TrunkAid is a non-proft making organisation registered in Hong Kong set up by Andy and Jenny Statham. Andy is a full-time teacher at Island School in Hong Kong. Jenny has been teaching part time but has given up work to concentrate on TrunkAid.
We have been connected with one of China's poorest areas for some years but became more involved in charity work after the Asian tsunami of 2004.
In 2005 Island School raised money in response to the Asian tsunami disaster. A party of teachers and students went to Sri Lanka to see how best to use it. Jenny followed this up with a further visit later in the year.
We realised quickly that giving money to the big charities was not the most effective way of delivering aid.
Far more effective were local residents who were able to use their local knowledge to see what needed to be done and who were not hampered by politics and bureaucracy. These smaller groups were able to mobilise themselves quickly and get things done.
While we found a number of worthwhile projects we were not going to throw our money away. Experience in China has taught us that you might
trust the person you're dealing with but you can't necessarily trust the people they have to deal with. Corrupt officials are only too keen to get their hands on any extra money that might be around.
In China we see what people want and then go with them to the shops to buy it for them, or, if that is not possible we will hand over money on the production of receipts for work done.
In Sri Lanka we did give some money in advance so that work could continue while paying the rest later when work was complete and receipts produced.
We were pleased to be able to purchase fishing boats, houses, school unifoms, stationery and have since built a vocational centre to help retrain people for work..
On our return to Hong Kong we became aware that there were other schools, organisations and individuals around the world who were also looking for projects.
It was at this point that we decided to set up TrunkAid to allow sponsors to find smaller groups such as those we had been dealing with. In this way money could be given directly to fund the projects rather than making a general donation to charity.
Download the report of our visit.