Trip to Vietnam to visit Hagar's Projects

CT Trust continues to financially support Hagar NZ's work in Asia combatting human trafficking and helping survivors.

In October 2024 David and Margaret visited Vietnam to see some of Hagar's projects there. They spoke with survivors of domestic violence, and learned about Hagar's Trauma Informed Care Model.

Trip to Egypt to visit GHNI's Projects

In April 2025 David and Margaret visted Egypt to see the projects that GHNI is running there:

• They visited the TCD Project in Ezbet El Haggana (which CT Trust is funding), and met with Sudanese refugee children.
• They visited Ezbet El Nakhl - an overcrowded slum area in Cairo - where GHNI has been running a project for more than 10 years. That community has high rates of unemployment and poor health. Unclean water, poor sanitation, and overcrowded living conditions cause skin problems and many other health issues. Micro-enterprise loans for women, and water filters, have improved the lives of many. But there is still a great need for more loans and water filters.
• They also visited a project in a Muslim community, and a sewing project (where women were learning how to make trousers), and many micro-enterprise projects. They met women who were increasing their income by making ice-cream, repairing shoes and clothes, hairdressing, and running small shops.

New Workers Seed Fund (TCD)

During the 2024-2025 financial year CT Trust contributed $22,000 NZD to Global Hope Network International's (GHNI) New Workers Fund. This funding enables GHNI to employ Transformational Community Development (TCD) workers who identify and assess new villages for potential TCD projects - a process that can take over a year for approval.

Once a village is approved and initiates a TCD project, the funding is reallocated to support another worker in a different area, thereby facilitating the expansion of TCD to more communities.

Mawa, Indonesia (2019-2024) - TCD Project (GHNI)

August 2024 update: Mawa village is now fully self-sufficient, therefore the TCD Project has been closed.

Before the TCD Project started, villagers were raising pigs for nearby landowners and earning minimal income. Through the TCD initiative, they transitioned to independently raising ducks, significantly boosting their earnings. In August 2024, demonstrating autonomy and initiative, the villagers collectively funded and purchased duck incubators, enhancing their income-generating capabilities.

Yone Taw, Myanmar (2023-2028) - TCD Project (GHNI)

CT Trust has agreed to fully fund the Yone Taw TCD Project run by GHNI (total project cost is estimated to be $64,000 USD). The village struggles with clean water, poor nutrition, and limited income opportunities. Their immediate goals are: water filters; nutrition training; gardening projects; and micro-enterprise projects.

Update (March 2025): 25 people have been given micro-enterprise loans to fund two main income-generation projects: betel nut plantations and for mat weaving businesses. The betel nut plantations are going well (and most of those loans have been repaid), however the mat weaving businesses are struggling due a reduced number of travellers to the area (due to violence and security concerns).

The village faces many ongoing challenges including community conflict and a lack of unity, security concerns and violence in the region (TCD staff are unable to vist), and cyclones damaging the plantations.

Cairo TCD Project (Ezbet El Haggana village)

CT Trust has fully funded a community development project (2023-2028) in Ezbet El Haggana village, East Cairo. This is a TCD project run by GHNI.

This is a densely populated informal settlement that has two separate communities - Egyptian migrants (who migrate from Upper Egypt for better economic opportunities in the capital), and Sudanese refugees. The lack of formal recognition and infrastructure causes many problems such as limited access to clean water, sanitation, and electricity. Housing is overcrowded. Most jobs are informal, low-paid, and unstable. The Sudanese community faces additional challenges due to ostracism and difficulties getting legal status and work permits.

GHNI is working together with community leaders to improve the well-being of people in the community - through e.g. micro-enterprise loans for women, water filters for households, schooling for children, and a women's committee. Community leaders meet regularly to work out what the community needs next and how to achieve it.

David and Margaret visited this project in April 2025 - they met some of the Sudanese refugee children that attended a school set up by this project (photo below), visited several micro-enterprise projects, and saw how micro-loans and and water filters were improving the lives of women and families in this community.

Hybrid Drill

CT Trust donated $80,000 NZD in 2023-2024 to The Village Drill (villagedrill.com) to deliver a new Village Drill Hybrid to Liberia/Sierra Leone. The drill is expected to be delivered in March 2025. Once received, a three-week training will be conducted, during which at least one well will be drilled.

Dr David Friend - Mukinge Hospital (Zambia)

CT Trust continues to support Dr. David Friend, a SIM medical missionary, in his work at Mukinge Hospital. Dr Friend also regularly visits the local prison and leprosy village to provide medical, practical and spiritual support to the people there.