Annual Report 2019

FamiliesWithoutBorders.org

Families Without Borders ANNUAL REPORT 2019

Families Without Borders Annual Report 2019

OUR MISSION

To prepare the next generation of leaders through higher education enriched by continuous training in service and ethics.

OUR FOCUS

• College scholarships• Ethical leadership • Community

development

OUR APPROACH We select top high school graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds, and enroll them in a 5-year program with full college scholarships. These scholarships are combined with leadership development programs focused on ethics, integrity, and community service. We prepare these youth to be future ethical leaders, who will bring forth measurable change to their communities and the world.

OURVALUES

• Love• Integrity• Service• Excellence

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2019 ANNUAL REPORT | 3

Dear Friends,

In 2019, Families Without Borders supported the higher education and empowerment of 78 Emerging Leaders. These brilliant young men and women initiated and led nine diverse community service projects in 28 rural communities across Sierra Leone this year alone.

Because of YOU, this work is possible. In this report, you will see the significant impact of the work of our exceptional Emerging Leaders. We share examples of student-initiated service projects that are cost-effective, locally driven and sustainable. In 2019 alone, more than 15,000 rural people have gained access to solar lights and 20,000+ have access to improved water sources.

Families Without Borders recently received Charity of the Year Award in Yoni, Sierra Leone for addressing specific needs in the community. This upcoming year, we are excited to expand to Liberia and have selected thirteen candidates through our comprehensive interview process.

You truly make a difference in the lives of our Emerging Leaders and their families and communities. Thank you for being part of our growing family. We look forward to our continued partnership.

With love & gratitude,

Terri KhonsariFounder and Executive Director

GREETINGS FROM FAMILIES WITHOUT BORDERS

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Jalikatu Sheriff Food and Nutrition CoachCatholic Relief Services (CRS)

Foday Mark KamaraSecretary to the RegistrarCanadian College of Modern Technology

Mubarakatu Fofanah Team Leader Miro Forestry Sierra Leone

Santigie KoromaCountry Director Families Without Borders

Nekin Palmer Poverty ResearcherInnovations for Poverty Action

Joseph Ellie Relationships Officer A Call To Business Savings & Loans Ltd

Mohamed Alie Kamara Senior Banking Officer Rokel Bank

RECENT JOB PLACEMENTS & PROMOTIONS

OUR SUCCESS

100%

of our Emerging Leaders were employed upon or

prior to graduation.

of students completed at least one internship

during their scholarship program.

of our fellows participated in our ‘pay it forward’

model, sponsoring another Emerging Leader

in our program.

100% 100%

2019 ANNUAL REPORT | 5

UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP ROLES 2018-2019 ACADEMIC YEAR

Santigie Koroma Business Administration | President, Student Union Government University of Makeni

Nekin Palmer Development Studies | Minister of Works & Development, Student Union Government University of Makeni

Evelyn Kamara Accounting and Finance | Deputy Minister of Finance, Student Union Government University of Makeni

Albert Y.S. Kamara Accounting and Finance | Personal Assistant to the Presidency, Student Union GovernmentUniversity of Makeni

Foday Mark Kamara Public Administration | Minister of Information & Communication, Student Union Government University of Makeni

Kadiatu Fofana Accounting and Finance | Deputy Minister of Education, Student Union Government University of Makeni

Sahr Manga Computer Science | Secretary General, Computer Science Society University of Makeni

Bashir Koroma Mass Communications | Deputy Minister of Information and Communication, Student Union Government University of Makeni

Mohamed J. Koroma Industrial Technology | President, Industrial Technology Department Njala University

Joseph Fofanah Law Department I President, Koinadugu Student Union University of Makeni

Abdul Karim Jusu Computer Science | Class Representative University of Makeni

Tryphina E. Coker Mass Communications | Class Representative University of Makeni

Haja Turay Industrial Technology | Class Representative Njala University

Francis John Sesay Agriculture Engineering | Class Representative Njala University

YEAR 4

YEAR 3

YEAR 2

YEAR 1

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AWARDS & ACCOMPLISHMENTSMany of our scholarship students receive noteworthy awards and recognitions for their excellent academic work, leadership skills, and community service. Here are some highlights:

Santigie Koroma, our Country Director, received a recognition certification from TechWomen for his excellent leadership during the delegation trip to Makeni, Sierra Leone. He also won the Yoni Excellence Emerging Leader of the Year Award and was recognized as an ambassador for his service in northern Sierra Leone.

Evelyn Kamara, who completed her final year of studies in accounting and finance in 2019, launched an initiative for teenage mothers, who have dropped out of school, to return to school. She has successfully raised local funds to send four young mothers back to high school.

