## **Livelihoods Solutions International (LSI) Annual Report 2023** ) 

Livelihoods Solutions International (LSI) Registered Charity Number 1192826 Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2023 

## **Structure, Governance and Management** 

Livelihoods Solutions International is a Charitable incorporated organisation registered as a charity on 16 December 2020. It is run by a board of trustees that meets every quarter. The charity was established under a Memorandum of Association, which established the objects and powers of the charity and is governed by Articles of Association. Under those Articles, the Trustees are appointed by the Board of Trustees. The Trustees retire by rotation and, being eligible, offer themselves for re-election. 

The Board of Trustees are: Dr Wolde Tadesse Dr Elizabeth Ewart 

Mrs Belaynesh Hailemariam Mr Eyasu Woldetsadik Mr Nikaw Ochalla 

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Registered Charity Number 1192826 

## **Registered office:** 

30 Silver Road, Oxford, OX4 3AP, The UK. 



## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES** 

The charity's principal objectives are to support Indigenous Peoples and local communities’ livelihood systems in the Eastern African Region so that they can continue to be vibrant and maintain their cultural and spiritual heritage. LSI collaborates with communities, local governments, and institutions to sustain and thrive in food security, health, women’s and girls’ education, clean water, and land security. 

## **Achievement and performance** 

2023 was a challenging year for our Eastern African Indigenous Farmers, Pastoralists and, more generally, Indigenous People. This was a difficult year for them. Fields did not yield crops. Animals perished due to lack of rain and acute shortage of grass, as well as animal feed. Herders remained with only a few emaciated animals, and small stock survived the harsh drought.  Among the groups LSI thought severely affected were the Maale, Garda and Gamo local communities living in the district of Garda. The Maale abandoned their land after losing many of their animals and lived by gathering firewood to sell to customers residing in Garda Town to buy food to feed their families. Other community members did similar things to survive, while others moved to central Gamo to look for food from acquaintances and to live with friends to deal with those difficult days. All affected did not take similar measures to confront the situation and remained around Woreda town and Garda. LSI sought funding in possible venues but succeeded in securing £20,717 from the PAWANKA Indigenous Fund, which was unrestricted and enabled us to respond to the situation promptly. Two trustees, Wolde Tadesse (Chair) and Eyasu Wolde Tsadik, flew to the affected areas. They met regional government and Gamo Development Association officers and discussed the LSI plans. It was planned that LSI would buy grain from local traders in Garda rather than hire trucks and transport grain from elsewhere, and the screening of the needy and handling of grain distribution will be the responsibility of the Garda, Marta, and Maale 



men and women rather than civil servants. Through these decisions, we saved money that would have been spent on vehicle rental and per diem for those who distributed grain. As a result, we managed to buy 270 quintals of sorghum and reached 2069 individuals. We are grateful to PAWANKA INDIGENOUS FUND for inviting us to apply for a grant from RSF Social Finance and the latter for awarding LSI with a grant to support the project. The Gamo Development Association and Gamo Zone Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Office were helpful for the logistical and personnel help they extended to LSI.  Garda Woreda administration has been beneficial in locating the affected people. 

## **Future Goals** 

Our long-term goals will focus on emergency solutions to climate change and other challenges Indigenous Peoples face. We believe that the solutions to challenges should prioritise indigenous knowledge, spirituality, and culture, and the projects and priorities should be determined by those who primarily experience challenges. We will also prioritise and focus on celebrations of Indigenous food, music, and heritage to revitalise these and to dynamise the generation of Indigenous peoples' pride and sustenance as people. These will further our role as truly Indigenous Peoples focused and respectful of our values and livelihoods. We will also scan the ground for funders that support African Indigenous people in their endeavours, as shown above. 

## **Public benefit** 

From 1 April 2008, Section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 requires all charities to meet the legal requirement that their aims are for the public benefit. The Charity Commission, in its Charities and Public Benefit guidance, states that there are two fundamental principles to be met to show that an organisation’s aims are for the public benefit: Firstly, there must be an identifiable benefit, and secondly, the benefit must be to the public or a section of the public. The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in Section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the 



Commission in determining the activities undertaken by the charity. The Trustees are satisfied that the aims and objectives of the charity and the activities reported above to achieve those aims meet these principles. 

**Livelihoods Solutions International(LSI)** 

## **Receipts and payments accounts** 

**For the period To from** 01/01/2023 **Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted Restricted Endowment funds funds funds to the nearest to the nearest £ to the nearest £ £ A1 Receipts** Charitable Activities grant **20,717 - 20,717 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -** _**Sub total** (Gross income for_ **-** _AR)_ **20,717 20,717 A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). - - - - - -** _**Sub total**_ **-** _**Total receipts**_ **20,717 - 20,717** 

**A3 Payments** 




**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
- - -<br>Charitable expenditure(Gards malle<br>Project Cost)  19,635   - 19,635<br>Webhosting<br>49   - 49<br>- - -<br>- - -<br>- - -<br>- - -<br>- - -<br>- - -<br>Sub total<br>49   19,635                               -    19,684<br>A4 Asset and investment<br>purchases, (see table)<br>- - -<br>- - -<br>Sub total<br>-   -   -<br>Total payments                        49   19,635                            -   19,684<br>Net of receipts/(payments)  -                     49                  1,082                          -<br>A5 Transfers between funds  - - -<br>A6 Cash funds last year end                       153                          -<br>Cash funds this year end                      104                    1,082                          -<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


**Unrestricted Categories Details funds to nearest £ B1 Cash funds** Cas at Bank **153 1,033 - -** _**Total cash funds**_ **153** (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Agreement Error **Unrestricted funds** 



## **B2 Other monetary assets** 

## **Details** 

## **Details** 

**to nearest £ - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs** 

## **B3 Investment assets** 

## **Details** 

**Fund to which asset belongs** 

**B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use** 

## **Details** 

**Fund to which liability relates** 

## **B5 Liabilities** 

Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees 

Signature 

Print Name 



|Belaynesh Hailemariam|Belaynesh Hailemariam|
|---|---|
|Trustee||