Hope Notes - The Good Stewardship Issue

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

Saving Face

Bangladeshi women regain their dignity in Savings and Learning Groups

How low can you go?

The Great Admin Rate Debate

5

Is there a hidden cost to low-cost programming?

Practical ways

40 Feet of Hope Recycling and storage solutions on a massive scale

to get involved

Check out this special edition of

Good Stewardship Filling 40-foot prescr iptions

page 8

Spring/ Summer 2012 what’s in

ThiS iSSue Garden makeovers 4 Haiti 180 4 A Cup of Success 4 Gardening Gifts Under $100 home & money management 5 Saving Face 5 A Taste of Bangladesh 6 The Great Admin Rate Debate creative Storage Solutions 8 40 Feet of Hope relationships 11 Mayor to Mayor 11 Long-term and Long-distance ask the experts 12 Country Director Q&A do it yourself 14 5 Ways to Take Action 15 Creative Fundraising Contest

Stewardship” This special “Goodyd on the st�le issue is a paro en’s magazine. of a p�p�lar womu enjoy it!

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SPRING/SUMMER 2012 fh canada is a registered non-profit organization dedicated to providing long-term relief to those bound by poverty through sustainable community development. As part of the global Food for the Hungry (FH) network, we currently work in ten countries around the world. through project development, child sponsorship, emergency relief and medical equipment distribution, FH Canada strives to meet the physical, spiritual, social and educational needs of each man, woman and child living in poverty. poverty revolution is a movement of engaged Canadians who are partnering with FH Canada to end poverty one community at a time.

As a Certified Member of the Canadian Council for Christian Charities, FH Canada meets the stringent standards set by the CCCC for accountability and organizational integrity.

83.4% Building sustainaBle communities 7.9% administration and running costs 8.7% invested to generate future income CHARItABLE REGIStRAtIoN NUMBER:

132152893RR0001

FH CANADA 1 - 31741 Peardonville Road Abbotsford, BC V2t 1L2 t 604.853.4262 tF 1.800.667.0605 F 604.853.4332 info@fhcanada.org www.fhcanada.org this issue of Hope Notes is printed on recycled paper including 30% Post Consumer Waste. the paper is also lighter, requiring less postage to mail. We thank tech Web Direct in considering the environment and helping us save money as we partner in sharing these stories of hope with you.

president’s desk

Why Stewardship?

S

tewardship is defined as the responsible management of something entrusted to your care. Reflecting on that definition, I can’t help but take inventory of all the opportunities I’ve had to act as a steward throughout my life — in precious relationships as a husband, father, and grandfather; in my career and in local community commitments. I can only pray that I continue to sensitively and intentionally care for the responsibilities before me.

My current role as President of FH Canada carries the need for accountability that comes with stewarding an organization — especially one with a mission as critical as eradicating poverty one community at a time. Stewardship is a core value of FH Canada; it exemplifies our commitment to responsible planning, wise resource management and our ultimate purpose of creating sustainable change.

This issue of Hope Notes focuses on the diverse ways we strive to infuse the values of stewardship and accountability into every aspect of our work. You’ll read about a unique recycling program that is literally saving thousands of lives and you’ll also get an inside perspective on a non-profit’s necessary yet often misunderstood administration rate.

We’ve also put together creative suggestions for you to join us more intentionally in the rewarding work of walking alongside the most resilient global communities you could ever hope to meet.

Frankly, we can’t do what we do every day without your partnership, so part of our focus on stewardship is directly tied to you. We want you to know you’re connected, valued and respected, so we have worked extremely hard to make our activities as transparent and transformative as possible. Flip to the back of this issue to see how you can follow your impact online through updates, stories and dialogue.

Thank you for walking with us.

Be blessed,

Ben Hoogendoorn PRESIDENt/CEo

Spring/Summer 2012 HoPE NotES good stewardship

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garden makeovers

Haiti

A look at how training and some initial resources have sparked amazing transformations in Haiti and Ethiopia.

180

Two hundred farmers in Cachiman, Haiti are gearing up for a largescale garden makeover. A committee of local leaders is partnering with FH Canada to improve food security and reverse the deforestation and erosion that’s degrading the soil.

