Australian nurse Valerie Browning has lived among the Afar nomads for more than 31 years and has worked tirelessly to improve their lives. In 1989, with her husband, Ismael Gardo, she set up the Afar Pastoral Development Association. APDA works hard to improve literacy for the Afar people, promote maternal and child health, eradicate harmful traditional practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and tackle the growing problem of HIV and AIDS.
The Afar Pastoralist Development Association was created to meet the unique needs faced by the isolated and nomadic people of Afar. Areas of our work include mobile health and vaccination, water provision and harvesting, maternal and child health activities, and emergency relief in times of crisis.
Provide all essential health services and to prevent, detect, and respond to new and emerging health threats.
Providing literacy support to enhance their literacy skills and move forward in their work, education and life goals.
Improving survival rates as well as the health & well being of Afar Mothers, children and families.
Enabling the community through disaster risk reduction management to stop erosion and plan rangeland protection.
Marching towards stopping FGM, early marriage and truly establishing an environment of protection against gender-based violence.
Developing the locals to become marketers rather than passive subsistence sellers in the market
Working injunction to improve food security for target communities achieved through integrated, nutrition-sensitive programming
Bringing life-saving relief in emergencies to build peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict & disasters.
Quoted by Confucius