Quest4Change Impact Report 2013 by Quest4Change

Impact Report 2013

A word from our Director: Thank you for taking the time to read about our work at Quest4Change. 2013 marked the sixth year of the charityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s existence, and the SEVENTEENTH year of Quest working with our projects overseas. What started out as a sponsored 10 hour tennis marathon on Clapham Common in 1996 to support an anti-drug charity in Peru, now works across two continents in partnership with a variety of local communities, national NGOs and international charities. Despite this growth however, we are always conscious of keeping our feet on the ground and making sure each and every one of our partnerships is based on relationships at the grass roots level. Thanks to these strong bonds with our partners overseas, we have this year been able to begin a new initiative for the charity, and had our first project team of UK young offenders joining one of our projects in Kenya. It was important that the impact of this expedition was a positive one for both the participants and the projects, and we were delighted that it was a huge success for all involved. It has been a long-standing belief of all of us at Quest4Change that development work must be a two-way process rather than just a charitable hand-out, and this expedition was a prime example of that. Our project partners in Kenya were proud to be contributing to valuable outreach work for British young people, while at the same time benefitting from a new sand dam for their community, a win-win! We hope this will be the first of many similar expeditions. Alongside this, we are still working tirelessly to continue supporting our different projects in South America and Africa, and I would like to say thank you to everyone who has contributed in some way, no matter how big or small. With technology on our side nowadays, it couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be easier to support our causes, whether it is shopping online through websites like Give as you Live, or setting up a regular online gift through our website, every little really does help. Thanks again, and enjoy the read!

Jonathan Cassidy - Director

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Our Projects and Partners

South American Projects

African Projects

5th Anniversary & Thank you

Impact & Finances

Get involved

Who We Are

2013 in Numbers

CONTENTS

Our Values: Partnership: Everything we do is driven by a

commitment to work with our host communities and project partners, and never to dictate to them. We concentrate on inclusive management and local involvement; providing training and support for local partners and seeking viable alternative livelihood schemes. Sustainability: All of our projects are designed to run on the basis of sustainable development to achieve longlasting change that is supported by, but not solely reliant on Quest4Change. Honesty: We hold our staff, volunteers and project partners to the highest standards of honesty and integrity. We always strive for absolute accountability and maintain transparency in all matters.

Realistic ambition: We endeavour to achieve the maximum benefit for the communities with whom we work. We do this by concentrating on projects with realistic development aims, taking into account the level and type of support we are able to provide.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the difference?

Quest Overseas is a volunteering organisation that began operating in 1996, sending their first group to Peru. They now send around 100 people a year to projects and expeditions throughout South America and Africa. From the very beginning Quest volunteers have made major donations to their respective projects and in 2006 it was decided to formalise this through the founding of what is known today as Quest4Change, registered with the Charity Commission on 14th February 2007.

The Benefits:

One of the main benefits for doing this has been expanding the income for projects beyond volunteer donations to include trust applications, events and other fundraising. This allows us to provide sustainable and transparent support. The majority of UK administrative costs are covered by Quest Overseas, including using their office to operate Quest4Change from. This means that nearly every penny raised for the charity goes directly to our sustainable development projects.

Our Aims: Relieve financial hardship and poverty in disadvantaged groups, especially children Advance and promote education and training for all Provide support and education for disadvantaged young people Protect and conserve the cultures, flora and fauna of endangered habitats through research and conservation

2013 in Numbers 40,000

114

the total number of volunteers that worked overseas with Quest4Change in 2013.

£50

the number of people who are able to access the Joshua Health Clinic in Pensulo, Malawi.

could protect one acre of pristine rainforest.

433,861

is the current population of Villa Maria del Triunfo, one of the largest shanty towns in the world.

£200

2013

in numbers £59,000

1,000

the number of ex-street children who live and are cared for at Ubaka’s youth centre.

20 million million species of animals are smuggled out of South America every year.

was raised by volunteers alone.

sponsors a child to attend the Quest School in Villa Maria for a year.

children are fed every week thanks to Joshua’s ongoing work at their feeding centres in Malawi

years of our Quest school in Villa Maria being open.

