invision AU T U M N 2 0 2 3
Building for the future:
KENYA’s got talent! New hope for Nairobi street children Investing in young lives in ROMANIA and TÜRKIYE BURKINA FASO:
Meeting needs resulting from the world’s most under-reported conflict
2 • in v is io n
invision
Autumn 2023
This issue of invision is themed ‘Building for the future’, sharing news of how International Needs is working in partnership with local communities around the world to support and empower families.
Contents 3
God is Good
6|7
Ukraine update | Kindergarten in Daneș
8|9
Monitoring visit to Uganda
10 | 11
Sri Lanka: May contain nuts
12
Dear Diary: prayer newsletter
13 | 16
Building for the future in Kenya
17
Sponsorship success story: Rehema
19
Amazing Grace!
24 | 25 26
Burkina Faso: the world’s most under-reported crisis The Big Give Christmas Challenge | News in brief
Find us online!
Keep up to date with our work around the world! Find us today at ineeds.org.uk or @ineedsuk on Facebook, Instagram and X (Formerly Twitter)
EDITOR’S NOTE
in vision • 3
GOD IS SO GOOD. As I reflect on the few months since the last invision magazine, it’s so encouraging to see all that has been accomplished – thanks to your generosity and commitment. In a world where Gen Z (9-24 year olds) is often criticised, I’ve been particularly blessed to engage positively with so many upbeat young people: from the sixth-formers at St Luke’s Church in Reigate, who chatted with me intelligently about humanitarian aid during the interval of a fundraising concert for IN, to the Year 6 pupils at Forestdale School who have been faithfully sponsoring two children they will likely never meet; and from the Lancashire teenagers who have been diligently fundraising for a Go Global trip to Uganda early next year, to the children who strained enthusiastically to lift a 20-litre jerry can of water at the SurfStage Festival in July and the genuine conversations that sparked. These youngsters may not (yet) be cash-rich, but showed a maturity and understanding of developing world needs that I’m confident will shape their future. CREDITS
Editor: David Giles Design: Zoë Atherton
In the following pages, you’ll find updates on our responses to emergencies in Ukraine and Türkiye and the ways in which these are developing into longer-term initiatives. You’ll learn more from recent monitoring visits to Uganda and Kenya. You’ll meet our new team members, Eldred and Grace. You’ll get to know Naren, the leader of IN in Sri Lanka and discover how he was shocked to find a village with dire needs for water and sanitation. You'll be inspired by the story of Rehema, an alumnus of the IN Child Sponsorship programme in Uganda, and learn how the connection has encouraged her sponsor here in the UK. You’ll read how God is working in the lives of those affected by what’s been described as ‘the world’s most under-reported conflict’. And most importantly, you’ll see evidence of how your support is making a huge difference as together we build a better future for families and communities around the world. In a nutshell, it’s chock-full of news and updates. But yes, as the front cover advises, it may contain nuts. Read on!
*
This asterisk indicates that names have been changed to protect the identity of an individual
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OUR VALUES INFORM OUR
ACTION
Our mission statement is to empower families to create a sustainable future so that all can reach their full potential. In John 10:10, Jesus states he wants life in all its fullness for all his people. As his followers, we desire the same, that none are left behind and all can flourish. So why do we need to state our values? Won’t they be obvious? Whilst our mission statement informs our direction, our values state how we will conduct ourselves along the way. Our values are overarching - they don’t describe a single situation, but act as a guide to how we approach our projects, our teamwork, and the way we partner with donors. There is no value in isolation, all are woven together. Values help us to define how we will achieve our mission and keep us on the right path.
For example, our value of local people being best placed to make a difference actively reminds us that we cannot fully comprehend the issues, let alone the remedies, from within our own context. Western worldviews tend to characterise poverty as solely a lack of material things. This is revealed when British people travel to developing communities and are exposed to absolute poverty for the first time. Wishing to correct the problems, but not fully appreciating the reasons for them, or taking the time to build relationships within local communities to find out more, can lead to harmful actions. At IN, we develop relationships with local leaders who understand their culture and context because they have grown up in it. With resources from friends, these local leaders can start to address the issues affecting their communities holistically, demonstrating God’s love and beginning transformation. We develop strong relationships with our leaders and believe that by creating, maintaining, and strengthening relationships we can see transformation. As Bryant L. Myers so eloquently put it, ‘Poverty is about relationships that don't work, that isolate, that abandon or devalue. Transformation must be about restoring relationships, just and right relationships with God, with self, with community, with the “other”, and with the environment.’
(Left) Baptism with International Needs Slovakia in 2022
in vision • 5
(Below) Children having a mentorship session outside in Ghana, 2023 By honouring the cultural context, we can discover profound change through solutions created from the bottom up rather than imposed from the top down. A respect for local leadership and culture addresses the imbalance between those who hold power through finance with those who know best through context. Transformation only begins when there is an inclusion of all faiths and peoples, and no one is left behind. All projects are designed for the whole community and this value arrests our thinking if we mistakenly marginalise a people group. This can happen unwittingly if there is no governing value in place. Accountability is about declaring transparency when receiving funds to act with measures and resources that start to transform a community. Transparency and accountability allow us to celebrate success and declare failure at the same time, giving all stakeholders confidence that change is happening.
