GORTA GROUP
Members’ Update March 2020
MEMBERS’ UPDATE
CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE
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n behalf of the Directors and staff of The Gorta Group, I hope that you are keeping safe and well at this challenging time. We are all taking unprecedented steps at present to play our part in halting the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic. At Self Help Africa, all of our offices in Ireland, Northern Ireland and England are closed, with staff working from home. Most of our teams in Africa
AGM POSTPONED
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he Gorta Group AGM, originally planned for 26th June next, has been postponed. Due to the Coronavirus outbreak and government advice regarding large gatherings and social distancing, it has been decided to postpone our 2020 AGM until the autumn. We have set the date for this provisionally at Friday, 25th September. The Board of Directors will assess the situation over the summer months and will advise accordingly.
are also working remotely. Our retail shops are also closed temporarily.
and the wider world can return to normality in the months ahead.
In Africa, we are following the most up to date advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO), are disseminating information to the people with whom we work, as appropriate, and are continuing to work as best we can to support these communities. Their work in the fields does not stop - there are crops to plant and food to harvest as I write.
As a Board of Directors we have taken a decision to defer our planned AGM from late June to a new date in September. There is more information on this below.
Naturally, we are concerned that Coronavirus might spread across the African continent. Today, there are over 500 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Burkina Faso, and smaller numbers of people with the virus in several other countries where we work Ethiopia, Kenya and Zambia included. That could change in an instant, and we are acutely aware that a serious outbreak in sub-Saharan Africa would quickly overwhelm already underresourced health services. We began 2020 with great optimism, and remain hopeful that the current crisis will pass, and our society
Finally, I would like here to extend a word of personal gratitude to our Company Secretary, Malachy Cardiff, who left the organisation in April to take up a new role with The Charities Regulator. Malachy has been an invaluable support to me, as chairman, and has provided vital support and guidance to the Board of Directors since he took on this role, following the merger of Gorta and Self Help Africa, in 2014. We all wish him well in his new position. Take good care,
Tom Kitt Chairman, The Gorta Group
WOMENS’ CASHEW
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newly-launched Self Help Africa project will improve the lives of nearly 2,800 women farmers and producers within the cashew nut sector in Burkina Faso.
The project, Women’s Economic Empowerment Through Entrepreneurship in the Cashew Value Chain (DEFI), will organise the participating women into five cooperatives, in the West African country. Women will receive business skills training, management, business plan development, and on investment and funding opportunities in the cashew value chains. In addition, the project will support women participants to create income generating enterprises around other activities, including beekeeping, processing and market gardening. This is the first time we have received funding from the Austrian Development Agency.
A BOOST TO AGRIBUSINESS A BOOST TO AGRIBUSINESS IN ZAMBIA
IN ZAMBIA S
elf Help Africa is set to launch its biggest ever agribusiness development project in Zambia. elf Help Africa is set to launch its biggest ever agribusiness development project in Zambia, next ENTERPRISE Zambia is a new agribusiness support month. initiative that will invest €26m in developing the agribusiness and fish farming in the southern ENTERPRISE Zambia is a newsectors agribusiness support African country the€26m next five years. initiative that willover invest in developing the agribusiness and fish farming sectors in the southern African The project part of the Zambia’s ABSO programme country overisthe next fiveEU years. that is designed to support increased participation of The project is part of the EU Zambia’s ABSO programme smallholder farmers in market-integrated, nutritionsensitive that is designed to support increased participation of value chains. It also aims to provide improved access smallholder farmers in market-integrated, nutritionto finance, services and inputs as well as investment sensitive value chains. It also aims to provide improved opportunities. access to finance, services and inputs as well as investment opportunities. Self Help Africa will work on the project in collaboration Self Africa willconsultants work on theImani project in collaboration with Help development Development, with with development consultants Imani Developments, whom we have been implementing a similar project, with the AgriFi Kenya Challenge Fund, for the past two years.
