Shelter for Life International Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Lifft cashew senegal program: shelter for life international (sfl) has been working in the natural region of casamance (sedhiou, kolda, and ziguinchor) in senegal since 2012. As a result of a civil war of several decades which has occasionally overtaken capital and market development in this region. Sfl's work in casamance focuses on improving market connections, particularly in the cashew sector, and resettlement of families displaced by conflict. During the fy 2024, two projects have been still under implementation. One of the projects is lifft cashew that includes the following activities and outcomes: shelter for life is registered in senegal as non-profit NGO. As part of the lifft cashew project in senegal, during the fy'25, the market access component (c3: a5), the total target of twenty-four (24) cooperatives has been reached at 100% of the lop since fiscal 2023 in segabi (as for senegal, its 8 cooperatives and one federation). Unpaved roads according to the engineering standards, undergo another re-surfacing after one-two years. Sfl has assessed the roads that built in 2022-2023 and implemented re-surfacing of 56 km to ensure the long service and sustainability. Followed with the need to bring the cooperatives under one umbrella in senegal, sfl supported the cooperatives with the establishment of federation of cooperatives and strengthen their capacities. The cma team continued providing cooperatives and federations with technical assistance and capacity building, including knowledge of improved farm management practices (ffpr-std-03), leadership capacities, financial management, and organizational dynamics as well as accompanied them with registration and strengthening their capacities. Sfl facilitated the cooperation between the government and federation and secured an office space for federation's operation and equipped it with necessary operational means (it equipment (laptop, printer/scanner) and office furniture)). Also, to upgrade the capacity of collective collection and bulk sale of cashew, under the lifft-cashew project, provided one 10 tons truck. As for cooperatives, sfl provided four cashew harvesting machines provided 1,003 pallets placed in the constructed and rehabilitated storages for safe storage of raw cashew nuts, also developed and handed over to federation a website for their expanded communication and operations. The team continued encouraging new members to join the cooperatives. Additionally, sfl also facilitated the signing of sales contracts with traders/exporters and the 8 cooperatives in senegal. The contracts cover 19,147 mt of rcn for an estimated value of usd 8,999,090 usd. To ensure good production and nut quality, 2,200 producers were trained in good agricultural practices, and the new techniques applied were mainly related to the prunning, thinning, intercropping, and establishment of new plantations, nursery establishment and management. Overall, 15,000 seedlings and 91 tons of organic fertilizer were distributed to producers to boost production as well as remain in compliance of organic product requirements. A total of 3,423 producers applied gaps over 52,598 ha. To improve the production capacity, sfl provided 9 greenhouses to upgrade the capacity of nurseries for improved cashew seedlings for increasing the production volume and improving the quality. Sfl organized a workshop to bring together the research institutes from segabi countries and cashew seedling production nurseries' owners to present the outcome of the vietnamese cashew variety which proved to be productive one and discussed the strategy on massive multiplication of seedlings and dissemination as well as shared their analysis and experiences.to expand the timely storage capacity, the construction of one warehouses with a capacity of 20,000 cubic meters was completed. During the period, 3785 individuals benefited from financial services, often as direct or indirect beneficiaries of gran.prm project senegal: a second p

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 87.9%; rating input score 88
• Program expense ratio: 87.6%; rating input score 88
• Fundraising efficiency: $65.29 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 82; 82nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
• Grant itemization coverage: Scored; rating input score 0
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -0.3%; rating input score 32; 32nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.09; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.88; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 8%; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 11.6% per year; rating input score 100; 69th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 6.4% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 15.1% per year; rating input score 100; 74th percentile among comparable filings