Jennie Dickinson – Audit Senior, Godfrey Wilson
For-Ethiopia is a small charity based in Bristol. We work in partnership with communities in rural areas of Ethiopia, supporting schools, health centres, community water projects. Our approach is truly participatory – we listen to what the local community identifies as their needs and we work with them to achieve their goals. One of our major projects is supporting girls from rural areas to meet their potential through provision of educational opportunity via our Underhill Scholarships Scheme.
I joined the charity as a trustee in July 2023. The charity is entering its 20th year, and it has been an exciting time to join. Two major building projects are near completion, including a training centre and two brand new classrooms for disabled pupils at the local school.
It’s very much a “kitchen table charity” with a large part of the UK-based work taking place at the monthly trustee meetings, which gives an incredible sense of involvement in the work being delivered and the impact it creates.
As Treasurer, I hope to support the charity by providing greater insight into our performance against objectives and to give greater clarity on the financial position and what we can commit to as we make plans for the years ahead.
My day job involves auditing charities and reporting the audit findings back to trustee boards. It has been really useful to gain experience as a trustee because it gives me greater insight into the governance side of charities, and offers a different perspective for my audit work.
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