Sheffield Health Action Resource for Ethiopia
Also known as SHARE
Charity registration number: 1173972
Trustees’ Annual Report for the period: 1[st] April 2020 to 31[st] March 2021
Objectives and Activities
SHARE is a mutually beneficial collaboration between healthcare professionals in Sheffield, other affiliates and partner organisations in Ethiopia with a specific focus on the Tigray region. Sustainable Healthcare improvement is facilitated through communication of best practice, skill exchange and community engagement.
Over the year 2020-21 there were no SHARE visits to Ethiopia, due to the pandemic and the civil unrest. The last visit was early February 2020 and we have tried to build on the project aspects from afar since then.
Over the last 20 years all the projects have focused on skill exchange and individual professional development. The recent visit to Sheffield by colleagues from Ethiopia was another example of the success of this aspect of SHARE with very tangible outcomes from these oversees exchanges identified.
We continue to foster our long-term personal and professional relationships every time we visit. SHARE feels investing in individuals is key in developing sustainable projects, sharing of good practice and continuing professional development.
The Trustees are happy that the charity is being run for the public benefit, in line with the Charity Commission recommendations
Achievements and Performance
Through 2020/2021 there were no visits to Tigray.
Currently activities have been suspended due to COVID, we are trying to support our partners remotely and hope to resume activities when it is safe for all involved.
Despite the difficulties of COVID, we will continue to foster our long-term personal and professional relationships every time we visit. SHARE feels investing in individuals is key in developing sustainable projects, sharing of good practice and continuing professional development.
Infection Prevention and Patient Safety
Our last visit was in February 2020 which primarily focused on infection prevention in Ayder Hospital, with reviews of good clinical practice in the Neonatal Unit and other key areas we had previously undertaken audits and provided interventions.
Sadly, since then both the COVID pandemic and the civil conflict have meant there have been huge challenges to healthcare provision. Initially we helped give Infection Prevention and Control advice and guidance around COVID, supported lab diagnostic discussions and engaged with the pandemic planning. However, despite our efforts the situation became very challenging with compromised
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medical supplies, communication interruptions and we are aware of compromised water supply and medical essentials.
We are in communication with our colleagues when possible and are trying to be reactive to any requests, lobby for humanitarian aid and safe aid corridors to address the decimation of the healthcare services.
Laboratory links
We have not been able to get reports on our outreach lab projects which are in more remote areas of Tigray affected by the conflict, as travel is dangerous and the regional health bureau is struggling to provide ongoing provisions. We have been in touch with the lab manager at Ayder and he continues to try and run the accredited lab and has set up COVID diagnostics.
Dentistry and Forensic Odontology
No activity in this area has taken place this year.
Elshadai Wukro Children’s Village
We remain in regular communication with the staff here and continue to fund the nurse whose role has been essential with Infection Prevention and Control advice related to the pandemic . We provided educational tools for her prior to the pandemic affecting Ethiopia and ensured all staff were ready and prepared with COVID knowledge and experience we could share.
Since then basic food provision has become scarce, but our charity partners in Switzerland have provided food security for the neighbours so the farm at Elshadai has not been a target. Our donors continue to sponsor a group of children and we have successfully managed to transfer funds meaning support has not been compromised.
Diabetes Project
No activity has been possible with this project this Calendar year but we have been in touch with the Consultant who we helped provide specialist diabetes training in Sheffield for and she has been able to maintain the service and we managed to transfer some funds for insulin during times of crises and no medical supplies from the government.
Medical Engineering:
The lead Biomedical Engineer whom we have worked with for many years has been trying to maintain the hospital essential supplies as much as he is able. In his spare time he has been a key contributor to our new initiative the MamaKit program (5kg high protein food, blankets and clothes plus soap for new displaced mothers). Along with the hospital driver they have procured the essentials, made up kits, distributed them to displaced mothers delivering babies at Ayder Hospital, Mekelle Hospital, and the refuge for sexual violence. This has been overseen by the lead nurse at Ayder too and we have set it up in response to these partners raising concerns for these new mothers. The project has been very successful with around 200 kits being distributed, and we will continue this work for the foreseeable future, whilst the need is there and until wider humanitarian aid is secured.
Financial Review
The charity is in a healthy position with just under £12,300 held in the general fund. Poor communication & the variable exchange rate make it difficult to confirm remotely that funds are fully correctly used, however our visits in person allow us check to our monies have been received and are being used to support the children at Elshadai as required.
We currently allocate £5000 as operational reserves.
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The charity is primarily funded via fundraising by members and friends of the charity.
Our principal financial risk continues to be the unpredictability of income year-to-year, since most income is via voluntary donation. If available funding is low, we would be unable to support visits to or from our Partners.
Structure, Governance and Management
SHARE was formed in 2000 as an organisation with charitable objectives. In July 2017 it became a CIO, and is governed by a constitution which was updated at the time of becoming a CIO. It is available via our website www.sharesheffield.org.uk under “About Us”
As well as trustees, we have volunteers who offer their services and expertise supporting the charity, as well as participating in visits to our partners in Ethiopia.
We define an active volunteer as someone who has interacted with the charity in the last 24 months. This could be by attending a meeting, fundraising, talking to a Trustee or working on a project.
We class active volunteers to be members of the charity, and they are expected to abide by a set of membership rules which are available via our website www.sharesheffield.org.uk under “About Us”
We have Memorandums of Understandings between us and our main partners in Ethiopia : Tigray Regional Health Board, Ayder Referral Hospital, Elshadai Children’s Village, Mekelle Hospital, and Daerere Laboratory.
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Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Sheffield Health Action Resource for Ethiopia |
| Other name the charity uses | SHARE |
| Registered charity number | 1173972 |
| Correspondence address | c/o 27 Psalter Lane Sheffield, S11 |
The charity is managed by the following trustees
Dr Cariad Evans (Honorary Chair), Jane Boyce, Simone Naylor, Anne Russell, Dr Claire Ryan, Simon Temple (Honorary Treasurer), Prof Solomon Tesfaye
All trustees served the for the full 12 months of the year.
Anne Russell & Simon Temple ended their initial 3 year terms as Trustees in July 2020. Both were happy to continue for another 3 years each, and were accepted by the remaining Trustees.
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Account of Receipts and Payments for financial year ended 31 March 2021
| Receipts | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ad-hoc donations | £1,210 | £3,956 | |
| Elshadai Children’s Village | £6,135 | £10,195 | |
| MamaKit | N/A | £4,264 | |
| £7,345 | £18,415 | ||
| Payments | |||
| Fundraising& Publicity | £0 | £48 | |
| Projects | £1,202 | £1256 | |
| Elshadai Children’s Village | £2,300 | £14,435 | |
| MamaKit | N/A | £500 | |
| £3,502 | £16,239 | ||
| Summary | |||
| Brought forward | £9,799 | £13,642 | |
| Receipts | £7,345 | £18,415 | |
| Payments | £3,502 | £16,239 | |
| Carried forward | £13,642 | £15,818 |
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Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
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Signature(s)
Full name(s) Cariad Evans Simon Temple
Position Honorary Chair Honorary Treasurer
Date 10 [th] May 2021
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