Lastly, we want to remember that the Christian faith is proclaimed and lived out in all that we do, and through our Christian leaders in the different communities where they work. The love of God that we experience for ourselves, unites us to common purpose and action so that others may know it as well. Our values serve as a reminder of what matters most to us as an organisation, regardless of difficult circumstances. Our emphasis on Christian faith and hope empowers us to act, despite all that is failing in our world. Hope is not ambiguous but is certain (Hebrews 6:19). Hope helps us withstand the setbacks, trials, and sometimes the failures, that confront our partner communities. Hope won’t let us resign to inaction because of difficulty. As the CEO and Executive Director of International Needs UK, I want to thank you for your generosity and partnership with us as you both observe and share the values in which we work.
Danny Morris, Executive Director International Needs UK
6 • in v is io n
UKRAINE CATCH-UP As Russia’s war against Ukraine continues, so too does the International Needs support of Ukrainian refugees – primarily in Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia. IN Slovakia continues to plan for convoys of food into Ukraine – the trucks each containing around 31,000 meals. The parcels have also contained Ukrainian-language Bibles, which have been well received. One babushka, living with her family in challenging circumstances in a remote part of Ukraine messaged back: ‘Thank you for the Bible. My small grandson Teofipol is already on page 45. He reads it every day. We are surprised because he never learned his lessons at school! He is impressed – he says there are so many good things written there!’
'There are so many good things written there {[[in the Bible]]' The IN team in Slovakia continues to support refugees with practical and spiritual matters, from assistance with paperwork or job applications and applying for statutory aid, to providing meals, accommodation, medication and transport to safe onward locations. Meanwhile, IN Bulgaria is also meeting needs in the capital Sofia and in the western suburb of Ovchal Kupel. Ministry includes the provision of Bulgarian language classes, emergency food vouchers and funding for school uniforms as well as psychosocial support, counselling and opportunities to worship in an integrated Bulgarian/ Ukrainian environment.
ROMANIAN KINDERGARTEN Daneș is a small village in the Transylvania region of Romania, approximately 6 miles from Sighișoara, the UNESCO regional capital. Around a tenth of the 5,000-strong permanent community are ethnically Roma. Unable to find employment, many of the Roma earn money day-to-day by scavenging reusable plastics, metals and glass from the large municipal landfill site. A significant proportion of children from these Roma families drop out of school early, due to their financial situation. Identifying an opportunity to serve, International Needs Romania established a kindergarten to provide a safe place for young children so that their parents had more opportunity to go out to work, and in turn achieve a higher level of financial stability. In 2022, Daneș also started to play host to an increasing number of Ukrainian refugees, fleeing the conflict in their homeland. Usually separated from their husbands because of a requirement for men to remain in Ukraine to fight in the armed forces, women found themselves sole carer of their children and in a foreign country where they had no income, didn’t speak the local language and unable to access local services.
in vision • 7
Enter Lumina Lumii (Romanian for ‘Light of the World’), a newly-formed charity led by Florin Boruga, church planter and area supervisor in IN’s Church Planting Programme. With support from IN UK, Lumina Lumii has extended the kindergarten provision to 60 children, each affected by the war from which they have fled. IN UK supports the running costs for the kindergarten and also buys toys, games, books and craft materials, and pays the salaries and expenses of a new six-strong staff team. Some of the team are themselves Ukrainian refugees with lived experience of the trauma of war, all trained in trauma management in cooperation with a certified psychologist. Art therapy is provided, and each afternoon includes an opportunity for children to meet with a therapist. Can you help bring a smile to the face of a Ukrainian toddler? £7 enables a child to attend and enjoy three nutritious meals for a day. £38 would buy bright, tactile toys for the youngsters to play with. £260 could enable the whole group to enjoy an educational day out together.
8 • in v is io n
GANDER AROUND UGANDA In May this year Eldred Willey joined International Needs UK as Programme Manager. He comes with extensive experience of developing and managing relief and development projects. He has had the privilege of working with outstanding disaster response teams in the Democratic Republic of Congo and northern Iraq, Nepal and Bangladesh, and on longer-term development projects in the Philippines, Bolivia, Myanmar, Nagorno-Karabakh, and South Sudan. Just a month after starting Eldred made a monitoring visit for International Needs to Uganda. One of the programmes which impacted him most powerfully was for the inclusion of children with a disability, which is making a world of difference to single mothers like Deborah. For her it has been really hard trying to bring up Bramwell*, a boy with severe learning difficulties. It became even harder when her husband left her, and she had to fend for the family herself.
