Giving & Support

Love Sierra Leone is a UK registered charity #1157847

Donate to your preferred cause

Donations made to C3M (Christian Community Church Mission, Pastor Yatta’s ministry), Ahkom School and RightToRead will only be used for that work. Donations to our General Fund will be used where it is most needed amongst the programmes above. However you donate, all your money including Gift Aid will be used to support people and work in Sierra Leone. The only costs we incur in the UK are bank (CAF Bank) and fundraising (e.g. JustGiving) fees, usually less than £300 per year. We cover these from the General Fund if possible or by sharing the expense between C3M, Ahkom and RightToRead.

You can set up a Standing Order with your bank online using our details:

• Love Sierra Leone, 25 Davenant Road, Oxford OX2 8BU
• CAF Bank, Sort Code: 40-52-40, Account No: 00025590

Or fill in a Standing Order Form and send it to your bank.

Or pay by cheque, making cheques payable to “Love Sierra Leone”. Please post to 25 Davenant Road, Oxford, OX2 8BU.

Also please fill in a Gift Aid Declaration and mail it back to us at the address above or email it to hello@lovesierraleone.org. This will add 25% to your donations.

If you would like your donation to be used for a specific purpose, please let us know.

Our Accounts and Annual Returns are on the Charity Commission website.

Thank you for your continued support

At present we find we have to use all our income in each calendar year and we would like to but cannot yet afford the luxury of a reserve. That means there is continued reliance on our regular supporters.

Our target income for 2022 is £40,000 to continue supporting C3M ministries (including Sports Life), Ahkom School and RightToRead. In addition we see wider community support (via special fundraisers) as a key aspect of our work. The community support provides meals for children of all faiths and also provides critical help during unexpected events such as COVID, Ebola in 2014 and floods in 2017, 18 & 19.

In 2021 we spent £37,450

• Christian Community Church £12,247
  • Church & Sports Ministry £10,200
  • Office fees (SL) £370
  • XMAS meal £1500
  • Bank fees, etc £177
• RightToRead £7,534
  • Salaries, teacher training, IT support £6975
  • Fundraising / grant applications £480
  • Bank fees etc £79
• Ahkom School £12,695
  • Teachers salaries & sponsored kids £9790
  • New classrooms £1150
  • Replacement equipment from burglary £900
  • Hospital treatment for David Sandi £305
  • Travel for David Sandi UK visit £250
  • Bank fees etc £300
• LSL activities £4,975
  • Travel, laptop £1000
  • XMAS and Easter meals for children £3500
  • Fees, etc £475

In 2020 we spent £36,647. During the year, support for Ahkom School was brought back into LSL from Ahkom Charity, which closed.

• Christian Community Church £19,365
  • Church & Sports Ministry £12,940
  • COVID support £4500
  • Office fees (SL) £1144
  • Medical needs for pastors (SL) £703
  • Bank fees, etc £348
• RightToRead £11,483
  • Salaries, teacher training, IT support £10,075
  • New Equipment £1300
  • Bank fees etc £108
• Ahkom School £2404
  • Teachers salaries & sponsored kids £1290
  • New classrooms £1040
  • Bank fees etc £74
  • Note: We began supporting Ahkom School in October
• LSL activities £3125
  • XMAS meal £3000
  • Fees, etc £125

In 2019 we spent £32,035

• Christian Community Church £20,680
  • Church and Sports Ministry £14,940
  • Flood victim support £2000
  • XMAS meal for children £2000
  • Support for ill pastors £650
  • Travel, fees, etc £1091
• RightToRead £11,350
  • Salaries £9000
  • Equipment, maintenance, repairs £2250
  • Fees, etc £104

In 2018 we spent approx £24,090

• Christian Community Church £15,090
  • Church and Sports Ministry £10,520
  • Flood victim support £1000
  • XMAS meal for children £2000
  • Travel, fees, etc £1570
• RightToRead
  • Salaries £7500
  • Equipment, repairs £1350
  • Fees, etc £100

In 2017 we spent approx £32,000

• Christian Community Church £19,500
  • Teachers salaries £6,500
  • Emergency flood relief £6,700
  • Church and Sports Ministries £5,500
  • Travel, fees, etc £800
• RightToRead
  • Salaries £9,300
  • Equipment repairs, oil, petrol, etc £1,300
  • Travel, fees, etc £600
  • Fundraising £1400 (a RTR supporter paid for a consultant to help us build a case to raise money for up to 20 additional schools, hopefully this will pay off in 2018)

In 2016 we spent just over £30,000. During the year support for Ahkom School was moved to a newly formed Ahkom charity.

