A United Nations agricultural initiative in northern Cambodia had almost failed. But a small Australian charity stepped in to save the day. The United Nations had come to the aid of rice farmers. Many of the farmers and the local community were living in extreme poverty partly due to their isolation. The UN taught the farmers an intensive rice farming methodology that would increase crop production and so boost their income.
But farmers weren’t willing to give it a go. Living near the poverty line they were unwilling to take such a big risk and potentially lose the little they had. So Baptist World Aid Australia stepped in to lend a hand. They employed an Agricultural Worker in the area for 12 months. He asked them how they were going, gave some advice, and offered to support them if the new techniques were a failure.
One of the farmers that gave the new intensive farming techniques a go had only one arm and was living in desperate poverty. People thought he was crazy when he started the new farming techniques. But in one season the man increased his crop production more than six fold.
He could then afford to feed his family. So his kids were less often sick and were attending school. He could even afford a chicken coup.
Scott Higgins the Director of Community Engagement for Baptist World Aid Australia told Quid of the 2008 project.
He said: “We see stuff like that all the time. And it’s really exciting. Now you’ve got people with money to spend. So the local shopkeeper has income. He buys stuff from the farmers. And that whole process of economic development starts to kick in.”
Scott said Baptist World Aid was: “Helping communities mobilise to take action for themselves.”
So they don’t send Australians overseas to run their development programs. Instead they partner with indigenous organisations from the overseas countries. There are around 40 partners that send Baptist World Aid Australia funding proposals each year. The proposals include specific and measurable goals.
Their staff in Australia examines the proposals, give some advice, and send them the money they need. This employs people in the developing country and at a fraction of the cost of sending Australians to the overseas locations. Further time is saved since Australians don’t have to learn the language, study the country, and get the hang of the culture before they even start work. Scott explained the Baptist World Aid Australia philosophy: “The last thing poor people living in developing countries need is a white person coming in and telling them how to live their lives.”
To find out more about Baptist World Aid Australia or to donate, go to: www.baptistworldaid.org.au
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