Re: Re: Lake Fellowship Situation

[Guest guest]

Hello all for 2004,

There is much still to do of course and that will never change.

Simply do what is possible and let the impossible take care of

itself.

I am still beefing about getting funds to Africa via the normal

ways that are legal.

I used to use Western Union without checking how much was received

by the recipient but presuming since I paid a fee at my end the

funds would closely represent the current global conversion

rate.

Some folks have now told me that they have always had trouble and

now I am trying to find out how big the problem is and who are the

players.

My problem started when I send in US$ some funds to Uganda to a

bank account and I have since found out that the Commonwealth Bank

routes the funds through Citybank New York who took 25% commission

before the funds were credited to the customer and his bank, the

Nile Bank of Uganda said that if they took fees he would have

gotten very little so they left the sum remitted from Citybank

intact but it did not cover the fees involved.

Now I tried to by a bank draft that I can send to a secure Post

Office Box in Kampala which would be deposited directly into the

customer's account at the daily rate applicable only to find that

the Commonwealth Bank does not have Uganda on the list of

countries where bank drafts can be negotiated. There were dozens

of other countries including South Africa but no where else. Why

is that so? Can anyone offer a suggestion as to how this can be

exposed further. I am also interested in other cases where funds

were levied on route to bank accounts which are also very

difficult to set up without sizable opening deposits. It makes a

joke about safe contribution to micro credit activities.

The above client is a differently abled lad who is the President

of a self help organisation for like minded individuals who had a

nasty fall and broke one of his elbow crutches as well as injuring

his neck when he fell heavily. Of course you can't just buy one

crutch and the broken one is irrepairable. I discovered that

US$100 will buy a pair of ruggedly constructed elbow crutches but

I have no idea how much to send to him to allow for the 'levies'

that financial institutions deduct on the way.

I believe that financial institutions should be accountable. I

have no idea why I can send a bank draft to Latvia from Australia

but not to Nairobi or Kampala directly.

I thought of sending cash inside the pages of a paper back book

but this is also not consistent with good financial practice or

legal postage content.

I am interested in running with this enquiry and would appreciate

as much data as people feel able to share with me. We are talking

here about very small and very impoverished NGO's or CBO's and as

such the community benefit will be enhanced by a more responsible

response from Financial Institutions who declare up front their

fees and minimise them where the project they supporting is for

the benefit of East Africa.

I

On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 Janet Feldman wrote :

>Dear , Tom, Hezekiah, and All,

>Hello to everyone and happiest 2004 to those I have not wished it

>to yet!  Thanks so much for the postings and work in support of

>Tom Obiero and Lake Fellowship! , who posted recently

>wondering whether this is a legitimate organization, must be new

>to the forum, as Tom has posted here often about the wonderful

>programs they are doing and hope to do, especially in the arts

>and sustainable living. Anyone who supports these programs is

>doing a fantastic thing for the communities and individuals Lake

>Fellowship serves, and this is also true for the amazing Reachout

>and Hezekiah Nyaranga.

>

>Tom, Hezekiah has had some luck with the local UNICEF folks in

>Kisumu, and you might also try AMREF, CARE, FHI, and Actionaid.

>There are projects like the Heifer Project based in the USA which

>might help too (

>http://www.heifer.org

>) with farm-type inputs. It would be great to get a grant of some

>kind for your arts activities, and I will keep my eyes open (in

>fact, there is a new round for the GFATM, so if we apply as a

>group, I will let you know). There is also an org. called Geneva

>Global where a friend works, and they are looking to help

>faith-based orgs. specifically, so I can introduce you (

>http://www.genevaglobal.com

>), and perhaps the Viva Network, another faith-oriented effort

>(

>http://www.viva.org

>and

>http://www.africa.viva.org

>). I'm sure that Neema Mgana of ARYI will also have some great

>suggestions and contacts, and perhaps we can even discuss an ICTs

>initiative, as ARYI-KAIPPG-TakingITGlobal are coordinating and

>integrating our efforts in that regard.

>

>For now, thanks again so much to and to all who help

>support this wonderful organization and cause, and will keep in

>touch myself about this, Tom, and my eye open for opportunities.

>I think this may be time to revive your excellent ideas about the

>t-shirts and the small shares of various income-generating

>projects, which you had posted about in October-November (for

>World AIDS Day). If a number of people bought " shares " --$10, $25,

>$50--as you had indicated, it would be fairly light on the wallet

>but add up to making a big difference for your organization in

>getting these projects started and keeping them going. Please

>consider this and post again if you can! With all best wishes and

>blessings, Janet

> Re: Lake Fellowship Situation

>Dear Friends,

>It is true the Lake Fellowship is in need for support

>and they have the potenail to succeed. I visited them

>and I offer to plant one line by paying whoever will

>be the job.

