GLOBAL HAND CHARITY INC

GLOBAL
HAND
CHARITY
35 scholarship
students,
14 students with
hearing aids
22 students with
glasses
1000’s of school text
books distributed,
1 community learning
centre completed and
handed over
GLOBAL HAND CHARITY INC
GLOBAL HAND CHARITY INC
The annual report for the association Global Hand Charity for the
Financial Year 2013 to 2014.
GLOBAL HAND CHARITY INC
GLOBAL HAND CHARITY INC
CONTENTS
Chairpersons Report .............................................................................................................................. 2
Treasurers Report.................................................................................................................................. 4
Project Reports ...................................................................................................................................... 5
Laos visits ............................................................................................................................................ 17
Regulations, protocols and constitution................................................................................................ 16
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GLOBAL HAND CHARITY INC
GLOBAL HAND CHARITY INC
CHAIRPERSONS REPORT
It has been another incredible year and my thanks as always must go to the most marvelous and
supportive committee. A special thank you to Mark Horwood for his endless energy and commitment,
Jennifer Musgrave for her continued unflagging efforts to keep us documented, Sandy Tran for her
company in Laos and her incredible fund raising skills, and Kyla Garic for stepping up as treasurer, and
Peter Stevens for his support. Then in recent months Reggie has joined us as our medical expert and
we appreciate her interest and dedication. I must acknowledge the amazing work of the people in Laos
who support and make the work that we do possible, thank you amazing lady Chantha (Luang Prabang
librarian and most hardworking Laotian), Ruth from Laos Kids and also Bob Anderson from Community
Learning International (CLI). We said goodbye and thank you so much to Madame Xuyen Dangers and
her husband Skip who devoted so much of their lives to the Laotian community and whose wise and
uncompromising support has taught us a lot and we are grateful to her for all her energy. Thank you to
all
Global Hand Charity (www.globalhandcharity.org.au) continues to grow and thrive based largely on the
efforts of the team and the support of some amazing benefactors (many of whom choose to remain
anonymous). The charity has become a legal charity in Australia as it was registered with the ACNC
Australian National Charity regulator and now waits to see the fate of AusAid as the charity seeks its
own tax deductibility status.
The fundraising continues to be highly successful, with a dinner in Melbourne in August 2013 that
raised over $50,000 much of which has been set aside for hearing aids, and then in Perth at the end of
March 2014 another $19,000 was raised. Currently Global Hand Charity has $125,000 ready to spend
to support a vast array of projects in Laos and across the world. The funds are broken down in detail in
the treasurer’s budget report.
In 2013 the charity made important changes to the constitution to enable it to work anywhere in the
world and provided it with the ability to support of medical as well as educational projects The charity
has remained focused on Laos, but we are looking to expand our charity into other countries. However,
each country needs a champion to ensure due process and ensure that we continue to oversee EVERY
dollar of donated funds reach their intended destination.
Some of the funds raised through the dinners enabled us to employ staff in Laos; we pay for Chantha’s
time (we pay CLI) for a few days per month as she is almost magical in how she manages projects and
we have a student training with her that will be able to help us when Chantha has other calls on her
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time. Ny is a lovely capable young woman who has been learning English and now has a global hand
email address and gets $100 per month full time pay starting on 1st July 2014.
This year has seen three trips to Laos. The one in November/December saw the return of audiologist,
Michael, to fit the hearing aids and three optometrists from the University of Melbourne (Kwang, Alex
and Christine) who travelled at their own expense with all their equipment to test the eyes of the
children at the Deaf Centre and children in the remote Pax Xang district. Volunteers in the form of Leith
and two of Curtin’s graduands arrived at the Deaf Mute Centre to run a fantastic drawing programme
around identity using the medium of painting and drawing. Three Rotarians came up to perform repairs
and to fit out and equip the bicycle repair shed and young volunteers brought to Laos funds they had
raised to put up a basketball hoop and sport(?) equipment.
