EXPERIENCE. LEARN. CHANGE. 2008 –2009 Annual Report

EXPERIENCE. LEARN. CHANGE.
2008 – 2009 Annual Report
Investing in Human Potential
“Sustained social
change begins only
when individuals are
able to engage critically
in the world around
them; becoming
conscious of their own
capacity, and their
abilities to better their
own conditions and the
conditions of others."
2
Table of Contents
Letter from the CEO
4
Values and Mission Statement
6
SEED Overseas
10
SEED In Canada
16
Financials
22
Support and Staff
25
3
Letter from the CEO
Friends,
As is our tradition, it is with great resolve that SEED offers a review of this year‟s activities,
challenges, successes, and adventures in our third annual report. Much like any small yet growing
organization, we have experienced many changes this year, ones that we hope increase the efficacy
of our work and ones that introduce more critical thought into our movement.
Our goal to provide scholarships for students overseas is still the foundation of our work, and is part
of ensuring that the opportunity for sustainable positive change survives in various communities. In
addition, this program reminds us all that we are living in an interconnected world where dreams are
unified, transcending cultures and boundaries.
Over the past year, SEED has become a reflection of its dynamic members, and as such, it has
continued to evolve into a new version of itself. In the spirit of learning by doing, members have often
jumped into new situations and partnerships, realizing lessons along the way. It is in this spirit that we
have titled our annual report: Experience, Learn, Change.
So what‟s different? First off, we have taken great leaps in organizational administration. It is official –
SEED is a registered charity and tax receipts will be issued to all donors from this year onwards.
Many of you have been with us for years, and we thank you for supporting us without Revenue
Canada‟s stamp of approval.
In addition, SEED‟s scholarship program opens school doors for 123 students in Zambia and Kenya.
And in the upcoming academic year an additional 50 primary and high school students in northern
Kenya will go to school under our program.
Our new agent model – where each SEED member is paired with donors and students – grows, as
dedicated SEED interns and volunteers become agents. This year, Adrienne Lee, Soraya Esmail,
along with the summer interns Piyumi Galapatti and Nidhi Sachdeva, whom have all volunteered
countless hours with SEED, join the agent roster. We hope to continue improving our communication
and relationship with you, our donors.
4
Finally, our relationship with our overseas and Canadian partners is stronger. Angela Malik
at Kondwa and Daniel Ogola from CSG continue to share their expertise and perspective
in order to improve the scholarship program and maximize the efficacy of SEED‟s work. In
addition, Education Generation and Global Agents for Change have committed to raising
another year of funds for Kenyan students.
In this annual report, learn more about our students‟ communities, overseas partners,
summer internships, our work here in Canada, and how each dollar is spent in our
financial outline. We hope you‟ll find answers among these pages, and if there are any
ambiguities or things for us to consider as an organization, please let us know – we‟re
eager to improve.
Former UN special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, Stephen Lewis writes, “Placing every
child in a classroom has never been more urgent than it is today.” We hear the call; let‟s
meet this challenge together.
In solidarity,
Anu Singh and Eileen Knowles
Co-founders, SEED Canada, 2008-2009
We encourage you to log onto our brand new website at http://seedcan.net.
Check it out!
5
What We Stand For
Ideology
Students for Education, Empowerment and Development (SEED) was
created by a group of nine university students in 2005 who were passionate
about the barriers that existed in Lusaka for those who wished to access
education. As students themselves, they realized the profound impact that
formal education can have on an individual's ability to contribute to their
community and surroundings.
Initially an organization that focused solely on the provision of scholarships
to students who could not afford to go to school, SEED is now a grassroots
community of people in all corners of the world. Members of this movement
work not only to gather funds, but also to engage themselves and others in
continual discussion about 'development' as well as promote individual and
collective empowerment as one of the many tools necessary to create
sustained social change.
Overall, SEED believes that every human being has the potential to
positively affect her or his conditions and those of others. We define
empowerment as the realization of this potential, and we hope that learning
through our movement and creating the opportunity for young people to
become students will deepen our sense of empowerment and similarly allow
other youth to act as authors of their own development.