Foday Mark Kamara, who is in his final year studying public administration at the University of Makeni, was elected as President of the university’s debate team. As a YALI (Young African Leaders Initiative) graduate, he was appointed as the Alumni Communications Chair.

Kadiatu Fofanah, who studies accounting and finance, started a women-led farming group to produce local crops. With self-raised funding, she has employed 50 women. In 2020, she plans to fund 80 women and produce 600 pounds of gari. She also worked as a researcher focused on poverty at the Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) in summer of 2019.

Bashir Koroma, a third-year student studying mass communications, organized a career counseling program for junior and senior secondary school students in Mile 91, Sierra Leone. He recently won the Yoni Excellence Student of the Year Award. Bashir also received the Best Speaker award at the National Youth Conference on Peace and Development in Freetown.

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LEADERSHIP RETREATSFamilies Without Borders holds biannual leadership retreats focused on professional and personal development. These retreats are led by Executive Director, Terri Khonsari, and provide an opportunity for students from both universities to come together and discuss important themes around ethics, integrity and service.

Our first retreat of 2019 was held in Kono, located in the eastern part of Sierra Leone. The retreat focused on integrity and social responsibilities of our young men and women as we prepare them to become future leaders in their communities. The second retreat was held on Kent Beach outside of Freetown. Students came together and presented on various topics including: leadership qualities, commitment, unity amongst tribes, and new service projects. During the award ceremony, our upcoming graduates were presented with their impact certificates, which recognized the numbers of lives impacted through Families Without Borders service projects.

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Jalikatu Sheriff

Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health, University of Makeni,Sierra Leone, 2019

Current role: Food & Nutrition Coach, Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Lives impacted through Families Without Borders service projects: 1,521

Joseph Ellie

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration & Management, University of Makeni,Sierra Leone, 2019

Curren role: Relationships Officer, A Call To Business Savings & Loans Ltd

Lives impacted through Families Without Borders service projects: 676

Mubarakatu Fofana

Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture, University of Makeni,Sierra Leone, 2019

Current role: Team Leader, Miro Forestry, Sierra Leone

Lives impacted through Families Without Borders service projects: 1,781

Aminata Sankoh

Bachelor of Law, University of Makeni,Sierra Leone, 2019

Current role: Law Intern, Law Officers Department, Makeni, Sierra Leone; awaiting student of Sierra Leone Law School

Lives impacted through Families Without Borders service projects: 1,922

“...I can achieve anything I put my mind to.”

- Jalikatu Sheriff

“...My future is bright.”- Mubarakatu Fofana

BECAUSE OF FAMILIES WITHOUT BORDERS...

“...I am now a part of one big human family that is bounded by an undying love and passion for service.”

- Joseph Ellie

“...I become the first graduate in my family.”

- Aminata Sankoh

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19 Solar Systems Installed on Village Schools

15,689 Individuals With Access to Electricity

18 WATER WELLS

20,226 INDIVIDUALS WTH CLEAN WATER

911 Adults Received Training In Literacy & Numeracy

2019 IN NUMBERS

PERFORMING

16,000+ HOURS OF SERVICE

78 EMERGING LEADERS 28 VILLAGES

SUPPORTED

9 SUSTAINABLE SERVICE PROJECTS

20STUDENTS RECEIVED

COMPUTER TRAINING

1,044Girls Trained In

Making Reusable Sanitary Pads

1,556Children Empowered

Through Summer Camp

4,665Individuals Impacted

From Waste Management

In 2019, our Emerging Leaders installed 19 solar systems in rural

villages to deliver electricity to over 15,000 people. Our solar systems

are installed on the roofs of village schools to allow children to study in the evenings and our adult literacy

and numeracy courses to take place after nightfall. The installation of solar systems benefits the entire village. Our goal is to double the

number of our impact in 2020.

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A major challenge in Sierra Leone is lack of access to clean water. Only 48% of rural households have access to safe drinking water. 49% of people walk over half a mile outside of their villages for clean water. In 2019, our Emerging Leaders dug/ repaired 18 water wells in rural communities and a total of 20,226 rural people have access to clean and safe drinking water as a result of this project. The goal for 2020 is to double the number of wells and become the number one clean water provider in Sierra Leone by 2021.

WATER WELL PROJECT

SIMPLE SOLAR SYSTEMS

Thank you to our partner, Moms Against Poverty, who helped fund our 2019 water well and solar light projects!