On the second trip, in February 2014, we met with Chantha and Ruth from Laos Kids (and Tanoak Lao
Restaurant) to work on supporting medical projects and other further education projects. This trip saw
talks with the indomitable Sister Catherine, who is unfortunately showing her age and slowing down
(just a little) and we have promised to help her start a cottage industry in early December. We have
been very lucky, albeit in very sad circumstances, to have the support of the Benwell family. Katie
Benwell was a wonderful Global Hand ambassador when she traveled to Laos leading the Curtin
Graduands in 2013(2012?). We were devastated to hear of her passing in early 2013 and we were
honoured to create several playgrounds with swings, slides and see-saws. ‘Katie’s Playground’s were
opened with ceremonies filled with delight, joy and balloons. Katie’s wonderful family have financially
supported Global Hand and Katie’s Mum, Liz and sister, Lara have volunteered to help us create
Sister’s cottage industry with many creative ideas.
The final trip at the end of June saw three lecturers from Curtin University run professional learning
course for teachers and deaf students at the Deaf Mute School. Fifteen teachers from 5 schools
including the Deaf Mute School, Hoikor, and Luksip schools came from their villages to attend the
Professional Learning workshop using drawing and pictures to teach the science of flowers.
Early 2014 saw the return of marketing and advertising manager Minh Dang and we welcome his
energy and enthusiasm back to the team helped by the very able Sam Burke who is a functions
organizer as well as qualified hairdresser. Sam has volunteered to return to Laos to teach the girls in
early December 2014.
I’d like to thank Lina Souki-Smidt for her help and support in tracking and planning the progress of
Global Hand as it seeks to continue to form partnerships and reach AusAid accreditation.
Again can I personally thank all the board members for donating some much of their valuable time and
energy? It would not be possible without you.
Dr. Rachel Sheffield
Chairperson
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TREASURERS REPORT
(Please see the attached report for details from Treasurer Kyla Martin)
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PROJECT REPORTS PAX XANG LEARNING CENTRE
PROJECTS
Overview
1) Pax Xang
2) Medical Programme Hearing and Sight
3) Technical Learning and Support
4) Hoikor School Partnership with North Beach Primary School
5) Scholarships
6) Sponsored Students at Deaf Mute Centre
PAX XANG LEARNING CENTRE
Project Details
Building a Community Learning Centre in
Pax Xang 3 hours north of Luang Prabang.
There has been a learning centre here for
many years with staff working in a small
leaky space with 85-100 students. New
building will now house the students in a
new 2 room building with toilets.
Project Costs
$29,000 completion. The project has been
completed and we were very proud at the
opening when the final stage was
completed.
The building opened on the Dec visit with much excitement and fanfare from the local District and all the
local dignitaries and children. The centre will be a fantastic resource for the very poor community.
Although Laos’ politics dictate that the centre is now an asset of the local government, it is funded and
staffed by CLI.
MEDICAL PROJECT- HEARING AND SIGHT
Project Details
Sandy Tran identified the need to test the children’s hearing at the Deaf Mute Centre in November
2012. Testing the hearing of the deaf mute children by Michal Waloszek commenced in February 2013;
initially 44 children were tested with 15 children identified as having the ability to benefit from hearing
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aids and another 9 later identified as possible hearing aids recipients. It was discussed by the experts
at the Balance Hearing Centre and finally 14 children were fitted with hearing aids. (One student was
expelled from the Centre and was not there when we returned to fit them in November 2013). A total of
26 hearing aids were supplied at cost by Siemens
Annual Maintenance is provided by Balance Hearing and they have consented to send an audiologist to
Luang Prabang on an annual basis to take ear mold impressions for replacement hearing aids as the
children grow out of their old ones. This is subject to United Travel Corporation covering all the
travelling costs including accommodation, food & travel insurance. Hearing aid costs are paid for
through Siemens at $800 per set (left & right ears) (the manufacturer provides a 1 year warranty).We
are still hoping to bring in trained experts and also to train teachers to support the children
Funds have been set aside to continue to support this amazing programme and to provide on-going
speech pathology. However, it has proven difficult to source a trained speech pathologist in Laos.
Three dedicated and hard-working optometrists from the University of Melbourne came on the trip with
Global Hand Charity and tested the eyes of the children at the Centre, then were able to prescribe 22
pairs of glasses. They also tested the eyes of the children at Pax Xang during the hand-over ceremony
of the new community learning centre.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT PROGRAMMES
Project Details
Sister Catherine has created a technical centre for 26 female students near Luang Prabang. It is built
but it is not furnished and has limited plumbing and basic electricity. The rooms are furnished although
bringing in staff to train the girls and the older boys has been a slow process
Weaving room – 6 looms and a teacher has been supported
Computer room – 12 computers provided in association with Lions
Sewing room Hair and beauty room Cooking room Funds from Belmont Rotary Club have been used to furnish the computer room and pay for a weaving
person for 12 months to teach weaving. Two older boys, with the assistance of a signing teacher, have
been to the local technical school to learn carpentry. Future trips will also focus on hairdressing and
beauty. Global Hand Charity have provided funds for classes in dress making and hair dressing with
classes commencing in the upcoming school year.
