SAACID.ORG
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SAACID-Australia
SAACID is fully endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) by the Australian Government
Australian Business Number (ABN):
24 728 815 723
Charity Number - CH1371
Incorporation Number - IA30308
Postal Address:
PO Box 68
Woody Point, Queensland
Australia 4019
Australian Business Number (ABN):
24 728 815 723
Charity Number - CH1371
Incorporation Number - IA30308
Postal Address:
PO Box 68
Woody Point, Queensland
Australia 4019
History
A group of Australian volunteers began collecting second-hand books to send to Somalia in 1999. This initiative proved to be extremely successful in adding value to SAACID schools in Mogadishu, so those volunteers then agreed to expand their campaign in collecting books; and to formalise their efforts by incorporating a sister organisation (SAACID Australia Incorporated).
On 23 July 2001 SAACID-Australia was incorporated with the Queensland Government's Office of Fair Trading in Brisbane. The incorporation of the organisation raised the profile and legitimacy of SAACID and many more schools (both public and private) began to donate their second-hand books to SAACID. Also, community-based organisations, such as Save the Children, Lions International and Zonta also began collecting books and clothing.
In 2001, SAACID-Australia developed a joint 5-year strategic plan with SAACID-Somalia. SAACID-Australia was to concentrate on core development issues surrounding legitimacy in the Australian context, deepening ties with local communities and community-based organisations in Australia, and securing endorsements for tax exemption and tax-deductibility on donations in Australia. SAACID-Australia was to also seek volunteers and donations of cash, goods and services to help develop and sustain the programming of its sister organisation in Somalia.
On 21 January 2003 SAACID-Australia was recognised as a fully endorsed charity by the Queensland and Australian governments.
On 20 August 2004 SAACID received full Australian Taxation Office (ATO) endorsement as an Income Tax Exempt Charity (ITEC). The income tax exemption is from 26 June 2004 (under Subdivision 50-B of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997). From 1 July 2005, SAACID has been entered in the public register maintained by the Australian Business Registrar (www.abr.business.gov.au [type in SAACID's ABN number that is given at the top of this page to see SAACID's current governmental status]). SAACID has the capacity to self-assess its entitlement to fringe benefits rebate (123E of the Fringe benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986); and GST charity tax concessions (176 of A New tax System {Goods and Services Tax} Act 1999).
On 17 October 2004, AusAid endorsed SAACID as 'an approved organisation' in relation to SAACID's application for the Overseas Aid Gift deductibility Scheme (OAGDS) On 28 October 2004 the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade endorsed SAACID as 'an approved organisation' for the OAGDS. This endorsement allows SAACID-Australia to provide tax deductibility on donations of cash, goods and services to individuals, groups or companies registered and paying tax within Australia.
Treasury have also now endorsed SAACID as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR). The Assistant Treasurer gazetted a notice specifying that SAACID-Australia Incorporated is an eligible fund for the purposes of item 9.1.1 of table 9 in s 30-80(1) of the ITAA 1997, with effect from 14 March 2005. Source: Commonwealth Gazette No GN12, 30 March 2005 [p 796].
The Australian Tax Office (ATO) provided the final endorsement for SAACID to become a DGR. This endorsement took effect from 30 March 2005.
A group of Australian volunteers began collecting second-hand books to send to Somalia in 1999. This initiative proved to be extremely successful in adding value to SAACID schools in Mogadishu, so those volunteers then agreed to expand their campaign in collecting books; and to formalise their efforts by incorporating a sister organisation (SAACID Australia Incorporated).
On 23 July 2001 SAACID-Australia was incorporated with the Queensland Government's Office of Fair Trading in Brisbane. The incorporation of the organisation raised the profile and legitimacy of SAACID and many more schools (both public and private) began to donate their second-hand books to SAACID. Also, community-based organisations, such as Save the Children, Lions International and Zonta also began collecting books and clothing.
In 2001, SAACID-Australia developed a joint 5-year strategic plan with SAACID-Somalia. SAACID-Australia was to concentrate on core development issues surrounding legitimacy in the Australian context, deepening ties with local communities and community-based organisations in Australia, and securing endorsements for tax exemption and tax-deductibility on donations in Australia. SAACID-Australia was to also seek volunteers and donations of cash, goods and services to help develop and sustain the programming of its sister organisation in Somalia.
On 21 January 2003 SAACID-Australia was recognised as a fully endorsed charity by the Queensland and Australian governments.
