More than 2.3 million women and marginalised people from 11 countries across Africa have benefitted from projects on food security, maternal and child health, water, sanitation and hygiene under the Australia Africa Community Engagement Scheme (AACES). The program comes to an end on 30 June 2016.
AACES was a five-year partnership between the Australian Government, 10 Australian NGOs and their in-Africa partner organizations. The program was implemented in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The African Capacity Building Foundation’s (ACBF) has supported AACES as the Resource Facility. The ACBF’s role as the Resource Facility has been to provide timely, efficient, and effective logistical, administrative and technical support to AACES. In this respect, the Resource Facility has supported the communication, coordination and management of AACES.
From 2011 until June 2016, the A$83-million (US$61-million) focused on community-based interventions with particular attention to achieving change for women, youth and children and people with disabilities. Strong results have been demonstrated over the years in maternal and child health, agricultural productivity, water and sanitation.
Over 2,378,468 people have benefitted directly from AACES, of which 1,491,231 were women and girls: an estimated 479,413 people accessed maternal and child health services; approximately 817,933 people experienced improved agricultural productivity; and over 1,074,813 people were provided with water and sanitation services.
“A strong and clear focus on sustainability, gender equity, and women’s empowerment underpin the AACES model. The value-add of the scheme will be the sustainability of results - the stories of positive impacts and changed lives will continue - long after AACES has ended,” says Matthew Neuhaus, Assistant Secretary, Middle East and Africa Division at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
He adds, “AACES has brought Australians and Africans together. The scheme has strengthened and given hope to marginalised groups. Communities have become more inclusive, as they appreciate the role each individual can play. Local governments have become more accountable as communities develop better understanding of their rights and hold duty-bearers to account. NGOs and donors now appreciate the power of collaboration and partnership in influencing and impacting development outcomes. AACES has demonstrated that everyone has and can play a positive role in their communities. This has been key to the sustained strong results and brighter future prospects for many of the AACES communities.”
DFAT sought to work with NGOs to leverage their existing experience in working with poor and marginalised people in Africa. The program was characterized by a partnership approach in order to maximize an effective working relationship between DFAT and the NGOs. The partnership led to innovative thinking, sharing of ideas between African and Australian NGOs and new approaches to cooperation.
The program has been successful in achieving its objectives. It has delivered outcomes and results that have exceeded its original targets and expectations. Evidence shows extensive change at the AACES project countries in access to services, resulting in measurable changes in health and well-being for women, children, youth and others in communities.
The AACES program closing ceremony and launch of its final review report was held at the Hotel Royal Orchid Azure in Nairobi, Kenya on 25 May, 2016.
According to Dr Roger Atindehou, who represented the ACBF Executive Secretary at the event, “ACBF is very proud of the achievements of AACES that have been very clearly captured in the final review report. Since January 2012, we have been part of the AACES journey as the resource facility manager. Even though our role was that of a contractor, we very quickly became part of the AACES partnership, which is celebrated in this report.”
The AACES final review report is available at the DFAT website: www.dfat.gov.au
