Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin (center) receives SMDF’s 2017 unaudited financial statements from SMDF Director Keith Franca (left) and SMDF Programme and Development Manager Makhicia Brooks (right).
PHILIPSBURG–The St. Maarten Development Fund (SMDF) gave out NAf. 3 million in grants to 24 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in 2017.
This information is included in the SMDF’s unaudited financial statements and management report for 2017, which were presented to Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin recently.
SMDF’s Managing Director Keith Franca and Programme and Development Manager Makhicia Brooks presented the Fund’s financial statement to the Prime Minister and also briefed her on their activities in 2017 as well as the Fund’s plans for 2018.
In 2017, SMDF disbursed NAf. 1,290,427 towards youth development, NAf. 998,361 in the area of social care, NAf. 403,654 towards senior care, NAf. 112,105 towards poverty alleviation and NAf. 208,111 towards gender support.
Franca and Brooks underscored the invaluable contribution the organisations and the caregivers working within those organisations have made. Brooks outlined the efficiency of the NGOs operations and their adherence to SMDF’s accountability requirements. In explaining the process to be able to present the Fund’s financial statements in the first month of the year, Franca detailed the organisation’s monthly reporting requirements that allow for transparent accounting of funds granted. He also spoke of the value of having in-house Financial Administrator Jennai Marlin who oversees accountability of funds disbursed to the Fund’s NGO clients.
SMDF also updated the Prime Minister on the partnership with the Windward Islands Bank (WIB), which began in August 2017 and the status of SMDF’s elderly project which began home repairs in December 2017.
Franca provided a background of the project which is possible thanks to funds made available by the Dutch Government in 2016, and in December 2017 following the passing of Hurricane Irma.
Franca reiterated SMDF’s commitment to continue to provide quarterly updates of the Fund’s activities and thanked the Government of St. Maarten for its continuous support since SMDF’s inception in May 2012.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/73311-smdf-gave-naf-3m-in-grants-to-ngos-in-2017
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