A.O.N. is an Australian based ACNC registered non-profit organisation that is aimed at providing care for orphans, and giving them the opportunity of a reasonable quality of life.
Mission Statement: Agape Orphanage Network (Australia) Inc.’s purpose and function is to support developing countries by supplying material and financial assistance for the development of, and relief to local communities, with an emphasis on orphanages and meeting the needs of women and children. A.O.N. (Australia) Inc is a not-for-profit association.
What is Agape Orphanage Network Australia Incorporated? (A.O.N.)
A.O.N. is an Australian based registered charity with mandatory reporting. We have been operating since 2012 with a growing team of volunteers and group of sponsors.
How do we operate and function?
In Australia A.O.N. is completely a volunteer operation. This means that the funds and support that we receive can go exactly where it is needed without anything being taken out of your donation. In Africa our team receives some support in order for them to live as they do their work. They have sponsors who pay their wages so once again any funds or donations received are untouched.
Why do we exist?
There are a great number of orphans in Eastern Africa that have virtually no support from existing aid organizations. These come as a result of the AIDS epidemic, poverty, family dying prematurely from various diseases and so on.
For example, it is estimated that there are 2.6 million orphans in Kenya with Uganda reportedly having 2.5 million. Almost half of these are as a result of AIDS. None of these children did anything to find themselves in these tragic circumstances.
What are our aims and goals?
Our primary objectives are to provide food, clean drinking water, and somewhere to sleep.
Our secondary plans extend to, helping with hygiene needs, training, education, shelter and moving the groups that we are dealing with into a self-sufficient status where possible.
How will this be achieved?
Most of the Orphanages that we are helping already exist. Caring people in these nations have taken in as many children as they can in order to help them in their desperate situations. These workers are usually very stressed trying to help the children survive. It is not uncommon for the children to have nothing to eat at all for several days at a time. We network and register these Orphanages and set up training and support. From there we work to get them lines of supply to help them in their work. As the basic provisions are supplied any other resources that they may have can be used working towards self-sufficiency and expansion of their activities.
Where are we working?
Initially, we are working predominately in Kenya with the A.O.N. Network spreading across that nation.
Eventually we hope to expand into the surrounding nations which are experiencing the same conditions.
How does supply work?
1. Inspectors assess, validate, register and categorize the Orphanage.
2. Information regarding the individual children is collected and they are entered into a data base. They are now eligible for help and support.
3. Our supply and distribution office in Africa is supplied vouchers from the Australian office so that various goods can be given to help the children.
The ‘Packages’
In order to maximise the number of children that we are able to help and provide the best accountability for sponsors we have introduced a ‘package’ system.
These begin with meeting the basic food requirements for a child and go through to providing educational needs or shelter.
You can help us dramatically improve life expectancy and quality of life for these children.
How does the Voucher system work?
There are packages for food, drinking water and bedding listed on our introductory Catalogue. Those and other aid packages are listed on our website. www.aon.org.au
When a package is purchased by a sponsor a voucher for the goods is released from the Australian office to the African supply and distribution office. The voucher is for the goods that the sponsor has agreed to supply. The supplier receives a copy of the voucher and also the Orphanage receives a matching copy so that they can pick up the goods.
This way we can assure you that your money is going into what you have paid for and not being taken for administration or being misused by any Orphanage team member or other personnel. It also simplifies our government reporting accountability for the use of funds.
About your investment
Because A.O.N. is a completely voluntary organization all of your donated funds arrive at the orphanages. The banks charge us a small fee to transfer funds overseas, beyond this all monies arrive where they are sent. We do have some paid staff in Africa but they are sponsored by Australians so their income does not affect donations.
