WHAT WE DO
WHAT WE DO
Our Unique Development Role
Partner Housing Australasia is the only Australian engineering/building NGO working to strengthen built infrastructure and civil society in both the strategically-important Papua New Guinea Western Highlands Province and the politically-sensitive Solomon Islands Western Province. Although Partner Housing Australasia receives no ongoing government funding, we continue to deliver probono professional services, and to provide funding for significant village-based construction projects in the South Pacific. This achievement is due to the dedication of our volunteers, who work tirelessly on a probono basis to bring health and safety into the built environment of our region.
Our Vision and Mission
Partner Housing Australasia is an entirely voluntary organisation, which aims to transform the lives of people living in Asia-Pacific villages by improving the cyclone, earthquake and tsunami resistance of their houses, clinics, schools and community buildings; and by providing clean water supplies and hygienic sanitation. We offer four basic services:
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Pro-bono “Design and Help-Desk” Engineering Services to other Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) and governments of South Pacific countries.
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Finance, design, materials supply, supervision, mentoring and training for village infrastructure, clinics schools, water, sanitation and housing projects.
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Development of village building systems with enhanced cyclone, earthquake and tsunami resistance and sustainable rural water supply and sanitation systems.
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Training programs for the design, construction and maintenance of improved village buildings, rural water supply and sanitation.
Papua New Guinea Education Building and Community Health Buildings
Vision for Homes (our not-for-profit community-based partner) is continuing our program of constructing school buildings and community health buildings. These are funded principally by Partner Housing Australasia, with additional contributions by the PNG Western Highlands Province Health Authority, local governments and private and corporate donors.
Improving Cyclone, Earthquake & Tsunami Resilience of Village Buildings
The most common form of village house and buildings are elevated timber framed houses and concrete blockwork houses.
Diagonal bracing and roof anchorage are not part of traditional construction, and add some cost to overall construction.
Village houses and buildings normally do not incorporate adequate cyclone washers, diagonal bracing or roof anchorage.
Earthquakes, cyclones or strong winds, and tsunami are reasonably common.
When subjected to earthquake, wind or tsunami, village houses and buildings collapse or are rendered unserviceable, with resulting death, injury and/or homelessness.
Solution - Resilient Construction, the DANCER Building System
Village houses and buildings normally do not incorporate adequate cyclone washers, diagonal bracing or roof anchorage.
Partner Housing Australasia has developed the DANCER Building System to provide enhanced wind, earthquake and tsunami resilience.
Implementing Non-Government Organisation (NGO) provides local contact, assistance in recruiting supervisors etc.
Government provides encourage, approvals and facilitate the project.
Using local labour and supervision, construct DANCER houses, clinics, schools and the like, with enhanced wind, earthquake and tsunami resilience
Earthquakes, cyclones or strong winds, and tsunami are reasonably common.
When subjected to moderate wind, earthquake or tsunami, the retro-fitted houses and buildings are less likely to collapse. Cladding would not need to be replaced and the basic structure will remain intact.
Solomon Islands Water and Sanitation
There is a strong need for access to safely managed water supplies across Western Province in Solomon Islands. Partner Housing Australasia provides funding support and governance assistance to the South Ranongga Community Association (another not-for-profit community-based partner), for the construction of village water supply schemes and village sanitation in the remote Ranongga and Vella Lavella Islands. Our support for SRCA assisted in their being awarded a contract with UNICEF, to provide sanitation training in Solomon Islands Western Province villages.
Current priorities include:
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Sanitation training program (supported by UNICEF)
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Rehabilitation of the existing pit latrines on Ranongga
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Maintenance of the existing water supply infrastructure in Ranongga and Vella Lavella.
Source: Solomon Islands Government, Rural Water Supply, Sanitation & Hygiene Newsletter, June 2021
Development and Training
Partner Housing Australasia provides training programs and web-based training packages in the following.
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Governance training is provided in Australia, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, based on the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) requirements.
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Village Building design and construction training (including the DANCER cyclone, earthquake and tsunami resistant building system), provides designs, detailing and pricing in local currencies.
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Village Water and Sanitation training (based on the VILLAGE AQUA Manual) provides designs, detailing and pricing in local currencies.
Quasar Management Services Pty Limited
In 2019, Partner Housing Australasia acquired Quasar Management Services Pty Limited, a functioning consulting civil and structural engineering and management firm with appropriate professional indemnity insurance, a significant portfolio of technical and training material and membership of Consult Australia (the peak industry association representing consulting engineers). Quasar continues to provide probono professional services, such as design and management auditing to our partner organisations.
Australian Council for International Development (ACFID)
Membership of the peak body ACFID imposes important disciplines on our governance practices, and this sends a tangible signal to governments and donors of our credentials and credibility.
Management, Administration, Accounting and Fundraising
The program activities are administered and supported by a team of volunteer directors and managers, who provide a suite of administration, accounting and fund-raising activities on a probono basis. This results in very low overheads (insurance, statutory fees, ACFID membership etc.), enabling all of donated funds being directed to international infrastructure construction programs.
Annual Reports
Please refer to our latest Annual Report for further details of our current programs, information on previous funding/construction programs in Philippines, Cook Islands and Fiji, and a list of probono designs provided throughout the region.