We evaluated our activities in 2016 during the last meeting of the Board of the Ruach foundation. A year ago we were just a group of people without legal status; everything was still a dream. We look back on a year full of milestones.
We now have an activities club attended by seven participants in the afternoon; and a community house that offers a home to three people with an intellectual disability, and from which our staff promotes the work of our Foundation and contributes to the awareness and understanding of the talents of our target group.
We have worked hard to extend our network with several organisations. Students of a University in Managua helped us with our Public Relations. Judith through a German organisation voluntarily worked with us for two months. We have held talks with another organisation about short-term in-service training in our office and in the activities club. And of course we kept up contact with government organizations like e.g. the Ministries of Work, Health and Family Welfare.
We also established many personal contacts. We now have a group of about 20 ‘godparents’ who donate with some regularity a small amount of money or food.
We now have a international network of (new) friends that helped us raise funds in the Netherlands, England, Germany, the United States, Chili, Ecuador and Nicaragua! At least 100 people are, to a minor or major extent, involved with our work.
All this would not have been possible without the support of Vivir Juntos, which covered a big part of our budget; the Board of the Ruach Foundation who faithfully met twice a month to pull the cart; and God who has blessed our efforts. Together we can make a difference! So for absolutely sure we had something to celebrate! Will you also raise a glass at home?!