(Right) Eldred with Joab, WASH Field Officer for International Needs, at a new borehole in Kikwanya, Uganda
Bramwell does not look like other children and cannot talk like them. So in a place like Uganda where there is still a lot of stigma against disability, he has been shunned by friends and neighbours. Some believe that his condition is the sign of a curse on his parents. We do not. Deborah could not afford the fees to send Bramwell to school, especially as he has special needs which make his education more expensive. She could not even afford to feed him properly. So he used to sit at home hungry, lonely and often crying.
in vision • 9
IMPACT AT A GLANCE
3
new boreholes completed and 2 in progress
The miracle started when a Child Protection Committee set up by International Needs found him and began looking for a sponsor who would pay for his schooling. Eventually they were successful and placed Bramwell at Bishop West Primary, an outstanding Christian establishment in the lively town of Mukono. Then that first sponsor fell through, and it was Deborah’s turn to cry at such a massive disappointment. Seeing her tears, International Needs manager Ivan and the school’s headteacher stuck by Bramwell and kept him on anyway. Someone in the UK heard his story and has now come forward as a committed sponsor. So instead of going hungry, he has a big bowl of porridge for breakfast each day and a solid lunch. He has calmed down, his emotional wellbeing has improved and he is looking healthy and smart in his school uniform. Best of all, Deborah knows that he is among people of faith who care for him – and also for her. Thank you for your ongoing support, which is not only providing material care for children like Bramwell but is changing the minds and hearts of the new generation. They are growing up to create a better society in Uganda which will cherish people with a disability.
6
rainwater harvesting tanks installed in schools
78
mobile clinics organised for screening and treatment of waterborne diseases
1,456
adolescent girls trained to make reusable sanitary towels
24
water committees formed/ trained across 15 villages
10 • in v is i o n
WASH SRI LANKA
In a world where access to clean drinking water is a basic human right, it’s just nutty that this is not yet universal. But on a recent visit to northern Sri Lanka, Naren Dharmanandan discovered that the villagers of Nochikulam are making do with decrepit water sources that have insufficient capacity to see them through the long dry season. And even when water is available, it is unsafe to drink. IN Sri Lanka engaged the community in finding out what was most important to them. This identified a number of areas of shared concern, from access to education and lack of sustainable employment to the absence of accessible healthcare and need for improved financial literacy. But top of the list was the urgent need for clean water and improved sanitation. We are pleased to be partnering IN Sri Lanka in this project.
Fundraising idea: Why not make some
delicious gluten-free peanut cookies and sell them to your friends/neighbours/ church/work colleagues to raise money for this project… if you can resist eating the whole batch yourself. We won’t judge. 200g peanut butter (crunchy or smooth) 175g golden caster sugar 1 large egg Handful of salted peanuts 1) Heat oven to 180˚C/160˚C (fan)/gas mark 4. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
Following assessment and analysis by water engineers, the next step will be to renovate three dug wells. This will provide sufficient water for use by the villagers and an extra quantity of water for developing agricultural activities. This will enable the launch of a peanut growing enterprise. The community has calculated that from 10kg of peanut seeds it can grow 50kg of peanuts for sale and has identified travelling wholesalers who will be willing to buy their crop. Can you help the residents of Nochikulam access clean drinking water, and launch their exciting new enterprise? How could you nut?
2) Mix the peanut butter and sugar in a bowl. Add a handful of salted peanuts. Mix well with a spoon. Add the egg then mix thoroughly again until the mixture forms a stiff dough. 3) Leaving space for expansion, drop small balls of dough on to the trays. Press down gently with a fork to squash them a little and add a criss-cross pattern. 4) Bake for 12 minutes until golden-brown around the edges. Leave for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. If you like, melt some dark chocolate and drizzle over the cookies once they are set. 5) Store in an air-tight cookie jar for up to three days… if they last that long!
in vision • 11
INTERVIEW WITH NAREN DHARMANANDAN Leader of IN Sri Lanka
David: Could you give us a quick overview of the situation in Sri Lanka? Naren: I think many people around the world are aware of the worst economical situation in Sri Lanka since Independence, about 75 years ago. These two years have been severe. We had long queues for petrol and diesel so much so that there were people who died in the queues. We had food shortages, medicine shortage, but I think we are on the road to recovery. There are people who who could not put one meal a day on their table and there are communities still facing the same situation, particularly in the rural areas.
Naren: For a few years we have been working in northern area where the last part of the war was taking place, so there was a lot of resettlement of communities and so forth. So we worked with three villages where we've been trying to ensure the rights of the children by empowering women and we worked on livelihoods [and set up] small help groups. That has really helped in those three communities. We have also reached out to children in certain remote areas, for their nutrition, for their education. This includes digital English classes for them after school. For 4,000 children we provided stationery, books and so forth at the end of last year so that it would help the parents, because the items were so expensive – three or four times the normal price due to the economic situation. David: How does something like a water project develop into reality? Naren: We don’t need to search for it! We are able to identify the needs through relationships with community leaders who know what the ground situation is. The villages I describe where they don't have drinking water, and 80% of them don't have toilets – this is very surprising in Sri Lanka. I personally was absolutely shocked that the Sri Lankans could live without toilets. This is unthinkable. We have a discussion with the community leaders and the local government agents. We don't jump into it very quickly – we take time over it we visit a few times and discuss and then we start working on the urgent needs. Then step by step we are able to start. In the initial needs assessment, we probably won't be able to identify the root causes so we try to go into the root of the problem. That's how we are moving forward, so that we actually approach it holistically and see transformation. David: How do you see IN Sri Lanka developing over the coming years? Naren: As a Christian agency, we work with everyone we want because we share with them that God wants to empower them, God wants to bless every single person in these communities. We really want to see transformation of Sri Lanka. We have a long way to go, but little by little – along with the other Christian NGOs – we really want to see transformation. While we want to work on development, we we are not going to be satisfied with ‘just’ development. We want to go beyond development to see transformation, change of mindsets change of communities, change of families. My heart – my personal goal – is for IN Lanka to become a model NGO.
