What we did in India..

I know many of you will have had the following by e mail and if you have, please ignore this post, but a couple of you have not had it (i.e have seen a copy that others had got) so I thought I would stick it on the blog.

It's a summary of all that we have done whilst in India. These are only the tangible things. On top of this, it is crucial to recognise, as I say at the bottom of this summary:

"All of these things are the tangible things that we can clearly evidence we did. On top of all this there are hundreds of other conversations, meetings with people, blog comments which have impacted people, phone calls, e mails, chats in the streets, time spent with people in slums and on the streets that will have made an impact on our or others lives. We will probably never be able to show you tangibly what impact these things have had on ours and other people’s lives. For us a lot of what has changed our lives about India 2008 is not tangible. They are simply the quietly held thoughts, challenges, encouragements, images and stories that will stay with us forever…. "

Some of the entries are just one line but represent a huge amount of work. The summary is split into sections: The Fishermen Trust, Personal, Raj and I and Others

THE FISHERMEN TRUST/WORK:
* Proposals written and all relevant paperwork in place for outdoor pursuits, advice centre, hostel/nightstop.
General proposals for each of these areas written to give clarity to funders and supporters as to what these elements of the vision are.
Written so that the Trust to get a document from the Government called ‘prior permission which allows them to receive funding from outside India. Crucial for future funding.

* Furnish TFT office
£250 raised from the Uk to turn this empty ground floor of a large house into a fully functioning office. Now equipped with desks, chairs, 2 laptops, bookshelves full of resources, cabinets, climbing gear, tents etc etc

* TFT laptop & associated items purchased
One laptop purchased with gifts from UK the Hiders brought over. One other laptop given free too!

* Completely refresh TFT Business Plan and mail out again
The Business Plan was 2 years old and needed to be refreshed. This is now done with a new SWOT analysis and other areas updated

* Set new KPI’s/targets for TFT Business Plan for coming year
We reviewed how the Trust is doing against the previous plans set and then set new milestones (for the next few years) and specific targets for this year which were agreed by the Trustees


* Trustees in new way of working (if possible) and reporting
Through the training on 5.7 (see below).Real sense that people see the need to move to a new way of working. Model Trustees meeting agenda developed

* Establish new system of reporting from Raj to trustees

Nandu has started to do a report from every camp the Trust run. He also does a weekly log of all that he is doing. Raj now doing monthly reports which will go to trustees. Staff meetings now in place. Stock inventory now in place. Stock (tents loan sheet in place).

* Clarify finance issues to split TFT and Raj’s finances
Now happening. Trust budget being developed and template budget established. 1st year accounts approved by Chartered accountants

* Money in CLC (TFT) account use
Agreed to use this as a safety net for the Trust if funding suddenly stops and also for a resources for when Raj needs to come to the UK for PR etc

* Establish a TFT Trust budget and write a ‘finance proposals’ paper to Board
Paper written. To be submitted to next Board meeting

* Paper to Board on proposals during my time here and what has been achieved in my time here
Done. Proposals developed during my time here going to Trustees at their meeting early August and the doc on what has been done during our time here is this doc!

* Speak at 3 camps
Took sessions at Church camp at Kodai, Avalanche camp & Efficor conference

* Speak at minimum 3 Church’s
Spoke at Revival Church twice and Church camp

* Establish 3 day residential leadership training weekend for Christian leaders including PR and programmes
This happened on the 11th – 13th July at FMC in Bangalore. Very successful with 22 people there. Many more opportunities for the future Great handouts and resources CD (of all Rob’s resources) given to each participant

* Establish 1 day corporates training event with Mindview including PR and programmes
Cancelled.

* Establish a day retreat with TFT trustees including programmes Trustees training day happened on 5.7 with Rob and I. Very positive. A number of actions followed from this day to be discussed at the next Trustees meeting.

* Update TFT blog weekly
Some updating of the TFT blog has happened whilst in India but I also have loads of content to do more on this when I return to the UK. My blog has been the focus.

