Finances

Feelings are the base of sustainable development, not money. When we engage with vulnerable children and youth over time, we develop mutual compassion, empathy and love. To create a more humane world together is our driving force.

    I have been mentoring and teaching vulnerable children since 1988. As a student, I taught rich children for money. I bought school materials and gave to the economically poor children I was teaching for free.

    When I got Norad scholarship in 2005, I used that, and later savings from my PhD job, to provide vulnerable children with school materials, clothes, food and sports equipment.

    People advised me to not give poor children economic support for education, because then I would become poor myself. People said I could help poor children when I got rich. I knew that if I didn’t help the poor children immediately, it would be too late for them. They could not wait because they were at risk of destroying their lives by dropping out of school followed by or due to drug abuse, illegal activities, child marriage and child labour

    I could not eat when my young friends had nothing. So, I decided to use the little money I had and see how I could support the children                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Hafiz, founder of EDS

    I knew Hafiz strongly believed that motivation, communication and compassion were driving forces for sustainable development, not money. I knew he did not want to receive money for EDS, but as I did not know how else I could contribute, I proposed to give him money monthly for the EDS children. Hafiz kindly refused and asked me to call and motivate the children instead. When I called and recognized them as teachers and leaders who had a positive influence on others, they started seeing themselves that way. I continued to call and became their friend, older sister and mentor who believed in their power to create a better future when their surroundings didn’t.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Trine, co-founder of EDS

    At the Norad conference 2014, Hafiz told his story to the Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon who said it was unbelievably impressive, like a movie. He asked why Hafiz did not seek funding at the conference, like other participants. Hafiz said:

    If you give me money, I will use every single Crowner for my EDS children. But when the money is gone, they may forget who gave it. If you instead call my children and tell how inspired you are to know of their incredible volunteer work to help others and develop their community, they will carry this motivation with them in their heart forever. This will inspire them to continue their education and volunteer work despite the criticism and threats they receive from their surroundings.

    For my EDS children in Bangladesh, every Norwegian person has an incredibly high social capital, and they would never in their life dream that someone from Norway would care about them and be their friend.

    In EDS, we mentor vulnerable children and youth to use their inner resources (willpower, knowledge, life-affirming values, hope, commitment, compassion, ability to connect, motivate and act) for positive change. They go back to school, get education, develop critical thinking and life-affirming values so they can teach and mentor other vulnerable children and youth to do the same. Together, they develop themselves, their family and community.

    EDS volunteers plan and make budget for a picnic for 400 children. Riaz, left in the picture, is in charge of the accounting in EDS. His work is audited by Hafiz, the EDS leader Alamin, the Executive committee treasurer and president.

    Until 2021, only Hafiz supported EDS economically from his own savings as a teacher. He had also used 10 000 USD from own savings to buy the first EDS house inn 2007.

    During Covid, food prices and unemployment rates went up, which made it more challenging for our EDS change agents whose parents struggled to make ends meet. We decided to open for EDS membership and donations in 2021.

    Participation in EDS is free. All EDS money is used to ensure that vulnerable children and youth get education and become leaders who help other children and youth in their community to do the same. We use our economic resources on:

    • Educational stipends so youth with no means of bearing their educational expenses can access high school and higher education. This stipend is to youth who have been EDS volunteers for years and shown dedication to help others get education.
    • Learning materials for our 300 EDS students
    • Excursions to the fish farm where the EDS volunteers have picnic, enjoy and arrange practical science classes
    • Yearly picnic for 400 children and youth. The EDS volunteers plan, budget for the picnic, buy food, cook, arrange the entire picnic and clean up.
    • Sports equipment and games the EDS volunteers use to engage and bond with each other and their students. This keeps the youth engaged in positive activities and keep them away from the streets and being recruited to youth gangs and illegal activities.
    • Social business initiatives by the EDS volunteers. They use the income to pay for own education.
    • Support vulnerable families around EDS during crisis. During Covid EDS volunteers delivered food.