Hesed Fund Report

Report 2021

Start-of-year balance GBP 4,683.

Income GBP 9,460: Nearly all regular monthly donations.

Applications received: 60 Theological Studies + 13 Personal Need + c. 25 by email.

Payments GBP 12,051: 49 grants have been made as follows:

  • 4,167 Theological College fees (prioritising finalists)
  • 2,100 Bible Translation Consultants in training (monthly support) – 3 individuals
  • 181 medical case
  • 87 primary school fees
  • 1,272 major projects of partner organisations (IDP camp Maiduguri, N’Djaména churches)
  • 4,242 Ajamin Hausa Bibles (funds returned to donors + 1,165 held separately = 5,407)

End-of-year balance GBP 2,092.

Activity has slowed due to COVID, a block on certain activities due to a spate of fraudulent applications in 2020, the CBN forex policy, and many incomplete applications.

Extracts from thank-you letters and spending reports and full detailed accounts are available to donors on request.

Hesed Fund Theological tertiary education

TCNN Fees applications

Applications must be complete and include all documentation:

  • Application form: Note that you must indicate that you belong to TWO relevant categories.
  • Grade sheet: A photo of the published results with your student number indicated, or your actual Grade Sheet from the college office.
  • Amount requested: This must be approximately 25% of your annual fees, and equal to what you currently owe to the College (as indicated on your Bursar’s note).
  • Bursar’s note
  • Explanation (minimum 1,000 words): A full and detailed explanation of your situation, showing why you are in particular need. You should aim to persuade us with the actual facts of your situation, not simply beg for pity.
  • Evidence: If you claim that you have experienced a ‘tragedy’ (that is, a major close bereavement, a sickness or accident, a direct terrorist attack or similar violence etc.), then you must send whatever evidence may be available, such as a funeral programme, death certificate, letter from your doctor, hospital receipts or news reports etc.).

Send us all of the above items in one email (we have received over 1,100 emails in the last 2 months, which places an excessive administrative burden on the Fund). If you send us an incomplete application, we will not consider it – we will simply return it to you. Then you should reread the information on the form (including all the small print) and go again through the above checklist to ensure that you can resubmit a complete application.

Please wait two weeks for a reply. Then, if necessary, you can write again to remind us.

Hesed Fund Theological tertiary education

TCNN Fees grants approved 2020/21

Over 80 applications have been received in the last month and 28 grants have been made:

Adamu Musa Janga (Waja, LCCN, BD4)
Abel Gideon Matawal (Ron, CAC, BD4)
Acharreng Emmanuel Joseph (Kulere, COCIN, MTh2)
Adams Faith Asheazi (Eggon, ERCC, BD4)
Agnes Luka Lashono (Wurkun Kode, UMCN, BD4)
Atsor Simeon Tavershima (Tiv, NKST, BD4)
Bitrus Andrew Ombugu (Eggon, ERCC, BD4)
Christopher Musa Hahadiya (Glavda, EYN, BD4)
David Ashezi Jehadis (Eggon, COCIN, BA4)
David Ibrahim Bdiliya (Bura, EYN, BD4)
Dawa James (Glavda, EYN, BD3)
Desmond Samaila (Dera, LCCN, BD3)
Emmanuel Gundiri Haruna (Kilba, EYN, BD3)
Ishaku Ayuba Mbuka (Kamwe, EYN, BD3)
Istifanus Ephraim (Ngas, Anglican, BD4)
Lawrence Barnabas (Kambu, CRCN, MDiv2)
Luka Nanyang Ceto (Pe, COCIN, BD4)
Michael Salome Dogwo (Bassa, ERCC, BD3)
Pam Chung Bulus (Berom, COCIN, BD4)
Patience Joab (Tangale, ECWA, BD4)
Patricia Ezekiel Gwom (Berom, COCIN, BD4)
Philip Nenchin Yohanna (Angas, Hekan, BD4)
Samuel Chinedu Ndupu (Igbo, Anglican, BD4)
Shagari Wamdeo Galadima (Marghi, HEKAN, BD4)
Solomon Chunggyang Pam (Berom, COCIN, MTh2)
Sunday Usman (Kilba, EYN, BD3)
Temple Magit Masara (Ron, COCIN, BD4)
Yanna Kwada (Kamwe, EYN, BD3)

This round of applications is now closed.

Unsuccessful applicants all failed to submit at least one element required (Form, Grade Sheet, Bursar’s Note, two categories, 1000-word explanation).

