50 years

Education
Advocacy
Communities
Health

For 50 years, the Asian Aid family has shown that when people and communities in Asia need a hand, we are there for them. Your donation to our 50th Anniversary Appeal* will help people fulfill their dream of a safe and satisfying future ? free from poverty. Help us achieve our goal of $2 million by June 30, and in doing so you will help our neighbours in Asia send their children to school, feed their families, receive healthcare and live with dignity.

It is a bold appeal. But we know you are courageous givers.

Thank you! You helped us reach – and bypass – our $2 million target by June 30.
Our total: $n/a
We are grateful.

Our biggest 50th birthday wish is to raise $2 million to transform the lives of even more children and their communities.

50 Year Journey…


  • 1966-1975

    Maisie Fook founded Asian Aid in 1966, after returning from a trip to South Korea where she witnessed the many needs of war-affected children and orphans. With support from her family and relatives, Maisie registered Asian Aid and began sending warm clothes, patchwork quilts and rugs to South Korea. It was a pure act of faith. Very soon, Asian Aid was sponsoring children in three different orphanages in South Korea.


  • 1976-1985

    In 1977, Asian Aid began working in Bangladesh with the Seventh-day Adventist Welfare Service to establish a food distribution centre in refugee camps. Asian Aid continued working in Bangladesh, and later expanded its work to India, to support children in schools and orphanages. By 1985, Asian Aid supported 3,000 children and had an annual income of nearly $590,000.


  • 1986-1995

    A decade of change. When Maisie Fook retired in 1989, Asian Aid had an annual income of $850,000 and 4,000 supporters. In 1989, Asian Aid moved its operation to an office in Wauchope, New South Wales, under the guidance of Helen Eager. By 1991, donations exceeded a million dollars for the first time. By 1995, over 4,500 children were being sponsored.


  • 1996-2005

    A decade of progress. Asian Aid established schools for children with vision and hearing impairments and a school in Nepal; supported leper colonies; and ran mobile health clinics for women in rural Nepal. By 2003, 6,750 students were sponsored. In 2005, Asian Aid?s donations reached $2,681,130. This decade saw Asian Aid pay tribute to founder Maisie Fook, who passed away in 2002.


  • 2006-2015

    Asian Aid?s work extended into Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand. During this decade, donations reached $4 million; anti human-trafficking work began in Nepal and India; a Child Policy was developed; Asian Aid become members of ACFID; and more child and community development programs were initiated. By 2015, Asian Aid was working in six countries impacting over 44,300 people.


  • 2016 and beyond

    This year, as Asian Aid celebrates 50 years of giving and growing hope, we do so with humility and gratefulness for God?s divine guidance. We look forward to partnering with you as we continue creating stories of hope and transformation while remaining true to our values and mission? and meeting some of the most pressing needs with which we are confronted. You can partner with us by donating to our 50th Anniversary Appeal.

Your help directly impacts the lives of 44,300 people. Imagine the indirect impact! Donate to our June Appeal.

Supporter Stories

    • June Long

      June Long?s support for Asian Aid began naturally, when her sister Maisie Fook first established the agency in 1966. ?My parents were always helping people ? so we?ve just inherited it. And I?m so grateful for all of God?s blessings,? says June, whose late husband, Norman, served Asian Aid for almost 40 years as Board Chairman.

      June, who has a weekly fundraising goal of about $70, continues to encourage her local church community to support Asian Aid projects. Whether it be to advocate on behalf of disadvantaged people groups, or to fundraise in support of education, health or anti-human trafficking projects, June?s motivation is the same: ?God says we have to help the poor and the needy.?

    • Raymond Phillips

      Raymond first became involved in supporting Asian Aid when he began teaching the primary Sabbath School class at his church. ?Each week, the kids bring a small sum of money along for Asian Aid.? Even if the children are unable to raise enough funds to support their sponsor child, Raymond will contribute money from his own pocket so the Sabbath School members can continue their sponsorship connection.

      ?Even though it?s only supporting one child, that child might go on to become a teacher or nurse, or another profession and go back to their community to help,? shares Raymond. ?If you can manage it, certainly support Asian Aid.?

      ?With Asian Aid turning 50 this year, I just wish them all the best and happy anniversary. I pray that more people come on board and help Asian Aid progress.?

    • Anita Brown

      Mrs Anita Brown, from Ballarat in Victoria, is a keen Asian Aid supporter, and turns 90 this year. She shares her motivation for giving through Asian Aid. ?God is very good to us, and we can never ever out give God. Christ loved to help the needy, so I think that we must do that. If you do, you?ll never ever run short.?