Link to full interview on YouTube
David: What kind of practical assistance is IN Sri Lanka bringing into these communities?
12 • in v is i o n
PRAYER DIARY/ PODCAST
In July, we resumed the curation of a regular prayer diary, copies of which are emailed at the start of each month to those who want to receive it. It offers a simple prayer for the day format, using prayer topics suggested by our Network partners. Our colleagues around the world are incredibly grateful for your prayer support, and this is intended to provide a glimpse of our ministry internationally, regardless of whether IN UK is financially supporting projects in-country. Our aim is that we would be able to present issues for prayer so that you can both give thanks to God for impact achieved and to intercede where there are difficulties or challenges. You can use the prayer diary individually, or to inform prayers in your church or small group.
If you’re not already receiving our monthly prayer emails but would like to, please email david@ineeds.org.uk. We are also intending to launch a podcast covering international development issues through a Christian lens – not just IN’s ministry, although that will of course feature. We already have some special guests lined up as contributors and we promise not to keep you waiting too much longer… Please keep an eye on our social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn and Threads for news on this, and subscribe via your favourite podcasting platform.
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LEADERSHIP AND TALENT CENTRE By Asmau Durnin, Programme and Partnerships Manager
In August, I spent an uplifting day in Nairobi with colleagues from International Needs Kenya and our partners from Grace Empowerment. It was elating to see how far Pastor Joshua Mamai, Head of Grace Empowerment, has come in the journey of rescue, rehabilitation and restoration of boys living on the streets in the capital. With the support of International Needs – and supporters like you – Joshua has been rescuing hundreds of distressed and drug-addicted youth from the streets, giving them hope for a new life in Christ. Grace Empowerment recently expanded its programme to secure a second halfway house to accommodate an additional two boys who have been sheltered off the streets. The two halfway houses currently accommodate four young people who are experiencing a deeper level of rehabilitation through the delivery of daily feeding, counselling, inclusion in sports clubs and informal education sessions. We are excited to continue working in partnership as we build capacity – our strategic goal being the construction and commissioning of a new, purpose-built
Leadership and Talent Centre in Ngong just outside Nairobi. The centre will house up to 25 residents at a time and will serve as a base for rehabilitating more than 100 street youth in the next five years. Beneficiaries will enjoy a longer rehabilitation process – a minimum of six months at a time – where they will undergo a bouquet of activities such as counselling, feeding, sports, non-formal education, vocational skills training, business management skills development, group discussions, camping and other creative engagements which will help to heal them from addictions and motivate them to engage with their families and wider society. We have already identified a plot of land for the centre and we invite you to pray with us as we hone our plans and begin fundraising ahead of the centre’s phased construction. Grace Empowerment and IN Kenya have devised viable means for local income generation to sustain the centre’s running costs. We are very excited to take the next steps with them, and hope that you will share the project details with your families, colleagues and friends. This will be one of International Needs’ largest and most complex projects, and we earnestly seek your support. Turn the page to find out more…
1
14 • in v is i o n
So, what do we need to do to build a new Leadership and Talent Centre?
3
Undertake legal due diligence and buy the land
Dig foundations and start building, plumbing and wiring
Vignettes constructed with LEGO® bricks. LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO Group of companies wh
2
4
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Survey the land and commission detailed architect’s plans
We currently estimate that the project will cost more than £250,000 to implement, but this will depend upon the quantity surveyor’s analysis and availability of local expertise. We have a generous pledge of £25,000 to start us off, but we need your help to accomplish this project.
£2,200
could cover the architect’s fees
£260
Kit centre out and start delivering holistic programme and healthcare
hich does not sponsor, authorise or endorse this appeal.
could go a long way to provide roofing or ceiling supplies
£130
could provide a lorry-load of hard core aggregate
£86
could supply an accessible toilet
£60
could provide a comfortable bed for one of the new residents
£30
could cover a kitchen sink!
16 • in v is i o n
PASTOR JOSHUA
DEPUTATION
We’re delighted that Pastor Joshua Mamai, who spearheads the work amongst street boys in Nairobi will be joining us for a series of special events here in the UK this autumn. He is an impassioned speaker with a genuine heart for the young people he works with, and will share stories that will inspire and challenge you. With a range of activities and locations across the southeast, we hope you will be able to join us for an invigorating taste of Kenya as a counterpoint to the grey drizzle of an autumnal British evening!
Join us at:
Sunday 19 November Westerham Evangelical Church (10:30am)
Pastor Joshua is visiting Westerham Evangelical to share about his work, and why the Lord Jesus is the ultimate rescuer. There will also be a fellowship lunch after the service.