6
Mission Statement
Our mission is to mobilize individuals towards the realization of their personal
potential -- in other words, we work to empower people. We do this by investing in
education, as we believe that the knowledge, social development, and cognitive
tools that are developed through learning create a foundation which allows people
to positively affect their own conditions and the conditions of those around them.
Methodology
SEED works to non-invasively provide individuals with access to one of the tools
that facilitates empowerment – social and formal education. We do this by:
•establishing an intimate relationship with and providing scholarships for students
in overseas communities. Relationships allow for cross-cultural communication,
while scholarships facilitate students' access to formal and social education.
•establishing community projects locally and overseas that present opportunities
for individual and community empowerment.
•providing Canadian university students with social education through
participation in SEED internship programs
•critically and constantly re-evaluating our programs, and maintaining a
grassroots operation methodology
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So, What’s Changed?
This past year, SEED has refined some of the structural changes of previous years with
some minute yet important changes. Although small, these transformations will hopefully
have profound impact on the efficacy of SEED projects as members continue to spread
out to different corners of the world. Details of these changes are outlined below.
The Scholarship Program
The most significant change in the Scholarship Program this past year has been its size.
As new agents have signed on to be part of SEED, we have added new students to our
list of scholarship donees. In addition, we worked to expand our donor pool, and continue
to look for ways to increase communication between scholarship providers and the
students overseas. Noteworthy changes include:
50 New Kenyan Students: Due to the commitment of five new SEED agents, we were
able to take on approximately 50 new students who study in Kenya. Some of these
students are in primary school, while others are nearing the end of their secondary
education.
Education Generation: One of the most significant changes of 2008-2009, SEED
partnered with Global Agents for Change initiative 'Education Generation,' a website that
encourages visitors to donate a lump sum toward one student's education. Found online
at www.educationgeneration.org, the initiative has allowed SEED to fully fund
approximately 12 Kenyan high school students for one year by gathering donations for the
costs that are not covered by the SEED $85 scholarship. Over the past year, Education
Generation has raised over $5000 CAD for the Kenyan students.
Online Interviews and Blogging: SEED has worked to gather video interviews and interns'
blogs over the past year in hopes of bridging the cultural and informational gap between
donors and scholarship recipients. We hope to increase the library of sound and video
clips in the coming year as well. All media is hosted on our website.
The Internship Program
SEED relies on internships and interns in order to truly understand our partners and the
communities in which we are providing scholarships. Each year, the interns return with
invaluable information and observations that help guide the BOD in shaping the coming
year. In 2008-2009, SEED sent two interns to Kenya to assist the local employee in
gathering profiles, as well as to work with our overseas partner on improving the
scholarship program in general. Noteworthy changes in the program include:
8
Standardized Selection Criteria: In the past, SEED relied on the local partners to supply
our organization with names of students who would receive scholarships. This method,
however, presented some issues in the local community, and at the request of our local
partners SEED has now created a standardized selection criteria for students that our
overseas partners will strongly consider when choosing scholarship recipients. It is our
hope that this endeavour, complete with input from Kenyans and Canadians alike, will
create a more sustainable selection method.
Research Internship: After being in existence for about three years, SEED felt that it was
necessary to begin some formal research and assess the impact of the Scholarship
Program. As such, members have begun to develop a research internship, to be
implemented in the 2009-2010 fiscal year.
Other Changes
In addition to the Scholarship and Internship programs, SEED has instituted a few other changes. These
include:
Charity Status: SEED is now an official charity under the Canada Revenue Agency. All donors received tax
receipts beginning June 2009.
Website: SEED is in the process of receiving a makeover, and will be promoting a new website and logo by
September 2009.
Chapter Dissipation: 2008-2009 marked the final year of the SEED McMaster chapter. Due to the lack of
person power remaining in the greater Hamilton area, the administrative obligations of running a chapter at the
university was unfeasible. As such, SEED has removed chapters from its infrastructure and now operates
solely as a network of SEED agents governed by the Board of Directors.
In general, SEED continues to evolve with our donors' and partners' interests as well as our own organizational
sustainability in mind. We hope to continue changing with the introduction of new members and maintenance
of critical thought in our movement.
9
SEED Overseas
The Scholarship Program
In Zambia and Kenya
“
I learned that a little really does go a
long way. That is what working with
SEED has taught me.
