Field Stories

Young people in the remote southern islands of Vanuatu are helping to protect themselves and vulnerable members of their families and communities against COVID-19, thanks to vaccines being rolled out across Tafea Province with the support of AHP partners.

For 12-year-old Rifa Akter, bullying about her communication disability had left her isolated and overwhelmed in the classroom. With support from an adolescents’ club supported through the AHP Bangladesh response, Rifa has new friends and has been able to return to school.

After suffering a stroke in 2021, Rohingya refugee Hassan was left unable to walk or stand, and without access to rehabilitation services. Through a partnership between Save the Children and Humanity & Inclusion, Hassan and other Rohingya people with disabilities now have access to specialised services at their local health post.

Increasing the number of girls and women in the classroom, both among students and as teachers, has been one of the aims of the AHP Education in Emergencies response in Myanmar. 19-year-old Yamin Khin now has the opportunity to work as an Assistant Volunteer Teacher at the same learning centre where she studied.

Through the AHP response in Bangladesh, people living with disabilities in host communities and Rohingya camps have been supported with assistive devices to improve their quality of life through partner Christian Aid and DSK.

Elders Yoseph (75) and Nonina (80), and Jemi (62) have received two COVID-19 vaccines and cash support through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership response in Indonesia. The response has focused on supporting vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and people with disabilities.

15-year-old Khaled has had a second chance at education through the AHP response in Jordan. Now he hopes to inspire other children with disabilities through his social media content.

A cash for work program being implemented through the AHP and CARE in Cox’s Bazar, Bangaldesh, is providing income earning opportunities for vulnerable groups such as female-headed households, while improving resilience to disasters.

Volunteer teachers at temporary learning centres in Myanmar’s IDP camps have been empowered to improve their skills inside and outside the classroom through training and resources delivered by Save the Children.

Through the AHP COVID-19 response in Papua New Guinea, one remote Bougainville primary school now has a toilet and handwashing facilities on site, improving life for both students and teachers.

Hussein’s family fled the war in Syria when he was a young child, arriving in Jordan in search of safety. Through classes supported by AHP, he finally has the chance to learn to read and write.

In Timor-Leste, the lack of clean water in schools puts children at risk. This is further exacerbated for kids living in disaster-prone communities. Disaster READY’s Disaster Management Committees are driving locally-led solutions to help keep these children safe.

Through the AHP COVID-19 response in Solomon Islands, community nurseries and agricultural training are helping families get more from their home gardens, reducing their food expenses and supporting livelihoods.

Floods in Timor-Leste in April 2021 damaged water infrastructure, leaving communities without nearby access to clean water. Through the AHP response, World Vision supported the construction of new water tanks and piping to restore access.

In Lebanon, currency devaluation, hyperinflation and the removal of fuel subsidies, along with extreme cold, made this winter one of the toughest families have ever endured. With cash support through the AHP Lebanon response, families can now prepare for future winters and pay off debts.

For Remedios and her ten children, the only part of their home left after Cyclone Rai struck the Philippines last year was the kitchen. Relief supplies through the AHP response have helped them make do while they work to rebuild.

In Timor-Leste, Disaster READY Partners are supporting small scale farmers like Marilia to improve farming techniques while also mitigating against disaster.

Sajeda, a Rohingya mother of four living in Cox’s Bazar, was a victim of child marriage. Motivated by her own experience and the negative outcomes she saw for other child brides, she volunteers as part of an AHP-supported committee to end the practice in her community.

When Jolyn became sick while pregnant she was rushed to hospital from her remote village to the capital. At the the hospital in Honiara she received health support but also additional assistance through the Disaster READY program.

In Iraq, AHP partners are working to build more inclusive communities so that everyone is afforded the same opportunities. Sonya’s doctor told her she needed to exercise to help her overcome her illness, but in her small community in Sinjar, women were not able to access gyms. Read what the Building Peaceful Futures project did to change this…

In partnership with Provincial Health Authorities and AHP NGOs, community leaders in Papua New Guinea are being empowered with correct information on COVID-19 to become advocates for vaccination.

In Cox’s Bazar, few Rohingya living with disabilities have accessible latrines in their homes or communities. Work by AHP partners is supporting better access to WASH in the camps for all. For 13-year-old Fatema and her mother, an accessible latrine has improved their quality of life.

Through pilots of cash and voucher support in Papua New Guinea, Disaster READY partners are improving financial literacy while supporting resilience.

One of the greatest concerns for children on the move and those who have fled their homes due to conflict is missing out on their education. As part of the Australian Humanitarian Partnership, Plan International and Save the Children are supporting Syrian refugees living in Jordan, ensuring that they are receiving the education they deserve and not being left behind.

Communicating information about the pandemic to Samoa’s Deaf community proved challenging for national disability organisation Nuanua O Le Alofa, with more than half not knowing formal sign language. With AHP support, they held a week-long forum to support the Deaf community to understand the pandemic, and other key issues.

Community members in Naqaravutu village, Fiji, were able to assist a shocked family who lost their home in a recent fire after participating in Psychological First Aid training through Empower Pacific, supported by AHP.

The opportunity to start a sewing business has helped Warda, 23, support her family after years of displacement due to conflict in Iraq.

A new feedback mechanism in Vanuatu supported by AHP partners is ensuring better communication between communities and government for disaster preparedness and response.