Dear friends of SLAM. The roof is on. The ceiling has been completed, and the front door has been installed. But we really need your help with your prayers and your donations to help us complete the interior of the dormitory. We are $20,000 short of what we need to complete the project. Any donation, large or small is appreciated. This is urgent as we would like to relocate the children to the new facility in September.
Donations may be made in one of four ways:
Through the parish.
By credit card through our website at slam.accountabledevelopment.org
Our dormitory construction is progressing even though construction was paused for part of March and April due to a shortage of funds. A few generous people helped us to resume work. We are thankful that the roof has been completed prior to the rainy season.
As you can see, costs are rising. Our budgeted cost is now $80,000. We are confident that with your help of prayers and dollar donations we will complete this project soon. As of June 10, 2024 we have received $46,000 in donations toward this project.
Things do not always go smoothly, and when one works closely with a small charity, every bump in the road is noticed.
Frustratingly, because of a shortage of funds our dormitory construction project was paused for the last three weeks (March 20 to April 18). Construction has now resumed, but we still need dollars and prayers to finish the project. Thank you for all your help.
Additionally, there is a frightening drug crisis in Sierra Leone. Fortunately, the children at the orphanage and school are under fine supervision and are shielded from the drug problem. However, one of our students attending further education has fallen into addiction. Our leader, Jason Dudek, is covering the expenses for his rehabilitation.
It is no wonder many of the children call him, “Dad”. He has such love and generosity toward these children who would have no hope without us.
Small charities such as SLAM lack the visibility that huge national and international charities have. Yet we spend far less on administration than they do. Every worker in Canada is a volunteer. We spend less than 5% of donations on administration (mainly bank fees and a yearly audit). Larger charities spend much more. (Canadian Red Cross 49%; Siloam Mission 20%; World Vision 22%; Salvation Army 17% – source “Charity Intelligence Canada).
You can help SLAM in three ways:
Your donations
Your prayers
Spreading the word about SLAM
Thank you and God Bless you for all the good you do.
Thank you to all donors who are helping us to achieve the goal of completing the dormitory. We need approximately $31,000 more to finish the project. All donations, large or small are appreciated.
These three photos show the progress of our construction to March 20, 2024.
Sierra Leone Action Mission (SLAM) was recently in the Free Press Community Review news! Here’s a short excerpt:
A group of local volunteers is helping orphans half a world away. The Sierra Leone Action Mission (SLAM) is a charitable organization comprised of eight local volunteers who have been diligently fundraising to help build a new orphanage in Koidu in the West African nation. Gerald Sliva and his wife, Cecilia, who live in Royalwood, are part of the group, which is one of several initiatives of Accountable Development Works, a registered Canadian charity based in Winnipeg. The organizers of each initiative of ADW do their own fundraising. The Slivas were first introduced to the project by its driving force, Jason Dudek, when he spoke at their church more than a decade ago.