Joanna (qualified CIPFA) is a past AfID volunteer, with a background in public sector audit. She is currently working as a Project Coordinator on the National Fraud Initiative, a high profile project led by the National Audit Commission. Jo undertook two volunteer placements through AfID as part of her year-long sabbatical from work. She supported three organisations – Phare Ponleu Selpak (PPS) and SALT Academy in Battambang for 3 months in late 2012, and Cambodia Cares in Phnom Penh for 3 weeks in summer 2013.

SALT Academy develops young leaders through a sustainable community-based football league, incorporating life skills lessons, vocational training, and community engagement. Cambodia Cares, is a newly formed volunteering network with an aim to engage Cambodians and encourage them to volunteer.

Jo provided PPS with all-round accounting support – reviewing their external audit report and finance policy manual, coaching department heads on considerations they need to make when creating a budget, coaching the Executive Director on budget monitoring and other financial processes, and assisting in the recruitment of a new finance manager. At SALT, her role was more basic, documenting financial processes and formalising financial controls, and assisting the accountant with any issues/challenges she was facing with the current accounting system. At Cambodia Cares, she undertook an assessment of their existing accounting processes and controls and put into place procedures to ensure that are well-set to deal with donor funding.