ADMINISTRATION MATTERS

At the beginning of 2007 the Fund had 6 Trustees, however Fr Eddie O’Shea sadly died on 12th January 2007. Fr O’Shea was a long serving Trustee of the Fund and his support and wisdom is sadly missed. The existing Trustees agreed that not only should a replacement for Fr O’Shea be appointed but that to further the interests of the Fund, additional Trustees should be sought who could inject new ideas, knowledge and experience to enable the Fund to keep growing and achieve it’s aims. The mission for this year was to identify possible candidates and invite them to become Trustees.

In addition to the current Trustees, the Fund is grateful for the support of Father Joe Brown SDB, Tricia Howells and Sally Hounsham who all bring their own unique ideas, help and experience to the fund and also for the technical and financial support of Mark Howells who is responsible for the administration of the websites.

We have also been grateful over the past year for all the help we have received from all those who have helped us pack boxes and collect goods for the containers we have sent to Liberia.

Without the help of all the Trustees and volunteers, the Fund would not be able to achieve it’s aims and objectives, which in summary, is to provide aid to African children in need, for projects that offer self-sufficiency and are sustainable in the longer term. Through education the Fund strives to give children the opportunity to empower themselves for the future.

Visit to Liberia

Fr Joe and Iain McGrory visited Liberia in January and toured various projects. Iain was there for a week while Fr Joe stayed on for a further week. A lot was crammed into this visit, with Fr Joe and Iain visiting and meeting with people from many of the projects that the Fund has supported, such as:

A small unit that was recycling bicycles from the UK for use in the countryside presentations from a small football club formed with Sean’s inspiration.

The Stella Maris Polytechnic, whose library we support.

The school in Brewerville that the Fund had provided the funds to build, which had just opened less than year after Maureen had dug the first footings.

The farm of 25 acres which was being cleared to grow cassava, vegetables and rice. the Fund had supplied money to purchase a cassava grinder to process the harvest into flour.

Bomi County, well up country, to visit a mission run by Fr Garry a SMA priest who had worked in the country for many years, to see the school and facilities set up to house 600/700 youngsters, many of whom had been traumatized by the civil war.

Buchanan, the second city, to visit a convent with a clinic for Aids victims and a maternity unit, to which the Fund had supplied funding.

A training school providing vocational skills for youngsters, which up to then had been supported by UNICEF, but now was being supported by the Fund to enable the programme to be completed.

The highlight of the trip was the Sean Devereux Memorial Fun Run from the High School in 8th Street, Monrovia to Matadi, a school and youth centre run by the Salesians, which Sean had supported. There were about 1,000 youngsters and other supporters in the walk of around 3 miles, all wearing t-shirts with the SDCF logo on one side and the local organisations identity on the other. The walk set off with police escort and made it’s way with music to Matadi. Arriving, there were various special presentations and demonstrations followed by lunch. Then various competitions of football and volley ball.

PROJECT UPDATES for 2007

Tappita Vocational Centre

The people of Tappita want to build a vocational centre to replace the facilities destroyed by the war. There are concerns about how the project would be monitored as there is no missionary presence in Tappita. This situation is being monitored by Fr Joe Brown and Iain McGrory and they are in ongoing discussions with Fr Chris Brennan, Wogbeh and several others.

Devereux Football Club

In the past we have helped the football club by sending football equipment etc. Whilst the Fund are extremely proud of what the team have achieved under the Devereux name, in difficult conditions it was agreed that cash funding for this project does not fit within our remit and is outside the scope of our funds. However, as a result of our attempts to find alternative sponsors we have forged a link with KitAid, which is run by Three Valleys Water and they have supplied us with generous amounts of used football equipment to send in the containers.

Uganda Aid

An appeal for assistance to help fund a container of mainly food items for people in the war-torn northern region of Uganda was received from Brian Main at Feed the Children. The Trustees agreed that this was within the Fund’s remit and it was agreed to fund half the cost of the container.

Liberia Containers

Two containers of food and other goods have been sent to Liberia this year. The first one went in May and the second in October.

Ghana Project

Greg Harding (a long-time supporter of the Fund) asked the Trustees to support a project in Bombo Village, Ghana, where he has strong personal links. The project is to build a well at a local village ans assist with the cost of building a road and school. It was agreed the the Fund would support this project.

Judith James

We were made aware of a Nigerian child, Judith James who needed urgent life-saving heart surgery. A sum of money towards the cost was sent and we are waiting for an update on how the operation went.

