We at the Trust have held two conference calls with the local Committee since they took office in late 2023. They very much impress us with their competence and experience in business, finance and administration, and they are clearly highly committed to the Home.
At the date of our last call, the Home had 13 residents and was in the process of considering the admission of a child who is blind and has cerebral palsy. We understand that his admission has now gone ahead.
We were pleased to have been sent photographs of the new roof on the Home. It has been installed with the generous support of one of our donors, who made a special contribution to this important investment. Among its benefits has been a marked improvement in natural illumination of the Home, improving the residents’ quality of life.
The Committee is reviewing several matters affecting the running of the Home, including the employment status of the nurses, which may have implications for the number of hours they are allowed to work. Depending on the outcome, they may need to increase staffing, with inevitable consequences for their operating costs. They tell us that the nurses still maintain good working relations with the Manager and the Committee.
They have changed the transport arrangements for the two residents who attend a special school in the city. Instead of being taken to and from school on adapted motorbikes, they are now, at no additional cost to the Home, taken in a van more appropriate to the task.
Funding of the Home is under constant pressure. It receives donations of foodstuffs under two government programmes, and the Committee is now applying for a third, offered by the Piura local authority.
The Committee heads the charitable association that owns the Home, and they are working both to increase membership of the association and to raise more funds from the members.
Several local companies have donation programmes in place to meet their social responsibility (ESG) targets and, in some cases, suppliers give discounts in exchange for certificates issued by the Home.