Matt was keen to use his accountancy skills to benefit a good cause and see the Africa at the same time. AfID organised Matthew a placement at Salem Children’s Village, an organisation in Kitwe, Zambia that helps street children and orphans through education and counselling.  The six staff were aware of their need for basic accountancy coaching from recent donor feedback, something Matthew had an aptitude for from coaching junior members of his team at PwC. The new financial skills the staff learned from Matt made them far more attractive to donors and international charities, and helped them plan effectively for a more sustainable future. Matthew also helped implement a new basic accounting system. The experience had such an effect on him that he has encouraged four more colleagues to volunteer.

 

 

In her role at PwC Marina worked with companies from emerging markets in Africa, Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Her frequent business trips to these areas stimulated her interest in international development, and she was excited to discover her experience was sought after by the many AfID partners. 

 

The MicroLoan Foundation (MLF) provides small loans to women entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa, and Marina’s skills were needed to strengthen financial and operational processes in its new Namibian office. Marina also provided mentoring to the local staff and helped develop fundraising strategies. It is this passing on of skills that is often most helpful, and MLF now see AfID volunteers as a crucial part of the process of grassroots empowerment.

 

Marina’s positive experience contributed to her professional and personal development: “I met a bunch of amazing people, learned a ton of new stuff, laughed enough to beat the longevity records and managed to get fairly far with the task in hand. Or at least I like to believe that.”

 

 

Amy Gilbert was keen to work with under privileged children, experience a new culture, and utilise the skills gained from her ACA qualification for a charitable cause. AfID found Amy a placement working with two community based organisations; the Moyo Babies Home in northern Uganda, which cares for young orphans and abandoned babies, and the Redeemer Children’s Home nearby, which is a home and school for older abandoned children. The Sisters required help with administering their income from numerous donors. Amy coached of of the inspirational nuns that run the babies home and Redeemers inexperienced accountant in accrued income, how to deal with restricted funds in QuickBooks, and help them set up simple templates for dealing with debits and credits. 

 

The benefits to these foster homes is clear, but the experience was also beneficial for Amy: “Volunteering with AfID was exactly what I was looking for in terms of using my skills in a completely different way, not only to help others less fortunate than myself but also to challenge myself and develop my own confidence in a new and unfamiliar environment.”
 

“My time in Nepal was one of the best experiences of my life and without a doubt it improved my skills as a professional” – Rory Blythe, AfID volunteer and Accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers