Overseas Aid & Development Commission publishes its 2024 Annual Report

Friday 14 November 2025

The Overseas Aid & Development Commission is pleased to publish its 2024 Annual Report. This also includes an update on grants awarded in that year that have continued into 2025.

The 2024 programmes included making 56 Single Year Project Grant Aid Awards, 7 Multi Year Project Grant Aid Awards, 7 Disaster and Emergency Relief Awards, 4 Community Partnership Awards and hosting four public events as part of its communication and education initiatives, as well as helping to promote the use of Fairtrade.

All of these programmes have helped make a sustainable and enduring improvement to the basic needs of the poorest of the poor communities living in countries that are the 25% least developed in the world. These basic needs include medical and health facilities, educational programmes and facilities, water, food, housing, sanitation provision and the means of sustaining a living, e.g. through agriculture, horticulture or training in sustainable employment skills.

Deputy Jennifer Strachan, President of Overseas Aid & Development Commission, said:

"This Report demonstrates the considerable impact that Guernsey's grants and partnerships have on the most vulnerable areas of the world, where people are facing famine, poverty, natural disaster, and environmental degradation due to climate change.

"For the first time, the Commission is reporting on how it uses the United Nation's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to evaluate the Bailiwick of Guernsey's impact on the world's most disadvantaged communities. The SDGs are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure peace and prosperity. The Commission's analysis showed that the majority of Guernsey-funded projects met more than one SDG, with the average being four. The SDGs the projects met most frequently were 'No Poverty', 'Good Health and Well-being' and 'Quality Education'.

"A good example of a Guernsey-funded 'No Poverty' and 'Zero Hunger' project is one called 'Installing a Peanut Mill to combat Malnutrition in Sierra Leone' undertaken, like all the Commission's projects, by a UK or Channel Islands' registered Charity. The Charity 'Practical Tools Initiative' established a small-scale peanut and sesame mill plant to produce highly nutritious food to be supplied to feeding programmes and direct to the market. As well ashelping to combat malnutrition, the project also provided livelihoods for destitute rural farmers and their families to grow income-generating food crops to lift them out of poverty. Malnutrition is widespread across Sierra Leone with 33% of children under five years old being stunted. Guernsey's grant of £50,000 helped deliver food to 1,300 children and lactating mothers and provided an ongoing income for 800 very poor farmers and their families.

"As a developed jurisdiction, Guernsey has a moral obligation to help the world's poorest of the poor. As we navigate our global business and diplomatic missions, we need to play our part in giving back to those countries in need as a positive force for good on the global stage. Effective overseas aid is good for the world and good for Guernsey."

The Report can be read at gov.gg/overseasaid

A short video highlighting some of the projects and wide impact the Overseas Aid & Development Commission made in 2024 can be viewed at https://youtu.be/vk0fOW_GOlY