The idea is to empower and to
understand that to give opportunities
will suffice for the long run.
-Nidhi Sachdeva, 2009 Intern
10
”
In 08-09:
45 Scholarships
provided in Kenya
78 Scholarships
provided in Zambia
84 Scholarship
Providers
11
The Scholarship Program provides
scholarships for students in Zambia, and for
Kenyan schools. These scholarships cover
administrative and operating costs for primary
schooling, thereby allowing children access to
education. It is SEED‟s hope that in addition
to all the researched societal benefits of
education, providing children with the
opportunity to school will allow them to realize
and harness their own human potential.
While the price of education is subsidized in
both Kenya and Zambia, there are additional
mandatory costs that have been imposed by
organizations and national governments.
These additional costs include the price of
school uniforms, textbooks, and teacher fees.
Although the extra fees seem small, they are
an insurmountable obstacle for many Kenyan
and Zambian families, who are often dealing
with issues such as unemployment, HIV/AIDS
and poverty.
Zambia
All of the primary students who receive SEED
scholarships in Zambia are graduates of the
Kondwa Day Center. The Kondwa Day
Center is an inspiring non-profit organization
founded and run by a local grandmother, Ms.
Angela Malik. It provides pre-school classes
and two meals a day to orphaned and
vulnerable children in the Ng‟ombe
compound, one of the poorest residential
neighbourhoods in Lusaka, Zambia.
As Kondwa has an extensive selection
process, SEED does not decide which
students receive a scholarship. Instead,
SEED has sponsored two whole graduating
classes and has provided scholarships to this
same group of children for four years now.
Most of the students are either in grade 3 or
4, although there are some exceptions for
those who have either excelled or been held
back to help them learn at their own speed.
In the 2008/2009 year, 78 students received
scholarships. These students attend either
one of the community schools in Ng‟ombe
(Flying Angels, TICO, Roma Girls or Aisha) or
one of the government schools (Ng‟ombe
Basic or Fatima Primary).
Community schools exist as a response to
limited space for students in government
schools. Although the quality of Zambian
education may not mirror that of the Canadian
system, there is no doubt that the teaching
staff and administration in all schools in
Ng‟ombe do an impressive job with the
resources available to them. For more
information about one of these community
schools, read this year‟s School Profile on
page 14.
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Kenya
In Kenya, students attend either Humwend
Secondary School or Lifunga Primary School. This
year, Humwend has added a new grade of
students, and students there have identified two
major barriers to their learning: a very long walk
home, and a lack of lights, both of which prevent
students from studying after sunset. To address
these issues, Humwend has opened a late night
study room and SEED is also working to raise
funds and generate creative solutions to these
problems.
SEED is still very encouraged by the students‟
progress at Humwend Secondary School. Francis
Odhiambo, a recent graduate and SEED alumni,
placed 16th in an inter-district competition involving
over 60,000 competitors. In addition to being a
„math genius‟, he is the captain of his football team
and the chairman and head of the math and
science committee. He is also heavily involved in
the Boy Scouts organization. The students‟
accomplishments are all supported by a very active
and dedicated Parent-Teacher Council at
Humwend.
While funding for SEED‟s scholarship
program is gathered from private donors in
Canada, the scholarships are managed and
distributed by our local on-site partner
institutions. This year marks our second year
of working with our overseas partners by
hiring local employees to oversee any
changes with our scholarship program and
collect profile updates. This past year has
proven very successful with our partners in
Zambia.
Although some may criticize SEED for
creating a dependency, we believe that we
are not providing aid for people overseas;
rather, our sponsors are instead investing in
human potential. With the tools that students
obtain from their formal primary education,
they will be able to harness their own skills
and dreams in order to improve their own
conditions and those of others.
Meanwhile, Lifunga Primary has suffered a setback
in its feeding program. The program has been
cancelled due to drought and insufficient funds.
Feeding programs are an important tool for schools
to maintain enrolment and support the physical and
intellectual development of children. Fortunately,
SEED students are not as affected by the loss of
this program, thanks to their scholarships.
