FUNDING

There are always two questions asked around requests for money.

“What is the money for?”

“Where does the money go?”

Being a grass roots movement, albeit an Incorporated Body and a Registered Charity in Australia, the funding for our project comes from a wide range of sources.

We need funds for three areas;

1. Our work in KwaZulu-Natal with our partners, training communities and distribution of the dolls.

2. Freight and associated costs to get the dolls to KZN.

3. Our work in Australia and other western countries in education about children’s emotional wellbeing and their carers and communities in Africa, the essential nature of play and the making of dolls.

In KwaZulu-Natal

The Rob Smetherham Bereavement Services for Children is our main partner in creating and leading workshops there which make a difference to the lives of many children and their carers. RobS trains community leaders, family facilitators, NGO’s and carers in the sensitive communication needed for children suffering trauma and loss. This is crucial work for the future of Africa. We have pledged to raise $27,000 for 2009 and again in 2010 to enable this fine organisation to expand their work.As this is our major concern, we seek individuals who will provide donations of $500 – 5,000 as Friends of Uthando Project.

Freight and Distribution

Through TREE (Training and Resources in Early Education) we need funding for freight costs in Durban dock charges and duties, for our consignments of dolls and any distribution costs in KZN through TREE, usually around $2000 three times a year.

In Australia

The day to day running of the organisation is generously covered by various members and groups and through fund raising activities. We do seek to be self sufficient, as a good model for trust, transparency and effective action. Funds are needed here mainly in the area of education and awareness raising of our principles of the importance of play for children’s emotional balance and information about the lives of children in Africa enduring the HIV/AIDS pandemic and the practical and creative information around dollmaking.

- Publishing and distribution costs of the manuals/printed materials which are either used in presentations, sold or given freely eg. posters, patterns, dollmakers workbooks, workshop materials.

- Printing and associated costs of our Greeting Cards, which promote the project and create funds.

- Dollmaking kits which contain everything needed (incl tools) to make one doll.

- Associated costs for Uthando workshops, exhibitions and presentations.

It is noteworthy that nearly all the materials used in the making of dolls by individuals, groups and schools are covered by the dollmakers themselves, with over 20,000 being sent over a 4 year period. This is awe inspiring and reflects the power of the project.

No donations are applied to administration costs.Again that is covered by dollmakers. This truly is grass roots action.Dollmakers in other countries who have provided hundreds of dolls, manage their own costs.

The Uthando Project became an Incorporated body in 2008 and a Registered Charity with an ABN. We also have the advantage of being a tax deductible project through Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS).Please contact Georgia Efford

The Honorary Treasurer is

Lis Hansen
355 Belmont Ave, Cloverdale 6105
Ph (08) 9472 0717
[email protected]

Our Banking details are as follows. Please email your deposits to our Treasurer and use your surname/ business name as identification on our Bank Statement.

BSB : 016341
Acc#: 480303827
Name : Uthando Project Inc

Please contact the Uthando Project director and chairperson, Dr Julie Stone, or the Coordinator, Georgia Efford to discuss your donation.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF DONATIONS FROM ORGANISATIONS, BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS

• W.A AIDS Council
• City of Swan Community Development
• Darling Range Rotary Club
• Kalamunda Rotary club
• Soroptimists International Branches: On the Terrace, Perth, Fremantle, Cambridge, Forrestfield
• Lions Club, Kalamunda
• Ben & Brian Croker, BJC Enterprises,
• Belmont, for truckloads of doll filling
• Textile Traders, Western Australia
• Calico and Ivy, Mosman Park
• Patchwork House Hawthorn, Vic
• Patchwork of Essendon, Vic
• Black Gecko Print, Maddington
• Breathless, Burswood, Perth
• All the hundreds of individuals who have sponsored dolls at festivals and auctions.
• All the hundreds of dollmakers and their friends who have given fabric, wool and other materials
• The many generous individual donors who have given money.
• Big acknowledgement to all the newspapers, journals and TV channels who have presented the Uthando Project with willingness and clarity resulting in more dollmakers participating.