Women in Travel (WiT), the all-women networking and fundraising group in duty free and travel retail, has chosen the charity All As One as its 2014 cause.

 

All As One saves the lives of orphaned and abandoned children in Freetown, Sierra Leone by running a children’s centre that feeds, educates and cares for over 100 children every day.

 

WiT says: “We aim to support projects that are end-to-end, in other words from beginning to the completion of a project and for 2014 we studied many projects submitted. We are pleased to announce that the WiT charity for 2014 is All As One.”

 

All As One’s centre in Freetown operates as a 24-hour shelter with educational facilities that extend from pre-school to sixth grade. For the 40+ children not living at the centre they are given two meals a day plus all school and material costs.

 

The charity’s medical clinic also helps more than 3,000 Sierra Leone children and families to get preventative intervention and treatment.

 

MISSION FOR 2014

All As One plans to build a new Children’s Centre on land already purchased in Sierra Leone.

 

The new compound will consist of eight newly-constructed buildings including two children’s homes, the academy, a new clinic an administration building, multi-purpose block, a kitchen/laundry and guest quarters for volunteers.

 

WiT wants to raise €25,000 ($33,000) for a new truck, for the project.

 

Gerry Munday (right), Furla’s Global Travel Retail Director and WiT supporter explains: “They will need around 40 truckloads of sand for each building and, at the current rate, each truckload will cost around €150 ($200).

 

“Raising €25,000 for a new truck will save them around €38,000 ($50,130) on the entire project. It will also avoid them having to pay excess charges in hiring a vehicle and this will save a further €9,000 ($11,900).

 

After the project is complete, All As One anticipates renting the truck out to individuals or other companies in Sierra Leone who need to haul building materials thus generating around €25,000 in rental fees.

 

By establishing a successful rental business the ultimate goal is to raise enough monthly income to ensure the current child welfare programmes become self-sustaining.

 

So far, All As One has helped more than 700 children through its children’s centre and academy plus 35,000 children and families in need through both their clinic and other support services.