Centre for African Family Studies

The AYAD program is a volunteer program implemented by the Australian government’s International Development Agency (AusAID). The program was initiated in 1998 to strengthen mutual understanding between Australia and countries within Asia Pacific and Africa. . The program sends 400 young and skilled Australians to developing countries throughout Asia Pacific, and to Kenya and Ghana in Africa.

AYADs work with local Host Organizations and Australian Partners to achieve sustainable development through capacity building, skills exchange and institutional strengthening. Each AYAD/ volunteer works in a Host Organisation in a developing country, completing a specific assignment designed to assist the Host Organisation in one of a number of areas, including water and sanitation, health, food security, agriculture and in support of the Millennium development Goals (MDGs). The program offers young people an opportunity to contribute to development while at the same time learning about other cultures. It also aims to improve cross-cultural understanding between young Australians and those they work with.

The AYAD program is managed by Austraining International (AI) and at a country level for example Kenya, by the Centre for African Family Studies (CAFS). The program has three intakes: in March/April, August and October of each year. To date, several organisations are benefited from the Program they include AMREF headquarters, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the International Livestock Research Institute(ILRI), Handicap International, KWETU Training Centre, and the National Network of People Living with HIV in Kenya (NEPHAK).

For additional information on the AYAD program, please contact Rhoda Lewa on rlewa@cafs.org/rhodalewa2003@yahoo.com.