Finally, our dedicated Kenyan coordinator, Dan
Ogola, recently worked with interns to improve the
student selection process. In addition to his work
with SEED, Dan has suggested that SEED create a
research internship to evaluate the impact and
efficacy of scholarships in Kenya. This internship is
slated to begin in May 2010.
13
School Profile: Flying Angels
Flying Angels is one of the community schools located in the Ng‟ombe
compound in Lusaka, Zambia. Mr. Bernard Sakala, the director and
founder of the school, is a pastor in the community who began the school
to teach some of the non-schoolgoing children who attended his church.
As the number of students grew, Mr. Sakala decided he would have to
build and staff a school in order to provide education for the children in his
community.
Now, just over ten years later, a small class of three has grown into two
schools. Flying Angels is the primary location, housing the pre-school to
grade 7, while grade 8 through 12 are provided at another location. Flying
Angels is constantly growing and the construction of new classrooms is
currently underway.
Flying Angels
Founded in 1998
Students: 600
Teachers: 10
Classrooms: 5
Grades Taught: 1-7,
pre-school
As a community school, Flying Angels receives no funding from the
government and relies entirely on community and individual contributions
as well as occasional donations of school supplies. Due to their lack of
funding, Flying Angels charges a school fee, which is nearly impossible for
many families to pay.
In addition to providing education, Flying Angels has two dormitories and a
hospice. Each dormitory provides 15 boys or girls a place to stay when
they no longer have a home, or when their families are staying in the
hospice.
Flying Angels School and other community schools are evidence of the
desire and passion of the Ng‟ombe community to provide their children
with the opportunity to learn, to grow, and to realize their own potential.
14
School Profile: Humwend Secondary
Humwend Secondary School is a government school located in the Ukwala
Region of Kenya. It accommodates over 500 students who are taught by a
staff of 9 teachers. The school uses stringent examinations (including
nationwide board examinations) and high standards to monitor student
progress, and much like many other schools in Kenya, Humwend does not
receive enough funding to manage all the students.
Currently, the school is working to ensure that students are being taught
and excelling on their board exams. As mentioned earlier in the report,
Humwend is struggling with a few things including lack of study lighting and
transportation to and from the school. In addition, with an influx of students,
the headmaster and teachers are looking to gather funds in order to build a
few new classrooms. Each year, students graduate from Humwend with
high honours and some even go on to university training, although these
graduates are rare. In the future, it is hoped that some of the women who
attend Humwend will be able to attend a partner secondary school in the
region, Lifunga Girls Elite Secondary, which will focus on female
empowerment and poverty reduction.
Humwend Secondary
School
Students: 600
Teachers: 9
Classrooms: 5
Grades Taught: 9-12
The Humwend teachers adhere to a curriculum set out by the Kenyan
Ministry of Education which is culturally nuanced. SEED continues to try
and be critical of the education that it supports at schools like Humwend
Secondary, and we work to better understand the system through
conversations with our partners and during our visits to Kenya. We hope
that our upcoming research internship will delve deeper into the details of
the education that is provided to scholarship recipients.
15
SEED in Canada
The Internship Program
McMaster Chapter
“
Working with SEED has been a
wonderful experience. Just by thinking
in a small way, we can make a big
impact on a student’s life so far away
and there's nothing more rewarding
than that.
-Soraya Esmail, SEED McMaster
16
In 08-09:
~500 Volunteer
Hours
Full-time management of
the organization was done
by full-time students
2 Major Fundraisers
1 Collaboration Event with
Engineers Without
Borders (EWB) and CURE
~$700 Fundraised
Worked with the McMaster
Debate Club to facilitate
an engaging discussion
during McMaster‟s Global
Citizenship Conference
(GCC) regarding
‘Voluntourism’
17
Empowerment and human potential are not
geographically specific. As such, SEED also
works to provide opportunities to gather
knowledge, think critically, and make informed
decisions for people at home in Canada in
addition to those overseas. Through the
Internship Program and local volunteering,
SEED empowers Canadians to make a
difference in their own lives and improve the
conditions of others.
For the past few years, SEED has had an official
chapter at McMaster University in Hamilton,
Ontario. The chapter has helped to create
opportunities for education, awareness and
fundraising. Despite our decision not to apply for
chapter status through McMaster‟s Student
Union for this upcoming school year, our
volunteering and networking at McMaster
remains strong.
