Team photo taken at our AGM, September 2023: Back Row (left to right): Nitin Changela, Charles Cottrell (now retired), John Turton, David Linley (now retired).
Front Row (left to right): Lynne Flaxman, Mary Care, Anita Edgar-Cole, Ruth Bealing, Matthew Kurian.
OUR CURRENT TEAM
Anita Edgar-Cole (Co-Founder and Trustee)
Hello, I’m Anita Edgar-Cole, Co-Founder of El Shaddai Charitable Trust.
Following a holiday in Goa in 1996 and seeing many abandoned children eating out of dustbins and begging on the streets, I started praying as I didn’t know what to do. Then I had a vision to set up children’s homes. I met Pastor Matthew and together we started El Shaddai with one children’s home; today we have seven children’s homes, many day care centres, community centres and schools.
This completely changed my life. I spend time in Goa with the children and staff and fundraise in the UK when I’m home.
Ruth Bealing (Chair and Trustee)
My name is Ruth and I have been involved with El Shaddai since 2007. I first went to Goa in 2008 and was so impressed with what I saw. In the school, an 8-year-old boy read to me. I asked his name and he said it was … Harijan. Then he said … is my name and Harijan is my caste. That made me so sad and angry that such a lovely boy identified himself as ‘untouchable’, low caste, but thanks to El Shaddai, he learnt that he was valued and could achieve great things.
This made me want to be a part of the charity, so in 2009, my sister Mary and I took up the work of the UK Office. It has been the most rewarding, exciting and demanding thing I have ever done! I have now handed over the office to Lynne but I am still involved as a Trustee.
Lynne Flaxman (UK Office Co-ordinator)
I was on holiday in Goa in January 2017 and I was wandering around Anjuna market and came across the El Shaddai stall. I took a leaflet after having a brief chat with someone and put it in my bag. When I got back to the UK, I found out that I was being made redundant from my role in the NHS and, still having the leaflet, I did some research and applied to be a volunteer for the following February 2018. I didn’t know what to expect but I had the most enjoyable, eye-opening, thought provoking and wonderful experience.
I was placed at Asha Deep Day Shelter in Panjim for a month and enjoyed my time engaging with the children, visiting those out in the slums and doing the outreach and feeding programmes on the streets with the field workers. Following on from that, I have volunteered several times – the last time being February 2023.
When the role of UK Office Co-ordinator came along, I jumped at the opportunity of becoming a permanent part of El Shaddai as I feel that it’s such a worthwhile charity and, having been a volunteer, I can totally appreciate why, where and how we are helping to make a difference to so many lives.
Mary Care BEM (Trustee and Secretary)
For most of my working life, I have been employed with the uniformed Christian organisation, The Boys’ Brigade. For over 40 years, I enjoyed a variety of roles, most of the time being Assistant to the Chief Executive, which gave me the pleasure of working at the HQ at Felden Lodge, Hemel Hempstead. I had contact with many young children and leaders, particularly with boys aged 8-11. I was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to young people.
On retirement, I moved from Hertfordshire to North Devon to be with my family. From 2009, my sister (Ruth Bealing) and I became volunteers with El Shaddai and ran the UK Office in Holsworthy, Devon, until the present day. I have been blessed in such a worthwhile activity, helping in my way to advance the welfare of so many disadvantaged children in India. I continue to act as a trustee with El Shaddai UK.
Sanjiv Shah (Trustee and Treasurer)
In 2015, I met the children of El Shaddai playing on the beach in Goa with Anita, was immediately touched by their joyful spirit and became a supporter of the charity.
In 2017, my son Paras, daughter Falgu and myself climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, which was an exhausting but tremendously rewarding feat. With only four weeks of preparation beforehand, it was the toughest climb we had ever done with many difficulties and challenges. Every time I felt overwhelmed and exhausted, I imagined the children in Goa and their smiling faces and remembered why I was doing this. The target was to raise £5985, which is the height in meters of Kilimanjaro, but thanks to the generosity of many friends and family, a staggering £35,000 was raised for the children of El Shaddai. This money was used to renovate and furnish Verna House and to buy a minivan.
I was invited to become a Trustee in September 2019.
John Turton (Trustee and Cricket Coach)
I became involved with El Shaddai in 2002 following a conversation at Anjuna market with co-founder Anita Edgar. Once she had discovered that l was a cricket coach, she invited me to coach the boys at Victory House.
After meeting the children and witnessing their natural talent and enthusiasm for cricket, l was hooked!
With a young family at home, l initially came every few years; now retired, I’m here 2-3 months each year coaching cricket to boys and girls. I also help out with fundraising both in Goa and the UK.
Nitin Changela (Trustee)
We have an apartment in Dona Paula, Goa and have visited each year since 2004. On visiting the children’s homes and school in Assagao when we found out about El Shaddai Charitable Trust some years later, I was humbled by the unconditional love shown by the children despite their personal and emotional hardships.
It seemed that the founders, Anita and Matthew, had a good vision for providing the right pastoral care to the most vulnerable so many years ago and this reflected from those kids. I organised group treks in Wales and England to raise money for El Shaddai in 2016 and 2023. I am humbled to be invited to be a Trustee for El Shaddai Charitable Trust (UK).
Douglas Smith (Trustee)
I first came across El Shaddai in December 2012 when some of the children came to a hotel near where I was staying in Calangute to sing Christmas carols. I spoke to the people in charge and I visited Little Acorns before I left Goa. Over the next few years, I visited the school and helped with the beach programme. In 2017, I visited the school for sports day and Cricket John introduced me to the sports teacher. With my love of football, I helped coach the boys and girls and have done so every year since, except during Covid. I have gradually spent more and more time combining my 5-7 weeks family holiday with helping coach the teams.
In the last 2 years, El Shaddai have been involved with league football that F.C.Goa have started called Little Gaurs. During the first season 22/23, we only had under 13 girls but this year 23/24 we had under 8, 10 and 12 boys playing along with the under 13 girls again as well as under 17 boys and girls taking part in tournaments. The joy on the children’s faces and the happiness they have given me over the years and especially the last couple, on the field of dreams as we call it, is beyond words and I can’t wait to go back again. I was asked to be a Trustee in 2023.
El Shaddai Charitable Trust Ltd
1st Floor, The Pavilion
56 Rosslyn Crescent
Harrow Middlesex HA1 2SZ
Email: ukoffice@childrescue.net
Phone: +44 7538 897011
El Shaddai Charitable Trust is a not-for-profit charity registered on July 28, 1999 in England with the charity number 1076768.
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