Sunday 19 November Church of the Good Shepherd, Four Marks (7:00pm)
An informal ‘café-style’ gathering, including worship, prayer, a Q&A and Kenyan snacks.
Sunday 26 November Purley Baptist Church (9:30 & 11:15am)
Joshua will be attending two services at Purley Baptist and sharing about his experiences in Nairobi, plus how the Lord has been working in his Street Boys project.
Saturday 2 December Graham Kendrick Concert at St Patrick’s, Wallington (7:30pm)
Come and join for an immersive evening of music and worship, including an update from Pastor Joshua. See also page 26.
Sunday 3 December Godstone Baptist Church (10:30am)
Godstone Baptist is hosting Pastor Joshua during their morning service. In this service he will be talking about providing gospel centred help to street youths in Kenya.
PASTOR JOSHUA Pastor Joshua undertakes work with street youths in Nairobi, Kenya. These are predominantly young men who were abandoned at a young age, and thus lack any form of identification. As a result of this, there is little escape from the streets, and many develop addictions in order to cope with this brutality. Pastor Joshua’s work meets these young men in their situation and provides tangible relief. He offers nutritious meals, counselling from the gospel and a safe haven of the ‘Half-Way House’ that has kept a small number of boys off the streets, allowing them to begin the journey of rehabilitation under Joshua’s guidance. Pastor Joshua’s visit in late November promises to be an inspiring and exciting time raising awareness of what the Lord is doing in this part of the world.
Sunday 3 December St Patrick’s, Wallington (6:00pm)
This evening service will be a relaxed chance to hear Pastor Joshua speak on his experiences and relying on Jesus with opportunity for a Q&A.
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SPONSORSHIP SUCCESS Our Child Sponsorship programme remains an enormously important aspect of International Needs ministry around the world. Linking individual children with donors committed to support them throughout their schooling – for just £25 a month – has a dramatic effect and takes pressure off their whole family. Finishing school with qualifications is a proven route to securing employment and a route out of poverty. Rehema joined the IN Uganda sponsorship programme in 2009 after her father died. Her mother, a subsistence farmer, struggled to make ends meet. Rehema had mobility issues because of a disorder affecting tendons in her legs. Many times, her mother carried her to school or hospital because she could not walk unaided. The IN Uganda team mobilised additional provision – Rehema underwent surgery and her condition was successfully corrected. Rehema worked hard at school and has now graduated from Kampala International University with a Diploma in Clinical Medicine and Community Health. She says: ‘I shall forever give thanks to International Needs for the love shown. I am more than sure that I would not have come this far without their support. My mother would not have managed on her own as a single widowed mother, but IN filled this gap … and see what I have become today! My health condition worried me a lot but was corrected with IN’s help and my legs have never bothered me again. Glory be to God! IN Uganda always gave us an opportunity to hear the word of God and these messages always watered my spiritual life such that I eventually gave my life to Christ – so life changing to me.
‘I gave my life to Christ – so life-changing for me’
Today, I am a proud clinical officer and I am determined to work towards the level of doctor. May the good Lord bless International Needs and my lovely sponsor, for I could not have made it without extra support from IN… and my friend Debbie.’ Sponsorship is a commitment that enriches the donor as well. Rehema’s UK sponsor Debbie comments: ‘We have sponsored many children through International Needs over the years and are always delighted to receive their letters, drawings, photos and updates on their progress. ‘We were overjoyed to learn in our final letter from Rehema that she had successfully completed her diploma and is enrolling for a degree course in radiography. She will work in a team that will help diagnose early stages of cancer. We sponsored her from age 9 and she is now 23. It is extraordinarily humbling that we have been able to help her to live a full life. She is achieving such wonderful academic attainments, which in turn will help countless others. Most important of all is that her journey with the IN programme led her to choose to become a committed Christian. ‘We consider it to be a huge privilege that, for the price of a takeaway, we are able to help IN give a child a whole month of physical and spiritual nourishment, as well as a safe place to play, learn and receive the medical assistance they need to flourish.’
‘For the price of a takeaway, we are able to help’ Could you, like Debbie, support a young person through school? From Burkina Faso to Zambia, £25 a month will empower and enable a child to build a better future. Contact Kim Wright today at: kim@ineeds.org.uk
18 • in v is i o n
A LASTING IMPACT By Zoë Atherton, Communications Officer
You started life in your grandmother’s womb! Or you could more accurately describe it as, ‘the egg that became me’. The cellular life of an egg begins in the womb of our grandmother, (Forbes, 29 August 2012) when our own mother is just a foetus — an extraordinary example of lives being so intrinsically interconnected. The Western world can feel so focused on this concept of ‘self’, that sometimes we fail to recognise the important spiritual connection we have — or could have — with one another. ‘For the body is not one member, but many’ (1 Corinthians 12:14). The choices we make in our earthly life echo into eternity. For the nation of India, for example, a newly defined legacy is that of becoming the first country to reach the moon’s south polar region in August of this year.
