Utugi Volunteer Vacancies – could you help?
The Utugi Street Children Kenya Project is a small charity which was founded in Haddenham in 1998. Since then it has funded the building and running costs of a home for street boys in Wang'uru in Central Kenya, known as the Utugi Children's Centre.
The home is managed by a committee appointed by the diocese of Kirinyaga and the on site manager and her staff. It is registered with the Kenya Government and complies with their child protection policies.
It has developed from small beginnings over the years. There are now 58 boys housed in the home aged 5 to 21, all still in full time education, including vocational training. A small farm on site grows maize, bananas and other crops and includes goats, chickens and rabbits.
Some funds are now raised locally by sale of produce, and other small scale micro financing, and assistance form the local Mother's Union. It is the only facility for street children in the diocese.
The local charity is run entirely by volunteers and now entails more administrative work than can be managed by two people. We have the following needs:
Assistant Treasurer
This would entail keeping the accounts, and preparing them for the Charity Commission and Inland Revenue, and for the claiming of Gift Aid rebate. It would also involve banking cash and cheques as required. The major decisions on expenditure, grants etc, would be made by the committee and treasurer.
Sponsorship Manager
The role would entail mailing the sponsors when there was news of their sponsored children, keeping the sponsorship list up to date, with addresses, and other contact information and ensuring that their contributions were still active. It would also involve trying to find new sponsors for any newly admitted boys, or when existing sponsors cease their sponsorship. Sponsors sometimes telephone or write to request information and they become friends over time.
Fund Raising Manager
This is a job for someone with lots of ideas on running events to raise funds for the project, and the organisational ability to make them happen. We have been running the same events for a good number of years and some fresh inspiration is needed! Money raised is used to supplement the sponsorship donations to fund the day to day running of the Utugi Children's Centre, a home for boys from the street, or other very poor circumstances, and to pay for special projects for development.
Please consider whether you could take on one of these positions.
For more information, or to offer your help, please contact:
Sarah Wood – Tel: 01844 290214 Email: sarah.wood@care4free.net
