Norwich Christian charity wins £10k boost

LeeMorganLatvia2010: Norwich-based Christian charity Hope for Latvia recently won £10,000 at a prestigious fundraising evening in London. They intend to use this money to help start micro-economic enterprises in partnership with some of the poorest families in Latvia.
 
Only five of the 90 charities that applied to the Cross Pollinate foundation were invited to attend the event held this month in London. A team of local volunteers, John Lee, Owen Morgan, and Tommy Winn gave a six-minute presentation on the work conducted by the charity to 40 businessmen, successfully securing the donation.
 
Hope for Latvia, which is an initiative from Proclaimers Church in Norwich, supports families marginalised by poverty, assisting them with education, accommodation and providing business training. 
 
Owen Morgan, who works as the Executive Pastor of Proclaimers, presented to the audience of Business Owners and Trust Representatives.
 
“The £10,000 donated on the night will help us to work with Latvian families to start small businesses,” he said. “By helping families develop independent streams of income, Hope for Latvia is breaking the cycle of poverty they are caught in.”
 
The micro-enterprise strategy that Hope for Latvia intends to use has been successful in over 20 countries. The entrepreneurs will attend an initial training course where they will be taught how to develop a business plan, budget and how to market their business. At the end of the course they will submit a business plan and if approved they will receive a small loan. The trainees will continue to receive mentoring from the team and will attend follow up training sessions after 3, 6 and 12 months. The outcome will be that the families become self sufficient and no longer dependant upon welfare handouts.
 
The work done by volunteer-led Hope for Latvia is significantly improving the way in which people live: changing their daily lives and providing them with a tangible and genuine hope for the future.
 
To find out how you could help support families in Latvia, contact project manager John Lee at johnlee@hopeforlatvia.org  or visit the website www.hopeforlatvia.org
 
Pictured above are John Lee, left, and Owen Morgan in Latvia.