Twinning
Twinning refers to the supportive one-to-one partnership between a St Vincent de Paul Society council or conference in Australia and one in an overseas partner country, according to Council General International guidelines.
Promoting spirituality, friendship and an understanding between cultures.
Twinning consists of Australian partners sharing:
- their spirituality through prayer
- their solidarity through communication
- material support through sharing a basic quarterly, monetary contribution and an optional grant at Easter and Christmas time
- optional support of overseas partner developed community development projects.
At the end of the financial year (FY) 2022-2023, there were 1,874 twinning relationships between Australian and Overseas Conferences and Councils in Cambodia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Kiribati, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
“When we talk about Twinning, it's not the transfer of money that takes place, it’s the transfer of hearts that take place. They share with each other, they pray for each other.”
- Johnson Varghese, International Territorial Vice President, Asia 1 (2023).
Learn more about our Overseas Partnerships Program
Projects
We help Conferences and Councils in our partner countries undertake good works through local development projects that are sustainable and benefit their community.
Assist A Student
The Assist A Student Program recognises the importance of education as key to helping break the cycle of poverty.
Emergency Relief
When natural or humanitarian disasters impact their country, our overseas partners or CIAD may ask Australia for assistance.