In early December AAI deployed a medical team consisting of doctors and nurses to the Bicol region of the Philippines in response to Typhoons Durian and Utor. After initial briefings and planning with local health officials AAI Medical team set up their first clinic in one of the many evacuation centers. AAI ran health clinics in 2 evacuation centers seeing approx 200 patients. AAI were directed by the DoH to the Provincial Health Office (PHO) for a medical resup. The

Commencing February 2007 AAI will be offering training to prospective or current humanitarian workers to develop or enhance their skills in working in challenging environments. Courses offered include a two day Introduction course as well as Hostile Environment, Psychological First Aid, and Cultural Awareness. Course fees are very reasonable and the training will be be conducted in Surrey Hills , Victoria before expanding into other venues.

"Time to Focus on Global Health” was the attention of the 7th Annual Hilde and Bill Birnbaum Endowed Lecture on Benefiting Patients through Health Care Research, held in Seattle Washington on Thursday October 5th 2006. The lecture was followed by a tribute to health care professionals and Aid Organizations working internationally. Australian Aid International and Seattle native Sasha Poll, a nurse who has been working with AAI, were among the honorees.

Click here to read more about the award on our website.

AAI has now completed the construction of 27 transitional bamboo school buildings within the Pandak and Pundong Sub-Districts in partnership with UNICEF. These transitional school buildings are designed to last between two and five years and provide an excellent long term alternative to tents. While the GoI has been remarkable swift in its response to education reconstruction planning, these transitional buildings will provide approximately 1,000 elementry level students with greater opportunities to learn over the approaching monsoon season.

Click here to read more about AAI in Indonesia on our website.

In September this year Marc Preston and Doug Knight made an assessment visit to Timor-Leste where they witnessed first hand the civil unrest and ongoing IDP situation. The AAI team met with Health Ministry officials and AusAID staff and will be looking at Program opportunities there in the new year.

Click here to read more about AAI in Timor Leste on our website.

In October 25 th this year AAI lost its friend and long standing volunteer Dr. Bryan G. Chaffee, M.D. of San Francisco , CA. Bryan had done medical relief work in Latin American, Asia , and Africa .  In the last 12 months he served with Australian Aid International in Pakistan and Kashmir, the Island of Java , and East Timor . Bryan spent this summer on the Thai Burma boarder with AAI and Global Health Access Program (GHAP) helping to train Karen jungle medics from Burma in a Landmine Trauma Management Workshop. He worked to safe lives of people in communities in crisis after natural disasters, civil unrest, and during genocide. Bryan will be greatly missed by his family and many friends he has made on his life's journey serving his fellow man.

AAI's volunteer of the Quarter has been awarded to Joko Sustriano who works in our Jogjakarta program. Joko has been instrumental in the successful completion of the Elementary Schools and provided AAI with a very high level of technical expertise that has ensured a quality outcome well in excess of the program specifications. Congratulations and well done Joko.

AAI has recently redesigned its website to make it more appealing and user friendly. This new format will allow AAI personnel out in the field to upload data to the website from anywhere in the world using special satellite technology to connect. It was recently tested in East Timor with great success as AAI personnel uploaded situation reports daily from the field. A big thankyou to Matt Morrision at www.mintleafstudio.com.au for the redesign.

AAI wishes all its staff, donors, volunteers and friends and very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and looks forward to working with them in our valuable programs