MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Downer
The Australian Government has allocated nearly $3.5 million to six Australian non-government aid groups as part of Australia's drought relief effort in Papua New Guinea, as announced by the Minister for Foreign Affairs on 19 November.
AusAID, the Australian Agency for International Development, invited Australian Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) to submit proposals for rapid relief responses to assist people at highest risk, following a request from the Government of Papua New Guinea. World Vision Australia ($1,153,470), CARE Australia ($329,369), the Adventist Development and Relief Agency ($750,000), the Australian Foundation for the Peoples of Asia and the Pacific ($366,000), Save the Children Australia ($132,119), and the Christian Children's Fund of Australia ($744,835) have been selected to receive funding.
The NGOs will contribute to the relief effort by assisting vulnerable communities with water supplies, agricultural recovery, health programs and food.
Food purchased by the PNG Government is now reaching provincial areas. The NGOs will work closely with the PNG Government to coordinate further relief deliveries. They will work within the system established by the National Disaster Emergency Services. The NGOs will also assist the Red Cross to monitor the distribution effort.
While rain has begun to fall in some areas of PNG, it is not falling in the areas of greatest need and it is still not enough to break the drought. Affected villages need at least a month of good rain for crops to survive. Assessment teams predict that February will be the worst month for drought victims, because villagers will have exhausted whatever supplies they have and their crops (if any) will not be ready for harvest.
NGOs' capacity for flexible responses and community-level activity is particularly appropriate in the PNG drought situation. Communities most severely affected by the drought, not currently receiving AusAID drought relief assistance, will be the focus for the NGOs.
Australia will reach today a total of 1 million kilograms of food aid delivered to Papua New Guineans most in need - about 60,000 people in five provinces. AusAID is currently contributing $1 million a week to the drought relief effort.
Media contacts:
Deborah Nesbitt (AusAID) (02) 6206 4966
Judi Nixon (Parliamentary Secretary's office) 0411 287 258 07 5591 1011