Our Projects and Partners in 2013 Quest4Change works with a variety of different projects overseas. We partner with organisations and community groups of varying sizes: from community-driven initiatives, to national and international NGOs and charities. Below are details of the established organisation we partner with.

In 2008 Quest started working with the Livingstone Tanzania Trust. Together our aim is to alleviate poverty through education. This includes improving existing schools, accommodation for teachers and setting up working organic school farms.

Excellent Development and Quest have been working together in Kenya since 2005. Their aim is to enable disadvantaged rural communities by improving water supplies, food production and health.

Ubaka U Rwanda is a Christian charity committed to turning around the lives of Rwandan children and young people who are living on the streets. They run a centre that provides a home for those who have been orphaned or neglected.

Since 2006 Quest and Joshua have been working together to develop sustainable projects to help HIV/AIDS orphans, vulnerable children and their families in Malawi.

Our partners at the Bolivian Animal Sanctuary have dedicated their entire lives to the conservation of wild animals rescued from circuses, homes and the illegal pet trade. CIWY currently cares for over 400 rescued animals across its three refuges.

The crees foundation is a Peruvian not-for-profit organisation working to bring economic, social and environmental harmony to the Manu region. Their core belief is that mankind and nature can support one another through balance, respect and innovation.

Quest4Change operates in partnership with local organisations. For us, this means setting up partnerships specific to the situation of the projects, striving for the maximum benefit through whichever structure is most appropriate. The vast majority of our South American projects do not have UK-based charities, which makes Quest4Change vital for processing volunteer donations and for requesting funds from UK-based trusts and foundations. The majority of our African project partners are registered as UK charities. Whilst it is still Quest who manage the Africa volunteers, their donations are largely paid direct to our project partners without Quest4Change’s involvement. We continue to support these projects through fundraising beyond this, largely with organised events and sponsored challenges. For the purpose of this Impact Report, “Quest volunteers” will refer to those who volunteered through Quest Overseas, regardless of whether their donations were made through Quest4Change or directly to the project partners.

2013 in

South America

Bolivia:

Animal Sanctuary Project In 2013:

16 volunteers in two separate groups spent a total of over 10 weeks at the project site. The first stage of the monkey group formation enclosure was completed. The quarantine area for the veterinary clinic was extended. The volunteers raised a combined £13, 000 as a direct donation to Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi. The volunteers worked with dozens of CIWY’s rescued animals and provided 3 months of care.

The problems:

The illegal trade in wildlife is the fourth largest illegal trade in the world. Due to the vast biodiversity it harbours, South America has become a major target for international wildlife smugglers, and Bolivia is no exception. Animals are traded on the black market with little or no care for their well-being, with many suffering unimaginable physical and/or psychological abuse.

The objectives:

CIWY and Quest strive to rescue and rehabilitate wild fauna that has fallen victim to trafficking and abuse. We also tackles the root cause of the issue through CIWY’s environmental education programme; raising public awareness about conservation issues and the effects of animal trafficking.

Our impact:

Since 2002 Quest has raised over £190,000 in direct support for Inti Wara Yassi. We provided vital funds for the purchase of new plots of rainforest, both in 2002 and 2008. We have sent 275 volunteers in total, working a combined 20,000 + hours caring for animals and constructing new enclosures and other crucial infrastructure.

“Our intrepid team got straight to work on the construction of a new set of enclosures for monkeys being prepared for release. None of us had much experience of construction. Local staff soon put us straight. It will be satisfying to see the final product next week.” - Eugenia (Quest volunteer, 2013)

Peru:

Villa Maria Children’s Project In 2013:

2013 saw 20 Quest volunteers visit Villa Maria for more than 10 weeks. Approximately 1,300 children attended activity sessions and swimming pool outings. Volunteers constructed 6 new houses, helped with crucial upkeep projects for the school, performed at 9 Family Sunday shows and ran 16 Saturday Fairs”. The volunteers raised over £13,000 for the project.