On 20 August 2004 SAACID received full Australian Taxation Office (ATO) endorsement as an Income Tax Exempt Charity (ITEC). The income tax exemption is from 26 June 2004 (under Subdivision 50-B of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997). From 1 July 2005, SAACID has been entered in the public register maintained by the Australian Business Registrar (www.abr.business.gov.au [type in SAACID's ABN number that is given at the top of this page to see SAACID's current governmental status]). SAACID has the capacity to self-assess its entitlement to fringe benefits rebate (123E of the Fringe benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986); and GST charity tax concessions (176 of A New tax System {Goods and Services Tax} Act 1999).
On 17 October 2004, AusAid endorsed SAACID as 'an approved organisation' in relation to SAACID's application for the Overseas Aid Gift deductibility Scheme (OAGDS) On 28 October 2004 the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade endorsed SAACID as 'an approved organisation' for the OAGDS. This endorsement allows SAACID-Australia to provide tax deductibility on donations of cash, goods and services to individuals, groups or companies registered and paying tax within Australia.
Treasury have also now endorsed SAACID as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR). The Assistant Treasurer gazetted a notice specifying that SAACID-Australia Incorporated is an eligible fund for the purposes of item 9.1.1 of table 9 in s 30-80(1) of the ITAA 1997, with effect from 14 March 2005. Source: Commonwealth Gazette No GN12, 30 March 2005 [p 796].
The Australian Tax Office (ATO) provided the final endorsement for SAACID to become a DGR. This endorsement took effect from 30 March 2005.
Programming Highlights
SAACID-Australia completed the largest voluntary demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration (DDR) programme in Somalia's history, in partnership with our sister organisation, SAACID-Somalia with funding from UNDP. The programme began on 1 December 2005 and was completed on 31 January 2007. The programme involved providing skills and business training to militiamen in exchange for a fully functional automatic machinegun. Five hundrend and twelve militiamen entered teh programme, and 505 completed all phases of training. Please see the DDR link on SAACID's index page for more detail and photos. On 26-30 April all 512 machineguns were destroyed. Each weapon was individually videoed and photographed as it was being destroyed.
SAACID-Australia completed the largest voluntary demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration (DDR) programme in Somalia's history, in partnership with our sister organisation, SAACID-Somalia with funding from UNDP. The programme began on 1 December 2005 and was completed on 31 January 2007. The programme involved providing skills and business training to militiamen in exchange for a fully functional automatic machinegun. Five hundrend and twelve militiamen entered teh programme, and 505 completed all phases of training. Please see the DDR link on SAACID's index page for more detail and photos. On 26-30 April all 512 machineguns were destroyed. Each weapon was individually videoed and photographed as it was being destroyed.
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SAACID-Australia completed implementation of the first citywide garbage
collection and road clearance programme in Mogadishu City's history - in
partnership with its sister organisation, SAACID-Somalia at the
beginning of April 2007. This programme - called Employment for Peace
(EFP) - wasfunded by the EC, the Norwegian Government and the
International Labour Organisation (ILO). It was not only designed to
improve the health and hygiene outputs in the city (the garbage has not
been collected for the past 16 years), but also provide a structured
environment where disparate clans could work together for common goals
- so as to increase trust and reconciliation. The programme was the
largest monetary input into the city since 1994. The programme began in
July 2006, and ran for an initial 4 months. On the basis of excellent
outputs, ILO extended the programme for another 4 months. Due to
ongoing conflict and insecurity in the 2nd phase – particularly in
March and April 2007 - when the Ethiopian military initiated major conflict
against the indigenous population, the programme was finally cancelled
in early April. The programme completed 9 of the 16 weeks allocated for
the second phase. It was considered to be very successful in fulfilling
its key outcomes, with several donor countries wanting to fund further
phases of the programme. ILO’s international mandate precludes it
intervening in a conflict context. SAACID is pursuing other options.
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In January and February 2007, SAACID-Australia implemented the largest citywide survey in Mogadishu City since 1994-5. The survey mapped all Internally Displaced Person (IDP) settlements in Mogadishu City. This group of IDPs had never existed on the
international humanitarian agenda, as it has always been considered to
difficult to help these people. SAACID completed 260 general surveys and
4,035 individual surveys in 260 IDP settlements throughout the city. The survey was carried out admist an intense insurgency against the Ethiopian military, who were occupying the city at the time; defending the interests of an embattled Transitional federal Somali Government (TFG). SAACID-Somalia
partnered SAACID-Australia in the survey and mapping process. The
survey will provide the necessary data for OCHA, UN-HABITAT, UNHCR,
UNICEF, WFP and other agencies to provide more effective interventions
for this group of people.