Three sites have been chosen for the agricultural overhaul: two for tree nurseries to grow seedlings and fruit trees, and one (pictured above) for a demonstration garden where farmers will work with agricultural experts to learn the best and most creative practices for the area.

FH agronomists are encouraging farmers to plant cassava, maize, peas, banana trees, plantains and other crops which do well in the Haitian climate.

Farmers are also being taught to keep quality seeds from each harvest for future use, rather than eating or selling the full harvest and having to buy new seeds next season. Higher yields will mean that farmers can feed their families, store seed for the Fruit & next year and even sell some seed to the local market.

Veggie seeds As part of the program, the 200 farmers have also agreed to give some excess seed back to the program for use in the demonstration garden and for start-up supplies Haiti and Ethiopia are for other local farmers joining the program. just two places these

Gardening gifts under $100 COfFEE SEEDLINGS

$

15

Seedlings can be turned into a long-term income stream.

Goat

$

75

Goat manure will play a big role in the Haiti garden makeover.

$

25

gifts are making a huge difference.

www.fhcanada.org/gifts for gardening gifts and more! Order online or call 1.800.667.0605.

A Cup of Success About 10 years ago, Abdi Shafi and his family were resettled to a barren plot of land in Ethiopia. Six difficult years later, FH Ethiopia partnered with his area and began working with Abdi and his neighbours on plant production, termite control and composting. He received vegetable seeds at the trainings, and also received 50 coffee seedlings.

After the first year, Abdi had 50 healthy coffee plants. After two years, he’d harvested his first kilo of coffee beans! By the third year — last year — Abdi had produced 8 kilos of coffee beans and was able to enjoy a cup of his own home brew. He has now trained 10 other farmers to make the changes that led him to success!

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Good Stewardship Hope Notes Spring/Summer 2012

home management Restoring Dignity

“Our children will go to school, and to university!”

Rumi, Rojonigonda Savings Group president

Saving Face Women in Bangladesh are recognizing their potential through micro-savings and learning groups.

A

common North American stereotype is that men are more comfortable taking financial risks while females prefer to build security.

But in rural Bangladeshi communities where FH works, the lack of land ownership, high illiteracy rate and culturally-engrained gender inequality make both earning and saving nearly impossible for most females.

To combat these challenges, FH has established community savings groups to provide a supportive environment for women to realize their value and build savings. The most vulnerable women in the community are invited to form groups of approximately 15 members who regularly meet. Working together, they develop the means and confidence to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.

Developing Businesses

Group members are taught to read, write, and balance books, and are trained in specific vocational and business development skills. Soon, small businesses spring up as women start to use their new-found skills and savings to provide for their families.

Females are seen as so inferior that mothers often weep when they give birth to daughters. Group members find these community groups a place where their dignity is restored. FH walks alongside each woman’s family and wider community, challenging negative cultural perceptions of gender inequality.

Discovering Rights

Because women are particularly vulnerable in the area of family law, they are taught about their legal rights and the rights of their children in areas of family conflicts such as dowries and multiple marriages. With the support of FH staff, they are equipped to challenge injustices and protect themselves and their children from exploitation.

FH has over 900 groups meeting across Bangladesh. With your support, we can offer more women this life-changing opportunity. Contact us for resources to host “A Taste of Bangladesh” girls’ night and to be matched with a specific women’s group. www.fhcanada.org/women

A Taste of Bangladesh

Traditional Chicken Curry 2-2 ½ lbs chicken breasts ¼ tsp ground pepper ½ tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp cumin powder 2 bay leaves 2 cardamoms 2 small pieces of cinnamon 1 tsp ground garlic 1 tsp ground ginger 1 ½ tsp salt ½ cup water 1 ½ - 2 cups hot water 1 cup plain yogurt ½ cup onion, chopped ½ cup butter (or soybean oil) Boiled or fried rice

Mix pepper, turmeric, cumin, cardamoms, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, bay leaves and salt in a ½ cup of water. Brown the onion in butter or soybean oil.

