COVID-19 vaccine resistance in Papua New Guinea is strong, with social media playing a role. AHP partners are tacking mis-information and fake news on a number of levels, including a digital campaign on Facebook.

Six year old Asfer, who lives with cerebral palsy, has progressed in leaps and bounds since his family enrolled him in an AHP-supported Early Childhood Development Centre and were able to access physiotherapy support.

Life in the camps of Cox’s Bazar is already tough, but for 16-year-old Maya, who lives with complex physical disabilities, it is an accessibility nightmare. With the support of AHP, Maya now has improved access to bathroom facilities at her home.

Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP) NGOs have been supporting the COVID-19 response in Papua New Guinea (PNG) since the pandemic was declared in 2020, but are now focusing on supporting the vaccine roll-out and combatting mis-information. This field story looks at the work being undertaken by CAN DO and ABC International Development.

At Laulana School, students used to love to swim in the river when it was flooded, unaware of the risks. Now they stay away when there are heavy rains, after learning more about natural hazards through Disaster READY.

Through Disaster READY, communities in Papua New Guinea’s Central Province have been supported by ChildFund PNG to come up with their own action plans to improve their disaster preparedness. For Molegolo village, a new water catchment will boost resilience to drought.

Drawing on the theory that a little ‘nudge’ can lead to big change, AHP partners in Bangladesh are supporting Rohingya women’s livelihoods and food security, and in the process, boosting their self-reliance.

AHP partners in Papua New Guinea have focused COVID-19 response efforts on support for the national vaccine roll-out and combating widespread mis-information in relation to COVID-19 and the vaccines.

Ricky Pana supports Solomon Islands communities to be better prepared for disasters after his own harrowing experience in the 2007 Earthquake and Tsunami.

Many communities in Fiji have been hit hard by the economic fallout of COVID-19, and the second wave of cases in 2021 also restricted access to food and markets. With AHP support, Nabulini village has successfully grown their own vegetables, keeping healthy food on the menu during lockdowns.

For 26-year-old Mayada, conflict and displacement in Iraq had left her too scared to leave her home. With the support of AHP partner CARE, she has been able to access education and psychosocial support and has rejoined her community.

For Rohingya children living in camps in Bangladesh, learning centres provide vital social connection and access to education. But with COVID-19, they have been closed. AHP partners have adapted to provide caregiver-led education opportunities so children don’t miss out.

Communities in Malmal and Riwo in Madang, Papua New Guinea, are seeing the impacts of climate change and coastal erosion in their communities first hand. Here they share their perspectives, and the work they have engaged with under the Disaster READY program.

With schools and learning centres closed for nearly a full academic year due to COVID-19, AHP partners have supported home-based learning in Myanmar’s IDP camps.

Through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership’s COVID-19 response, Empower Pacific is supporting Fijians grappling with the economic, social and health repercussions of the global pandemic.

For women in Sinjar, Iraq, seeking sexual, reproductive and maternal health care, the AHP’s Building Peaceful Futures response has brought services closer to home.

In Fiji, the Ketesa community primarily earned their incomes through selling woodcarvings to hotels and local retail outlets. But the pandemic closed the doors on international tourism. Through partner CAN DO, AHP has supported new ways forward for the community.

Many communities and households in Tonga have to travel significant distances to access clean water. As part of the AHP COVID-19 response, water tanks are bringing supplies closer to home, improving hygiene and freeing up time.

Returning home after escaping ISIS conflict was made all the more challenging for Marjana and her family due to a lack of clean drinking water. Through the Building Peaceful Futures consortium, home water filters are making life easier and healthier for returnees.

Water scarcity was identified as key challenge for communities in Samoa wanting to keep safe from the COVID-19 pandemic. New water tanks and water harvesting systems are supporting clean, safe access.