Dear Friend of Got Matar,
When I wrote to you in December, I mentioned that, as of the end of January 2014, PEAS would no longer serve as the anchor charity for Got Matar Community Development Group in UK. I can now give you details of the new arrangements which will come into effect from 1st February 2014.
On 6th January I met with John Collenette who is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of ACE Africa (UK) and also serves as itsTreasurer. John was accompanied by Lizzy Epsley, ACE’s Fundraising and Communications Manager. We reached agreement on a wide range of issues relating to the emergence of a partnership between ACE Africa and Got Matar Community Development Group (GMCDG). Our tentative understandings will be reflected in a Memorandum of Understanding which is now being drafted and will be subject to review and eventual endorsement by ACE Africa (Kenya) and GMCDG. Once signed, it will be placed on the ACE and Got Matar websites. Suffice it to say that both partners are satisfied with the progress that they are already making in working together around shared objectives and they intend to progressively deepen their cooperation in the future.
I and the Members of the Got Matar Community believe that the creation of a formal partnership with ACE Africa is a very positive step in the right direction. It will be a more substantive partnership than that with PEAS in the sense that it will involve a lot of practical collaboration on the ground in the interests of children living in the area of GMCDG influence and possibly beyond.
Our aim is to make the transition seamless. The balance of funds held by PEAS for GMCDG on 31st January will be transferred to ACE Africa (UK) on that date. I would ask donors with standing orders for transfers to PEAS for GMCDG to request their banks to cancel them and, if they wish to continue, to reopen them with ACE Africa (UK) being the destination.
If, as I hope, you wish to continue supporting GMCDG’s educational programmes, you should make payments directly to ACE Africa (UK) (UK Registered Charity No. 1111283) in any of the following ways:
- By Cheque Please send a cheque payable to “ACE Africa” to: ACE Africa (UK), c/o Lockton Companies, The St. Botolph Building, 138 Houndsditch, London EC 3A 7AG. Please note on the back of the cheque “For Got Matar”.
- By Bank Transfer To CAF Bank Ltd., Sort Code 40-52-40, Acc N0. 00017187, Account Name: Ace Africa. Please note the purpose along with your surname “For Got Matar, ‘Surname’”
- Donate On Line by credit or debit card Please enter http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/giving/ and select ACE Africa. Please include “For Got Matar” in the message box, and include your name (and address, either postal or e-mail) in the following box.
It would be helpful if, when you make a donation, you submit to ACE the Donation and Gift Aid form which can be downloaded and printed from the Got Matar website (www.gotmatar.org)
For more details or in case of difficulties, please contact ACE Africa (UK) at: [email protected], visit the website www.ace-africa.org or phone at tel. no. 0044 (0) 2079332994.
I am very happy to inform you that donors will not be charged any administrative expenses and that ACE Africa (UK) will also ensure than any Gift Aid related to donations will be credited to Got Matar. Their staff will also acknowledge receipt of each donation earmarked for Got Matar.
ACE Africa (UK) is happy to receive funds in currencies £ Sterling and US dollars (no cheques accepted in US dollars due to the expense) However, to save on currency exchange costs on Euro contributions, it is best that Euro-denominated donations continue to be sent to Vanda Altarelli at Associazione SONIA (www.associazionesonia.org) .
I trust that you will agree that these new arrangements bode very well for future developments at Got Matar. If you have any comments or questions on this note, please do not hesitate to contact me at the addresses at the head of the page or by phone at 0039 0564507930.
I shall write to John Rendell of PEAS to thank him on behalf of donors and the GMCDG for the assistance that he has provided since 2006.
With best wishes to you,
Andrew MacMillan