Add the spice mix and fry for five minutes. Add the yogurt and fry for three minutes. Add chicken breasts and brown for about 10-15 minutes over medium heat. Add 1 ½ cups hot water (if you like it saucy, add 2 cups). Cover and simmer slowly until everything is tender. Serve with boiled or fried rice. Serves four.

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19 9 4 nity at a time

Are there hidden costs to low-cost programming?

There’s no prescribed standard for separating administrative costs from more direct programming costs.

Quick! What are your top three considerations

when choosing a charity? If you’re like most Canadians, the admin rate (i.e. the percentage of donations spent on administration and overhead) comes out somewhere on top. In some ways this is fabulous, and in some ways — perhaps surprisingly — it is not.

The Goods

On the positive side, this shows that Canadians prioritize good stewardship of their money. It shows that they value financial accountability and desire to see their money reach those in need instead of landing in executives’ pockets.

These are very, very good things. But there are other considerations — widely known in the non-profit world but seldom communicated to donors — that complicate matters.

Lemons instead of Aid

Different organizations slice the pie differently.

Charity watchdogs are quick to point out that the pressure to keep administrative costs low encourages non-profits to run programs that are ultimately ineffective. After all, the admin rate tells donors nothing about the actual impact of their money.

“Picking a charity based on the lowest overhead ratio is like buying the cheapest car that money can buy,” says Tim Ogden, editor-in-chief of Philanthropy Action. “You might spend less in the short run but it’s inevitably going to let you down.”

Another analyst (author of the blog “Good Intentions are Not Enough”) compares donors’ admin rate requirements with a family who builds a house without a kitchen — because kitchens are expensive and drive-through meals are cheap.

This is where good stewardship goes wrong.

Admin Rates Need New P.R.

Sure, a non-profit president with a six or seven-figure salary is a red flag; as is a fledgling organization in a mortgaged multi-million-dollar office. But usually the “admin” percentage of your donation is what actually makes that money effective.

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Good Stewardship Hope Notes Spring/Summer 2012

money management A healthy non-profit must be a reliable partner to the international programs they support. At FH Canada, we partner with communities for about seven to 10 years.

Handouts are easy, fast and can provide instant gratification, but lasting change (that survives beyond an organization’s time in the community) is often slow, tedious and not very flashy. But the longterm results are substantial.

leaving others in the lurch. Does that fall under programming or administration?

What becomes clear is that it doesn’t matter. It’s money that must be spent for aid to be effective.

It’s also clear that the percentage spent on administration will fluctuate, even if the actual amount spent on admin doesn’t change. It’s the magic of math — and sometimes of natural disasters.

your voice tell Canadian charities where your priorities lie.

Many people come on board with FH Canada because of our reasonable administration rate, but we hope you continue supporting our work because you see results.

Since 1994, 34 communities have celebrated reaching self-sustainability — an accomplishment that would not have been possible without committed staff walking

“Picking a charity based on the lowest overhead ratio is like buying the cheapest car that money can buy. You might spend less in the short run but it’s inevitably going to let you down.”

Tim Ogden Philanthropy Action

Being able to commit long-term requires the fiscal responsibility of not spreading resources or staff members too thin simply to cut costs. This is often tempting, but it only leads to low-quality work and a high employee turnover rate.

Nitty Gritty Number Game

Almost surprisingly, there’s no prescribed accounting standard for separating administrative costs from more direct programming costs. Different organizations slice the pie differently.

Is office space for child development field staff a program cost or an administrative one? What about the logistics of coordinating emergency relief with other organizations so emergency provisions aren’t duplicated in some areas,

For instance, Canadians’ generosity after the Haiti earthquake meant that organizations like FH with an emergency response unit had a low administrative percentage in 2010, simply because overall donations were so much higher.

Gift-in-kind (or “commodity”) donations also affect the admin rate.

In a year when FH Canada’s medical equipment program receives more CT scans and x-ray machines than usual from Canadian hospitals, the value of the commodity income goes up and the administration percentage goes down.

Power to the People

The fun part in all this is that Canadians have the power to demand responsible and effective development work. Your dollars and

alongside community and church leaders, helping with training to empower people to make their own changes.

