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18 July 2008
Australia helping to reduce the vulnerability of the poor in Salavan and Sekong
The Australian Government is funding Oxfam Australia to work in partnership with the Government of Laos to reduce the vulnerability of the poor to the risk of disasters in 50 remote communities in Salavan and Sekong provinces.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed today at the Settha Palace Hotel for the implementation of “Community Based Disaster Risk Management in Upland Communities” by Mr. Prasith Dethphommatheth, the Director General of the Social Welfare Department, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and Mr. Khamlouang Keoka, Country Representative, Oxfam Australia.
Australia will contribute nearly A$1.5 million over 5 years to the project (2007-2012).
At the signing ceremony, the Australian Embassy’s Second Secretary (Development Cooperation), Mr Tim Napper, said “close collaboration between national and local government, Australia and NGOs, is essential to the success of this program. This agreement is an important first step in helping vulnerable communities in Salavan and Sekong”.
The project aims to mitigate, in a sustainable way, negative impacts of and to build community resilience to disasters, particularly droughts and other slow-on-set hazards. The project will also improve people’s livelihoods by improving income security, diversifying livestock and improving crop production. Communities will have improved access to primary health care, maternal-child health care, clean water and sanitation facilities at the village level.
The project will be jointly implemented by Oxfam Australia and Provincial and District Disaster Management Committees, in Ta Oy district, Salavan province and Kalum district, Sekong province. The capacity of these committees to manage and respond to disasters will be strengthened throughout the program. In Ta Oy district radio will be used to communicate information about disasters and disaster mitigation in local languages.
The project is part of the Laos-Australia NGO Corporation Agreements (LANGOCA) program, a A$14 million partnership between the Australian Government’s international aid agency, AusAID, and Australian non-government organisations CARE, Oxfam, Save the Children and World Vision.
The LANGOCA program is a significant part of Australia’s aid to Laos. Total Australian funding to Laos for 2008-09 is estimated to be A$27.8 million. Funds will support activities across a range of sectors including building human resources, promoting growth of the market economy and reducing the vulnerability of the poor.