Organisation
Reflections of the Executive Board on the pandemic year 2020 Interview with Chief Executive Officer Chris Lukkien and Chief Programme Officer Edwin Visser The year 2020 was unprecedented for everyone. A virus that made no distinction between rich and poor raged through the world. The pandemic and lockdowns had a major impact on ZOA's work, both in the Netherlands and in the field. But even in this unparalleled year, ZOA could say “We are here.” We have proven to be a very adaptable organisation.
Edwin
Chris
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Looking back on this year, what are you most proud of? Chris: In spite of the pandemic, our work continued. Countless people received much-needed help, and lives were changed for the better. We had to adapt our way of working as everything went online. I am exceptionally proud that our staff managed to adapt so quickly. They have shown tremendous commitment. Edwin: Our slogan is "We are here." COVID certainly provided an extra challenge in making that a reality, but our teams in the field and at headquarters worked incredibly hard. Projects in numerous countries were quickly amended to include COVID-sensitive responses, such as a greater focus on hygiene promotion and the distribution of hygiene kits. How did this year’s results differ from expectations? Chris: Many projects faced COVID-related delays. Two countries felt the greatest impact, as donor funding was reduced quite dramatically: COVID was stated as a
contributing factor. As far as programme support from the Netherlands, we had to address the challenge of not being able to travel. Normally, sector specialists visit project sites regularly for training, guidance, and support. However, much of the training went online. While this proved to be a very efficient way of providing training, it will never replace face-to-face interaction. Edwin: We had to cancel door-to-door collection in the Netherlands. We could not visit schools, and events such as the New Wine conference and Opwekking were cancelled. Despite this, our donors and supporters were tremendously faithful and gave generously. Chris: In spite of the uncertainty, they were confronted with themselves, we received significantly higher income from private donors, businesses, and trusts & foundations. We are tremendously grateful for that. Edwin: However, some donors reduced their funding. This left several country programmes with a financial shortfall, and we needed to use some of our reserves to compensate for this. For ZOA to remain financially healthy, cost savings and careful cost management are inevitable in 2021. What risks and uncertainties were highlighted in this past year? Chris: COVID-19 impacts poor countries even harder than the West, and more people were driven into poverty. At the same time, we fear aid and development money will reduce, as Western governments focus on addressing the impact of