To steward the trust that Canadians put into FH Canada, we aim to keep our fiscal choices as transparent as possible, and we welcome comments, feedback and dialogue at all times. We also make it a priority to maintain the Canadian Council of Christian Charities’ Seal of Accountability year after year.

Because it’s not about blindly entrusting your money to a nonprofit organization. Asking tough questions is important. But in order to be the most informed and effective donors, Canadians may just need to start asking new questions; moving beyond “How much?” and into the realm of “How well?”

Spring/Summer 2012 Hope Notes Good Stewardship

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7’8”

7’10”

40 hope

Creative storage and recycling solutions save lives on an international scale.

feet of

storage solutions It’s a strange thing, measuring hope.

But FH Canada’s International Medical Equipment Distribution (IMED) team does it up to 20 times a year, and has been doing so since 2002.

Rapid advances in medical technology mean that perfectly functional equipment is constantly being replaced in Canadian hospitals. Most of this equipment is out of reach for clinics and staff in developing communities.

That’s where the IMED program comes in.

They work with Canadian health professionals to keep recently-replaced equipment from early retirement at a costly storage facility.

The equipment is donated to FH and kept at IMED’s Saskatoon warehouse, where it’s refurbished and matched with requests for equipment from around the world.

Dr. Bosco of Gisuru Hospital in East Burundi recently contacted IMED with his medical wish list. Dr. Bosco is one of only two doctors and eight nurses at the 50-bed facility that serves an area of over 200,000 people. They see about 90 people a day, often two to a bed.

The bed shortage isn’t the only frustration.

They often have to turn away patients they can’t diagnose or treat without a crucial piece of equipment, either basic or complex.

“Stuff we’d be shocked to see missing from the doctor’s office—” begins Ron Morey, the biomedical technician who’s refurbishing Dr. Bosco’s pieces, “that’s the stuff they’re desperate for.”

As the 40-foot Gisuru Hospital container is packed with beds, operating tables, surgical equipment and incubators, IMED staff and volunteers can’t help but think of a baby in another area of Burundi, Buye region, where a previous container request came from. An incubator they sent was the first for the hospital. Only days after it arrived, a baby was born premature and survived to go home with her grateful mother.

Before the incubator, preemies rarely survived.

IMED director Lindsay Brucks says prenatal equipment is one of his favourite things to ship.

He explains his preference as he ensures an almost-new ultrasound bound for Nebaj, Guatemala is secure in its protective crate.

“In the developing world it’s a lot about family — a lot about children — so the ultrasounds make a huge impact on the lives of the women and the safety of the children when they’re born.”

“it really impacts the nurses and doctors. it brings them hope.”

Lindsay brucks IMED DIRECTOR

The Guatemala container scheduled to ship this spring is somewhat of a special order. Usually a container equips one or two hospitals in a region, but this time IMED was asked by Nebaj’s district health authority to supply specialized equipment and supplies for one large hospital, two smaller ones, and up to 30 clinics in the surrounding villages.

Containers are always packed tightly, but this one especially has every square inch filled with wheelchairs, heart monitors and examination beds; with linens, gauze, scrubs and operating utensils filling the gaps.

The Nebaj shipment is one of usually seven to nine a year that go to communities already walking with FH Canada in a longer-term sustainable development partnership.

Lindsay has often visited these fields, and frequently sees the value of providing tools to people who have the skills to use them.

“It really impacts the nurses and the doctors,” he says. “It brings them hope as they serve the people and the passion that they have.”

By empowering health professionals in their own communities and providing resources that are otherwise inaccessible, the IMED team is delivering hope and literally saving lives.

One 40-foot container at a time. www.fhcanada.org/hope

Spring/Summer 2012 Hope Notes Good Stewardship

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storage solutions

15,000

$ avERaGE coSt to SHIp a contaInER

450,000

$

avERaGE vaLuE oF ItS donatEd contEntS

$1 = $30 FoR EvERy $1 donatEd, $30 oF mEdIcaL EQuIpmEnt IS SEnt to doctoRS WHo dESpERatELy nEEd It.

www.fhcanada.org/hope

Photos (left to right from top) 1. An incubator for Nebaj, Guatemala 2. Shutting the doors on the filled Nebaj container 3. Laying out supplies for surgical kits 4. Dr. Bosco at Gisuru Hospital in Burundi 5. Boxes of medical linens and textiles 6. Donated surgical instruments 7. A bird’s-eye view of the IMED warehouse in Saskatoon, SK

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good stewardship HoPE NotES Spring/Summer 2012

relationships

Long-term and Long-distance The relational highs and lows of child sponsorship and community partnerships.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

That’s either a Dickens quote or most & J�sienne people’s experience with long-distance relationships.

