AFADU was founded in 2004 by the current Chairperson, Julie Routledge, following a trip to Zimbabwe, where she observed the poor conditions in which a group of orphaned and other vulnerable children lived in Chikombedzi in Mwenzi District in Zimbabwe. These children lacked access to basic education, medical care, adequate food and shelter, and the care that all children need. This experience inspired Julie to work with the local community and with Ezelle Schimper (a local white farmer who was trying to care for these orphaned children) to create an environment that adequately meets the physical and psychological needs of these children. As a result, AFADU was born with an initial mandate to support the children in Ezelle's care. The first container of basic essential goods was sent in October 2003.

AFADU is an Australian non-profit, non-government charitable organisation which was registered on the 15th January 2004. From this time until early 2006, AFADU focused on providing aid and relief to Lirhanzo Children's Village (LCV) , local schools and the Chikombedzi Mission Hospital in Mwenzi, Zimbabwe.

In 2006, AFADU expanded its area of operation to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Donated goods were provided to the women of Lotumbe village to assist them in generating income to support their families. Scoping and research missions have been undertaken in Uganda from 2004 to 2006 with the view to development of future partnerships and projects, particularly in Northern Uganda.
AFADU's work is supported by monetary contributions and in-kind donations of goods and services by International and Australian companies, church and community groups, schools, and individuals.

Our Mandate

AFADU is a not-for-profit, non-partisan and non-religious Australian based organisation.

"Communities in Partnership supporting children in Africa"
AFADU seeks to provide resources and opportunities for:

• All children and young people to experience love, joy, security and acceptance within their communities; and all children and young people to have the skills, knowledge, opportunities and freedom to choose to live a fulfilled and empowered future.
• Communities with whom AFADU works to be empowered to deal powerfully and sustainably with problems facing them and the children in their care.
• Partnerships to be created that connect people, foster opportunities and empower communities to work successfully together to achieve the above.

Our Mission

AFADU is dedicated to providing support and resources that build a future of hope for vulnerable children and young people in the African countries in which AFADU works. AFADU works in partnership with children, young people, their communities and other stakeholders to support and meet the physical and psychological needs of vulnerable children and young people through creative, child-focussed, sustainable social development initiatives.
Specifically AFADU works to:

• Provide a secure and stable physical and psychological environment for orphaned and abandoned children and for children and young people in vulnerable circumstances or in crisis (welfare and development activities).
• Provide access to education for children (welfare and development activities).
• Provide young people with access to vocational skills that will enable them to build and develop their own future as well as that of their communities (development activities).
• Provide income generating opportunities for carers of vulnerable children and for vulnerable youth (development activities).
• Provide information to parents and carers on child rights, family care, and basic health and hygiene (development activities).
• Empower and facilitate local communities to build sustainable futures and to make a difference for themselves and for future generations (development activities).
• Link with like-minded organizations throughout the world to build awareness of vulnerable children and young people in Africa and to collectively contribute to local efforts to provide a future for these children and young people.

Our Values

The values that guide AFADU's work are reflected in our commitment to

• Adopting participatory approaches to develop and implement creative solutions to identified problems.
• Connecting people and communities in Africa and between Africa and Australia in a manner that engenders mutual trust and respect.
• Fostering mutual learning.
• Respecting the environment, local customs and culture of the communities in which we work.
• Operating with openness, honesty and integrity to ensure transparency and accountability to communities, development partners, donors, our volunteers, and most importantly to our young beneficiaries are foremost in all our activities.

AFADU Annual and Treasure Reports

• 2009

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