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whom we have been implementing a similar project, the AgriFI Kenya Challenge Fund, for the past two years. ENTERPRISE Zambia will provide investment matchfundingZambia to up towill 40provide small and medium enterprises ENTERPRISE investment matchengaged aquaculture sectors. funding to in upthe to agribusiness 40 small and and medium enterprises engaged in the agribusiness and aquaculture sectors. The project aims to support the creation of up to 8,500 The project aims to support the creation of up to 8,500 new jobs in the sectors, and provide profitable new new jobs in the sector, and provide profitable new markets for up to 150,000 small-holder farmers in Zambia. markets for up to 150,000 small-holder farmers in Zambia. Its aim is that 40-60% of those to benefit will be women, Its aim is that 40-60% of those to benefit will be women, and between 20-40% will be rural young people. and between 20-40% will be rural young people. As Aswith withthe theKenya KenyaAgriFI AgriFiproject, project,ENTERPRISE ENTERPRISEZambia Zambia will willoperate operateaa‘challenge ‘challengefund’ fund’that thatawards awardsfunding fundingfor for business businessdevelopment developmentand andexpansion expansionininthe theagri-food agri-food sector. sector. It will also provide technical advisory services for agriIt will also provide technical advisory services for enterprises, work to strengthen existing farmer and agrienterprises, work to strengthen existing farmer and aquaculture associations, and increase the access that aquaculture associations, and increase the access that businesses, and these associations have to financial businesses, and these associations have to financial services. services. Self Help Africa’s Zambia Country Director, Elia Manda, says Zambia canDirector, play an important role Self that HelpENTERPRISE Africa’s Zambia Country Elia Manda, insays strengthening the country’s agri-enterprise sector. “By that ENTERPRISE Zambia can play an important role supporting production, processing, value-addition and“By in strengthening the country’s agri-enterprise sector. helping to strength the systems that support agriculture supporting production, processing, value-addition and and aquaculture, we’ve got the potential to put into place helping to strength the systems that support agriculture secure, long-term we’ve markets small-scale farmers can and aquaculture, gotwhere the potential to put into place sell their produce. secure, long-term markets where small-scale farmers can sell much their produce. “So of the food that is grown in small farms in Zambia is sold in the local village, for low prices. Until “So farming much ofhouseholds the food that is grown in small farms in rural can generate greater income Zambia is sold in the local village, for low prices. Until rural from their land, they will always struggle,” he said. farming households can generate greater income from Self Help Africa CEO Ray Jordan described ENTERPRISE their land, they will always struggle,” he said. Zambia as ‘a potential game-changer’ for agri-business iin the country. “More than 60% of Zambian households Group CEO Ray Jordan described ENTERPRISE Zambia rely on small farms to provide an income. as ‘a potential game-changer’ for agri-business in the country. “More than 60% of Zambian households rely on small farms to provide an income,” he stated.
LAUNCHING ONE MILLION TREES LAUNCHING ONE MILLION TREES LAUNCHING ONE MILLION TREES
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ne Million Trees is an exciting new campaign that nene Trees is is anaan exciting new campaign that Million Trees exciting new campaign that isMillion aiming to plant million new trees in Africa, is is aiming to plant a million new trees in Africa, aiming with to plant a million new trees in Africa, together 100,000 native Irish trees here at with 100,000 native Irish trees here at at together with 100,000 native Irish trees here home,together during 2020. home, during 2020. home, during 2020. It’s an all-Ireland campaign that is being sponsored It’sIt’s all-Ireland campaign that isGlenisk, being sponsored by an all-Ireland campaign that is being sponsored byanpremium yoghurt producers and is also premium yoghurt Glenisk, and isand also by premium yoghurt Glenisk, is being also being backed inproducers 2020producers by the Irish National Teachers backed in 2020 by the Irish National Teachers Organisation being backed(INTO), in 2020and by the IrishGaelic National Teachers Organisation by the Players (INTO), and by(GPA). the Gaelic (GPA). Organisation (INTO), andPlayers by the Association Gaelic Players Association Association (GPA). The campaign is is encouraging businesses, schools, local The campaign encouraging businesses, schools, local communities and the general public to contribute to a The campaignand is encouraging businesses, schools, communities the general public to contribute tolocal a large scale tree planting initiative, which see Self communities and the general public towill contribute toHelp a large scale tree planting initiative, which will see Self Africa trees in trees Africa, one native in large scale10tree planting initiative, which willtree seehere Self Helpplant Africa plant 10 in and Africa, and one native tree Ireland, for every €5 raised. Irish treesIrish are one being planted Help Africa plant trees€5 in raised. Africa, and tree here in Ireland, for10 every treesnative are being in here collaboration with local charity ‘Trees on the Land’ with in Ireland, for everywith €5 raised. Irish trees areon being planted in collaboration local charity ‘Trees the whom have partnered. planted in collaboration with local charity ‘Trees on the Land’we with whom we have partnered. Land’ with whom we have partnered. Information about ‘One Million Trees’ is is being displayed on Information about ‘One Million Trees’ being displayed Glenisk bio-pot yogurts for the coming year, while Information about ‘One Million Trees’ is being displayed on Glenisk bio-pot yogurts for the coming year, while in-store promotions to runfor across the SuperValu on Glenisk bio-potare yogurts the coming year, while
TV presenter Kathryn Thomas launched ‘One Million Trees,’ in Dublin lastpresenter month. She’s pictured withlaunched her daughter (2), Trees,’ Hugo Laffan (5) TV Kathryn Thomas ‘OneEllie Million in Dublin and month. Charlotte Mairpictured (5). last She’s with her daughter Ellie (2), Hugo Laffan (5) and Charlotte Mair (5).
