Free To Shine was established to empower through education to prevent sex trafficking. We keep girls most at risk in school by helping them achieve their five essential human rights. These are; freedom from slavery; access to education; access to safe drinking water; enough food to not be hungry; and adequate shelter. Equipped with their human rights, our girls have the opportunity to become leaders who create communities and ultimately countries free from sex-trafficking.
Sex trafficking is a 32 billion dollar (US$) industry that relies on the degradation and torture of human beings to generate profit. The Asia-Pacific region accounts for 56% of the global total of trafficked persons. This is 3x higher than Africa (3.7 million persons) and 6x higher than Latin America (1.8 million persons).

With Free To Shine’s presence in Cambodia, Children are prevented from entering the sex trafficking industry. They are freed from the intergenerational cycle of poverty, and remain protected in school. With your help, Free To Shine can enrol more girls onto our sponsorship program. From as little as $35 a month you can ensure a girl remains in school, and not in the sex-trafficking industry.

Event 1 2016 – Melbourne Development Circle: Women in Development

This is a recap of Melbourne Development Circle’s first event for 2016: Women in Development which was held on April 15, 2016.

We had the pleasure of hearing from 3 brilliant panel speakers;

• Susanne Newton from the Women’s Melbourne Network
• Eleanor Meyer creator of the SustainMe App; and
• Kate Halstead from Global Vision International

Read on for some take away messages from the evening.

Susanne Newton spoke on a variety of topics from UN Women in Uganda to fighting the good gender fight back on her home turf. There’s much to be learned from Susanne’s time in Uganda, such as challenging the efficiencies of the UN as a tool for development.

• Uganda has more women politicians than Australia – because of quotas. Are quotas the best way to gender equality?
• Men and boys have a role to play in championing for gender equality– they must be part of the solution.
• Realisation – if we as Australians in a Western society don’t have gender equality ourselves, how can we instruct others in it?
• Key to gender equality – livelihood streams owned & managed by women.
• “Be the change” … we all can & should contribute to gender equality.

Eleanor Meyer spoke about combatting adversity as a young woman in tech start-up. Following an environmental sustainability passion, Eleanor has looked for market-based solutions to climate change. As a young woman, in start-up, in tech, it’s not been without challenges.

• Questioning the power of our job titles.
• Is small business supportive of gender equality? Is it an economic decision?
• That point of view is outdated & conservative. Disruption & technology is helping to change this.

Kate Halstead shared her stories & personal learnings from women’s education programs in Nepal. A moment that stood out was a drawing that Kate shared with us. The drawing was by Ganga, one of the women from the women’s empowerment classes that Kate was running during her time in Nepal. It was a picture of a women with many arms and each arm was holding a different object. It represented the many hats that women in their society wore and the responsibilities they were expected to carry.

• Nepal can by synonymous with the caste system – but what about Australia’s caste system? Our upper, middle & lower classes.
• Don’t fall into the trap of “poor women” – you run the risk of missing the individual triumph of women when discussing “development”
• These women are not victims and don’t see themselves as victims of their situation. They’re empowered already & just need opportunity.
• In short – they’re gutsy.

You can champion gender equality through social capital. Support each other. Like & share if you see someone going out of their way to lead or make positive change happen.

Pollinate Energy has opened applications for the next Young Professionals Program in April 2016. The programs will be held in their second and third cities, Hyderabad and Kolkata. Pollinate Energy is a social business lighting up the lives of families living in India’s city slums by helping them access clean energy technology – like solar lanterns. They recently took out the ‘one to watch’ award at the Australian Social Enterprise Awards as they continue to scale their impact across India.

The Young Professionals Program is a chance for you to be part of that growth. You will spend two weeks in India with this dynamic socially driven startup. Together with your team of international and local professionals, you will use your knowledge to help Pollinate Energy overcome their most pressing business challenges, while learning about the problems faced by local entrepreneurs and families who are living in the slums of India’s major cities. You will also attend training sessions equipping you with the skills you need to visualise career progression and to succeed in senior roles.

Are you the next agent for change? Applications close 31st October, for more information and to apply click here.

“The Pollinate Energy Young Professionals Program is a ‘must do’ for anyone even remotely curious about changing the world for the better. I learnt more about India, poverty, social business and myself during the 2 week program than I have in the last 2 years!”

– Holly Hyder, YPP 2013, Pollinate Energy Ambassador

IWC Masters students on a field trip to North Stradbroke Island

Full-tuition scholarships ($49,920) to study the Master of Integrated Water Management next year. Closing date: 1 October

The IWC Master of Integrated Water Management is designed to give participants the technical, managerial and leadership skills they need to tackle complex water management challenges in a more effective and integrated way. The degree is jointly delivered by leading industry practitioners and lecturers from IWC’s partner universities. Three specialisation streams are available including ‘International development’; ‘Urban water’ and ‘Water, land and people’. Continue reading →

The Development Circle is proud to support the Campaign for Australian Aid.

As Australians, through Australian aid, we have played a key part in the international efforts of halving global poverty, helped reduce the number of children dying each year, provided access to vaccinations against the diseases of TB, HIV and malaria and helped millions of girls and boys get an education. It’s not something that you see or hear about very often, but you’ve helped to make the world a fairer place for all, and that’s something you can be very proud of.

That’s why we’re for Australian Aid.

Why now?

Now is a critical time for us to stand up for the life-changing work of Australian Aid, which is helping people living in poor communities to build a fairer future.

There have been unprecedented cuts to Australian aid in the past year and it has lost the bi-partisan support it once held.  The Australia Aid campaign aims to build greater understanding and support for Australian aid by showcasing its effectiveness in countries around the world.

Now, more than ever, Australia needs strong support behind the life-changing work of aid.

Add your voice to the movement committed to a brighter future for Australian Aid.

The Campaign for Australian Aid is a joint initiative of the Make Poverty History and Micah Challenge coalitions.

This campaign is for all Australians who believe we can and should do more as a nation to end extreme poverty around the world.

For more information and to join go to http://www.australianaid.org/