk of exploitation. Building strong foundations We worked with the Cambodian Organization for Children and Development to open 26 preschools as part of the Good Start Project. These schools now have 642 students enrolled, including 335 girls, in some of the most disadvantaged villages in Pursat and Kampot Provinces. Chan has now been attending preschool for one year. She loves to read and draw, and wants to become a doctor one day! She can count, and knows the Khmer alphabet. Chan receives a snack and clean drinking water at school every day. The local health centre also conducts regular health checks for all students. It takes a village Good Start Preschools are designed to bring parents, teachers and communities together for shared learning. Parents have the opportunity to learn about child development, while teachers are supported in their own professional development. “The students enjoy the class and learn a lot,” said Mrs Peng Kunthea, Chan’s teacher. “I’m proud of my students and I love my job.” Want to help more children access early education? Give a tax-deductible gift to educate and empower children like Chan.

Solving hunger with sweet potatoes

Christina is a mother of four, hailing from Thyolo District in Malawi. She used to grow maize, pigeon peas, and white sweet potatoes for both food and income. Despite her best efforts, Christina’s family suffered from food shortages for months at a time, and she struggled to pay for household needs. Training and nutrition We worked with our local partner, United Purpose, to teach Christina how to grow orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. These potatoes have many advantages. Not only are they tasty, and diverse for cooking, but they’re also rich in Vitamin A – an important nutrient for women and children in particular. Christina also learned about the business of agriculture to help her improve her income and livelihood. Fields of gold Christina was given three vines of sweet potatoes to work with. Using the techniques she learned in training, she began to multiply her vines. Lead farmers such as Loveness also provided her with additional technical support. Five months later, Christina reaped the rewards, harvesting 98 bundles of vines. She then planted these in a larger field ahead of the rainy season, ensuring she would have enough food and income during the lean months. On top of this, Christina harvested 250kg of potatoes. She kept 100kg for the family to eat, and sold the remaining 150kg. With the sale of her first crop of sweet potatoes, Christina bought food to cover the hungry months, as well as soap, salt and other everyday needs. She hopes to earn enough from future crops to build a new house. Champion for change Christina says the sweet potato project has set her up for future success. “We have been trained to multiply the vines and to use recommended practices to achieve high yields,” she said. “I can increase my production using my own planting materials. That means even after the phasing out of this project, I will still be able to grow potatoes.” Africa Water Appeal Prolonged drought in southern Africa is destroying crops and livelihoods. Please give a tax-deductible gift by 30 June to help us bring water systems to farmers like Christina who are struggling to survive.

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Action on Poverty

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Action on Poverty

City2Surf – Join our team and run for Action on Poverty!

Clean water is a basic human right

Reflections on Kiribati from our CEO

Pioneering preschool in poor Cambodian villages

Solving hunger with sweet potatoes

Contact Us

Action on Poverty

Action on Poverty in Vietnam

Send us an email

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