Indigenous Australia - Closing
the Health Gap
Summary
This project combines the Yorgum Community Healing
Project and Gulf Health Training projects, assisting
remote communities in providing community-based
health care and training to local health workers. Oxfam
Australia is working in WA and the Gulf of Carpentaria
towards creating social change in areas such as social
justice and reconciliation, community development, and
culturally appropriate health and wellbeing techniques.
Key Objectives
�� Provide Aboriginal people with greater access
to healing and counselling support services,
delivered by sensitive, support agencies.
�� Facilitate greater understanding among
Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people regarding
their collective history, the ongoing effects of
that history and its relevance to the context of
international human rights.
�� Advocate for greater resource allocations
from governmentfor Aboriginal-led health and
wellbeing initiatives.

Preventing the Spread of HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe

Oxfam Australia has been running the Combined Oxfam Gender and HIV and AIDS Program (COGENHA) in Zimbabwe since 2002.  HIV and AIDS is a lethal pandemic that affects up to 34% of Zimbabwe’s adult population.  Over 1.9 million people have HIV and AIDS and 53% of those infected are women.  1.3 million children have been left orphaned by the virus.

The objectives of the COGENHA program are to: provide home based care to people infected or affected by HIV and AIDS; improve women’s status to help reduce their infection rates; encourage real changes in behaviour to ensure HIV and AIDS awareness-raising is working; and link partner organisations to establish a united front in their fight against HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe. 

Oxfam is working with eight partner organisations in Zimbabwe who have local and specialist knowledge to ensure that the work is much more effective and has a greater impact on a long-term basis.

Timor Leste - Wells and Wellbeing
Summary
Oxfam’s work in Oecusse and Covalima district aims
to improve local communities’ quality of food and
access to safe water. A further aim is to improve
people’s knowledge, awareness and practices related
to good hygiene and higher nutrition levels. This will
lead to better general health which will reduce the
burden of preventable diseases at the household level,
strengthening the social and economic development in
Oecusse and Covalima.
Key Objectives
�� Assess and plan for the development of
www.oxfam.org.au
sustainable water supply and sanitation
infrastructure.
�� Rehabilitate and Repair water supply systems
and communityowned wells.
�� Build sanitation infrastructure
�� Increase awareness and capacity in local
communities and NGO’s to maintain these
systems
�� Improve community hygiene awareness and
practices
�� Reduce levels of malnutrition and increase
access to food
�� Contribute to policy development in food and
nutrition
International

Beyond Australia - Mining Ombudsman

Oxfam Australia established the Mining Ombudsman in February 2000 as part of our commitment to supporting impoverished communities to defend their human rights and secure greater protection from exploitation.  The Mining Ombudsman investigates allegations of human rights violations, environmental degradation and social upheavals caused by Australian Mining companies in the Asia-Pacific region.  Through the publication of the Annual Mining Ombudsman Report it seeks to render companies responsible for the consequences of their operations, engender greater understanding amongst the Australian public of the effects of mining on poor communities, and advocate for the creation of a formal Ombudsman for the Australian mining industry.

Click to find out more from Oxfam website.

:        Photo: Jane Willey/OxfamAUS

Photo: Paul Weinberg/OxfamAUS

Photo: Joan Sones/OxfamAUS

Photo: John Sones/OxfamAUS

Photo: Jeff AtkinmAn/OxfamAUS in Sumatra