News

Chairman's Message - January 2010

The Nepal Trust has achieved huge success over the past fifteen years delivering health, development and hope to the communities of the Hidden Himalayas. An outstanding track record, particularly when you stop to consider it in the context of the Maoist troubles and all the other uncertainties that have surrounded both Nepal and the Nepal Trust over the past ten years. That we managed to keep going during this period and that we have emerged stronger than before is a tribute to everybody who has been involved in the work of the Nepal Trust.
There has been substantial change within the Nepal Trust over the recent past. Sadly our founder Alan Jacobson passed away towards the end of 2008; a great loss to those who knew him well and had worked with him.
We have taken the decision to base all full time salaried activity in Nepal under the executive control of Jerone van den Berg and Jigmi Lama, with the UK operating on a volunteer basis. This means that nearly every penny raised is spent in Nepal, where of course each pound spent goes a lot further.
The Kathmandu team is now responsible for administration, local book keeping, communications, web site, proposal writing, project control, treks and the delivery of the health programme. For each broad sphere of activity a member of the Board has responsibility for overseeing the activities of the executive team on behalf of the Trust and donors.
Chris ably supported by his Mum is running the UK office on a voluntary basis. The office has moved to Edinburgh. Tony Robinson continues as finance director; Tony Sharpe has taken charge of fund raising and David Hurman is in charge of the health programme. We also now have three new directors: Roger Thom, Donald Brown and Garry Williams. Roles are still evolving but provisionally they have taken responsible respectively for the Interface to Rotary; Membership Communications; and the Interface to the Scouting Organisation and the Service Centre Project.
Structurally we have reorganised and registered the Nepal Trust as an INGO: this has considerably simplified matters and allows us to operate our own bank account, run our own payroll and enter into lease agreements, etc in Nepal. Key to this change is that the Board can now exercise direct control and authority over its affairs. Previously it had to work through local NGOs with their own local Boards of Directors.
The changes all need time to settle down, but have already lead to a new sense of purpose and energy within the team. We have exciting plans for developing the health programme and working with the community of the Hidden Himalayas for many years to come. Our focus and vision is on delivering a core health programme through the clinics and on building the infra structure through which the local people can sustain the projects delivered into their communities by the Nepal trust and other charities. The Service Centre Project is core to this vision.
The Trust depends however totally on the continued support of its members. The Board can establish broad strategy and plans; but without the continued support of each and every friend and member of the Nepal Trust we will not succeed. We need to grow our membership and promote more widely the good work that we do. Please think about what you could do to help this drive and contact any member of the Board with whatever good ideas you have.

Mike