Sister has requested funds to finish the centre and we sent her $4000 US (Aug 2013) to continue the
process.
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HOIKOR SCHOOL PATNERSHIP WITH NORTH BEACH PRIMARY SCHOOL
We are continuing to promote and facilitate the relationship between North Beach Primary school and
Hoikor School. North Beach PS are very supportive and have continued to raise money through the year
for a variety of projects including a playground, jackets for the cold weather and a pair of shoes for every
child, ceilings in the classrooms and concrete for the new path from the school to the village.
The school is always a great place to visit with
the children and staff so pleased to see us and
have us support them. We certainly could not
complete this task without the enthusiastic
support of the wonderful teachers in both
schools including Shelley Curry, Paula Youst
and Mandy Hibbs here at North Beach Primary
School.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Project Details
Provided $100 - $200 to support a student to attend University for 12 months. A total of 35 scholarships
were issued for 2013/2014. There are still some students who have not graduated and so we are
continuing to support them when we can. This a great project and so we are keen to continue the offer
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opportunities to students who are prepared to be volunteers and mentors to their younger peers. Madame
Xuyen has retired and this programme has stalled temporarily until we can find someone to take over the
programme and supervise the students to ensure they complete their charity volunteer work.
SPONSORED STUDENTS
Project Details
Global Hand Charity was able to provide sponsorship for every student at the Deaf Mute School. Sister
was distressed that she was unable to feed and clothe them for 12 months. Our brilliant sponsors came
to Sisters’ rescue and all the students were sponsored for 12 months.
Each sponsor received a picture drawn by the child and a card with their photo, name and age.
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LAOS VISITS
ROTARY VOLUNTEERS NOVEMBER 2013
Outcomes
1) Hearing and Vision – audiologist and optometrists to test the students at the Deaf Mute Centre
2) Technical support 3) Drawing through Curtin UniversityTRIP 2013 NOVEMBER
This was a huge trip of volunteers and helpers, including a team of Optometrists from Melbourne
University, Kwang, Christine and Alex, who came and tested the Deaf Mute children and found a large
number with eye issues and 22 needing glasses. Michal from Balance Hearing returned to fit the hearing
aids and ensure that they were at maximum capacity to help the children to hear. David Rowell, John
Mansfield and Mike Davies were able to set up the workshop and help the older boys with bike repairs
and servicing. Leith Hogan from Curtin University and two students Amy and Angela ran drawing and
painting workshops to help the deaf children to learn to communicate and express themselves. Luke
Calarese, Aaron Musgrave and Jennifer Musgrave worked to help install the computers for the students
at the centre to the children’s excitement.
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TRIP 2014 FEBRUARY
The trip was the smallest I had ever taken to Laos. Mark and I went up to Laos for 5 days to meet with
Sister Catherine, Ruth of Laos Kids and Chantha in Luang Prabang.
Conversations resulted in us forging a new and exciting relationship with Laos Kids and the wonderful
and indomitable Ruth. We are working to help by providing medical equipment for the Luang Prabang
Hospital. This equipment is sourced from China by Ruth.
We checked the hearing aids to ensure the children were wearing and maintaining them and also their
glasses as the optometrists had outlined.
TRIP 2014 JUNE
The trip was amazing due to in large part the wonderful and terrific people that gave up their time to
come. I would like to thank the amazing Leith Hogan who created, designed and ran the 2 day
workshop with the support and EA assistance of Associate Lina Pellicione, Dean of the School of
Education and Dr Rachel Sheffield. Curtin University staff designed a Teacher Professional Learning
Programme specifically to provide the teachers of the Deaf Mute School with skills and strategies to aid
them to communicate more effectively with the deaf children. There were 15 teachers from the Deaf
Mute School and several others including Hoikor, Luksip and Moungkome primary schools.
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REGULATIONS, PROTOCOLS AND CONSTITUTION
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Join Now.