Sometimes child sponsorship can feel the same way.

You send a letter and have to wait months for a direct response.

You hear about the good and bad in a family’s situation, but you can’t be there to celebrate or cry with them. Your bank account automatically debits $38 every month, but you wonder if it’s making any difference.

Long-term sponsor Janine had been following Josienne’s progress for seven years, and was thrilled to be in East Africa at the exact right time to attend her Rwandan community’s graduation party.

When she met the family, Josienne’s mom said she recognized Janine immediately from the pictures in her letters.

She may have recognized Janine, but Janine hardly recognized the community. It was a very different picture than the community she heard about when she first started sponsoring.

“They are now self-sustain-

Janine

ing!” she says, amazed by the community’s accomplishments in education, agriculture and health.

More than ever, she understands that the point of sponsorship is to help each child’s community reach graduation.

Although sad to say goodbye to Josienne, she’s already committed to sponsoring a boy in Busekera, the new FH partner community 14 kilometers away.

mayOr to mayOr FH Canada president Ben Hoogendoorn recently carried a letter from Abbotsford, BC mayor Bruce Banman to Navotas, Philippines mayor John Rey tiangco.

In May she’s returning with a team from her church to help the community build a dormitory for teachers who live far from the school. The students’ parents have already completed two dorms, a GrOuP aFFair and have seen their kids’ academic Child sponsorship isn’t the scores improve with the teachers only long-distance relationship now accessible before exams. facilitated through FH Canada.

But helping build the teachers’ There are currently 16 church, accommodations is only one part business and community group of the trip. The Capilano team and partners who have committed to FH Canada staff are working hard walking long-term with a develto surprise Kristee’s old friends oping community. and co-workers at FH Capilano Uganda; they don’t Church in North know she’s coming Vancouver partwith the team! nered with Bu“I’m looking forfukhula in Mbale, ward to seeing their Uganda in 2004 reactions!” says Kristee. and will continue It seems the veruntil the commudict is in. Whether nity’s graduation, or not we travel in Buf�kh�la projected for the overseas, long-disend of 2013. tance relationships Kristee Watson, a longtime are definitely worth it. member of Capilano Church, lived and worked in Uganda with www.fhcanada.org/child FH in 2007 and 2008. for more on child sponsorship.

“I definitely miss the staff,” www.fhcanada.org/groups she says. “We still have Skype for information on community conversations!” partnerships.

Kristee

Spring/Summer 2012 HoPE NotES good stewardship

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Country Director

QA &

“The terracing project in Kayanza has changed many lives. The ministry of agriculture is using it as a model of innovation, telling other provinces, ‘you should do this too!’”

-yves haBumugisha, fh Burundi

Q

1

Greater lima, Peru is one of only two non-rural areas working with Fh canada (the other is metro manila, Philippines). can you describe the history and makeup of this peri-urban community?

A

Our community is one of the biggest districts in South America: 1.3 million people. We work in the high hillsides around the city where people are the most vulnerable. It’s desolate land that was populated by people fleeing terrorist violence in the countryside in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. The communities were actually called “invasions” because a huge diversity of people came to stay without the proper paperwork; they were just running for their lives. It wasn’t a planned living space, but over the years they’ve put down roots and the government now recognizes the community. ryan smedes, fh peru

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1. A moto-taxi and hillside homes in Greater Lima, Peru 2. Yves Habumugisha with Pastor Greg Hochhalter 3. Ryan Smedes with his family 4. the terracing project in Kayanza, Burundi

good stewardship HoPE NotES Spring/Summer 2012

ask the experts

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4

3

Q

anlong Veng, cambodia was the last stronghold of the Khmer rouge, the communist regime that terrorized the country in the ‘70s. how do you approach partnership in that kind of context?

