SIERRA LEONE POVERTY ALLEVIATION CHARITY TRUST (SALPACT)
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT & INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] MARCH 2024
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INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND
SALPACT is a UK charitable organisation that was registered with the Charities Commission on the 19[th] of February 2018 (Registration Number 1177207). The charity is working with partners in Sierra Leone to help alleviate poverty, promote child education, and help mitigate the impact of climate change and deforestation in Freetown.
Since the end of the Covid pandemic restrictions in England in July 2021, the Sierra Leone Poverty Alleviation Charity Trust (SALPACT) has struggled to raise much needed funds to deliver its mission and objectives in Sierra Leone.
However, with the determined perseverance of the SALPACT Trustees, the charity has continued to provide support for the promotion of basic education in the country.
In particular, during the 2022/2023 financial year, SALPACT has improved the learning environment for over 300 school children at the Gloucester REC Primary School in Freetown, by constructing classroom wall-dividers to eliminate distractions during teaching.
OUR MISSION AND OBJECTIVE
Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in the world, with an average per capita income of about $2 a day. Although literacy rate has improved slightly from under 40% to about 46%, adult mortality continues to be seriously low, due to poverty and poor healthcare, with unemployment – especially youth unemployment rate at over 70%.
SALPACT’s mission is to help tackle and alleviate poverty in Sierra Leone.
The charitable objective of SALPACT is to pursue the advancement of education and prevention or relief of poverty for children in poverty or need; and to provide grants to charities or other organisations working to prevent or relieve poverty.
SALPACT continues its intervention strategy is to work with local communities, schools and charities in Sierra Leone that are taking action to mitigate the devastating effects of poverty, poor healthcare, climate change, and the prevention of deforestation.
GOVERNANCE & OVERSIGHT
In this financial year ending 31[st] March 2024, SALPACT has maintained its composition and number of Trustees on its Board. There was no resignation or retirement.
Ms. Rashida Thomas, who resigned as Board Secretary in 2022 to pursue her university studies in Law, has now qualified as a Solicitor and may return next year to join the Board as SALPACT’s Legal Adviser.
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The Board is currently comprised of Mr. Abdul Rashid Thomas (Founder and Chairman); Dr Fawzia Iyamide Thomas (Treasurer); Dr Babatunde Gbolade (Financial Oversight); Mrs Beryl Juma (MBE); Dr Victor Labor; Dr Abdul Anasa Sesay; Ms Ibilola Campbell, Captain John Dalby, and Mr Jeremy Labor.
Working together, the Trustees are continuing to provide governance and oversight; ensuring that decisions, governance, and spending commitments are consistent with SALPACT’s Charitable Objectives as stated in the Constitution in line with Charity Commission’s rules.
Since the end of the Covid pandemic, Trustees have continued to meet remotely (virtually) throughout this financial year for their monthly Board meetings.
At every monthly Zoom meeting held this financial year, Trustees discussed progress, reviewed actions, and made key decisions about how funds could be raised and disbursed.
PUBLICITY
SALPACT is not a membership subscription-based organisation, and therefore relies on its individual Trustees to act as ambassadors for the Charity, and for providing small sums of cash donations to support administrative costs. The trustees have once again provided much needed publicity across their professional and social networks about the work of SALPACT.
The SALPACT website, which was launched in 2017, has been updated and made user-friendly. Some of our past fundraising events and work done by SALPACT, haS been uploaded unto the website. We will continue to improve on the site.
SALPACT is fundraising to enable us do more work for the needy. The trustees donate annually to the organisation which is a great help. We have also approached various companies for funding, but we have been unsuccessful so far.
ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2023/2024
In this financial year, SALPACT organised a first ever speech day and prizegiving ceremony in March 2024, for the Gloucester REC School in Freetown which we sponsor. This will encourage competition and hard work amongst the children.
Prizes and plaques totalled £130.00 were shipped over to Freetown.
The school also held a Thanksgiving ceremony in February 2024 and SLAPACT provided bottles of water for each pupil as they assembled for the march past on a very hot sunny day.
PLANS FOR 2024
Trustees are considering giving assistance to an agricultural female led organisation based in Freetown, Sierra Leone, where women in the community create self help projects to help themselves get out of poverty and dependency and become self – sufficient. These women plant vegetables on a selected plot of land and then sell
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these vegetables at the local markets, to help feed their families. SALPACT hopes to provide seedlings and tools to the women.
Other support being considered by Trustees include computer technology, books and basic science materials and tools, including annual support for the prizegiving and thanksgiving ceremonies at Gloucester REC School.
SALPACT FINANCES AND FUNDRAISING
SALPACT’s opening bank balance on 1 April 2023 was £4,098.24.
Total income of £400.00 was generated from SALPACT trustee donations.
Total expenditure for the year ending 31 March 2023 was £553.19 , with most of
this cost accounted for by spending on the Gloucester School Project in Freetown, as described above.
Transfer of £3400 from the current account to savings account in November 2023
The closing current bank balance on 31 March 2024 was £293.05
The closing savings bank balance on 31 March 2024 was £3417.00
Sierra Leone Poverty Alleviation Charitable Trust - Income and Expenditure Account for the Year Ended 31[ST] March 2023
OPENING BANK BALANCE ON 1[st] APRIL 2023 £4,098.24
Donations by trustees £400.00
TOTAL INCOME - £4,498.24
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EXPENDITURE:
• Website and zoom hosting £422.96 • Cost of prizes and plaques to Gloucester REC School £139.55 • Bank interest Charges £45.00 • Shipping of goods to Sierra Leone £150.00 • Water for Thanksgiving march past £42.00 • Transfer of funds from current to savings account £3,400.00 TOTAL EXPENDITURE - £799.51 CLOSING BALANCE ON 31 MARCH 2024 £293.05 – CURRENT CLOSING BALANCE ON 31 MARCH 2024 £3417.00 - SAVINGS
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