Asha Trust – About Us

Our Values

Collaboration

We listen to those we assist, recognizing that they have the right to create their own ladders out of poverty. We recognise that our role is not to ‘help people’ rather to help people to help themselves. We will ensure that there are many ways for people’s voices to be heard, and we will work hard to seek out the voices of those who are on the margins.

Accountable

We are accountable to trustees and appropriate regulatory bodies, funders, and those we seek to serve.

Transparent

We aim to be open and honest at all times. We share the key principles of our work with beneficiaries as well as funders and regulatory bodies

Learning

We encourage staff to be well trained and to keep learning. We regularly reflect on the progress of our work and learn lessons from what has taken place. We have a ‘no blame’ culture, believing that people are doing the best they can with the resources they have and learn lessons from mistakes and problems.

We are rigorous in monitoring the impact of the investment we make, always aiming to deliver the greatest value.

Partnership

We work hard at creating authentic partnerships with local organisations. We work with others with similar aims, recognizing that we are ”better together”, bringing mutual benefit to all partners

Empowerment

We seek to empower local people and staff though training and capacity building, making sure that they are equipped to play a full role in shaping the work and fulfill their role to the best of their ability. We also seek to share power to the lowest possible level , enabling staff and local people to make their own decisions within the boundaries of each project.

Respect

We work with all communities. we have the highest expectations that all staff, trustees or volunteers will give respect to all people regardless of ethnicity, religion, disability, or any other reason. We will also seek to instill this within the communities where we work.

Our Team

Radhika Bynon

I was born in Sri Lanka, and left when my family migrated to the UK when I was 8. Asha Trust grew out of visiting this community and meeting the inspirational workers as part of a holiday 11 years ago. In my day job I work in the voluntary sector, supporting community projects and social enterprises tackling inequality in this country. I am a also trustee for Community Links, a charity supporting people facing poverty in East London.

Sister Concepta

I lead the work in Athidiya. When I first began working in this community twelve years ago, we began teaching the children under a tree. Then I met Steve and Radhika and Asha Trust was born. The work has grown so much over the years. We now have this building and a team of people. I am a nun and my mission has always been to serve the marginalised.

Gary Ewer

I have lived and worked in East London for most of my life. I have worked as a Youth Worker, these days I am a Community Worker. I have been a trustee from the beginning and have worked on many of the fund raising events. I have visited Sri Lanka 3 times in the past 13 years. On the last occasion we all worked with children at the school in Athidiya during a summer project and spent the afternoons with a youth group painting classrooms. In my spare time you can usually find me on my allotment.

Steve Bynon

I have had the opportunity to visit Sri Lanka regularly for over 25 years. Spending time with the community workers in Athidiya made a deep impression on me, and I have visited them and the projects at least every year since Asha Trust was first imagined in 2004. I act as the main link between the workers in Sri Lanka and the trustees and volunteers in the UK. I earn my living by working for a mental health charity in London, setting up new projects and managing teams.

Glenda Abbott

As a retired textile teacher, I had thought that there was little I could do beyond donating, to help others with facing difficult circumstances overseas. The opportunity to be involved with Asha Trust is more than rewarding. I have travelled to Sri Lanka three time and I have been able to help the women’s groups by sharing sewing skills. Building relationships with this community and especially those that lead the projects has deepened my commitment to the work. Watching Asha Trust grow and encourage the work of local people to make realchanges in a challenging community is a huge privilege

Stephen Carrick Davies

I am an am an independent consultant, trainer and social entreprenuer working in the field of new communications technology in relation to children. I have led a number of non-profit organisations and currently run a successful community cafe. I also lecture at South Bank University. I have visited Sri Lanka twice and have been deeply impressed by the work. I am excited by the opportunity Asha Trust has to make a lasting impact on the lives of the young people and families in Athidiya.

Katherine

I first volunteered with Asha in 2009. For the last two years I have been acting as the main link between the trustees in the UK and the team in Sri Lanka. It has been great to see the developments in Athidiya and I have particularly enjoyed playing a part in strengthening the work with the children with disabilities. The employment training has also been hugely rewarding, as it has transformed the lives of several local families. I live in Sri Lanka.

Pete Stow

I am the minister at St Mark’s Church in East London, and used to be a youth worker.
I travelled to Sri-Lanka shortly after the Tsunami and saw the devastation that it caused.
The Asha Trust is a hands-on charity. We aim towards working alongside local people, listening to what they want to see, and achieve. And all the money that is raised goes towards the projects.

Finances

We are passionate about making the money that people so generously donate to us deliver the very best value possible and our administration costs are minimal.

See our latest accounts as submitted to the Charity Commission (registered number 1108536)