But if a moon landing seems out of reach for you, what lasting impact do you envisage leaving behind? Creating lasting impact is largely down to the choices that we make. Choosing to consciously take responsibility for the impression we leave means we must look within and act according to our own values and the spiritual truths we hold dear. Acknowledging these principles will allow us to focus on finding joy through a more meaningful, purposeful life. Guiding our own legacy giving, through a carefully planned Will, is one important way to positively impact the lives of others. Not only can leaving part of your estate to International Needs be a tax-efficient means of giving, it also helps us with our longer-term financial planning.
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8 (New International Version)
in vision • 19
The legacy of giving can be truly transformational for an individual and, in turn, this affects communities — all of which can be regarded as your promise to leave a better future, by ensuring a genuinely lasting impact on people’s lives. If you want to leave a gift to IN UK in your Will, get in touch with us today. Your Will can be something you tend to forget about. But, it can be such a significant way to positively impact other people’s lives. Speak to a Will-writing provider, so you can ensure that your final wishes are respected, whatever the future may hold.
LEAVE A LEGACY GIFT
Get in touch with us! Speak to one of our team to learn more about how your legacy gift can make a difference to communities in our partner countries around the world.
2 0 • in v isi o n
GRACE We’re delighted that Grace Davies has joined the IN team recently as our new Fundraising Executive. Q: What did you do before International Needs? A: After growing up in North Wales, I decided to study History at Durham – partially fuelled by my love of pub quizzes and Horrible Histories. That was really great fun and challenged me no end. I learned a bit about kings (my undergraduate dissertation was on Henry VIII), and a lot about coffee shops. It is rumoured that a certain owner knew my name and order off by heart – a flat white and a rocky road for anyone interested. Having bid farewell to the cobbles, cathedral and castle in July (not too sad to see the back of those hills), I have loved my first few weeks with IN.
Uganda. I was intrigued. What did this charity do? And what did it mean for IN to seek to fulfil John 10:10? After talking to the minister, and doing some Googling, I was impressed. I was struck by the organisation’s development goals and its global network, but mostly by their openness about the Good News of Jesus. So, when I saw this position advertised, I had to apply. I’d love to hear why you choose to support IN, and which of our projects are closest to your heart. Q: What are you looking forward to? I’m so excited to have joined the team and looking forward to getting to know as many of you as I can at some of our upcoming events. The first of these is hosting Pastor Joshua, from the appropriately named Grace Empowerment Project in Kenya. He is visiting from 18 November and has engagements around the country talking about his incredible work with young people on the streets in Nairobi. (Flick back to page 17 to see how you can take part.)
Q: Why have you joined International Needs?
Q: Tell us one surprising thing people won’t know about you?
I first heard of IN when a church I was visiting prayed for their work in
I once broke my wrist while watching friends play tennis!
in vision • 21
IN GOLF DAY
MORE FUNDRAISING EVENTS
Valentine’s Concert, Fairfield Halls: 17 February 2024 Golf Day, Singing Hills: 15 May 2024
(See details of Pastor Joshua’s visit and our much-loved Christmas concert on page 16)
Have you undertaken the
NCERT
O VALENTINE'S C
CHALLENGE OF THE TALENTS?
This autumn, International Needs is challenging you and your church to apply the principles of the Parable of the Talents in a practical way. The aim: to raise money for our proposed new Leadership and Talent Centre in Nairobi, Kenya – seeking to rehabilitate young people currently living on the streets, to restore them from addictions and to provide them with vocational training that will unlock their talent. We are inviting you to become a fundraiser yourself and echo the parable in this way. How can you invest your time and resources? Either as a whole congregation or competitively as smaller groups within your church family, could you take on the challenge of making money grow? Could you unleash the creativity in your church by providing each group with, say, £10 and inviting them to double it (or more!) through wise and prudent investment? Activities could include using the money to buy sponges and buckets, and setting up a car wash for the community on a Sunday morning. A great opportunity for young people to get involved in the mission! Or why not embrace the return this autumn of The Great British Bake-Off by encouraging cookery enthusiasts to buy flour, eggs and sugar and sell their delectable wares to profit this International Needs project. And how about a stand-up comedy night? All you need is a microphone, some drinks and snacks, and some groan-tastic dad jokes. Here’s one for free: ‘What do you call a fish wearing a bow tie?’ ‘Sofishticated.’ Sorry. …and of course, there’s a whole range of sponsored walks/runs/silences that needn’t cost any money at all to stage. Every pound raised will make a huge difference in Kenya, where every day can be a life-or-death struggle. Details at: ineeds.org.uk/challenge-of-the-talents
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GOGLOBAL 2023 has seen the return of our GoGlobal trips, which are an opportunity for supporters to visit our projects and experience life in some of the communities within which we work. The trips are a fantastic way to learn about another culture, the complexities of poverty and help with our projects. Predominantly via our IN partner in Uganda, they also create an accountability platform for our donors.