• Christian Community Church £15,700
  • Teachers Salaries £7200
  • School Buildings £350
  • Church & Sports Ministries £6900
  • Travel, fees, etc £1250
• Ahkom School £5,800
  • Teachers salaries £4700
  • Travel, fees, etc £1100
  • NOTE: A new charity Ahkom UK was set up in 2016 to support Ahkom School, support will move from LSL to the new charity
• RightToRead £8,800
  • Salaries £7700
  • Equipment repairs, oil, petrol, etc £1100

In 2015 we introduced support for Ahkom School and a RightToRead project, both of which brought new donors so our income increased. We also received about £3,000 in back-dated Gift Aid. We collected just over £30,384 in donations and Gift Aid and we spent just over £29,296 broken down approximately as follows:

• Christian Community Church £16,900
  • Teachers Salaries £7400
  • School Buildings & Equipment £500
  • Church & Sports Ministries £6000
  • Travel & other expenses £3000 (including online donation fees and bank transfer fees)
• Ahkom School and Vocational Centre £7,600
  • Teachers Salaries £6200
  • Travel & other expenses £1400
• RightToRead £4,600
  • Salaries £1000
  • Educational equipment (laptop, projector, speakers, books, etc.) £1700
  •  Teacher training & local publicity £800
  • Vehicle repairs £1100

In 2014, we spent £14,200 approximately broken down as follows:

• Schools, teachers salaries £7100
• Schools, buildings and equipment, £1000
• Church / Sports Ministry, £5500
• Travel & other expenses £600 (incl £200 for processing online donations)

In 2013, we spent £13,650 approximately broken down as follows:

• Schools, teachers salaries £6,800
• Schools, buildings and equipment, £1,100
• Church / Sports Ministry, £5,250
• Travel costs, £500

In 2012, we spent £17,260 which is approximately broken down as follows:

• Schools, teachers salaries £8,800
• Schools, buildings and equipment, £1,000
• Church / Sports Ministry, £5,460
• Koidu Church Building Project, £1,000
• Travel costs, £1,000

In 2011, we spent £17,500 which is broken down approximately down as follows:

• Schools, teachers salaries £7,200
• Schools, buildings and equipment, £2,000
• Church / Sports Ministry, £6,000
• Koidu Church Building Project, £1,000
• Travel costs, £1,300

In 2010, we spent approximately £16,900 which is broken down as follows:

• Schools, teachers salaries £6,000
• Schools, buildings and equipment, £2,500
• Church / Sports Ministry, £6,000
• Koidu Church Building Project, £1,000
• Travel costs, £1,400

In 2009, we spent approximately £17,500 which is broken down as follows:

• Schools, teachers salaries £5,000
• Schools, buildings and equipment, £2,500
• Church / Sports Ministry, £5,000
• Koidu Church Building Project, £2,000
• Vehicle Repair, £1500
• Travel costs, £1,500

In 2008, we spent approximately £16,920 which is broken down as follows:

• Schools, teachers salaries £4,150
• Schools, buildings and equipment, £2,500
• Church / Sports Ministry, £4,200
• Koidu Church Building Project, £3,000
• Womens’ Project, £570
• Travel costs, £2,500

In 2007, we spent approximately £17,200 which is broken down as follows:

• Schools, teachers salaries £5,300
• Schools, buildings and equipment, £4,000
• Church / Sports Ministry, £6,200
• Womens’ Project, £900
• Travel costs, £800

In 2006, we spent approximately £16,000 which is broken down as follows:

• Schools, teachers salaries £4,000
• Schools, buildings and equipment, £2,500
• Church Ministry, £4,750
• Bungalow Church re-furbishment, £1,550
• Sports Ministry, £1,500
• Travel costs, £1,750

In October 2005, we completed fundraising of just over £9,000 for a 4 wheel drive vehicle that will significantly improve communication between Freetown and Koidu. This was in addition to approximately £12,000 raised for ongoing schools and ministry work.