Australian nurse Valerie Browning first went to Ethiopia in 1973. In 1989 she married Ismael Ali Gordo, an Afar leader, and since then has been living with and serving the Afar people. In 1993 she and Ismael joined with other leaders to form the Afar Pastoralist Development Association (ADPA), which continues to be run by and for the Afar people. APDA was established because Afar leaders felt their needs, particularly around health and education, were not being met by formal government services that did not consider the unique geography, climate, culture and lifestyle of the semi-nomadic pastoralist Afar people. 

Anglican Overseas Aid partnered with Valerie Browning and APDA from 1997, supporting both humanitarian relief and a variety of community development programs to help the Afar people. 

AOA now works with APDA through an emergency rapid response fund. This funds APDA’s work when disaster strikes, providing immediate, life-saving assistance such as food, water and healthcare.

It builds on a long partnership that has improved the development and well-being of the Afar people.