In this very challenging year, we have reached the season for giving thanks (Thanksgiving) and we are approaching the season for giving gifts (Giving Tuesday, Christmas). This Newsletter is dedicated to giving thanks.
A SEASON FOR GIVING THANKS
To all of you, we want to say Happy Thanksgiving Day. To all of you and all of our readers, we want thank you very, very much for your interest in and support for the Haley McCready Outreach and Development Fund during the past 10 years (the first two development grants for development projects were provided in 2011).
We are so very thankful for the critical contributions of our Project Beneficiaries, Project Managers, Program Coordinator and Advisory Committee Members. We are grateful for the support and assistance that has been provided by Hope Africa University, the Free Methodist Church of Burundi, the Free Methodist Church USA and the Free Methodist Foundation. We are exceedingly thankful for the donors who have been willing to make donations. It is the donors who have made it possible to provide the money for one-time, start-up development grants for development projects that are designed to allow poor beneficiaries to become self-supporting, self-managing, self-governing and self-sustaining.
Beneficiaries
Thank you very much to our many Project Beneficiaries who have agreed to voluntarily establish, join and participate in an association and work together on their project’s development functions and activities. Our beneficiaries are poor indigenous people, usually vulnerable women, who are willing work hard to improve the their own lives, the lives of their families and the lives of their fellow association members. Murakoze cane! Thank you!
Project Managers
Thank you very much to our Project Managers who are self-selecting students and/or graduates of Hope Africa University who voluntarily prepare and submit a project proposal in response to our Calls for Proposals. For those Project Managers whose proposed projects receive a grant, they sign a funding agreement, committing to be a long-term, voluntary Project Manager to guide the Project Beneficiaries, the project association members in becoming self-supporting, self-managing, self-governing and self-sustaining. Murakoze cane! Thank you!
Program Coordinator
Thank you very much to our Program Coordinator, Louse NTIRANYIBAGIRA, who is the onsite person in Burundi and provides coordination and support for the Project Managers and the development projects all year-round. As Program Coordinator, Louise plays a critical role in facilitating communication, sharing information and coordinating program and project reporting. Thank you!
Advisory Committee Members
Thank you very much to our Advisory Committee Members; the members of the United States Advisory Committee and members of the Burundi Advisory Committee. Thank you!
The United States Advisory Committee provides review and support for fundraising initiatives and considers recommendations for the distribution of funds. The membership is as follows.
- Bishop Linda Adams, Bishop of the Free Methodist Church USA, Former Director, International Child Care Ministries, Free Methodist Church USA
- Mr. Lloyd Ganton, Chief Executive Officer, Lloyd Ganton Retirement Centers
- Rev. Burton Hamilton, Founding Principal, Burlington Christian Academy, Former Chair, Board of Elders, West Highland Baptist Church, Past Vice-Chair, Board of McMaster Divinity College, Past Member of Senate, McMaster Divinity College and Past Board Member for One Mission Society Canada
- Bishop David Kendall, Retired Bishop of the Free Methodist Church of North America, Mid-west Conferences and Liaison to Africa
- Rev. Mark Van Valin, Director, Detroit Initiative, Mission Igniter and Former Lead Pastor, Spring Arbor Free Methodist Church
- Dr. John McCready, Founder and Program Director, Haley McCready Outreach and Development Fund, Adjunct Professor and Senior Advisor on Development, Hope Africa University and Sole Proprietor, Healthy Horizons Consulting
The Burundi Advisory Committee reviews, evaluates and recommends selected project proposals for small one-time, start-up development grants and oversees the project implementation, reporting and evaluation. The membership is as follows.
- Bishop Déogratias NSHIMIYIMANA, Bishop of the Free Methodist Church of Burundi, Former Burundi Director for the African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministries (ALARM)
- Mme. Susan Muchiri, Head, Department of Social Work and Community Development, Hope Africa University
- Mme. Esperance MPAWGNIMANA, Graduate, Department of Social Work and Community Development, Hope Africa University, Former Head of Human Resources, Hope Africa University and Owner and Manager of a large chickens and eggs business and a health clinic
- Mme. Louise NTIRANYIBAGIRA, Ex Officio Member, Program Coordinator, Haley McCready Outreach and Development Fund, Graduate, Community Development Master’s Program, Hope Africa University and Program Manager, National Council of Churches of Burundi
- Mme. Jacqueline Murekasenge, On Study Leave, Former Head, Department of Social Work and Community Development, Hope Africa University
- Dr. John McCready, Founder and Program Director, Haley McCready Outreach and Development Fund, Adjunct Professor and Senior Advisor on Development, Hope Africa University and Sole Proprietor, Healthy Horizons Consulting
- Former Member: Bishop Elie BUCONYORI (deceased), Former Rector of Hope Africa University and Former Bishop of the Free Methodist Church of Burundi
Organizations
Thank you very much to representatives of four organizations who have provided and continue to provide much-appreciated support and assistance. Thank you!
The four organizations are as follows.
- Hope Africa University
- Free Methodist Church of Burundi
- Free Methodist Church USA
- Free Methodist Foundation
Donors
Thank you very, very much to our donors who have made it possible to provide single, start-up grants for many development projects. Thank you!
Without the donors and their donations, the Haley McCready Outreach and Development Fund cannot survive. We believe that we attract donors who appreciate that the grant money is invested directly in development projects that mobilize poor beneficiaries to join a project association and work together to help themselves become self-supporting, self-managing, self-governing and self-sustaining. The grant money is invested in development projects that develop the capacity and the independence of indigenous people in Burundi. We are thankful that our donors have allowed us to contribute to improving the lives of poor indigenous people in Burundi.