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Anna Fill Interviews

Child Care Monaco. Speaking to Founders Martine Ackermann and Caroline Healey

Child Care Monaco is the new charity in town. Driven by passion and the need to make a difference, Martine Ackermann and Caroline Healey create the charity not just to raise awareness but to actually change young peoples lives with the right to education.

I met both Martine and Caroline at the event to launch the charity, held at the JCI Head Quarters, in the Metropole, in Monaco on Saturday 10th November.

The evening which was influenced by asian culture was a success and enjoyed by so many.

Afterwards, I wanted to speak with Martine and Caroline to hear about the whys, the challenges in setting up a charity and how much was raised from their first event and the vision.

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Anna Fill:
Q 1. What inspired you to start the charity ‘Child Care Monaco’ and explain what your goals are?

Caroline Healey:
We have always been helping children living under very poor conditions during our numerous trips in Asia and India together. Martine and myself would provide them with clothes, toys and school supplies while visiting various orphanages and villages. It helped them on the spot, but we realized this was not enough. In order to really help we needed to create a structure that would be able to support bigger projects and with more regularity. From this 'Child CARE Monaco' was born.

Martine Ackermann in French:
Aussi pendant notre tour du monde en famille l'année passée en 2011, nous avions souhaité visiter des centres, orphelinas, associations, qui s'occupent des enfants défavorisés et laissés pour compte. Sur place nous nous sommes bien rendu compte de qui nous pouvions aider à notre retour à Monaco car nous avions pu noter et analyser les besoins réels.
Comme dit Caroline depuis des années déjà que nous aidons divers orphelinas elle et moi en Asie, en Inde, Afrique du Sud et Maroc pour moi en plus, il arrive un moment ou il est nécessaire de créer une structure pour supporter des projets tel que la création d'une école qui demande de regrouper des fonds assez important et de mobiliser un certain nombre de personnes..

Martine in English:
Also during our family trip around the world in 2011 we visited orphanages and centres that help street children and other children in need. There we could see clearly how we could help and in which way, once we were back in Monaco.
As Caroline said, we were helping different orphanages in Asia, India and Africa for years and the time had come to create a structure to raise the nescessary funds to create a school for example and other projects that need more money and a bigger
numbers of people.

 

Anna Fill:
Q 2. What did you need to do to create the charity in Monaco and how long did it take to do this? (eg: Administration and permissions/paperwork)

Martine in English:
We had to create an 'Office': President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. We had to build a case - The name of the association and its purpose. Next we had to file the articles of the association with the State Department (the statutes is the name of the complete file with the names of the members, the purpose of the association, registered office, condition of admission and resignation, General Assembly, amendments to the status...).
Then we needed to find a bank to register with. It all happened very quickly. We created the association on February 28th, 2012 and we received the permission for the Association on March 6th, 2012: "To promote and help with education of disadvantaged children in the world". Finally, we then had to place a publication/notice of the charity in the Journal de Monaco (Official Gazette of the Principality) and this took place on Friday, June 29th, 2012.

Martine in French:
Constituer le bureau : président, vice président, secrétaire, trésorier.
Nous avons dû monter un dossier. Donner le nom de l'association, le but de l'association. Déposer les statuts de l'association au Ministère d'états (les statuts c'est le nom du dossier complet avec les noms des membres, l'objet de l'association, siège social, condition d'admission et démission, assemblée génerale, modifications des status...).
Trouver une banque. C'était très rapide. Nous avons crée l'association le 28 février 2012, nous avions reçu le récepissé de déclaration de l'association le 6 Mars 2012: " de Promouvoir et aider à 'éducation des enfants défavorisés dans le monde".
La parution dans le Journal de Monaco (Bulletin Officiel de la Principauté) a été le vendredi 29 juin 2012.

 

Anna Fill:
Q 3. Many people think that charity starts at home, especially as times are difficult for many people – what do you say to this?

Caroline Healey:
I would say it's absolutely true. In order to be in a position to help others, you have to secure yourself first (just like the oxygen mask in airplanes..) However I am a true believer of "what goes around comes around" and that nothing goes unnoticed  in the face of the universe.  Helping others in need is definitely part of our salvation, especially in difficult times..

Martine Ackermann in French:
Oui c'est vrai comme dit ce vieux proverbe Français :"charité bien ordonné commence par soi même". La charité n'a rien à voir avec les temps. il y a eu depuis la création du monde des temps bien plus difficiles que la crise actuelle dont tout le monde parle et il y en aura encore à venir, les gens ont toujours été solidaire les uns des autres. Je pense que charité est plus une question de personne, de mentalité. Donner de l'amour, de la compassion , de son temps, être à l' écoute est déjà en soit même un acte de don de soit très honorable et précieux et n'a rien à voir avec la crise. La pire crise est quand les gens ne s'écoutent plus, ne se respectent plus, son en état de stress permanent. Les gens que nous avons cotoyé lors de nos nombreux voyages, ne connaissent pas cet état de crise, ils sont pauvres materiellement mais ont toujours le sourire car ils se contentent de peu, vivent en harmonie avec la planète, se respectent et ils rigolent de nous par moment car ils nous prennent pour des excités. Ils n'ont pas tous ces I-phone, I-pad, I-pod, Ecran LCD, DS, PSP, la WI, la XBOX 360... oups mais nous sommes en crise j'oubliais !!! Regarder le monde sous toutes ces facettes, contempler, apprécier voila ceux qu'ils ont eux..

Martine Ackermann in English:
It is true that charity begins at home but it must not stop there. And home is our little blue planet... Charity does not depend on the actual economic circumstances, there have been worse times than those of today and solidarity didn't stop then - it is a precious part of human nature. The worst crisis is when we lose our ability to give some time, love or compassion to those who really need it - to the weakest, that is why we choose to help children outside our first world countries.

