Our people, our supporters

Gilbert

International volunteer

Supplied.

In the past year Gilbert Vaillant has played a part in ensuring that Kenyans living with HIV receive treatment and support. He’s also been involved in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV and protecting children who’ve lost their parents to AIDS. But Gilbert’s not a health professional – he’s an economist.

Gilbert is volunteering with Red Cross in Kenya, training local health services to manage a major grant that provides treatment and support for people living with HIV and AIDS. Delays in financial reporting affect the disbursement of funds, reducing what’s available to support life-saving work. With Gilbert’s training and support these health services are able to acquit and report on grant funding, which means more money is available to help the people who need it most.

This year Red Cross sent 128 volunteers like Gilbert overseas through the AusAID-funded Australian Volunteers for International Development program. From social workers to nutritionists, these volunteers donate their time and expertise to organisations that support the most vulnerable people in Asia, Africa and the Pacific. Red Cross also sent 93 specialist aid workers – including shelter, health, gender and water and sanitation experts – to areas affected by conflict and disasters around the world.