The problems:

Poverty, crime and drugs. Most children in Villa Maria del Triunfo live below the poverty line, in shacks often with no running water, sanitation or electricity. While their parents work long hours, the kids are often left alone to wander the streets, making them vulnerable to the risks of drugs and crime.

Our impact:

We are proud to have been working in Villa Maria since 1997. In this time over £250,000 has been raised, 80 houses built and the Quest School provides an invaluable education for an average of almost 130 children. Volunteers have dedicated thousands of hours to activities and recreation in the communities.

“We went to the sites of the families for whom we will be building homes for, and in every case I had to remain composed. The worst case we witnessed was that of a family whose shack had burnt down and had nowhere to live. We came together to build a house in one day for this family to sleep in.” Shiron (Quest volunteer, 2013)

Peru:

Manu Conservation Project In 2013:

Quest sent 6 volunteers to the Manu conservation project this year. Volunteers raised ÂŁ4,000 for the project. Volunteers constructed three biogardens. These bio-gardens will allow the community to grow crops productively and sustainably. Volunteers made improvements to the community ecotourism spot by the lake.

The problems:

A large amount of land in the Manu region has been logged and cleared for pasture or farming. After this initial use the land is abandoned and left unused, whist more pristine rainforest goes on to be destroyed. There are few long-term employment opportunities for the locals outside of environmentally destructive practices.

The Objectives:

â&#x20AC;&#x153;My favourite moment this month was camping out in the primary rainforest. Not only was it awesome to hear the sounds of the jungle reverberating through the walls of our tent all night, it also made us realise quite how much life there was here in the forest.â&#x20AC;? Mark (Quest volunteer, 2013)

crees and Quest4Change are striving to create a realistic long-term model for protecting the rainforest and its biodiversity; one that fully involves the people who live in the area. We encourage and provide support for sustainable ways of making a living from the rainforest. Rather than feeling the pressure to exploit their environment, we want the local communities to realise its importance as a long-term resource, vital to their prosperity. With the help of international volunteers, we work with local communities to plant agroforestry plots and roofed biogardens; enabling families to live prosperous and healthy lives without having to destroy their rainforest home.

Brazil:

Rio Ability & Community Project In 2013:

In 2013 8 Quest volunteers visited Casa Lar, raising £6,000. Since 2006 more than 40 volunteers have been to Casa Lar and £41,000 has been raised. Thousands of care hours have been provided to the boys, as well as excursions within Rio, weekend trips to the countryside and volunteers helping to prepare the boys for carnival parade each year.

Closure:

Unfortunately in January 2013 the local authorities took the decision to close Casa Lar due to financial reasons. Although we were unable to secure the home’s long-term future, we did manage keep it open long enough for one last group of Quest volunteers to visit and help out, and - most importantly - to make the transition for the boys a lot smoother. Although the closure of the home was a huge disappointment, the majority of the boys being homed there have now reached an adult age and we are pleased to have been able to support them when they needed it most, as kids. Surplus funds from this year were put towards helping the boys set themselves up in new homes and keeping the house open a little longer.

Achievements:

Casa Lar provided a caring, forward-thinking home for the boys as they grew up to be young men. We wish them well in the future.

Update:

The boys are now living with relatives or in alternative institutions; some of them have been able to remain together. Former staff and Quest volunteers have done their best to keep in contact and updated about the boys’ situation, and have helped arrange more suitable placements where possible. We are still working to get the home reopened, if not for these boys then to help other boys with similar needs in the area.

2013 in

Africa

Kenya:

Water Relief Project In 2013:

Quest4Change sent a team of 10 volunteer youth offenders to Kenya in 2013, who spent their time with the Kipico community. The aim of the trip was to inspire personal change and development. The group raised a total of £3,500 between them. The volunteer team worked extremely hard on the completion of 1 sand dam.

The problems:

Kenya’s rapidly growing population is increasing pressure on water supplies for drinking and food production. The Eastern Province of Kenya is semi-arid and suffers from poor soil fertility and limited rainfall, making it prone to food shortages and drought.