In July, we took two trips to Uganda. The first was with one of our major school supporters, Eltham College. Kim Wright, our Donor Care Manager led a group of 16 students and two teachers to Buikwe, the base of IN Uganda. The group visited WASH projects in the villages of Kinoni and Nakawuma, met and played games with students from Buikwe school, visited projects in Kiyindi and experienced home visits with local families and sponsored children. The second trip was with the Marshall family, led by Joanna Marshall of St John’s in Burscough, one of our fabulous church supporters. This trip was especially poignant – planned to remember and celebrate the life of Joseph Marshall, and for his family to witness the lasting impact of this legacy of support in Kikwanya. They visited the village, where Rev Dr Sam Luboga presided over a well commissioning – this life-giving source of water being prayed over and dedicated to Joseph, before being presented to the community. There was also an opportunity to worship and offer heartfelt praise to God together. More GoGlobal trips are in the planning stage for 2024. If your small group would be interested in taking part we would love to hear from you. Phil Marshall says: ‘It was fantastic to see the village of Kikwanya which benefitted from the money donated in memory of our youngest son Joseph. Joseph, who loved the Ugandan
By Kirsty Currie, GoGlobal Coordinator people having visited in 2016, would have been proud of the legacy he has left through the three-year WASH project which has benefited around 2,450 people. We saw the well, boreholes and springs that the money paid for as well as toilets and a water tank at St John’s school. A particular highlight for me was seeing a family we have been sponsoring since 2016. Back then, the father, Stefano, was very ill and struggling to feed his family. Fast forward 7 years and he ran around hugging us, smiling, and showing us the letters and photos he has kept over the years. I would encourage anyone to sponsor a child.’ Joanna Marshall says: ‘We met two men in Buikwe who separately told us they had been sponsored children. Both born into families who could not afford to feed and educate them, they are now in employment as a direct result of having been sponsored to get an education. The practical impact of the donations was visible when we visited Kikwanya with International Needs. We had seen the previous water supply - a feeble stream with animals and humans sharing the water. Then we visited the community school and saw the renovated spring-well, toilets, and water tank, providing safe drinking water and sanitation for hundreds of children. The farmer we spoke to had been trying for years to make a boggy area of his land into a useable water source and was absolutely delighted and proud that 60 families now had access to clean water. When showing us the springwell he said he would care for it as though it were one of his children. We met several villagers who were on the WASH committee, they were dedicated to ensuring that the pumps were maintained once IN reduced their involvement, giving us confidence that the improvements would have a lasting and significant impact.’
ON THE MOVE Astute readers of invision who made it all the way to the very end of our last issue will have spotted that we moved to new office space recently. After several enjoyable and productive years on Selsdon High Street, we have moved a few miles down the road in South Croydon. Our new address is 50 Biddulph Road, South Croydon, CR2 6QB. Please update your records and use this for all subsequent correspondence with us. Our telephone number and email addresses remain unchanged. The office move has coincided with a growth of the IN staff team – you’ll have already met Eldred and Grace elsewhere in this issue, and we’re excited about how the new roles they are taking up will help IN flourish. We’re also harnessing the opportunities of working increasingly remotely – Asmau, who writes in this issue, is a member of our team based in Nigeria. Increasing the contact between work on the ground and supporters in the UK, especially new supporters, has also been enabled and strengthened.
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If you’d like one of the team to speak at your church, midweek group or community group, or even your place of work, we would genuinely love to hear from you. As a smaller charity, sharing our impact by word of mouth through supporters like you already engaged in our mission is one of the best possible ways to reach new audiences. As we move towards Christmas (with The Big Give’s Christmas Challenge) and the new year, we are grateful to God that we will mark our fiftieth anniversary as an International Needs Network in 2024. Plans will be unveiled in due course, but we would love to hear how you first encountered IN, why you support us and any highlights of your experiences with us. Drop us a line at inuk@ineeds.org.uk with your reflections, photos and even videos. You make International Needs what it is, so thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generous giving, selfless volunteering, faithful praying, creative fundraising, brilliant ideas and all the other ways you help us to empower families worldwide.
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REPORTING THE UNDER-REPORTED By David Giles, Head of Communications
When Niger was rocked by a military coup d’état on 23 July – led by none other than the former presidential guard commander General Abdourahamane Tchiani – the world’s media awoke. Headlines and TV news bulletins described the scenes in Niamey as military junta seized power. We learned how the coup closed Niger’s borders, suspended state institutions, and implemented curfews. Reports descibed the detention of the country’s President Mohamed Bazoum, and the crushing effects on daily life and economic progress. It's Niger’s fifth coup since 1960. Neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali have, between them, experienced four military takeovers since 2020. For the Ouagadougou regime, there were two coups in 2022 alone. Some commentators have described the Sahel region – an east-to-west swathe of Africa that includes these countries – as a ‘coup belt’. Analysts understand that the takeovers (and attempted takeovers) have been rife due to frustrations over governing authorities’ failure to stem a rebel uprising blighting the whole Sahel. But while the media was focused on telling the story in Niamey, the unrest in Burkina
Faso is perhaps the world’s most underreported conflict. More than two million people have been forced from their homes in parts of rural Burkina Faso – that’s nearly 10% of the population. Or to put it another way, equivalent to the entire population of Birmingham and Wolverhampton combined. More than 10,000 civilians, members of the armed forces and police officers have been killed in the violence, where jihadists attack villages largely unable to defend themselves. ‘The jihadists killed our neighbour,’ a 12-year-old Burkinabe girl told one reporter for The Economist. ‘His children were my friends.’ The rare report goes on to tell how this girl’s family fled their village immediately afterwards but are ‘still not safe’. It describes how the jihadists strike frequently nearby and how, at the local school, children regularly practise what to do if terrorists attack. It’s shocking. But what is our response to this as Christians? It’s too simplistic to blame either individual extremists or to tar a whole faith group with the evil perpetrated in its name. For its part, the junta claims to be an agent of peace and stability, where previous governments have failed. It’s far from black and white.