      Every payday, Mrs Brown sets aside a portion of her offering for Asian Aid and hands it in once a month at church. ?When I first heard Helen Eager speak about Asian Aid, and realised there was a need there, I decided to support Asian Aid. A lady at church then encouraged each Sabbath School member to put in 50 cents a week ? at that time ? for Asian Aid. We were told we wouldn?t miss the money, and we didn?t miss it! It was a good systematic way of giving.?

    • Jennifer Philippiadis

      It was around 1982 that Jennifer from Ballarat, Victoria, first met Asian Aid?s founder Maisie Fook. Seeing that Jennifer had a passion to help people, Maisie encouraged her by saying: ?Make sure you fill your own cookie jar first, otherwise, you will have no cookies to give out.?

      ?Maisie?s pearl of wisdom has stayed with me all my life, and she also sowed a seed of desire within my heart to help less fortunate children,? said Jennifer. ?I have tried many ways of raising funds for Asian Aid ? including giving a percentage of income from when people stayed at our Tranquillity Bed and Breakfast cottages in Ballarat.? Jennifer also continues collecting money from the true ‘stalwarts’ in the Ballarat Seventh-day Adventist Church. ?Our money helps the ongoing goals of providing education, a step out of poverty.?

    • Peter Sandy

      For Peter and his family, hope is the realisation that everyone deserves to have an opportunity to live life to the fullest. ?Hope is the love that prompts someone to sponsor a child they may never meet in person,? says Peter. In 1986, at 22 years of age, Peter began sponsoring Rajendra Gautam in Nepal, and has sponsored other children since. Peter and his family have met Rajendra, and seen the impact of sponsorship first hand.

      Today, Rajendra now runs his own aid organisation in Nepal (Three Angels Nepal). ?I?m just an everyday Aussie who wants to see kids get a chance in life like I have had,? says Peter. ?I?m passionate about the projects that Asian Aid funds because they offer children an opportunity to get an education and have a chance of improving their own lives.?

    • Shania Walsh

      In 2014, Shaina and her peers from Kempsey Adventist School spent time volunteering in Nepal after completing their year 12 exams. ?I really enjoyed my time at the school we volunteered at,? said Shaina. ?Teaching the children and just simply playing with them brought so much joy into their lives ? and mine. It made me so happy to see that even the small things make a difference.?

      Shaina was inspired by the resilience of the staff and children at the Asian Aid school. ?Despite the difficulties many face, they get up and keep on going,? shared Shaina. ?The generosity shown to us made us feel as though we were a part of their family even though we were only there for a short time. This trip has taught me so much about God, myself and the people of Nepal. Volunteering with Asian Aid is definitely worthwhile.?

    *All donations made directly to the 50th Anniversary Appeal will support our Meet-the-Need Fund. Our goal of raising $2 million by June 30 will include all donations made to Asian Aid through this appeal, through sponsorship and through Program donations during the months of May and June.

    Thank you for supporting our June Appeal and Asian Aid?s journey to giving and growing hope to deserving children and their communities. Make your donation today.

    Advocacy

    Advocating against deeply engrained societal errors? such as human trafficking ? is critical in protecting the rights of women, girls and vulnerable individuals.

    To be effective in the fight against human trafficking, it is important to not only stay focused on preventative measures, but also to advocate for trafficked survivors and to empower them to become advocates themselves.

    While human trafficking in South East Asia is certainly a daunting problem, it is not insurmountable. The commitment of governments and organisations such as Asian Aid?s partners, 3 Angels Nepal and Oasis India, is making a difference for the better. Isaiah 1:17 ? “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.?

    Click here to donate to our Advocacy Program.

    Health

    Access to quality and free health care and education in many of the countries where Asian Aid serves is a pressing issue.

    Asian Aid helps prevent and cure the incidence of uterine prolapse among poor and rural Nepalese women, provides free healthcare to vulnerable communities, raises awareness about good hygiene and nutrition among school children, and funds classes in health and life skills. With improved access to health care services for better quality of life, people are able to become positive contributors to their families and communities. Galatians 6:2 ? “Carry each other?s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.?

    Click here to donate to our Health Program.

    Hope in Communities

    We believe in empowering disadvantaged communities with the skills they need to contribute to the development of productive and peaceful societies.

    In countries like India and Nepal, communities of orphaned or abandoned children and youth are among the most invisible and vulnerable. With up to 90 per cent of the world?s youth ? aged 15 ?to 24 ? living in developing countries, we believe it is important to empower people with a strong sense of community and to tailor programs to their specific needs.

    We believe abandoned children have the same rights as any other child. Micah 6:8 ? “?To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God??

    Click here to donate to our Hope in Communities Program.