Our objectives:

Quest4Change and Excellent Development, working with communities in south-eastern Kenya (close to Tsavo National Park), aim to transform the local environment by improving water supplies, food production, health, incomes and protection against future droughts.

Our Impact:

We have been working with the Kamba people since 2004. In that time we have constructed 24 sand dams (potentially supporting 20,000 villagers), extended or repaired 16 sand dams, built 3 water tanks, planted over 100 saplings in local schools and provided ongoing funding for employment. Over £70,000 has been raised towards the project.

This is one of the completed dams Quest4Change helped build in Kipico with the local community.

Malawi:

Orphan & Community Project In 2013:

Quest4Change sent 3 separate groups to Malawi, a total of 26 volunteers. The first group built a security wall and constructed a playground. The second group rotated between working on the construction of a feeding centre and running it. The third group built a playground and renovated classroom equipment for the entire school. £11,900 was raised in total by the volunteers, given directly to our project partners.

The problems:

The communities we work with suffer from the effects of significant poverty coupled with rising HIV/AIDS rates, poor road networks, a lack of clean, piped water and electricity, and very few health and education facilities.

Our objectives:

Working with project partner Joshua Orphan & Community Care, we aim to provide a safe and secure living environment for orphans, vulnerable children and their families in and around the Blantyre District of Malawi.

“We started to help out at the current feeding centre here in Manyowe. This was an eye-opening experience and many of us considered this to be a high and a low. We really got to see how orphans live here in Malawi - a perspective many of us had not been aware of. However this was a high as we were so touched by how happy the orphans were. It’s clear the community is really gaining genuine benefit from the work we are doing and it makes us proud to be part of the project.” Liz (Quest volunteer, 2013)

Tanzania:

Schools & Community Project In 2013:

Quest4Change sent 28 volunteers to Tanzania. A total of £11,600 was raised. An incinerator, kitchen and fish pond were constructed. Refurbishment of the external building, veranda and two classrooms were completed. The roof was replaced on four classrooms. Banana and sugar cane were planted.

The problems:

Primary education is free, yet less than 50% of children attend school. Many families cannot afford necessary items such as uniforms, or need their children to stay home to work. The Tanzanian Government often does not provide resources for the upkeep of schools, leading to dangerous classrooms and school closures.

“A highlight of the trip was seeing the amazing work that was done with our partner charity, LTT, through the Managhat market farm which the team were also part of. The kitchen the team built was the beginning of rolling this project to the secondary schools, and it was inspiring to see the knowledge and education which had already been passed on and benefitted the community - better school meals, more local knowledge on nutrition and feeding one’s family, and a real connection to the earth and the value of what it can provide. Everybody was deeply moved by how welcoming the community was and how quickly it became their daily life.” Jessie (Quest Project Leader, 2013)

Rwanda:

Children of Hope Project In 2013:

Ubaka celebrated their fifth anniversary in 2013; what started as a small, local initiative has now become a cross-country concern with supporters from all around the world. Ubaka continues to provide a home and support for more than 30 boys. Secured funding and purchased a plot of land on which a new, permanent home for the boys will be built.

The project:

We are working with Ubaka U Rwanda to provide a home for children who have been orphaned or abandoned in Kigali. Rwanda lost approximately a tenth of its population to its genocide in 1994, resulting in many children being orphaned or abandoned as offspring of rapes. The lingering effects of this can be seen in subsequent generations of children living on the streets. In 2003, an ex-street child named Evode Usabyamahoro started an initiative to help boys living on the street. Through local donations he was able to rent a small house in Kigali, Ubaka U Rwandaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s youth centre, where over 30 boys now live. We are currently raising funds for the construction of a new, larger and secure youth centre.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were delighted to finally secure the funding and purchase a property which will allow us to build our own home for the boys. With rental prices becoming quite unstable in Rwanda recently, this gives the project a huge boost and added security. It has also been a great year for our boys at the home. Generous support has allowed us to take them on a number of trips outside of Kigali so they could appreciate the beauty of their home country. One of the highlights was our second trip to Lake Muhazi in the Eastern Province of Rwanda, a fantastic day of swimming, football and laughter.â&#x20AC;? Rebecca (CoFounder, Ubaka U Rwanda)

