An invitation to travellers from ElectricAid

Electricaid has completed 522 separate project fundings all over the world in the years 2004-2008. This is a phenomenal level of activity for any voluntary organisation – and one in which every member should take pride. We are now asking for your help in a different way. As well as pre-funding references, we get project completion reports in all cases. We also have project sites visited on our behalf by other NGOs, fellow funders, and by trusted individuals. We need to do more in this area, and we are asking our members, friends, and supporters to consider visiting a project for us if you are travelling in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, or South or South-East Asia.

This is an opportunity for the traveller to get 'under the skin' of a developing country – and maybe to experience a reality not normally on show to tourists or business travellers. We are currently arranging a site visit in Mongolia with Fiona Fitzgerald of SPORTSCO. In recent years, your friends and colleagues below have visited projects on our behalf:

• Paul Smith and Emma Fagan, EirGrid, South Africa.
• Cera Slevin, ESBI Uganda & Kenya.
• Willie Roche, ex-Power Generation, Uganda.
• Ratna Nelapati, ICT Group, India.
• Des Doherty, ex-Customer Supply, Tanzania.

It should be remembered that these visits are not just social calls and photo-opportunities. The visitor will be briefed on the project before travelling and will be expected to report on the partner organisation and on the implementation and effectiveness of the project.

So, if you have travel plans in the Developing World, please let us know. This could make your holiday or business trip even more memorable and meaningful!