Global Hand Charity Inc is an incorporated body which supports local communities across Asia with a
focus in Laos.
By partnering in low cost - high impact projects in Laos, Global Hand Charity improves the educational
and humanitarian opportunities for children. Global Hand Charity has built wells and toilet blocks that
improve sanitation which in turn decreases the rate of disease and infant mortality. Over the last 5
years the volunteer teams have contributed to building libraries, wells and other facilities. Currently the
focus is on a Community Learning Centre to provide improved educational opportunities for children.
Our aim is helping children by providing opportunities for children wither in Laos or where need has
been identified internationally. In 2013 Global Hand Charity brought a volunteer audiologist to Laos to
tested children at a Deaf Mute Centre in Luang Prabang. It was discovered that of the 44 children
tested 15 would, with assistance, be able to hear and consequently re-join their local communities. The
focus now is to raise funds to pay for the hearing aids and follow up support and then to concentrate on
optometry.
Global Hand Charity Inc. is supported by Mill Point Rotary Club in Western Australia and is registered
with Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) and consequently all donations are taxdeductible and 100% reaches the project recipients.
Global Hand Charity Inc. is seeking members who care about improving the lives of children in our
region.
You can assist simply by joining the association for $25 a year. You could assist in fundraising, donate
or volunteer to assist either in Australia or in Laos depending upon your skill set. Global Hand Charity
Inc. is a responsible organisation and takes all steps possible to ensure the safety of volunteers abroad.
You can make a difference – regardless of the financial or time resources available. All donations over
$2.00 to Global Hand Charity are tax deductible through RAWCS.
Your support is vital; please complete the Membership application form on the website.
Thank you
Dr. Rachel Sheffield (Chair)
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www.globalhandcharity.org.au
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GLOBAL HAND CHARITY Inc.
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Membership Fees: $25 per year. A year’s membership covers the financial year Electronic Funds
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INFORMATION for APPLICANTS
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If your application is accepted, your name and address, as provided above, must be recorded in a register of members
and be made available to other members, upon request, under section 27 of the Associations Incorporation Act.
If the obligations under the Associations Incorporation Act are not complied with the Association can be wound up.
You can contact the Association at PO Box 1130, South Perth
You can access or update personal information (your name and address) by contacting the Association as indicated above.
OTHER INFORMATION
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If your application is accepted you are entitled to inspect and make a copy of the register of members under section 27
of the Associations Incorporation Act.
If your application is accepted you are entitled to inspect and make a copy of the rules (constitution) of the association
under section 28 of the Associations Incorporation Act.
If your application for membership is rejected by the Committee: You may give notice of your intention to appeal within 14 days of being
advised of the rejection (rule 5(4)). The Association in a general meeting, no later than the next annual general meeting, must confirm or
set aside the decision of the Committee rejecting your application, after giving you a reasonable opportunity to be heard or to make written
representations to the general meeting (rule 5(5)).
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CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES
INTRODUCTION:
During the Global Hand Inc. (GHC) general meeting on 16 July 2013, it was decided opinion was required
by 30 August 2013 on two issues. Those issues were minuted as follows:
1. To check if any changes to our Rules of Association are necessary to meet ACNC requirements.
2. To investigate if Sister Catherine’s request for funds to build a fence around her facility falls with
the ACNC scope of “charitable works”.
ACNC is understood to be the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, the “independent
national regulator of charities”.
This report concludes respectively as follows:
1. No Constitutional Changes are required for registration as charity with the ACNC.
2. It is uncertain whether AusAID will deem the fence/wall construction a Welfare activity. If electing
to proceed, it may help characterisation of the fence/wall construction as a development activity
(rather than a Welfare activity) if all of GHCs activities for the school are formalised under one
“School Development Program” agreement.
It should be noted that the report conclusions are not definitive, and the report was produced with limited
time and with several variables as identified.
CONTEXT
It is useful to note that these issue is raised against backdrop of planned organisational change to allow
GHC to become an eligible receive AusAID grants and gain tax deductible status for donors for its
overseas objectives, and to better effect GHCs aims.
The intended timeframe is understood to be 4 years, and the stages of transformation were understood
to be as follows:
Stage 1:
Register with the ACNC as a Charity.
This is to be recognised by the Australian Government as a charity.
Stage 2:
Obtain accreditation as an Approved Organisation under AusAID’s Overseas
Aid Gift Deduction Scheme (OAGDS).