in-store promotions are to run across the SuperValu in-store are to runthe across the 12 SuperValu network of coming networkpromotions of shops shops throughout throughout the coming 12 months. months. network of shops throughout the coming 12 months. The The campaign campaign was was launched launched last last month month by by RTE RTE presenter The campaign was launched last month by RTE presenter and Self Help Africa ambassador Kathryn and Self Help Africa ambassador Kathryn Thomas. presenter Thomas. and Self Help Africa ambassador Kathryn Thomas. Visit selfhelpafrica.org/onemilliontrees
RETAIL SUPPORT RETAIL SUPPORT RETAIL SUPPORT Dear Member Dear DearMember Member Self Help Africa Retail is looking for your help. Self SelfHelp HelpAfrica AfricaRetail Retailisislooking lookingfor foryour yourhelp. help. We have 21 charity shops across Ireland which help We have charity across which help We have2021 charity shops acrossIreland Ireland which help generate funds forshops our organisation. While these generate funds for our organisation. While these shops generate funds for our organisation. While these shops are currently closed due to the Coronavirus are currently closed towill the Coronavirus outbreak, shops are we currently closed due to theshortly. Coronavirus outbreak, hope due they re-open we hope they re-open shortly. outbreak, wewill hope they will re-open shortly. These shops are continually looking for stock, which These shops are continually which These shops are continually lookingfor forstock, stock, whichis is donated by the public, tolooking enable them to grow donated by are the public, to generate enable them tostock grow sales. We is donated by hoping the public, to enable them to grow sales. We to more through are hoping more stocksports through partnerships sales. We to aregenerate hoping to generate more stock through partnerships with local schools, clubs or with local schools, clubs community groups. partnerships with sports local sports clubsgroups or community groups. Weschools, will be or asking these We be asking these groups collect clothes oninour community groups. will beto asking these to will collect clothes onWe our behalf for which wegroups can, behalf for which weon can, inbehalf turn, a donation based to collect clothes our for weofcan, in turn, offer a donation based on offer thewhich amount clothes on the offer amount of clothes collected own turn, a donation based on thetowards amounttheir of clothes collected towards their own much needed fundraising. much needed fundraising. collected towards their own much needed fundraising. If anyone who would have a contact with a local If If anyone has a contact with local school, club anyone who would have contact asports local school, sports club etc andaawould bewith willing to make etc would willing to make anbe introduction on our school, sportsbe club etcbehalf and would willing to make anand introduction on our it would be greatly behalf it would beon greatly appreciated. an introduction our behalf it would be greatly appreciated. appreciated. Please Pleasecontact contactour ourDublin Dublinoffice officeon on+353 +3531 1677 6778880 8880oror Belfast 28289023 2064 ask Please contact our Dublin office onand +353 1 for 677 8880 or Belfastoffice officeon on+44 +44 9023 2064 and ask forMaggie Maggie Dwyer oroffice Gerard Belfast onMagee. +44 28 9023 2064 and ask for Maggie
Our retail team in Cork city needretail yourteam help.in Cork city Our need your help.
Dwyer Gerard Magee. We alsoorhave a sub-committee of the Board which Dwyer or Gerard Magee. oversees the strategy and operations our Retail We also have a sub-committee of the of Board which division. If any member has senior management retail We also have a sub-committee of the Board which oversees the strategy and operations of our Retail experience and wouldand like tosenior help inmanagement a of governance oversees strategy operations our Retailretail division. Ifthe any member has capacity, please contact our Dublin office and speak division. If any member has senior management retailto experience and would like to help in a governance Aine who please will pass on your details tooffice experience and would like to help in ame. governance capacity, contact our Dublin and speak to capacity, please contact our Dublin office and speak to Aine who Thank you,will pass on your details to me. Aine who will pass on your details to me. Yours sincerely, Carmel Fox, Chair of the Retail Committee Yours sincerely, Carmel Fox, Chair of the Retail Committee Carmel Fox, Chair of the Retail Committee