During 2003 - 04, MWM gave nine grants totalling £8,000 including:

• The Dalit Solidarity Fund received the third instalment of its three-year grant (£1,000).
• Nixon Memorial Hospital in Sierra Leone received a grant of £1,000 to pay for salary arrears to enable staff to return to work in the hospital.
• Khasobir Youth Action Group in Bangladesh was given £500 to buy books and materials. KYAG work with the poorest children in Khasobir enabling them to attend school and, in many cases, higher education.
• Both Edawu UK (£750) and Amaudo UK (£1,250) were given money to help set up a UK support and fundraising base for their projects in Nigeria.
• Christians Abroad were given £1,000 to set up a free online service for their returned volunteers; this will help the volunteers to support the links they have made whilst serving.
• In addition MWM gave £500 to Judy Bassingthwaite from South Africa who works with vulnerable and homeless people in Johannesburg. She attended a course on ‘Working with Conflict’ which will enable her to speak to the City authorities more effectively on behalf of the homeless. She attended the 2003 MWM conference; anyone who met her will remember what an inspiration she was.

How MWM is responding to needs in Latin America

In 2004 MWM also gave special grants worth £10,000 to projects in Latin America, equally divided between Colombia and Uruguay. The grants were organised through the World Church Office of the Methodist Church and additional funds, worth £1,400, were donated from the Fund for World Mission.

Colombia

In Pereira, about 50 children are being given a meal three times a week. This has encouraged the church there to grow.

In Cartagena, a weekly feeding programme at a Methodist Church can now be extended by one day a week. The money will also help purchase sewing machines and educational materials to enable girls to produce better quality goods. A local business has offered to market them.

Uruguay

£5,000 to assist in the theological training of a pastor and his wife.