It was the year of lockdown, of finding new ways to engage, to tell stories and to fundraise. As we look ahead to 2021, we’re going to first look back at the year we’ve just left behind — a year of creative fundraising and emergency appeals, of presenting webinars and publishing books, of cementing old friendships and fostering new ones. This is the Amos staff team’s review of 2020.

“I know I will still occasionally be phoning Garth. I also know that through the Garth Hewitt Foundation, he will still be creating and recording new songs, and publishing prayers and reflections. I have no doubt that retiring from Amos will not dim his passion or his creativity — if anything, I think it will focus him even more.” Chris Rose writes a tribute to Amos Trust’s Founder, Garth Hewitt.

Coronavirus first entered the main population in Gaza at the end of August and is now spreading rapidly. The official figures show that in the last two weeks the number of recorded cases in Gaza has tripled with 12,000 new cases and 62 fatalities. However this vastly under-estimates the actual numbers.

Nicaragua has recently been battered by two hurricanes in rapid succession. Hurricane Eta caused extensive damage along the Caribbean coast before inflicting far greater damage on Gautemala. Hurricane Iota hit the already-saturated land causing mudslides, flooding and extensive damage to central Nicaragua including the communities we support in Teustepe. We received this update from Olivia Lekel from our partner CEPAD.

On Thursday 8th October, girls from India and South Africa met online to share their demands with each other; it was a chaotic but fantastic time connecting up girls and young women thousands of miles apart but with many common experiences. They also heard demands drafted by girls in Burundi.