In this edition of the podcast I catch up with Jo Kaybryn, Director of Policy for Plurpol, an innovative global consultancy, servicing governments, international civil society and businesses. They provide expertise in economic development, global health policy, social protection, natural resource management and conservation.
In this discussion we focus on the issue of HIV/AIDS.

David talks about agri-business/technology. Richard discusses TEAR Fund’s projects in Sri Lanka and they explore future development opportunities.

Frank catches up with Jared, one of our Programme Officers, about his recent trip to Nepal to examine the work we support there.

Here’s a travel blog on my recent trip to Niue. My wife and I were only there for a one week holiday, so don’t expect anything profound, inspiring or well informed. If you’re familiar with my articles you wouldn’t be expecting that anyway.

The following video is of Hans Rosling making a TED presentation demonstrating through various data tools, how countries are pulling themselves out of poverty. It is extremely interesting.

August 19th is World Humanitarian Day. The focus is on aid workers who sacrifice their own well-being to serve the humanitarian cause and offer their lives to assist others.
Too often there are headlines reporting the kidnappings or deaths of those who are doing their utmost to help others. Let it be known that aid and development work can sometimes be [...]

Esther Ducai -TEAR Fund’s International Programmes Director talks about working with our indigenous partners and shares some 3rd world experiences.

The current situation we have been putting a spotlight on with NZAid and Murray McCully has been a revealing issue. What it has revealed relates to the fragility of democracy, the reality of political speak and the danger of preconceived agendas.
I did not vote for either of our major parties here in Aotearoa/New Zealand, but in my role as a [...]

A new website kicked off yesterday afternoon as part of a public campaign that we are involved in www.dontcorruptaid.org.nz
If you have been following this blog you will now be aware of the plans the Foreign Minister has to fold NZ Aid back into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The majority of development experts agree that this is a [...]

New Zealand’s aid budget, while not above scrutiny, should not become an easy target for government tinkering, said TEAR Fund executive director Stephen Tollestrup.
Mr Tollestrup was reacting to comments made by Foreign Minister Murray McCully that New Zealand’s aid budget payments were creating a culture of `hand outs’. The minister also suggested that the goal of poverty elimination was too [...]

A lot of people ask what the point of Twitter is, a web application that allows anyone to write short sentences about anything at any time that others can follow. Some of you will also be asking what Twitter has to do with humanitarian issues since I am writing about it here… you’ll see.
The question of the usefulness of Twitter [...]