Off to the market.
Note: Click for enlargement of map.
Asia regional programme
return to | Where NZAID works
While the focus of NZAID's development cooperation in Asia is on Southeast Asia, NZAID continues to support a number of activities in poorer western areas of China and, through the New Zealand Development Scholarships, a range of countries in South Asia. These countries are also eligible for humanitarian assistance, projects funded through KOHA-PICD and ADAF-PSD.
China
The People's Republic of China has a population of approximately 1.3 billion and a land area of 9.5 million km. Despite tremendous growth since the commencement of an "open door" economic policy in 1978 and impressive gains in poverty reduction, more than 200 million people (about 15 percent) remain on incomes of less than US$1 per day. China places high priority on poverty reduction but there continues to be large disparities between rural and urban populations, and between coastal and inland areas.
Foreign aid is a very small proportion of China's resources. Most multilateral agencies and Development Assistance Committee bilateral donors have programmes in China but many donors, including New Zealand, are scaling back their assistance in recognition of China's progress and its increased capacity to provide for its own development.
Gansu Jingyuan and Jingtai Sustainable Rural Livelihoods Project
The goal of this project was to achieve sustainable poverty reduction in Jingyuan and Jingtai counties in Gansu province through an integrated approach to rural development. This includes agricultural training and demonstration activities as well as initiatives in health and education. Following a favourable review in 2007, the project concluded in 2008. Continuing support in 2009 will be provided by NZAID to build capacity and ensure the sustainability of micro-credit revolving funds related to this project.
Development Project Fund
NZ$500,000 is allocated annually to fund poverty reduction activities in the Guangxi, Tibet and Xinjiang autonomous regions and Gansu, Guizhou, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. These regions and provinces are markedly poorer on average than many eastern provinces.
New Zealand Development Scholarships
For the 2010 intake, five New Zealand Development Scholarships (Open category) are available to candidates from China for study at postgraduate diploma, masters of doctorate level. The awards are targeted upon the same regions and provinces as the Development Project Fund, and applicants require the endorsement of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce before submitting their applications to New Zealand education institutions.
Rewi Alley Scholarship
This memorial scholarship is provided annually to a student from China through the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology.
South Asia
NZAID provides up to 13 postgraduate scholarships per year for applicants from Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. NZAID also provides up to two postgraduate scholarships for both Mongolia and Myanmar every year.
return to | Where NZAID works