* Agree a design for the TFT website and commission
Website content and design developed and currently with a designer to improve

* Produce 100 club leaflet
Established to try and get a base of Indian funders to secure the ongoing revenue costs of the Trust. Trustees ready to promote this. Leaflet developed

* Design and publish TFT PR leaflet
Website content and design developed and currently with a designer to improve

* Discuss partnership agreement with CLC and Space2think and e mail out/discuss with Trustees
Discussion with Tim from CLC ansd Rob from Space2think whilst in India. Draft Partnership agreements developed to be agreed by both CLC/Space2think and TFT trustees

* Climbing kit from the UK
Ruck sack full of requested climbing and abseiling materials sent with Tim

* New TFT video
To do at home

* Induction pack for when visitors come to India
To do at home

* Development of resources website idea
To do at home

* Induction pack for when visitors come to India
To do at home

* Development of resources website idea
To do at home

PERSONAL:
* Keep journal on a daily basis
Done! Completed every day!

* Speak when asked to – massive thing!
Yes. Very, very hard at times but I did it!

* Keep blog up to date daily
Done! Completed every day!

* Communicate regularly through e mail and calls
Yes. Sarah did great on this too

* Live within budget
Yes

* Establish itinerary for Tim, Rob, Husbands & Paul, have visitors stay and ensure they are happy!
Done and all the trips seemed to go really well with a balance of work, time with people and tourist stuff

* Ensure Sarah feels Dave is balancing ‘work’ and ‘home’
Lost the balance at the start but been good from there. Dave spent at least 3 days clear each week with family. Went to Bits every week and Accept together each week too.

* School work for kids 4 times a week for 2 hours until Husbands come
Done. Brilliant job by Sarah.

* Josh’s reading to improve
Josh has developed so much in his reading etc and Es in so many other ways

* Stay healthy – especially Sarah
Amazing. Absolutely amazing. Josh had problems for a month which never was really a big problem for him and Es and I have had icky guts for 2 half days in the whole 3.5 months! Amazing!

RAJ AND I:
* Feedback given to Raj and Trust on my perspective on what I see in the way he/the trust works or not
Done on virtually a daily basis. Not been easy to do that as it’s hard to say and hear at times. Lots I have learnt about how I need to change too!

* Provide external supervision for Raj
Done – almost on a daily basis

* Support for Raj’s personal development
Done – almost on a daily basis

* Give to Raj where necessary
Done – confidential

* Video and thank you letter from Trust to Eve for the £500 they have raised
Done. The school had raised £500 for the Trust.

'OTHERS':
* Support (name is confidential) house build
Done with a gift of £500 from friends at home. House build underway

* Support (name is confidential) family – money, toys and baby carriers
Done. Given to him and others. Money given to him to get him through on his house rent for 2 months as business went bust (pretty much) and he is newly married with a child. Job is on way so this gift was to tide them over.

* Support Sreeni in development of his Church
Done. Met most Tuesdays and had good focused chats.

* Buy climbing shoes for (name is confidential)
Done. Great new pair of quality shoes for him

* Distribute the £1000 we have been given wisely
In the end we were given a total of £1145 including money given to us that we gave away as we wanted to live simply. Money given as follows. Names have been removed for confidentiality but happy to give more detail to people who gave.
£50 given to S – money given specifically for this person from someone at home
£50.00 to the wonderful cooks at Avalanche. Paid next to nothing and given to help their families
£40.00 G who lives in a local slum and ended up critically ill in hospital and she didn’t have the money to pay for her treatment
£500.00 given to D for the house he needs to see built for his family back in his village – see blog story
£200 for S – see why above
£60 for printer at TFT office
£60.00 for climbing shoes for N who has nothing and is instructing in abseiling with TFT
£100.00 Given to Accept orphanage for new sports room for kids with HIV that need to keep muscles going
£50 of small gifts given to various people as we have seen need
£60.00 given to A, a wonderful friend of ours who simply has nothing. Worked with him on what he will use it on
TOTAL GIVEN AWAY £1170.

* Distribute toys/baby stuff given from Tim
Done. Given to Benson who works in the slums daily. All other toys were given to:
Kids at Accept
Kids in 2 slums
Kids on streets

* Purchase and distribute the £100 from St James via skipping ropes etc
£50 spent on skipping ropes given to kids at Accept (see blog story) and £50 given to kick start their sports room (see blog story)
And then just to say again:
"All the above are the things that we can clearly evidence we did. They are tangible. On top of all this there are hundreds of other conversations, meetings with people, blog comments which have impacted people, phone calls, e mails, chats in the streets, time spent with people in slums and on the streets that will have made an impact on our or others lives. We will probably never be able to show you tangibly what impact these things have had on ours and other people’s lives. For us a lot of what has changed our lives about India 2008 is not tangible. They are simply the quietly held thoughts, challenges, encouragements, images and stories that will stay with us forever…."