>Those who might be touch to do something for centre

>should do so in good faith.

> Okeyo Ogodo

>---

Geoff Heaviside

Brimbank Community Initiatives Inc

A Social Justice & Welfare Service Agency

P.O. Box 606

SUNSHINE 3020 Australia

Ph: +61 3 9449 1856 - Local (03) 9449 1856

Cell +61418328278 - Local 0418 328 278

INDIA

Geoff Heaviside

T.Nagar 600017

Chennai India

Cell 9840 097 178

" I have learned that life is like a roll of toilet paper.The

closer it gets to the end,the faster it goes. "

[Guest guest]

Question:

If someone in the USA wires $150 USA Dollars to a recipient in Kenya via

Western Union (paying the Western Union sender's fee at the USA end) how

much money is handed over to the recipient in Kenya?

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

_________________________________________________________________

Check out the coupons and bargains on MSN Offers!

http://shopping.msn.com/softcontent/softcontent.aspx?scmId=1418

[Guest guest]

I also need to know the answer to this question but it seems from

enquiries that it depends on the relationship of the recipient

with a particular Western Union office who may know him or her

well enough to leave the funds untouched.

Geoffrey

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 wrote :

>Question:

>If someone in the USA wires $150 USA Dollars to a recipient in

>Kenya via

>Western Union (paying the Western Union sender's fee at the USA

>end) how

>much money is handed over to the recipient in Kenya?

>

>Boston, Massachusetts, USA

>_________________________________________________________________

>Check out the coupons and bargains on MSN Offers!

>http://shopping.msn.com/softcontent/softcontent.aspx?scmId=1418

>http://www./group/

>http://www./group/aids-africa

>(a group made up of Africans worldwide)

>Join Digital Africa- an information technology group that

>discusses IT in Africa at

>http://www./group/digafrica

>

[Guest guest]

Hello to the supporters of Kenya and its children,

I want to reply to the suggestion that there was a lack of

credibility for Lake Fellowship Centre which absorbs most of the

income and energy of the whole Okeyo family including a wife and

two lovely children with whom I was a house guest recently.

It is one of the most organised orphan care projects that I

witnessed in Kenya.

The only complaints come from the 100's of chickens that breed on

the farm and disappear on a daily basis into the various soups and

rice dishes that feed the children there.

Anyone with resources available would find them utilised with the

utmost of commendable stewardship in this project and I can say

that with no equivocation.

The con scams that appear weekly used to centre on Nigerian Oil

money and have now taken on a new flavour related to HIV-AIDS

because people like me have been reporting the abuse and ISP's

have been terminating email addresses. It is easy of course to

tell the difference. Usually there are large sums of money stashed

and a share offered to anyone who provided bank details to

facilitate the transfer. Poor people with no money in the accounts

that they provided have found themselves in debt for 1000's of

units of currency after money laundering scams have been wrought

and then reversals have been made by the financial institutions

who have realised the scam early enough. Lots of young hopeful

indians have been caught up in these scams but they are easily

recognisable and bear no resemblance to Tom's project simply

because of the style of the request and the verifiable information

provided.

Good fortune must follow Tom and Phoebe and Bevon and Ian because

their whole life is caught up in the quest for orphan childrens'

rights, housing and health in Kisumu. Visits are welcome of course

to see for yourselves and God has blessed them with magnificent

real estate from which they will ultimately derive some income

producing initiatives with timely financial support.

Geoffrey

On Sat, 17 Jan 2004 Hezekiah Nyaranga wrote :

>Dear k

>

>Lake fellowship is acredible organization and Tom

>Okeyo has been its coodinator.I have worked closely

>with Tom for quite sometimes and i dont have doubt in

>him.I know the community he represent and the need for

>the activity he is now asking for support.

>

>

>Anybody who may want to assist Tom can do that knowing

>that the help will go down to the intended community.

>

>Hezekiah Bunde

>Reach-out Group

>kisumu,kenya.

>--- Sawyer <esawyer@...> wrote:

> > I suggest contacting a known an respected Kenyan

> > AIDS group and check

> > out this guy's credibility.

> >

Geoff Heaviside

Brimbank Community Initiatives Inc

A Social Justice & Welfare Service Agency

P.O. Box 606

SUNSHINE 3020 Australia

Ph: +61 3 9449 1856 - Local (03) 9449 1856

Cell +61418328278 - Local 0418 328 278

INDIA

Geoff Heaviside

T.Nagar 600017

Chennai India

Cell 9840 097 178

" I have learned that life is like a roll of toilet paper.The

closer it gets to the end,the faster it goes. "