Dear Friends of Makeni,
I am sorry that there has been such a long gap between this newsletter and the previous one -- this has been due to continuous ill health. It looks like I shall have to go for further examinations and treatment abroad.
Here are some progress reports on our projects:
1. AIDS ORPHANAGE: I am happy to be able to report that the purchase of the buildings for this project, i.e. the former Nutrition Village in the Centre owned by the Child Care & Adoption Society of Zambia, was completed on January 4th, AD 2000. A legal agreement was drawn up and the Society has now revoked all claims to these premises. The K85 million (Br£20,500) was funded by:
The Royal Netherlands Embassy, Lusaka | K42,500,000 |
£10,200 |
Wilde Ganzen/Wild Geese, Holland | £ 7,117 |
|
Reformed Church Congregation, Zevenbergen | £ 1,127 | |
Little St. Mary's Congregation, Cambridge, England | £ 900 | |
St. Paul's Congregation, Truro, England | £ 400 | |
All Saints' Church, Farley, England | £ 135 |
Shortfall Br£621 (borrowed from Makeni Ecumenical Centre General Funds)
Again, we thank all these donors most sincerely for their immediate interest in and generosity towards this new project!
We were lucky to find a volunteer, 68-year old Mrs Joan Woods, willing to come and stay at the Centre for a few months to do the initial spade work for the project: visiting all existing AIDS Care agencies in Lusaka, Government Ministries and local AIDS orphanages. The Project has now been formally accepted and registered with Government. Links are being established with agencies which will do the selecting of babies and children for us.
A small start has been made with redecorating the buildings. Some Zambian staff, Mrs Joan Woods and our two new Dutch volunteers, Maaike and Elizabeth, painted some of the buildings. Mr Gordon Wadey, the building contractor, has not submitted a detailed quotation for all the repairs needed. His "off-the-cuff" estimate is now ~K20million, which includes the building of a central gazebo which will function as dining room, play and homework area. The need for a central community centre has greatly added to the original estimate.
Now the Centre is trying to find funds for these repairs and upgradings (K20m/£4650/US$7,500) and the for the furnishing and equiping of the Orphanage - a budget (at K20.4m/£4750/US$7600) has been posted to our website or can be mailed to any interested parties.
Two potential housemothers have been identified and will go for training. The incoming chairman, Fr Andrew Mukuyamba, has written a story on the AIDS crisis in Zambia; you can find it also on our website, or you can ask for it to be e-mailed to you.
2. With the generous support of Christian Aid, England, MEC had over the past four years or so been training a new Financial Manager. A great deal of time and effort on the part of British volunteers had been invested in this person. It was with deep regret and considerable unhappiness that we were forced to dismiss him due to financial mismanagement. Since he was replaced, two new financial staff have been put into place. We thank Mr Wim Goris of the Cloister Church, The Hague, Holland, for recently spending time with them to train them and help them settle in; regrettably one of the new staff was already caught in an act of fraud. We have forgiven him on this occasion and continue to watch the situation closely.
All for now. If you have any questions, please do let me know and I will try and respond.
Thank you for all your interest in our work!
Best regards,
Fr Pierre J Dil / Founder-Hon.Chairman MEC