Dear Friends-

As we were about to begin the New Year we received the final audit and review report from the Rotary International Foundation.  You may recall that in 2017 we received a grant sponsored by the Lakeville Rotary club.  The grant came through the International Rotary Foundation in the amount of $206,000 for loan capital for our SACCOS. 

Last year we followed the borrowers of these funds and reported on them.  Following our report, in late October and November, the Rotary Foundation sent a team to inspect our program.  The team went over records, interviewed officers, met with borrowers, and interviewed the Joint SACCOS staff and board members in Iringa.  Then they prepared their report.

The Rotary reviews have three categories of comments – Program Strengths, Concerns, and Weaknesses. 

First came the Weaknesses.  There were none!  Then came the Concerns.  Again there were none!  Finally came the Strengths.  There were many!  Some comments directly from their report –

“The (Iringa based) organizations … are professional and competent.”

“(There is) Good management of the funds.”

“(There is a) well streamlined structure.”

“(There were) 774 loan beneficiaries, well over the original project target of 500.”

“The formulation and implementation of the Integrated Development Center concept … is commendable.”

“(The IDCs) will help to address the farmer’s challenges in skills development and … market access… In the long term this will enhance the sustainability.”

There were of course some suggestions on how to further improve/develop the program (and we will try to implement these).  But overall it was a very, very positive report.

Since we received the review we have gotten further endorsements and congratulations from a variety of Rotary officials and organizations.  Overall we feel that we could not have gotten a better result!

So we can now add Rotary International to our growing list of endorsements!  So far we can count among our endorsements positive reports from –

• Rotary International
  • “Good management of funds”
• USAID
  • “Best program we have reviewed in Southern Africa”
• NAFAKA
  • “Excellent program implementation”
• Charities Review Council
  • “They meet or exceed all requirements”
• Iringa Regional Government
  • “Best program for family health and welfare in the region.”
• District of Iringa Government
  • “Outstanding program.”
• The Tanzania President’s Office
  • “A model for our country”
• The Treasury Department of Tanzania
  • “The best program in our country and the most successful SACCOS they have seen”
• The Diocese of Iringa
  • “Iringa Hope is the most successful program in our Diocese”
• And many, many local and regional officials and organizations

 
Of course the real endorsement that counts is that of our many members in Iringa and that of YOU, our supporters.

Blessings

Tom