We wish you all a blessed New Year. Thank you to all those who sent us Christmas Greetings and cards!
Herewith the latest news from Makeni Ecumenical Centre, the Centre you have supported so faithfully with prayers and material support over these past 31 years. Please share this newsletter with others who may like to have it on record.
1. ORPHANAGE PROJECT: The number of children in the Village now stands at 33. Seven more AIDS orphans are to be admitted this year, and a further 10 children are to be cared for under the Project's new "Homebased care" extension. We thank all who have promised or already made contributions in support of this project for 2002. A new project description and budget for this project are available on request or can be viewed on our website.
2. MUTINTA: Some of you responded to our item about Mutinta, the orphan mentioned in newsletter no.40. Mutinta's weight on arrival (Dec.20th, 2001) at age 1 year, 9 months was only 6 Kg... She is now looking a lot better: the sores around her mouth have healed; she is more alert and smiles readily. She is spoilt rotten by all the girls in the orphanage wanting their turn to play mother to her. Her weight is now up to 6.2 Kg. Those of you wanting a picture of her, please ask and I will email it to you.
3. ZAMBIAN SUPPORT FOR MAKENI CENTRE: In 2001, MEC was invited by the EDC (Entrepreneurship Development Centre), an agency set up by the Zambian Government to distribute donor funds, to submit a request for material assistance [but no cash support!] to its projects. We did so for: Staff Training, Tools, Equipment, Building Renovations, Management Systems and Human Resources. So far K57.8million worth of support in kind has been received. {US$1=K3800). We are delighted to be able to offer this evidence of local recognition of the value of our projects. Foreign donors should be pleased by this evidence of local support.
4. 2001 DEFICIT: As we are beginning to prepare our accounts for the external audit for 2001, it is shown that our expenditure was K90,423,989 in excess of our local income, i.e. a deficit of about US$23,800 or Br£16,800. In the year 2000 the deficit was K55.4million - after allowing for 17% inflation in 2002, it is clear that the deficits are growing alarmingly each year. Yet wages and salaries paid to staff are modest, if not poor. Much of the additional deficits are caused by the huge amounts of money we have to pay out for retirement and retrenchment benefits decreed by Government legislation [from which Government exempts itself...] A report on donor support in 2001 is being prepared for those who would like to have this information. [Ed remark: This is a positive development in Zambian law, but government has not allowed for a phasing in period, so organisations' budgets have not allowed for these considerable payments.]
5. SETTLEMENT PROJECT: Families settled so far in our five settlement villages owe the Centre now in excess of K200million in unrepaid loans. We were therefore forced to decide that we will not be able to take in families for settlement training until the debt is reduced by settlers.
Please keep up your support of our work in 2002. Thank you for your support in the past!
The undersigned is to go undergo heart surgery in April in England. Please keep him in your prayers.
Yours in Christ, Fr Pierre J Dil / Founder-Director & Financial Manager Makeni Ecumenical Centre