This is to allow donations to GHC be tax deductible, as usual DGR status is not
available where the charitable benefit is outside Australia.
Stage 3:
Apply to become an accredited NGO with AusAID.
This is understood to be a criteria for eligibility to apply for most if not all forms of
grant and assistance from AusAID.
Stage 4:
Apply for grants from AusAID
This report is only concerned with Constitutional changes required for registration as a charity with the
ACNC (i.e. Stage 1), and whether funding for a proposed activity is precluded from consideration in
OAGDS accreditation for being excluded as a Welfare Activity.
ISSUE 1:
ARE CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES REQUIRED FOR ACNC
REGISTRATION?
At the time of writing this report, the ACNC openly acknowledges that it is relatively new and is still
developing its registration criteria. Registration currently appears to focus on simply determining that the
applying organisation complies with the definition of a ‘charity’.
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Again, the ACNC notes that it is still developing what constitutes a ‘charity’, but appears to utilise
reference to the current legal definition in the meantime – presumably comparing it with the applicant
organisation’s constitution.
The current legal definition of ‘charity’ is set out in ATO tax ruling TR 2011/4. For the present purposes it
states that charitable objects/activities must:
1. be “within the spirit and intendment of the Statute of Elizabeth”, and which means the purpose
must be within the ‘four heads of charity’ and being:
a. the relief of poverty;
b. the advancement of education;
c. the advancement of religion; and
d. other purposes beneficial to the community.
2. for the public benefit, or deemed to be for the public benefit by legislation applying for that purpose
(the public benefit requirement).
The purpose of the GHC is its stated Objects as found in rule 3, which read:
(a) To identify educational, health and/or social development needs in poor and/or disadvantaged regions
desirous of address (“needs”).
(b) To do, on a not-for-profit basis, any activity necessary to select, develop, implement, support, review
and/or maintain supported project(s) intended to address the need(s).
(c) To raise awareness of the need(s) and/or support for the supported project(s), and including from
individuals, associations, organisations and/or governments.
The GHC objects appear to fall squarely within the meaning of ‘charity’, particularly since rule 4 provides
that property and income of GHC must be applied toward the objects only.
It is the writer’s opinion that no Constitutional Changes are required for registration as charity with the
ACNC.
ISSUE 2:
NATURE OF THE PROPOSED FENCE/RETAINING WALL TRANSACTION.
Despite the statement of the issue in the minutes, it is understood the issue for determination might be
better put as follows:
Would monies provided for the proposed fence/retaining constitute funding of a Welfare Activity, and
therefore exclude from consideration for OAGDS accreditation?
Part 1 of OAGDS accreditation requires the applicant organisation to show, among other things, that “Its
activities are focused on development and/or relief covering at least one and preferably two years”.
Excluded from development and/or relief activities are, among other activities, Welfare Activities. The key
distinction of a welfare activity would appear to be the activity is performed with the sole purpose of
fulfilling an immediate need, rather than simply being a step toward a development or relieve purpose.
In this case, it understood that GHC is providing assistance for the establishment and running of a self
sufficient school to teach young women (particularly skills to earn an income independently, and apart
from prostitution), and who are normally subjugated to violence and maltreatment within the region and
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may not otherwise be able to obtain more than a rudimentary education. It is understood to be a rare safe
haven of learning for a vulnerable class.
Although effectively run by a nun, Sister Catherine, it is understood that the school is non-denominational
and therefore assistance given is not at risk of being excluded as a religious activity.
GHC is helping out the school in various ways to facilitate the school. One of the proposals is to assist
by providing funds building a fence/retaining wall for the school.
The writer is unfamiliar with the construction of the area. The writer has been informed the fence/wall is
required for security reasons, including preventing theft and destruction of crops – which crops are
understood to be the food supply of attending students. The writer has also been told that the purpose of
the wall/fence is protect the school infrastructure from damage and/or destruction from a landslide or
flooding.
Whether the fence/wall is regarded as a Welfare Activity or not by AusAID, will probably depend upon
how AusAID views the purpose of the fence/wall.
It is the writers view that if AusAID would be more likely to consider the fence/wall construction if it formed
part of an overall “school development program”. In this regard, it may help characterisation as a
development activity if the school program incorporates the construction of fence as one of the several
activities being provided for the overall benefit of the school.
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