New Australian Youth Ambassadors welcomed to Bangladesh
Thirteen young Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID) arrived in Bangladesh on Saturday, 9 July and were welcomed at the Australian High Commission by the Chargé d'affaires Tim Bolotnikoff and Rachel Payne, Head of Development Cooperation.
The young volunteers will work with different host organisations in Dhaka and Mymensingh for the next 12 months to support development in Bangladesh.
The Chargé d'affaires thanked the volunteers for their commitment to help with development issues. He noted Bangladesh and its development agencies were world leaders in development and the volunteers would also have an opportunity to increase their skills and build long lasting people-to-people relations between Australia and Bangladesh.
Over the past 6 years, Australia has provided more than 200 volunteers to support development in Bangladesh. There are around 40 Australian volunteers in Bangladesh at any one time. The AVID program is funded by the Australian Government through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). Volunteers are an important part of Australia’s growing aid program to Bangladesh.
In 2011/12, the Australian Government will provide 710 crore taka (AUD92m) to help Bangladesh achieve the MDGs focusing on health, education, extreme poverty and climate change.
Australian High Commission, Dhaka
17 July 2011
For further information please contact:
Senior Research and Communications Officer, AHC Dhaka
Tel: 8813105 (497), Mobile: 01711 880205
E-mail: [email protected]