5th Anniversary 5 Years of Quest4Change

In February 2012, we celebrated 5 years of operation as a charity by awarding a £1,000 bursary towards the cost of a volunteering trip with Quest Overseas. Shiron Rajendran, after some tough competition, was awarded the bursary for a 2013 summer trip. He had impressed us by demonstrating a real enthusiasm and dedication towards his chosen project, Villa Maria. Shiron went on to be a fantastic member of the team out in Peru and has shared his experiences of the trip. “A recent trip with charity Quest4Change to one of the largest shanty towns in Peru, Villa Maria del Triunfo, bolstered my desire to live a life buttressed by altruistic conduct. It served as a test of my determination and mental agility as I worked as part of a team building houses for vulnerable families and teaching English to deprived Peruvian children. The most tiring but accomplishing task was building six wooden houses to accommodate the poorest families of the district. Also, every weekend we would host a series of games and events for the local children. Every Saturday we would go into the local town calling upon the "niños" (children) at the crack of dawn. Our screams were met with the delightful shrieks of joy from the children at the prospect of spending a morning with the "gringos" (foreigners). Sunday’s were also a very big day in Villa Maria with families flocking to the “plaza” (main square) for a jampacked afternoon of dancing, games, singing and comedy called “Domingos Familiares”. There were no dancers in our group and the first week we took to the stage, it was without doubt the most humiliating moment of my life. However, when the children saw our terrible dancing, they stepped in and helped us out.

Staying at the school run by the charity was a fascinating experience as we had the opportunity to teach English to children aged between 5 and 13. This was definitely a challenging task, but by utilising my linguistic skills I managed to teach the children basic English. In addition, we did some construction work around the school such as building tables, painting hop-scotch and fixing a merry-go-round. Run by Alejandro and his team, these people are the most committed, inspirational people I have met. All their decisions are based upon the benefits for the children and they have been working in the community since 1995. I witnessed the poor social conditions that these people suffer and reside through without complaining or pleading for self-pity. On this eyeopening journey, I appreciated that improved living conditions corresponded to an improved well-being. I am truly grateful to all the people that have supported and helped me gain such a rewarding experience. I derived an immense sense of satisfaction from helping others and it has strengthened my desire to live a life dedicated to helping others.”

THANK YOU! It is thanks to the superhuman efforts and generous contributions from all our supporters that allows us to continue the work we do and truly ‘Quest4Change’. None of this would be possible without them.

Thank you! Foundations & Key Supporters

We would like to say a huge thank you to the following for their generous funding and support over the past year: • La Vida • Ralph Clark Charitable Trust • N Smith Charitable Settlement • Reed Foundation • Interdist Alliance • Vodafone Foundation – World of Difference grant

Volunteers

Quest Overseas volunteers play a crucial role in the support that we are able to offer our project partners. Not only is the money they raise of huge importance to the project, but it is also the hard work and motivation that they put in that really drives forward the work that we do. Volunteers in the UK also provide us with key support. In 2013 we had another great turn out for the Brighton Marathon, as volunteers helped on our Quest4Change water station. If you would like to get involved and volunteer for Quest4Change, drop us a line.

Fundraisers

We would also like to thank our heroes - our fabulous fundraisers whose hard work, time and effort helped us achieve so much: • Brighton Marathon runners Cath & Heather • Thames Meander Marathon runner Victor (making good on his promise to Villa Maria Director Alejandro) • Ride London participant John Conquest • Jaymie Duke, who biked from Miraflores to Villa Maria • Sam & Nathan, our Oxford-Cambridge bikers • And finally all those who contributed to the Big Give Christmas Challenge, which raised an amazing £6,085 for Casa Lar. We would also like to say thank you to the friends and family of Katie Ashbridge for their continued support.