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For a detailed map of the area, click on the red box above.
Oxfam Australia works on Vanuatu's Efate, Santo, Malekula and Pentecost islands in collaboration with three local partner organisations to reduce poverty and build a brighter future for the country's youth.
Our focus
Youth
Vanuatu's population is young: almost 70 per cent is less than 25 years old.
These young people are living through challenging times: traditional roles and responsibilities are changing, people are moving to urban areas, and finding work or getting an education is becoming increasingly difficult.
As a consequence, many young people are at risk of drug and alcohol abuse, sexually transmitted infections, HIV and AIDS, teenage pregnancy and poverty.
Together with the Vanuatu Young People's Project, we are helping young people to make informed and healthy choices about their lives. The project's group of trainers and peer educators equip young people with life skills to help them navigate their way through everyday problems and raise their awareness about reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.
We are also working in collaboration with the Haulua Youth Centre on the rural island of Pentecost. The centre, built by young people with help from Oxfam's partner organisation Wan Smolbag Theatre, serves as a youth drop-in centre and base for a local educational theatre group. A mobile reproductive health and counselling clinic also operates out of the centre.
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Stories & photos
Building blocks to the future
Young people in Vanuatu are learning skills that will help them find work and improve housing standards.
Island life
Life is not without its challenges for Vanuatu's young people, explains Anthea Toka. Find out more...
Our partners
Sofiah Mackay spent the past year working closely with Oxfam's three partner organisations in Vanuatu. Here she gives a brief overview of their work.
Listen to the audio (MP3, 2.0MB)