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 Home Overseas Projects Southern Africa Region Strategy
Southern Africa Strategic Plan 2005-2007
13 November 2003
Union Aid Abroad first became involved in southern African programs in the mid 1980s, primarily supporting the struggle against Apartheid through assistance to ANC-aligned organisations in exile in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania. After the unbanning of the liberation organisations in 1990, Union Aid Abroad established an office in Johannesburg and supported projects in Southern Africa which were designed (and nominated by the ANC) to provide strategic support in the repatriation of the exiles and the overall democratisation process.
Background - Program Context
APHEDA became involved in southern African programs in the mid-1980s, primarily supporting the struggle against Apartheid through assistance to ANC-aligned organisations in exile in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania. After the unbanning of the liberation organisations in 1990, APHEDA established an office in Johannesburg, and supported projects in South Africa which were designed (and nominated by the ANC) to provide strategic support in the repatriation of the exiles and the overall democratisation process. As this transitional phase tapered off, APHEDA's role has decreased inside South Africa.
Key issues and concerns
- Although South Africa is now democratic, for a significant section (around 40%) of the population, poverty is increasing, due to the implementation of free-market economic policies and mass unemployment.
- Africa, and southern Africa, should remain a focus for Australian aid, due to increasing poverty and need, due to proximity of the southern Africa region to Australia within the Indian Ocean region, and due to the complexity of development challenges in Africa, which provide lessons essential for development practice and social justice worldwide.
- Southern Africa should also remain a priority for APHEDA, due to the strength of relations between ACTU and southern African unions.
- The economic and political leadership of the region (the 14 -country SADC) is now in Johnannesburg/Pretoria, requiring a new orientation to the poorer countries bordering SA (Zimbabwe, Zambia, Swaziland, Lesotho and Mozambique), several of which are experiencing political and eco-social turmoil.
- HIV has become a central developmental crisis for all the countries of the region, with between 15-45% of the workforces in various sectors infected (eg. teachers, transport, mining, public sector, manufacturing, farming, health).
Key strategies in Africa 2006
- APHEDA seeks to retain projects assisting poor communities in South Africa, and extend to new projects in neighbouring countries such as Zimbabwe and Malawi.
- In particular, APHEDA seeks to develop new projects in response to the HIV crisis, in partnership with trade unions, mass women's organisations, and community-based organisations with whom we have historic connections.
- APHEDA will also explore possibilities for adult basic education and training for income generation, food production, and primary health care skills.
- Interaction with our community fundraising alliance partner, Hunger project, has led to a process of mutual learning through monitoring of their projects (literacy, women's empowerment, food security, micro-credit, community leadership, HIV) in southern Malawi.
- Since APHEDA has been unsuccessful in gaining cooperation Agreement funding form AusAID, smaller projects funded by our donor base or by community fundraising alliances will be maintained. In 2006-7 it may be possible to use ANCP funds to build on workplace HIV education in South Africa and/or Zimbabwe.
- The human rights situation in Zimbabwe continues to deteriorate, and APHEDA will explore possibilities for funding of emergency human rights programs or of relief programs for communities most affected by repression, homelessness, HIV and hunger.
Strategic project areas/themes
- APHEDA will seek to build on our record of HIV programming in southern Africa, as a key developmental challenge, in particular with workplace HIV education, treatments access and developing community strategies for care of HIV-affected children.
- APHEDA will seek to build on our record of human rights programming in southern Africa, in particular in relation to Zimbabwe.
- Through a community fundraising alliance, and due to the commitment of particular Australian unions, we have developed a small focus on the Sharawi refugees, long trapped in desert camps on the Algeria border.
Current projects in 2006
- AusAID-funded HIV projects with SA rural women and Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions have ended, and we have been assisting projects supported by community fundraising alliance partners with whom we have signed agreements and whose projects have been agreed by Management Committee:
- Boomerang Project supporting the development of community-based care for abandoned babies affected by HIV with the Rehoboth Trust in kwaZulu-Natal.
- The Australian Western Sahara Association, in its efforts to provide relief to the Saharawi refuges in camps on the Algeria border
- African Heritage which is supporting HIV responses by Salvation Army in Soweto (Completed) and by Vana Vedu, a community based HIV child support agency in Chegutu in Zimbabwe, and the one off support for Claude HO children's project in southern Malawi (now with NCCA).
- Small scale support for HIV treatments literacy and delivery via the Treatments Action Campaign in South Africa, and the Pan-Africa Treatments Access Movement.
- Support for the Hunger Project's multi-purpose epicentres in Malawi and Ghana
- Support for Educo youth leadership training in Cape Town
- Support for Educompass developing community support systems and nutrition support for vulnerable school students in the Cape Flats.
- Small scale donor support for the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (now completed).
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