Anna Fill:
Q 4. How do you respond to people when they say that they don’t believe that the funds given to charities in general, reach the people that need it?

Caroline Healey:
Perhaps that is true, as in any organisation (including charity) there are costs involved that have to be deducted from the money collected, and at the end of the day  not much reaches the needy people. Our organization is small enough to limit the costs to a minimum; we search for suppliers that can offer what we need to function at a very little cost or at no cost at all. We do not have much logistic costs as we work from our homes with our own means,  and most of all we donate from our own money as much as anyone else, if not  a lot more...

Martine Ackermann in French:
Il y a eu des abus dans certaines associations, les coûts des dépenses dépassaient systématiquement les bénefices, ou bien d'autre ceux sont servis dans les caisses. Mais ils ne faut pas mettre tout le monde dans le même sacs et se cacher derrière des excuses pour ne rien faire. Et nous c'est pour cette raison que nous voulons être une petite association avec des petits coûts , juste ceux des soirées ( boissons, repas, orchestres, danseuses...)
Le reste nous payons nous mêmes ( papiers, enveloppes, encres) Nous essayons d'avoir le plus de choses gratuites de nos amis commerçants.

Martine Ackermann in English:
There were some problems with some charity oranisations, some have more than 50% costs, others have been abused to help the members and not the needy, but that should not stop us.
Exactly for these reasons we want to stay a small organisation with very little costs. Only the drinks, food etc during our promotional evening will cost us something, the rest is by our own means and from our own pockets.

 

Anna Fill:
Q 5. With the funds that you raise, how will you make sure that it goes to the projects and in the correct hands?

Caroline Healey:
We deal directly with the people involved in the project . No third party anywhere. We know the people personally and have trust in them. As an example, Martine has visited  the place in India and is in contact with Mr. Paliwal all the time. He reports to us and the results are the best proof. Every project is followed very closely. We would never send any money in places we do not know of.

Martine Ackermann in French:
Aussi je vais retourner la bas l'année prochaine en 2013 avec nos 2 bénevoles actives Laurène Cucchi et Ella Misricanova pour surveiller l'aboutissement du projet d'école de filles et assister à l'inauguration.

Martine Ackermann in English:
I will be returning to India together with Laurène Cucchi and Ella Misricanova, two active members in our association, to inaugurate the girls school and make sure the funds are used in a proper and effective way.

 

Anna Fill:
Q 6. Will you visit Tabaar and any other location you help, in person?

Martine Ackermann in French:
Pour le moment c'est l'Inde. J'y suis allée en 2011, Laurène Cucchi notre bénevole professeur d'Anglais au Cours Saint Maur y est allé en 2012, et Laurène et moi y retrournons en 2013.

Martine Ackermann in English:
At the moment we are concentrating on India. I went there in 2011, Laurène Ciucchi our volunteer English Professor visited in 2012, and Laurène and I will be returning in 2013.

Caroline Healey:
YES! definitely!    OUI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anna Fill:
Q 7. The recent event was to launch the charity and it was wonderful – how much did you raise?

Martine Ackermann and Caroline Healey:
1774 € bénefices - €1,774 was raised.

 

Anna Fill:
Q 8. How can people help and where can people find more about what you do?

Martine Ackermann in French:
Les gens qui veulent aider peuvent faire partie de l'association et nous aider à organiser des évènements pour recolter des fonds.
Ceux qui le souhaitent peuvent aller sur place en Inde ou dans un autre pays quand nous aurons fini notre mission en Inde. Il faut savoir que les frais de voyages sont à la charge de chacun.
Pour faire partie de notre association nous ne demandons aucune cotisations, nous privilegions des gens sensibilisés par notre cause pour faire partie de notre groupe de bénevoles et sommes à l'écoute de toutes les idées pour recolter des fonds. D'ailleurs depuis la soirée nous comptons 3 nouveaux membres.
Trouver des sponsors lors de nos soirées est aussi une chose importante pour économiser le maximum de frais et réduire les couts des soirées. A ce titre nous remercions encore Idian Star Beausoleil, l' AJM, Vista Palace Hotel, Fashion For Floor ainsi que les artistes qui étaient présents lors de notre 1er Charity cocktail et qui nous ont, pour certains, offerts les tableaux et les status pour une prochaine vente. des opérations comme celle ci sont bénefques pour nous.

Beaucoup d'informations sont sur notre site: www.childcaremonaco.com
Notre e-mail: childcare@monaco.mc

Martine Ackermann in English:
People who want to help can be part of the association and help us organise events to raise funds.
Those who wish may even go on site in India or in another country when we finish our mission in India. Please note that travel expenses are the responsibility of each person.
To be part of our association we ask no contributions, we need people to be sensitive to our cause and to be part of our group of volunteers who are listening to all ideas to raise funds. As it goes since the launch evening we have 3 new members.
Finding sponsors for our evenings is also important, to save on fees and the costs of the parties. We still wish to thank the Indian Star in Beausoleil, AJM, Vista Palace Hotel, Fashion For Floor as well as the artists who were present at our 1st Charity cocktail and to those artists who have offered us their artwork for a forthcoming sale. Operations like the one above are beneficial for us.

More information can be found on the website: www.childcaremonaco.com
Our email: childcare@monaco.com

Also please go and 'Like' the Facebook Page.
Facebook/ChildCareMonaco

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NEWS!!

As a result of the Newspaper report and the event, the Association received a further amount of 300€ in donations. During the launch party five people became a sponsor to a child . There are still another 55 kids that need to be sponsored. A total cost of 139€ per year will pay for schooling, health, food and clothing.

Friday, 23 November 2012    Section: Anna Fill Interviews    Author: Anna Fill
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