Timotheos Foundation ‘fights’ Patricia Kaliati over expenditure reports’ directive

Timotheos Foundation, a local charity, is reportedly planning to hold demonstrations against the Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Patricia Kaliati, who ordered the Foundation to submit expenditure reports for 2011 to 2021 or risk closure.

Kaliati ordered the organization to submit expenditure reports for 2011 to 2015 to the NGO Board of Malawi by 30th May 2021 and for 2015 to 2021 by 30th June this year.

She said the government wanted to know how much the organization was receiving from donors and development partners from abroad for the poor and vulnerable people and how much it has contributed towards improving the living standards of its beneficiaries.

But the directive did not please the Foundation, which is alleged to have been mobilising the youths believed to beneficiaries to stage protests against the minister.

An inside source confided in Nyasa Times on Tuesday that the foundation’s officials were telling the youths that if government closes the Foundation for not complying with order, they will suffer as they will no longer be supported.

“The Foundation is at pains to submit the reports particularly for 2019 to 2021 because funds have not been accounted for. Funds meant for vulnerable children were being channelled to family activities. A number of students, including Steven Magalasi, who was studying at Mzuzu University, withdrew from school because they are no longer supported,” said the source.

He further claimed that from 2011 to 2019, all books were being checked by Chaula and Associates and audited following international accounting rules and the audited books were being signed by the Malawian Board whose secretary is Clement Gopanikufa.

Timotheos Foundation General Manager, Gerrit Oomen, admitted in an interview with a local radio station that he heard about he planned demonstrations by the beneficiaries.

However, Oomen distanced the foundation from the organizers of the protest. He claimed that no official was encouraging anyone to demonstrate against the directive.

“I have also heard that some beneficiaries were going to the demonstrations, but if this the case, that is their own initiative. No one at Timotheos has encouraged anyone to do the demonstrations. We will submit the reports within the time frame,” he said.

Oomen further stated that members of the Foundation have been having discussions with officials from the NGO Board over the matter, but the latter decided not proceed with the conversation with them.

“We met with officials from the NGO Board to discuss how they could help us to be compliant . The discussions were underway, but as the Foundation we find it very unfortunate that over the sudden it seems the conversation has been cut out, We had agreed that all has to be transparent and we hoped for successful discussions,” stated Oomen.

But Kaliati maintained that the directive is still in force. She warned that the government would deal with non-governmental organisations, which are flouting the country’s regulations.

“We thought some of those people, who come into the country and establish organizations are intelligent enough, but they are trying to portray their ignorance. Whether they will hold the demonstration or not, as government we need the expenditure reports from them. They have to follow the rules and regulations of the Malawi government. And the NGO Board was put in place to monitor what NGOs are doing and how much are getting and how much are contributing the government programmes,” said Kaliati.

She said the intention of the government is to stop abuse of resources meant for the poor or use of NGOs for money laundering purposes.

“So, if they are not going to do furnish us with the expenditure reports, we are going to close it. We need the expenditure reports for 2011 to 205 by 30th of May and 2015 to 2021 by the 30th June so that we should appreciate how they used the funds and that we should be moving together at par with the rest of the NGOs who are submitting their reports to government and greatly contributing to this nation.

“So, through the NGO Board, we would like to how many children are being paid school fees for? How many kinds are being supported? Timotheos Foundation claims to have a child care centre and orphanage, which they didn’t even register, they are running it illegally, so we really want to know what they have been doing in the country,” asserted Kaliati.

Timotheos Foundation in Malawi was established in June 2011 in response to a request for help from the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Malawi.

The Foundation addresses poverty, supports local communities in need, and brings God’s word to local Malawians.

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