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While we grapple with how best to pray and what part a Christian voice can play in bringing about reconciliation, ongoing psychological harm among young people is a current reality. That’s why, with your help, we’ve implemented a full programme of trauma care at our school in BoboDioulasso. La Bonne Nouvelle – our school in Bobo-Dioulasso, the country’s second city – was extended with new classrooms last year. These are now fully occupied, with 250+ places filled with students who have been forcibly displaced from their home villages.
I saw my father's blood spilled and I couldn't forget. I had a lot of nightmares and I was afraid. I went to La Bonne Nouvelle School and they looked after me. With your continued support, our team is now also delivering a range of therapeutic after-school activities. These are designed so that the activities are familiar to the students, rebuilding positive connotations with their former rural life. They’re intended to be fun, and they’re also planned to that participants will develop skills which can help them gain employment and help lift them out of dire economic straits. The conflict in Burkina Faso may be under-reported, but we haven’t forgotten. Can you help us build for these young people’s future?
DIEUDONNÉ KONE
19 JULY 1986 – 25 AUGUST 2023
We were shocked to learn of Dieudonné's death in August, after complications from dengue fever. Danny Morris writes: ‘I got to know Dieudonné in 2015 when I first travelled out to meet the team. We developed a firm friendship and partnership that was able to move our project forward with increased support. He was a thoughtful, kind, considerate, and intelligent young man. We readily laughed at our own mistakes and misdemeanours, and he willingly forgave my cultural clumsiness. He persuaded me to initiate the maternity unit project and more latterly the expansion of the classrooms at La Bonne Nouvelle school. It was his skill in the administration of the medical centre and latterly other projects in Burkina, that gave partners confidence. We fail to comprehend why this has happened, but we give thanks to God for the steadfast race he ran. Please pray for his widow Nafi and their two children Leslie (9) and Prince (6), as well as his parents Pastor Jean and Rachel, Esaie, and Tabitha, the wider family, and the community of Bobo that will dearly miss him. If you would like to write a letter to send to his loved ones and the IN team, please send this to our office marked for Dieudonné and we will compile all communication from everyone. We have also created a special page at remembr.com/dieudonne.kone on which you can share messages of condolence or your own memories of Dieudonné.’
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The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2023 One donation, twice the impact We are delighted to be part of this nationwide fundraising initiative again this year – the UK’s biggest match-funded campaign. For seven days, the challenge offers supporters of participating charities the opportunity to double their donations – and, in doing so, make an extraordinary difference to the world’s most significant needs.
Join International Needs at a concert led by the doyen of contemporary Christian music, Graham Kendrick, to kick off the Christmas season. Graham, and his handpicked band, will provide an inspirational evening of worship. Amid the busyness of the season, we will pause to reflect on the true meaning of the Christmas message, and enjoy some of Graham’s truth- and Spirit-filled songs. We’ll also be joined by Pastor Joshua Malai from Grace Empowerment in Kenya, and hear more about how he ministers to children and young people living on the streets of Nairobi.
Simply put, every donation you make via the special Big Give website from 28 November to 5 December is DOUBLED at no cost to you. Donate £10 and we receive £20. Donate £100 and we receive £200. You get the idea! Where applicable, Gift Aid also applies. Check out ineeds.org.uk nearer the time to find out which initiative we are raising money for this year and how you can follow our progress over what will be a fast and fun week of fundraising.
Find out more on our website, and we hope to see you at St Patrick’s Church in Wallington on Saturday 2 December. Christmas jumpers welcome but optional!
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IN UK Trustees/Staff Day International Needs UK staff gathered together with our fabulous board of trustees in Otford Manor, Kent, last month for prayer, worship and to share vision on the theme ‘New beginnings’. Attendees were challenged to consider how IN UK might adapt and grow in the next few years, in order to meet the ever-increasing needs presenting themselves around the world. The packed schedule included glimpses of potential new projects and how technologies such as AI might be harnessed.
Holiday clubs in Türkiye Hundreds of children and young people in Antakya (formerly known as Antioch) have been enjoying time together at International Needs-run holiday clubs. Held in areas hit badly by February's earthquake, this is the first opportunity for many to gather en masse for fun, food and discussions about matters of morality and faith. Participants have also been given packages of stationery, craft materials, a first aid kit, flip flops and other essentials — lots of things to do, as schools are still unable to open in many areas. IN has also blessed the mothers of children attending by providing mobile hairdressing services and peer support groups.
SurfStage 2023 Snapshots from SurfStage. A huge thank you to everyone who helped us raise more than £3,000 for our projects around the world! Registered Charity Number 1175526