In addition to SEED Chapters, the Internship
Program provides chances for Canadians to
gain an understanding of overseas communities,
contribute to these particular communities, and
in doing so, understand their own potential.
Furthermore, the interns complete research
during their internship that is used to improve
both local and overseas SEED programs.
The McMaster Chapter
During the school year of 2008-2009, the
McMaster Chapter successfully fundraised over
$700.
Over the span of eight months, SEED McMaster‟s
eight dedicated volunteers coordinated and ran
several events, including the following fundraisers:
 Mirage at the London Tap House
 A fundraising club night
 Tucheze with CURE and EWB
 Party for a cause
 Green Ribbon donation event at the campus
information booth
 Bake sales
 Awareness tables in the student center
 Merchandise available by donation
At the annual Global Citizenship Conference,
SEED held a debate and discussion titled “Is
Volunteering Overseas Ethical?” The debate
addressed many issues which SEED itself has
grappled with over the years, such as the real
motivations of many overseas volunteers, their
qualifications, and the nature of their
contributions.
The proponent side argued that many
unprofessional volunteers are not qualified to do
real, meaningful work, and that many such
volunteers were motivated more by their resume
than by altruism. The opponent side argued that
though many students are not efficient
construction workers, often, many volunteers are
empowered and motivated by their experiences,
when they come home.
The debate also touched on many aspects of
development work, such as questions of what it
means to “help,” colonialism, and dependency.
Participants shared their personal experiences,
offered different viewpoints, and engaged in a
thoughtful discussion.
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SEED McMaster Volunteers
Soraya Esmail
Salima Panjwani
Sameena Esmail
Ani Patel
The Future of the McMaster Chapter
This year we have decided not to apply for
formal chapter status at McMaster University
through the Student Union. Overall, this will
save us several set-up fees and the paperwork
involved in becoming an official McMaster club.
Despite this change in our chapter status,
many of us continue to attend McMaster
University and are dedicated to volunteering
our time to work on behalf of SEED. Our efforts
in fundraising and awareness/education events
will continue to be strong as we strive to grow
our network of friends at McMaster.
We will continue to hold events where anyone
can be involved, and we encourage you to get
involved in your community. If you are in
Hamilton, we hope that you will join us in our
efforts this year. Stay tuned to our newly
updated website for more details.
Tony Zhang
Jassan Toor
Cara Weymes
Mary Yang
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Internship Program
The Internship Program is extremely valuable to SEED, and supports the overseas Scholarship Program. It gives
us the opportunity to communicate in person with our partners overseas and to appreciate the benefits and
shortcomings of the Scholarship Program. In addition, it provides opportunities for Canadians to learn about
development experientially and recognize the ways in which they can maximize their own potential and contribute
to their communities.
In 2009, SEED sent two interns to Kenya. As in previous years, the intern team received thorough training and
orientation at a weekend retreat.
This year, the interns visited Kenya and worked to build upon the research done in previous years. They worked
alongside our overseas local employees to gather profiles of the students, as well as develop a system to select
new students for entry into the scholarship program. It is our hope that the interns will continue to bridge the gap
between our Canadian, Zambian and Kenyan communities.
20
2009 interns in Kenya.
Top: Piyumi Galappatti.
Bottom right: Nidhi
Sachdeva
“
It was incredible getting to know people like Dan who had invested a great deal
of time and effort in their own communities and had so much valuable insight to
offer in terms of SEED’s work in Ukwala and the community at large. I am very
grateful for having had the opportunity to learn so much from so many
individuals: the teachers, principals, parents, students and the staff at Matibabu
who differed in age and experiences but shared the same commitment to
improving their community.
-Piyumi Galappatti, 2009 Intern
In 08-09:
2008/2009 interns in Kenya and Zambia.