Sister Carmen – Buchanan

Maureen received an appeal from Sister Carmen for funds to purchase a year’s supply of blood transfusion kits, folic acid and baby milk. It was agreed that the Fund would meet this cost but that in the interim we would send blood-giving sets on the container.

Technical Institute, Bomi Hills

A request for funds was received from Liesbeth Glass in Bomi Hills to purchase materials so that various skills departments at the institute can begin production and become self-funding. It was agreed that we would support this request.

Kilomeni School Dining Hall

Details of this project were received by Maureen. We have helped with projects in this area in the past and have links with Fr Jerstice so it was agreed that we would send a sum towards the building costs.

Bursaries and Scholarships for Ghana

It was agreed that we would support the education of 45 youths for 1 year in response to Fr Chucks project proposal via the Project Office and that they should allocate the funds as they see fit.

Liberia Scholarships

A sum was sent to Liberia to fund scholarships for needy pupils in mid 2006. This amount covered 18 months of education.

Don Bosco Homes

In 2006 Fr Joe received an appeal for funds from Don Bosco Homes in Grand Bassa and Rivercess who are helping refugees. UNICEF had been supporting this project which aims to disarm and re home child soldiers, but they had pulled out. Don Bosco Homes need funds to keep their work going for another year so they could complete their exit strategy. 400 children and child soldiers were assisted last year and provided with training and re-integration. It was agreed that an amount would be funded.

Brewerville School

The Sean Devereux memorial School in Brewerville founded by Amadu Sarnor is a great example of what can be achieved – during 2007 it was visited by the Duchess of York as well as a visit by President Sirleaf’s son. the Fund has sent substantial amounts of money over the years to pay for construction work and equipment..

The basic levels of education the children receive has been extended to include Peace and Human Rights Education. The past 14 years of conflict in Liberia left suffering and displacement of children and young people, under horrific circumstances. Now that Liberia is enjoying peace and security, we have developed in our children, eduction for conflict prevention, peace and human rights as well as skills for constructive living.

In addition to the school, the Fund has also supported the Farm by supplying a Cassava Grinder, seeds, tools, etc. This is proving to be successful with the farm selling surplus produce to supermarkets, local markets, hospitals and some local communities.

Stella Maris Polytechnic

Funds were sent in 2005 towards the cost of a library extention. To date no building has taken place as no other organisations have come forward with funding.

Matadi Youth Centre

A request for 90 desks was received. This expenditure was agreed and the Youth Centre has also received sports and education equipment in each of the two containers.

Darfur

Maureen has tried to keep in touch with the situation in Darfur but it is very difficult. The last update from Fr Donati in December advised her that the situation in Darfur is getting more critical and the slaughter is going on with no hope for the time being. Hopefully three Don Bosco sisters specialised in nursing children from India will be arriving to help once they have their visas in place. Once they are there they will go to the Darfur refugee camps. Fr Donati hopes we will be able to help them in one way or the other. the bakery is running well. The girls’ home of Nyala and the Children project has been handed over to the Diocese and is doing well.

Mary’s Meals

In 2006 a sum of money was sent to Scottish International Relief (SIR) to assist with their Mary’s Meals programme in Liberia. The money sent has enabled over 230 Liberian children to receive daily school meals for a year. We have a good relationship with SIR and have supported their project in Bomi Hills with donations of tools and education equipment from the container as well as funding the airfare of a student who spent three months working on a medical database at the clinic.

Possible Future Projects

In July Paul Jawor asked for help with his plans to help former child soldiers. He was looking for advice on how to move this project forward, however, we have had no further contact with him since in spite of our efforts to contact him.

Brewerville School and Farm

Amadu has written to ask for help in fencing the school compound, building a chicken house and help with finding basketball resources. This is currently under review.

FUNDRAISING

Spring Ball

This was held at Wellington College in April and was a huge success and made a profit of £25, 025. Kevin O’Farrell did an amazing job with the organisation of this event and the Fund is extremely grateful to him for all his efforts. Without his organisation skills and Maureen’s talent for getting “bums on seats” it would not have been such a great success.

Bisley Concert

Once again the Chalky White Band gave their services for free so Sally Hounsham could organise a concert in Bisley Village Hall which raised £1,800.

Bmycharity.com

This website is now up and running and Mark Howells will establish a link directly to it from the Sean Devereux Website. The Bmycharity site allows people to collect sponsorship on-line as well as on-line donations. They do all the administration, including gift aid and pass the monies directly to the Fund.

News | 21st January 2008 @ 1:16 pm