In 2019, 1,044 girls have learned to make and use reusable sanitary pads. Our female Emerging Leaders have served 20 village schools and 4 schools in town. During the training led by our Emerging Leaders, each girl makes and takes their own reusable pads home. Some of these girls will continue to make and sell reusable pads to others in their communities. Some schools have also adopted this project into their practical work curriculum. Our goal for 2020 will be to create an internship program for development studies majors and provide training to 2,500 girls.

2019 ANNUAL REPORT | 11

REUSABLE SANITARY PADS

In 2019, our Emerging Leaders provided 911 rural men and

women with basic literacy and numeracy training in 9 villages

across Sierra Leone. With one of the highest illiteracy rates in the world (52% of the population), there is a

critical need for adult education in Sierra Leone. At the end of our

6-week session, every adult student receives a certificate for completing

their training. Our goal in 2020 will be to reach 1,200 rural adults.

ADULT LITERACY & NUMERACY

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FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTORSWe gratefully acknowledge the generosity of all the individuals & organizations who supported our efforts in 2019. We deeply appreciate your commitment to building West African communities from within.

$10,000+Khonsari, Terri & HamidMoms Against PovertySigaroudi, Mandana & KhosrowSimpson, Sharon

$5,000-$9,999Scaff, Eric & ElizaTraxler, Laura & Shepard, Scott

$1,500-$4,999Bart-Williams, Arthur & JessicaBarzgar, AbbassBrobeck, CarrieEdraki, Tina & BabakFinlayson, Jill & RobertJamali, Fardad & Nafei, NioshaMcCormick, Christina & TomMoshari, KamOfogh, Babak & DorieRassai, RaySavage, ItunumiSimpson, CatherineTagdiri, Kevin & NaghmehWondeh, InezZolnasr, Fariba & Iraj

$1,000-$1,499Aftahi, ShahabChehrazi, Atessa & Krooth, KarlElie, Mehrdad & NedaGieber, JenniferGospodarek, Andrew & ValerieHelman, Sarit & Sockell, MarkKhonsari, NiloufarKoohestani, Bahman & Hengameh FaghaniMoghbel, KeyvanMoozoun, ShivaQualls, Bruce & MargaretSaiidnia, Masoud & JaniSaleh, MojdehTowfighi, MitraWelter, JanetZabetian, Mahbound

$500-$999Abar, Farzanah & HossAliabadi, SonbolAlijanian, NardinAndresen, Joseph & MariaBorchers, BenjaminDavies, RobertDickinson, Katy & Plocher, JohnDomenichelli, CherylDravland, John & Zabetian, Simin Elliott, RhondaHills, MichelleKarimian, AfsheenNadji, ElhamNiroumand, FahimehRajabi, Shawn & SusanShakour, Tina

Talebzadeh, Tahereh & BahramVan Deusen-Jeffries, ShawneWang, PamelaZai, Dennis & Cindy

Up to $500Ali, TinahAmini, MaryamAnsari, FaribaArnold, SusanAzarmi, JalehGhorbani, Mazi & GabiBarry, PatriciaBekele, DemiBendinelli, KarenBenevity Community Impact FundBernard, AkeelBernard, DaleBina, MiriamBisaillon, Debbie Blom, LynnBrooks, BarberaBrown Beamenderfer, Diana Burke, BuddyBurnick, Dean & MonicaCampbell, LindsayCarroll, KarinCentracchio, KathyChow, JeffreyColeman, JanelleDancer-Shiro, CarltonDaniels, DarcieDarabnia, HalehDennis, DouglasDickinson, MarkEast, ChristieEdwards, SameraEhsani, AliEzazi, FarhodFarzaneh, ShabnamFinkelstein, JustinFitzgerald, BethGhaffari, BitaGharib, NasrinGiosso, PeggyGirman, JordanGoguen, Brian & LaureenGrasz, ErnaHaines, JimHalligan, JoeHarrington, MargaretHekmat, NegdaKamlot, AndreasKapadia, VarshaKashef, Katherine & MehdiKazerooni, PariKhalvati, Mehdi & VidaKhalvati, TarenehKhodayari, FarshadKordestani, ShivaLeitner, PradnyaLeni Doyle-HickmanLoghmanpour, Soheila