Clockwise from top: Mary Yang, Piyumi
Galappatti, Cara Weymes, Nidhi Sachdeva
2 Overseas
Volunteers
”
21
Financials
Of SEED Overseas
Of SEED in Canada
“
Before I traveled to Zambia, I had read that education was the key to behaviour
change, at home and globally. Upon my return, I wholeheartedly believed and
understood it. To this day, the passion and dedication I witnessed in many
volunteers working in Ng’ombe to provide learning opportunities to members of
the community amazes me. I am literally in awe of all the work our partner,
Angela, has done – and then I remember she is a grandmother! Being an intern
reminded me that any change can begin with just one person’s actions; being an
intern gave me the chance to experience, learn and make my own changes.
-Cara Weymes, 2008 Intern
22
In 08-09:
$18,845.59
Funds Raised
$20,887.59
Total Revenue
$13,143.12
Expenditure
$319.40
Operating Costs
$7,425.07
Balance
23
Statement of Operations
August 1, 2008 to July 31, 2009
REVENUE
Individual Donations
12,008.99
Raised in partnership with Education Generation
6,100.60
McMaster Chapter Fundraising
736.00
Revenue
Balance carried forward from previous year
$18,845.59
2,042.00
Total
$20,887.59
PROGRAM EXPENDITURE
Kenya
6,362.93
Zambia
6,780.19
Total Overseas Scholarship Program *
$13,143.12
OPERATING COSTS
Banking fees
88.65
URL fee for five years
230.75
Total Operating Costs
$319.40
ACCESS OF REVENUE OVER EXPENDITURE
Revenue of $18,845.59 over Expenditure of $13,462.52
5,383.07
Balance carried forward from previous year
2,042.00
Balance as of August 1, 2009
$7,425.07
•The total amount spent on the Scholarship Program exceeds that of individual donations because it includes
additional funds raised to cover all administrative costs strictly related to the Program (I.e., wire transfer fee).
24
Supporters
A2 Tennis Team
Ajay & Indu Puri
Amy Fiorito
Amy Street
Angela Barbetta
Anu Singh
Asha Parekh
Basil & Yvonne Singh
Bill & Christine Jermyn
Brenda Ruby
Cara Weymes
Connie Bartley
Daniel Shay
David & Leesa Knight
Downward Dog Yoga Centre
Eileen Cheung
Eileen Knowles
Ella Singh
Esmeralda Knowles
Fahi Chowdhury
Gavin Pereira
George Tsakopoulous
Guiliana Weiss-Sing
Jan and Mike Mason
Jane Sleep
Joe Ottenhof
Joel & Melissa Snider
Jonathan Knowles
Jonathan Veens
Jordan Wilkie
Joshua & Esther Veens
Joti Dhillon
Karelyn Renneboog
Kashmira Parmar
Kathy Lloyd
Katrina Niitsoo
Kevan Wilson
Khaleda Akhter
Liisa Niitsoo
Maaheen Khalid
Marilyn Rushton
Marisa DeFrancesco
Marisa Rufo
Marlene Borzychowski
Martin & Ricky Veens
Mary & Will Mueller
Mary Clements
MaryAnne & Romeo Bruni
Matt & Sarah Ottenhof
Mattes cousins
McMaster SOCS
Megan Spasevski
Meghan Bruni
Melissa Charenko
Michael & Jen Veens
Mona Poon
Monika Singh
Murali Sundar
Murial Kramer
Neeta Dhillon
Patricia Armenta
Pera & Paul Lee
Peter Jermyn
Ranbir & Harbans Shah
Rani & Ramesh Gupta
Richard & Madeline Marshall
Rick Brazeau
Robert Borzychowski
Rosemary & Randy Dux
Rowshan Ara Chowdhury
Ruthi Knight
Sandy Kiang
Sarita & Dalbir Singh
Shahana Alam
Shobhit Shanker
Sidharth Murjuri
Silver Creek Pre-School Staff
Sameena Esmail
Soraya Esmail
Stephanie Vandenberg
Valerie Teslia
Veena Dhillon
Vivek Moorthy
Yousuf Ibrahim
And Many Anonymous Donors
Thank you for your support!
Board of
Directors
Meghan Bruni
Eileen Knowles
Nitasha Puri
Anu Singh
Alex Singh
Joshua Veens
Esther Veens
New BOD Members:/Agents:
Cara Weymes
Mary Yang
Adrienne Lee
Nina Modi
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EDUCATION. EMPOWERMENT. DEVELOPMENT.
http://seedcan.net
[email protected]