Accounting for International Development (A f I D) offers accountants the opportunity to make a genuine difference while gaining invaluable hands-on experience in the international development sector. We are now supporting more than 80 NGOs and charities across Africa, Cambodia, India & Nepal and we desperately need the assistance of more volunteer accountants to coach and mentor some amazing local people.
Volunteer assignments of between 2 & 12 weeks form part of an ongoing strategy to build the financial management capacity and long term sustainability of small community based organisations across Africa and Asia. These organisations which include street kid centres, health clinics and rural schools are doing amazing work to tackle extreme poverty and inequality in their communities but sadly have little or no access to these vital skills and services.
Assignments typically range from 2 to 12 weeks with 1 of 3 primary areas of focus;
1. Conducting a detailed Needs & Capacity Assessment/ Educational l Audit
2. Coaching and developing the accounting skills of local NGO staff
3. Assist with the preparation and analysis of financial plans and budgets
The need for skilled accountants is largely driven by a lack of training at local level, combined with the complex reporting requirements of overseas charities (donors). This is further complicated by the fact that these donors will typically restrict funding to individual projects and limit the allocation for core costs. When you are a headmistress, a doctor or a nun trying to run an small NGO with very limited resources, it can be very difficult to keep accurate records and perform your normal duties - with a different set of accounts, reports and sometimes bank accounts required by each donor, of which there can be many, the task becomes impossible.
Additional responsibilities may include;
o International donor reporting & relations
o Sourcing new local NGO partners
o Assessment & Implementation of financial controls & procedures
o Assisting partners with funding proposal budgets and assessments
o Teaching English, Sports & Microsoft Office i.e Excel & Word skills
To help volunteers prepare for the challenges and complexities they are likely to encounter volunteer workshops are available with leading NGO sector trainer John Cammack. John has been involved with international development work for over 20 years, previously as Head of International Finance at Oxfam GB and then Senior Lecturer in Accounting & Financial Management at Oxford Brookes University.
We are currently supporting partners in 11 African countries (Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, Namibia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, South Africa, Malawi and Tanzania & Ghana) Nepal and Cambodia.
Believe it or not it’s surprisingly easy for seemingly normal people to achieve amazing results, changing lives for the better. All you need is a little belief, the time and of course the will. We can’t promise to change your life for the better however we can guarantee a truly inspiring experience that you will never forget.
For more information please visit our website www.afid.org.uk or call +44 0203 287 1177
PLEASE NOTE THIS IS AN UNPAID VOLUNTARY OPPORTUNITY
Apply below with your cv if you are interested
SUCCESS STORY : Good Luck to Just Accountancy accountant, Permjeet Brar who is due to travel to Cambodia to support a small NGO called The Cambodian Acid Survivors Charity (CASC) on the 17th November, 2010.