A

Our ultimate goal is to empower the local governance in the villages. Cambodia’s government says that all communities should have Village Development Committees to help them continue to move forward. We have found that many villages don’t have these structures, so we help them develop their own leadership capacity.

We train the leaders and community volunteers, and then walk with them as they bring new health, education, agricultural and savings practices to the community. We are honest about the fact that we intend to do development with them, not relief work. Some people don’t want that, because they’re so used to getting handouts. But that doesn’t empower actual sustainable change. mark fender, fh camBodia

Q

Fh burundi has been a leader in agricultural development, and it’s caught the government’s attention. can you highlight some recent successes?

A

We helped launch a project to increase farmers’ income through potato seed multiplication. Well, turns out the seeds aren’t the only things multiplying! The farmers can now afford medical insurance, school fees and food costs totally independently. The terracing project in Kayanza has also changed many lives. The Ministry of Agriculture is using it as a model of innovation, telling other provinces, “You should do this too!”

And the coffee project is serving as a model of what can be done when farmers have a bigger role in coffee production. The co-ops are now running their own washing stations to process the beans! yves haBumugisha, fh Burundi

Spring/Summer 2012 HoPE NotES good stewardship

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do it yourself

5

ways action to take

1

Volunteer your Time & influence Have an idea for a fundraiser? Do it, take pictures, and enter our creative fundraising contest! Passionate about effective development? Use your voice or blogging skills to explain the importance of a development philosophy that’s sustainable and empowering. Facebook or Twitter much? Look us up and join the conversation! www.faceBook.com/ poverty.revolution and @fhcanada

“I loved it! It definitely exceeded my expectations. I think everyone who will be involved in advocacy needs to take this.”

2

Put your worldview on Trial If you’re ready to rethink your deeply-held assumptions about poverty and its solution, then we have a challenge for you! The Poverty Revolution Boot Camp is a day-and-a-half workshop for anyone who wants to dive into issues of poverty and become more effective at addressing it both locally and abroad. www.fhcanada.org/education

Boot camp participant

ve been If you’ about thinking g a been rinyou’vee sponso If w th about ’s ing no nk child, thitim e to a onsoringIf you’ve been perfectspm the t or,e!now’s find ouchild tim thinking e to about perfect sponsoring a more! find out child, now’s the perfect time to DA CANA find out more!

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3

change a child’s life If you’ve always thought about sponsoring, why not start today? $38 a month will change the life of a child and their family. If you’re already a sponsor, challenge yourself to give away at least one “Spread the Love” card in your latest toolkit. Or contact us to send you some. Be part of connecting families worldwide! www.fhcanada.org/child

4

host a “Taste of bangladesh” dinner This one’s for the ladies. If coconut drinks and curry recipes sound like they’d make for a fun evening, this is the awareness and fundraising event for you!

Contact us for resources to host an evening in support of socially and economically marginalized women who are lifting themselves and their families out of poverty. www.fhcanada.org/women

5

double-duty breakfast club If you’re a fan of the classic ‘80s film, why not host a breakfast-for-dinner party with a screening of the Hughes flick? Ask guests to bring a donation for FH Canada’s Breakfast Club (a school-based nutrition initiative in Guatemala and Uganda), and be sure to tell guests that ‘80s costumes are a must! www.fhcanada.org/Breakfast

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good stewardship HoPE NotES Spring/Summer 2012

creative contest

goats just wanna have funds.

tell us your story!

And we nna a j�st w ze i recogn rd a �our h work!

We want to hear about your creative fundraisers and awareness-raising events!

Send an event summary and picture(s) to giftguidecontest@fhcanada.org, and your story could inspire others in a future Hope Notes magazine or Gift Guide catalogue!

Spring/Summer 2012 HoPE NotES good stewardship

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Join the conversation online!

FacebOOK.cOm/

poverty.revolution

TwiTTer

@fhcanada

www.fhcanada.org/f

ollow

FOr linKS TO FOll Ow all 10 ParTner cOmmuniTieS

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