By Sr Molly Fernandes SFN

Taleigao, Aug 12: “The sea is full of Fish, it all depends on the nets and boats you use for fishing," said Fr Lord Winner CMF, at a day-long training programme in project management and fundraising at Don Bosco Provincial House, Odxel, Taleigao, Goa – India, on August 11, for congregations actively working in the missions, to impart basic knowledge of the philanthropic development system to create sustainability in/of project writing or applying for the project, project management and funds organised by members of Spring Rain Global (SRG) consultancy which works with faith based organisations across the world based in Philippines having its offices in USA and Singapore.

The resource person Fr Lord Winner CMF, the general mission procurator, of Claretians, General Curia, Rome, specialised in project management, fundraising and organizational development empowered the listeners with his vast experience through different sessions on the basics of project management, funding from Catholic Donor Agencies for pastoral and social projects and funding channels and enlightened the listeners.

Winner, gave a brief history of catholic mission funding by European missionaries, who had the colonial support, of local members to support the missions of Asia, Africa and Latin America, and emphasised on the importance of compliance requirements after completion of the project within the time frame and the duration given to complete the project.

Projects in the life of the congregation Fr Lord said are concrete means to support the existing apostolates of the congregation in any fields of education, health, social development, renewable energy, disaster management.

He continued saying, project can assist in starting new ministries as per the signs of times like victims of trafficking, HIV/AIDS, and can also support needs of formation of religious personnel, specialization, etc which can lead to financial sustainability.

This training programme is the fruit of the SRG 8th Asian Philanthropic Development Conference (APDC), held from July 24 to 26, at the Amari Watergate Bangkok hotel, Bangkok Thailand on July 24-26, to empower social purpose organizations towards sustainability, attended by the Goa SRG members: Bro Prem Sagar, SG, Fr Francs Silveira, SDB, and Sr Berna, SFN.

Bro Prem Sagar, when questioned about the advent of SRG development in Goa, said this is an initiative in bringing the religious together for a very good purpose. He said they met Fr. Lord Winner, one of the speakers who was connecting with the funding agencies and requested him to come to Goa, especially to bring all the congregation together, who are actively working in the missions, and how we could connect back with the Catholic Funding Agencies, how to equip with the knowledge and the expertise in having a deeper knowledge in applying for the projects.

This first step is an initiative taken by the SRG members in Goa, to give the basic knowledge and basic inputs on project management, later on to working subsequently, how we can actualise this. Certainly, he said, the project management and project proposal getting connected with the funding agencies doesn’t happen in just 3 or 4 days but that it is a long-term process, where we are also initiating how the provinces and congregations can start their own Philanthropic Development Offices - the PDO, across. So that, in the course of time, they will have their own system of getting connecting with the funding agencies. Moreover, they will be repetitive funders if they are happy with the missions and the way you are implementing the projects and that it is for the local cause.

With hope in his eyes, he continued, ultimately, we are trying to focus on mission getting adequate funds to do the service, so this initiate is meant for that. The future idea of having a strategic plan, how do we take further together this initiative. Also initiate to bring all the congregations together, who are working in the same line of charism and certain focus areas of mission, widows, youth, human trafficking, there is common entity that comes, as a part of the congregation so want to unify all the congregations together and work with them is our target. And also, to start very strongly collaborating with the Spring Rain Global.

One of the fruits of the inputs is in line with synodality you can say of the whole catholic churches is in the process said, Bro Sagar when asked if this had anything to do with synodality. For, this initiative is also taking the NGO’s, not only the catholic organisations but any faith organisations who are really interested in doing something, a credible service to the people in need.

The participants expressed how they were enlightened and enriched with this resourceful training and had many takeaways from the different sessions: as learned the working techniques, the different types of projects, the difference in writing pastoral project and social projects and the different phases in a project and corresponding requirements. The patience needed in working tactfully and with responsibility. The need and importance of regular reporting and logical writing. That the sea is full of fish but the credibility of the boats and nets we wish to use for the catch.

The training was attended by 35 participants belonging to the salesians of don bosco, montfort brothers, congregation of holy family sisters, congregation of handmaids of christ, canossian daughters of charity, missionary society of our lady of pilar, poor sisters of our lady, religious of Jesus Mary, society of Jesus Mary Joseph, missionary sisters of the queen of the apostles, sisters of the cross of chavanod and presentation sisters.

Lastly, Sr Crina SFN, summed up that the project, is a planned activity within a given time frame which aims at bringing a desired change through the use of allotted resources and not an undesired change which emphasised the importance of pre-planning and the surveys needed before applying, and expressed gratitude to all on behalf of the participants and SRG members.