On Friday, November 10th, we had our yearly meeting with the local authorities. This was a critical moment for us as it marked the end of a 5-year plan built together, and, we hoped, a renewal of our partnership for the next 5 years.
The meeting represented an opportunity to look back on what we accomplished in the last 5 years, in each field of action. The first part of the meeting was dedicated to a presentation on our different actions during this period, including all of Thien Chi's scope. We highlighted results in every field, which transitioned into a projection into the next five years.
The authorities support is critical for Thien Chi, as it facilitates our work immensly. They bring security, expertise and personnel to the table, in addition to their financial contribution. It was a great opportunity here to see how we can work hand in hand for our programs to be as effective as possible. A time dedicated for discussion came right after and every department in the authorities could have a say. The police, education, health, agriculture departments as well as commune and town leaders gave us meaningful insights on how to do better. Loan recovery, agriculture programs, health programs in and out of school... many great proposals and upcoming improvements.
Most importantly, they agreed to a new plan that will go on until the end of 2028. We are delighted to have this kind of support from the authorities and to still be working with them in the next 5 years. Without them, most of our work would not be possible.