AOP representatives receive Certificate of Merits from the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations.
AOP is an Australian NGO founded in 1968, which has worked in Vietnam since 1989. The organisation celebrated their 30 years of Action on Poverty with a gala event in Hanoi.
The anniversary gala gathered beneficiary communities, government officials, including local authorities from project provinces, partners and donors of AOP.
“Our success over the last 30 years has been due to our ability to adapt to change to address issues of greatest need. We couldn’t have done this without the support of local communities, our partners and donors. We look forward to continuing to do this for at least the next 30 years,” said John Kell, Chair of the Board of Directors of AOP.
John Kell, Chair of the Boards of AOP expresses AOP's strategy to support Vietnam for another 30 years.
Speaking at the event, Justin Baguley, Counsellor of Economic and Development Cooperation at the Australian Embassy in Vietnam, said “Australia is proud to have been a long-term partner of AOP in its 30 year journey in Vietnam. Since 1997, Australia has provided AUD 20 million in funding to AOP in Vietnam to support vulnerable and disadvantaged people to have better living conditions.”
Justin also shared that AOP had been recently successful in securing funding of AUD 556,000 for a new Community-based Tourism project focused on women through Australia’s Gender-Responsive Equitable Agriculture and Tourism (GREAT) program. AOP’s project will help women in Moc Chau and Van Ho communes, Son La province, from 2019 to 2021.
Professor Scott O’Neill, Director of the World Mosquito Program (WMP), an initiative in twelve countries that works to protect the global community from mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika, dengue and chikungunya, also congratulated AOP on this milestone, particularly as a trusted partner of WMP for many years.
“With AOP’s support, our on-site community engagement activities and partnership with Vietnam have been quickly established. We look forward to many more years of collaboration” said Professor O’Neill.
Phan Anh Son presents the “For Peace and Friendship among Nations” insignias to AOP's four members.
On this occasion, on behalf of VUFO, Phan Anh Son, Director-General of The People's Aid Co-ordinating Committee (PACCOM) under VUFO, awarded the VUFO Certificate of Merits to AOP and insignias to AOP staff members, who have contributed to poverty reduction in Vietnam.
Son also shared that VUFO had completed the application for AOP in Vietnam to receive the Friendship Medal from the Vietnamese Government.
Ta Van Tuan, Country Director of AOP in Vietnam, added “Our long-term development programs in Vietnam will focus on mountainous areas, reaching ethnic minorities, empowering women and children, and improving access to the market, information, technology, and public services.”
Earlier, VUFO President Nguyen Phuong Nga received the delegation of AOP senior leaders on their visit to Vietnam on the morning of the anniversary gala, discussing the significant accomplishments of the organisation for the past 30 years and planning for the future.
| AOP was first known in Vietnam as the Australian Foundation for the Peoples of Asia and the Pacific Limited (AFAP) and was the first Australian NGO permitted to open a representative office in Vietnam in 1996. AOP is best known for its pioneering work in developing community-based biological control programs for dengue fever in Vietnam. From this work in health sector, AOP has expanded programs to agriculture, water and sanitation, food security, climate change, livelihoods, and governance. Over the last 30 years, AOP has supported more than 250,000 vulnerable and disadvantaged people through the implementation of 60 projects across 35 provinces, valued at more than USD 30 million. |
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