Hesed Fund Uncategorized

Payments to Nigeria

NOTE: The Central Bank of Nigeria does not allow Naira transfers. We can therefore make payments to accounts in Nigeria only if the account accepts USD (send us SWIFTBIC and NUBAN/IBAN numbers). In certain cases, we may be able to make payments to third parties, but recipients are then themselves responsible for ensuring that the full amount ultimately comes to them.

Hesed Fund Report

Report 2020

Start-of-year balance GBP 2,981.

Income GBP 14,895: Approximately 50% regular monthly donations and 50% larger one-off gifts. The total is very close to the ideal level of GBP 15,000 (as per last year’s report) – large enough for us to do something significant, but still small enough for us to administer it responsibly.

Payments GBP 13,193: Grants have been made as follows:

  • 4,339 Theological College fees (prioritising finalists) – similar to last year
  • 1,800 Bible Translation Consultants in training (monthly support) – now 3 individuals at the same level as last year (as per last year’s report)
  • 1,262 medical cases (head injury, ileostomy, heart & liver problems, road traffic accident, wheelchairs etc.)
  • 67 primary school fees
  • 3,218 major projects of partner organisations (IDP camps Maiduguri, Yola Peace programme, N’Djaména COVID relief)
  • 2,018 poverty relief (bereavement, ethnic crisis, bomb blast, COVID)
  • 489 Bible translation and distribution

(The fund still holds GBP 5,407 in trust for Ajamin Hausa Bibles, due to be published in 2021.)

End-of-year balance GBP 4,683.

Approximately half of applications are unsuccessful, usually due to misreading the terms of the Fund or making speculative applications. A particular problem this year has been fraudulent applications for wheelchairs and assistance to widows (the Fund has clearly become known to scammers!); this resulted in a partial lockdown of the Fund in the latter part of the year. In December, we heard that the Central Bank of Nigeria has blocked transfers direct to Nigerian bank accounts, greatly impacting our work until we find an alternative.

Extracts from thank-you letters and spending reports and full detailed accounts are available to donors on request.

Hesed Fund Report

Payments to Nigeria

We regret that many payments have been delayed due to many fraudulent applications and others submitted without adequate evidence.

We have also now received this message from our main transfer service:

We are working to find an alternative money transfer method, such as a reliable partner holding accounts in both Nigeria and Europe. In the meantime, we regret that our services are very restricted.

With all sincere good wishes for the holiday season!

Hesed Fund Uncategorized

Documentation

Due to a spate of many fraudulent applications, we are now having to require of applicants more details and evidence (formal documentation including ID cards, letters from pastors/imams etc.). We are very sad that this is necessary.

Hesed Fund Refugees

Initiative for Victims’ Educational and Economic Development

Friends of the Hesed Fund have established this new organisation with the mission:

“To support the educational development of children who cannot afford to attend school as a result of poverty caused by ethno-religious crises and terrorism.”

I-VEED‘s mission is thus distinct from but complementary to that of the Hesed Fund, and its values are very similar to ours, including in particular a focus on the most vulnerable, open collaboration between Christians and Muslims, and a healing and non-confrontational approach to engagement in ethno-religious conflicts. We also have confidence in the faithfulness of its Trustees and leadership. We therefore warmly recommend it to potential donors. See the I-VEED website for more information, including the latest newsletter:

Hesed Fund Health

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Nigeria

Responses to the coronavirus situation have been various. In the last days we have received reports of:

One dear friend writes:

Coronavirus ( COVID-19) is also in Nigeria. The number of people being infected are growing daily. Confirmed cases stands at about 500 people. Now the country is on lockdown in many States. Plateau State, Our state too. Everyone lives in fear. Rumours are doing more damage than good. Many cure doctors untrained are peddling wrong medication. False prophets are on the increase. We warn people to stay away from fake prophets. …

Wicked ungodly people who know they have it do not observe the rules of ‘stay at home’. …

The rural villages are finding it hard to comply. Getting food items is getting harder for most of us. What the church is doing is to embark on educating the people door to door. African countries being very social in Nature  find it very difficult.  We  know you love and care about us. That means a lot to us. Thanks very much. Continue to pray for us. We too will pray for you.

Urban beggars may be among the hardest hit, especially the Sufi disciples or almajirai. Hesed’s partners have contributed to the poster above left in the language and script they most commonly use.