Loya, Matthew & TinahLynch, EmmettManning, DianeMansourian, SohiMcCaw, BrigidMcCullough, PatrickMcCurleys Floor CenterMeftah, NazgolMH Ashrafi DMD MSMiller, Thomas & MaryaMissirian, DavidMoorthy, MuraliMorshed, HalehMoslehi, MahinNadeau, ChristineNapper, PatriciaNeh, PoNewcomb, LucieNixon, Simone & BruceO’Brien, PatO’Leary, PamelaOlejniczak, AdamPenn, KatiePenn, LibbyPour, SaeedPrabhune, ShalakaRadlow, NicoleRajabi, MarjanRamsey, HeatherRavon, FarahRiggs, DanaSack, DanaSacred Healing Energy ClearingSaechao, NaiSaeedi, Flora & HosseinSafapour, MalihSafinia, MariamSaidi, SuzanneSarmiento, BonnieSarooie, SoodabehSavage, WalterSchlenoff, Marjorie & LarrryShahabi, MahinShorb, VinceSilver, MarthaSimha, SowmyaSimpson, JeanSolowey, BarrySoltani, ArashTavassoli, Fatteneh & TaghiTavassoli, NedaTessler, LarryThapa Harding, RonalafaeTierney, TrishToloui, HughTom, ChristineTorrilhon, SuzanneVaziri, SosanWest, ConnieWiley, AnnWong, ChristopherYassini, FarnoushYousefipour, Ramona

2019 ANNUAL REPORT | 13

Our Global Impact Circles provide support to Families Without Borders’ Emerging Leaders through coaching and mentorship. Each mentor is paired with an Emerging Leader from our program for three years. These mentors utilize their expertise and wisdom to help shape the lives of the next generation of leaders in West Africa.

We are grateful to our board member, Laura Traxler, for helping Families Without Borders start Global Impact Circle program in 2019.

THANK YOU to our 2019 Global Impact Mentors!

2019 Global Impact Mentors pictured at the first holiday celebration at Terri Khonsari, the Executive Director’s home, in Moraga, California: Mimi Bommarito, Carrie Brobeck, Cheryl Domenichelli, Jill Finalyson, Valerie Gospodarek, Sarit Helman, Shiva Moozoun, Mojdeh Saleh, Laura Traxler, Mitra Towfighi, Margaret Qualls

Not pictured: Christina McCormick, Marya Miller, Eliza Scaff, Mandana Sigaroudi, Catherine Simpson and Naghmeh Tagdiri

GLOBAL IMPACT MENTORS

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In December 2019, a team of prominent

Sierra Leoneans from the UK, USA,

and Sierra Leone conducted a full-day

leadership workshop with our Emerging

Leaders and fellows in Makeni, Sierra Leone.

We are grateful to our board member,

Arthur Bart-Williams, who introduced us to his friends and to the

team, who visited and conducted this very

inspiring session.

In March 2019, Families Without Borders’ Executive Director, Terri Khonsari, welcomed 13 TechWomen mentors and International Institute of Education (IIE) staff from the US to our technology center in Makeni, Sierra Leone. These distinguished visitors conducted personal and professional development sessions for our female Emerging Leaders. Thank you, TechWomen!

TechWomen mentors and IIE staff with the Executive Director, Terri Khonsari: Katy Dickinson, Kelty Davis, Molly Glauberman, Jennifer Gieber, Mimi Hills, Caitlin Doyle, Pamela O’Leary, Jillian Scott, Jill Finlayson, Jessica Dickinson Goodman, Samera Edwards, Tina Shakour, Kira Gardner.

2019 SPECIAL VISITS

A special thanks to our visitors: Itunumi & Bernadette Savage, Chukwu-Emeka Chikezie, Isata Kabia, and Janice Williams.

2019 ANNUAL REPORT | 15

Total Cash Income $153,664.05

47.8% Individual Contributions 44.9% Special Events 7.3% Grant Revenue

Additional Income (not included in the graph):

In-Kind Contributions - $152,000+: • Professional Services• Marketing & Events• Fundraising and Travel Pay It Forward income in Sierra Leone: $2,800+ USD, from our fellows as our contributors in West Africa.

Total Expenses $168,719.08

85.9% Project • College Scholarship• Leadership Development• Community Service

8.1% Fundraising• Auctioneer fees• Event space rental• Food and beverage• Event Marketing

6.0% Operations• Marketing• Website• Non-Profit Insurance• Bank and Merchant fees• Professional services

47.8% 44.9%

7.3%

8.1%6.0%

85.9%

FINANCIAL OVERVIEW

Terri A. Khonsari Arthur Bart-Williams Hamid M. Khonsari, M.D. Laura Traxler

Terri A. Khonsari Founder &

Executive Director

Santigie Koroma Country Director,

Sierra Leone

Ayuko Picot Director of Operations,

USA

Adam Goguen, J.D. Strategic Development

Consultant, West Africa

Kadiatu Fofana Program Assistant

Development, Sierra Leone

Kadiatu Kamara Program Assistant,

Administration, Sierra Leone

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

LEADERSHIP TEAM

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