Letter from the field – Palash R Roy,
Austcare International Program Accountant
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November 2008 Following the 2004 Asian tsunami, major recovery efforts have seen substantial amounts of aid go to rebuilding the Aceh Province in Indonesia. There is now a strong need for the ongoing development of infrastructure, such as electricity, clean drinking water, transportation and telecommunications, and in disaster risk reduction and livelihood recovery. This is particularly the case in the remote islands of Pulo Aceh, Pulo Breuh and other small islands surrounding mainland Aceh. My role as Austcare's International Program Accountant requires a strong understanding of how our project activities are being implemented in the field in order to manage project funds efficiently. This helps to ensure Austcare funds are reaching affected people and are being utilised effectively. I recently visited Aceh to train Austcare field office staff on financial management and to monitor Austcare's field projects. During my visit, I met rural women on Pulo Breuh. They had received sewing training through the livelihood recovery program within Austcare's disaster risk reduction project in Aceh. One woman in Pulo Aceh told me that she, along with seven other women, had formed a small tailoring business and that the earnings are shared amongst them. Other women who had undertaken the training had also formed similar businesses. I visited another villager in Aceh Indrapuri who had received training, grants and ongoing support for his small business. He is now making organic fertilizer and sells it at the local market. Because of Austcare's help, he has become a budding entrepreneur: he is now providing casual employment to the local community. The physical environment in Aceh, especially on the islands, is very difficult. I found the roads to be extremely bad as they are not maintained by the government and there is insufficient public transport available to travel to the mainland. The communities have electricity, but I heard that they only get power for 2-3 days per month on average. Drinking water is a major problem on the islands. Local communities normally use wells, although there are very few on the islands. Austcare is working with the community on Pulo Aceh to dig a well that provides clean drinking water. Normally 80-85% of funds raised by Austcare reach the field. To ensure that project funds are spent as efficiently as possible, it is crucial to monitor how the funds are spent against this budget. As such, we ensure that we have strong financial management systems and procedures in place. To verify this, our systems are reviewed by AusAID during audits and accreditation to ensure their accuracy and efficiency. We are also regularly audited by our appointed auditor, KPMG. I would like to convey my thanks for your continuous support. I am confident that our supporters' funds are utilised in the most effective way possible and have the maximum benefit for the communities with whom we work. By establishing and maintaining strong financial systems, providing financial training and by regular financial monitoring, we ensure that our program staff and in-country finance staff work efficiently to make the best use of your generous support. Yours sincerely, Palash R Roy |
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