Christmas update

[Stuart Kempster]

Hello

Just a little update on where we're at going into the new year.

Firstly, the 2013 conditions for the DFID grant have now been met. So
all good on that front. As soon as we get approval, we'll be publishing
all transfers of funds via IATI (http://www.aidtransparency.net/about).
This was a condition of the grant, but its a really good initiative for
aid transparency, and it's really starting to take off now so its good
for us to be involved with.

The project in Bulawayo seems to be coming along slowly but surely.
There are still a few issues regarding monitoring to be ironed out, but
I think we're almost there. The numbers of children reached over the
last couple of months has exceeded our targets (by a long way in some
cases), but as yet we've got no data on the number of successful cases
(that should start to come through in January).

With regard to the shipping of computers to Zimbabwe, I've been talking
to IT Schools Africa about developing a partnership in the new year.
They run a 'Computers For Zimbabwean Schools' project, which has the
organisational capacity to ensure delivery, security, teacher training,
and local IT support and maintenance - which we don't.
(http://www.itschoolsafrica.org/content/view/17/)

We have 30 full PCs, and a further 20 monitors (with an offer from
another NGO to donate base units for these) which need shipping ASAP. As
these have already been promised to a school in Bulawayo, this will have
to be done independently of CfZS, although they will help with the
shipping. From then on it's hoped that any work we do in this area will
be in partnership with them.

In the new year we'd like to put in place more structured roles for
volunteers - so have a think about what sort of things you'd personally
like to be most involved with, and we can discuss it in more detail in
January. Our main goal next year will be to increase the number of
standing order donors. The target is to recruit 400 over the next 2
years (which is ambitious, but possible!!), so also be thinking of ways
we could achieve this.

Finally, just a small note about Global Giving. I think quite a few
people have the log-in details for this now - if you make changes to the
GG page or project for any reason, please could you email Vuli or myself
to let us know. When changes are made we get an email from GG, but
sometimes these emails come through by mistake. It would be helpful if
we knew when changes were being made so we can report these errors to GG.

Have a great Christmas, and I will hopefully see you all in the new year!

Stuart.