Friends of Nepal Adelaide Inc Chairpersons Report 201718

Friends of Nepal – Adelaide Inc Chairperson’s Report 2017/18 Financial Year

Our Mission

The Year That Was The Start June 30, 2017 A formal partnership Agreement with Mission for Modern Social Development Nepal to manage the Education Scholarship Program. June 30, 2017 Partnership agreement terminated by mutual agreement.

The Brief Manage the Education Scholarship Program for ten students to complete senior high school and/or post secondary school studies Work in partnership with the Children’s Future Fund – Germany who fund tertiary fees for four of the scholarship students

We Made a Plan Exploring living options for scholarship students Advice- Hostels remain safest and best financially viable option Mentoring students towards financial independence – good progress made Diversifying funding sources – harder than we thought Capacity building – internal and external, with a focus on good governance Working towards ……………….

We’ve Had Many Highs! Remember our students are from the lowest caste! Two girls have become confident, proud and successful young women, already making their mark in their communities. Manju, is a second year law student and an office bearer in the Amnesty International Club at Kathmandu School of Law. Anjana is a fashion design student, soon to start a bachelor degree, and joint secretary of her local Rotaract Club.

Highs! Bhanu – is in full time hospitality work and living independently in a furnished room we helped set up. Sanjeev has found part time working teaching computer studies while he completes his final year of Bachelor in IT & E-commerce. Bishal is waiting for his Chartered Accounting exam results and seeking part time work while he completes his Bachelor of Business Studies. Both young men are partially supporting their living costs.

More! Hem, Bijaya and Prachandra successfully completed Year 11. They have begun final year of studies. Sushant successfully completed Year 8 and has started Year 9.

More! Funding support came from unexpected places! Jams and relishes – a steady source of income! Local Businesses - Flourish for Nepal – Fashion Parade! Collection jars! Rotary Club of Blackwood – proceeds from Head and Tails games Artists donating sales of paintings at Rotary Club of Blackwood Art Show Service clubs and many, many more!

We’ve Had Some Lows! Our application for a $25, 000 Philanthropic Grant was unsuccessful! Sponsors - 28 total We lost four sponsors, but gained three new ones! Students Ten students became nine when Sandeep, a promising artist, was expelled for misconduct. He did, however, thanks to the capable mentoring of our MMSD-N team, complete his Year 12 studies.

Back To The Mission!

Child Development Society – Nepal (CDS) Inspired by our June, 2017 visit to the Kavre District in Nepal where we saw the Self Employment through Education Program in action, FONAI mobilised! And we are still going!!!! SEEP mission ‘Empower women socially and economically through education and the lives of children will improve, including their right to education!’

Success! Our mission - to secure funding formation of new SEEP Groups, and play an active part in educating and empowering Illiterate and marginalised women, to improve the lives of children. In October 2017, we entered into a partnership agreement with the Child Development Society in Nepal for fund disbursement on behalf of a Generous private benefactor. private donor. Three SEEP groups are underway in Kavre district in Nepal!

Collaborations

Collaborations FONAI facilitated shipping of seven pallets of books for Community Libraries at: Chelsea Foundation, Nepal Canopy Nepal- NGO SAB Schools Rotaract Club of Dilibazaar -Prison Library Project In collaboration with: Rotary Clubs of Adelaide, Brownhill Creek and Blackwood. South Pacific School Aid – Adelaide Sanjeev Dahal -Social Workers Association Nepal – Flood Relief and Chelsea Foundation

Self Funded Monitoring Visits. Four self funded program monitoring visits were undertaken by various committee members. Assistance was provided with: Office set up Budgeting and Reporting requirements Employment and job descriptions Finalisation of MMSD-N partnership Establishment of new partnership with ‘Canopy Nepal’

Fundraising! We held ten fundraising events raising almost $25, 000 to support our programs.

Financial Report

Financial Report 2017/18 audited accounts are available on our web site. A big thankyou to Sue Wymond our treasurer This is a very BIG job! Thanks also to: Ken Roscrow Advisor Philip Paterson Auditor

Looking Forward 2018/19! Scholarship Program Limiting support to education costs only to reach more students. Prioritising girls for future scholarships support. Our current gender balance is 6 boys, 3 girls! Child Development Society SEEP - actively seeking funding to establish more SEEP groups in Kavre District, Nepal. ‘Day Care Day Meals’ program We are working with Rotary Club of Brownhill Creek on a plan for to address current funding shortfall and possible future support for this program.

Canopy Nepal New Partnership We are very excited to be working with this dynamic group of young humanitarians who will now be managing the education scholarship program.

Thankyou We acknowledge the commitment of MMSD-N management team whose hard work has been vital to the success of our Education Scholarship Program. FONAI committee members have also worked tirelessly this past year, remaining true to our mission of social and economic empowerment of marginalised communities through education. I would like to thank them all for their commitment to this journey.

Thankyou Supporters We believe your generous donations are being well spent! We can all be very proud of the difference we are making in the lives of some of the most marginalised people in the world. Thankyou to you all for your continued support and for coming tonight.