Surfaid international and Billabong launch global school program to alleviate poverty

Source: SurfAid International
Humanitarian aid organisation SurfAid International and surf company Billabong today launched a unique schools program that will have far-reaching effects around the world - alleviating suffering and death in impoverished communities.
The SurfAid International Billabong Schools Program will provide a dynamic learning opportunity for students, educating them about the geography, economy, culture, health and living conditions of the 70,000 people of the Mentawai Island region, off the coast of West Sumatra, Indonesia.

The isolated location is one of the world's most desired, tropical surfing destinations, but in the worst villages there are some of the highest child mortality rates in the world. It is also one of the most-at-risk areas globally for a large magnitude earthquake and tsunami.

The program was launched in Narrabeen, Sydney, today - in celebration of World Indigenous People's Day and in partnership with the New South Wales Department of Education and Training.

SurfAid International Founder and Medical Director, Dr Dave Jenkins, said the program, which will involve schoolchildren in Australia, New Zealand, the United States of America and Europe, was an example of the power of partnerships.

"At SurfAid we have always aimed to use the uniqueness of our mission and its relevance to the youth of today to offer them education on critical global issues such as reducing world poverty. This program makes an important contribution to that objective," Dr Jenkins said.

"The program is the culmination of years of commitment from Billabong to our cause, both corporately and from their staff and sponsored athletes. We welcome the NSW and Australian education system, their teachers and students to this partnership."

The CEO of Billabong International Ltd, Derek O'Neill, said the schools program is an extension of Billabong's long-term support of SurfAid.

"It's rewarding to see SurfAid recognised for the real difference they are making to the lives of the people and children of the Mentawai Islands," O'Neill said. "This program delivers in a way that's both interesting and rewarding to children and their teachers."

The pilot schools for the program in Australia are from the peninsula group of schools on Sydney's Northern Beaches.
Northern Sydney Education Region Director, Deonne Smith, said that the program is a good example of public school education expertise working with the non-government sector to develop a useful resource that teaches students in an interesting way about important issues in the Asia-Pacific Region.

"I am particularly pleased that teachers from the Northern Sydney Education Region were involved in developing the local Global Citizen Project, which will also be used to help bridge the gap for students moving from primary school to high school," Smith said.

Betumonga has some of the highest death rates in the Mentawai - 220 deaths per 1,000 births. SurfAid surveys show that 30% are dying from pneumonia, 25% from diarrhoea, and 25% from bad or unclean birthing. And underlying malnutrition is contributing to approximately 60% of all deaths. All these deaths are preventable with the correct education and the challenge of creating behaviour change for ancient and unhealthy habits.

SurfAid has just been to Betumonga to explain to the villagers why their children are dying. They just thought it was a 'bad environment' and said no one had ever given them health education before.

A Mentawai villager proudly poses with her family's specially treated mosquito net which was delivered by SurfAid this year. In three months, from March to May, SurfAid has delivered malaria education and more than 9,000 nets to be used by 22,000 Mentawai villagers -one of SurfAid's seven aid programs in the region.

SurfAid is also testing the level of malaria-carrying parasites in the villages for children under nine years of age, and has done more than 4,600 blood tests in the same three-month period.

This program has initially been funded by Billabong, NZAID and Lonely Planet but SurfAid needs to raise more money to continue it.

For further information please contact:

Kirk Willcox
SurfAid International Communications Director
Mobile: +61 407 063 829
Email: kirk@surfaidinternational.org
Website: www.surfaidinternational.org

John Mossop
Corporate Communications Manager
Billabong International Limited
Phone: +61 7 5589 9899
Email: jmossop@billabong.com.au
Website: www.billabong.com

For more information on the NSW Department of Education and Training, contact Mark Davis on + 61 2 9561 8117

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