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In January 2007, SAACID signed a programme cooperation agreement with UN-HABITAT (funded by the European Commission - EC) to strengthen the capacity of community leaders in Mogadishu City.
The training involved providing Training of Trainers (ToT) for each district on leadership and management to key community leaders in each of the 16 districts of the city, as well as the Bermuda enclave, so that community leaders can move to implementing a full programme cycle on their own. SAACID will then facilitate the training in each district.
Another key activity of the programme is to profile each district in partnership with key community leaders in each district.
The programme began in March 2007. The initial workshop, profiling and consultation elements have now been completed, and SAACID and HABITAT have now completed implementation of a district-based public infrastructure rehabilitation element for 9 of Mogadishu's 16 districts; which will have a special emphasis on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) (June 2008).In August 2008, SAACID signed an new agreement wih UN-HABITAT to deliver public infrastructure to the city of Mogadishu via the district leadership structures that had been previously mobilised and envigorated. This programme was completed in June 2009, and delivered 36 rehabilitated public wells and 15 rehabilitated markets throughout the city.
In January 2010, SAACID signed a new contract with UN-HABITAT to rehabilate more public infrastructure in Mogadishu Ciy. This programme is due to be completed in November 2010; and will deliver training in conflict resolution to local leaders; develop a comprehensive audit of public assets for each district of Mogadishu; and deliver a minimum of 17 major public infrastructure projects to the city.
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SAACID-Australia has had a history of collecting and shipping secondhand school books from Australia to Somalia. From 1999 to 2007, SAACID has delivered 62.9 tonnes of books; as well as 28 tonnes of secondhand clothing that was distributed to Internally Displaced People (IDPs).
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In September 2007, SAACID-Australia signed a programme cooperation agreement with UNDP and UN-OCHA to draw funds from the Humanitarian Relief Fund (HRF) for a programme to clean all 260 Internally Displaced (IDP) settlements in Mogadishu City over a 3-month period. The programme employed 780 IDPs (96.3% women).
The 3-month programme was successfully completed, with 168 of the 260 then identified settlemnts being cleaned. SAACID underestimated the amount of garbage in these camps - and especially the amount of cactus and thorn tree that has had to be removed. In November 2007, SAACID implemented a rapid assessment of IDP settlements in Mogadishu for UNHCR. SAACID found 37 new IDP settlements since the June survey. This had been caused by a new massive displacement in late October and early November when Ethiopian troops and TFG militias attacked large residential areas of Mogadishu.
UN-OCHA and the Danish Refugee Council agreed to fund a second phase of the programme, so as to clear the remaining IDP camps. This second phase of the programme began in April 2008, and was completed in July 2008.
The second phase was equally successful, with 303 of 320 IDP camps being successfully cleaned (the number of IDP camps continued to increase as chronic insecurity continues to increase).
The programme cleaned 88,908 tonnes of garbage from the 303 camps and employed 780 IDPs (93% women in the second phase) for 26 weeks. Each worker received US $52 per month; or US $312 for the length of the programme.
Some 96 Unexploded Ordinance (UXOs) were found in the garbage, and they were cleared by the Danish Demining Group.
The 3-month programme was successfully completed, with 168 of the 260 then identified settlemnts being cleaned. SAACID underestimated the amount of garbage in these camps - and especially the amount of cactus and thorn tree that has had to be removed. In November 2007, SAACID implemented a rapid assessment of IDP settlements in Mogadishu for UNHCR. SAACID found 37 new IDP settlements since the June survey. This had been caused by a new massive displacement in late October and early November when Ethiopian troops and TFG militias attacked large residential areas of Mogadishu.
UN-OCHA and the Danish Refugee Council agreed to fund a second phase of the programme, so as to clear the remaining IDP camps. This second phase of the programme began in April 2008, and was completed in July 2008.
The second phase was equally successful, with 303 of 320 IDP camps being successfully cleaned (the number of IDP camps continued to increase as chronic insecurity continues to increase).
The programme cleaned 88,908 tonnes of garbage from the 303 camps and employed 780 IDPs (93% women in the second phase) for 26 weeks. Each worker received US $52 per month; or US $312 for the length of the programme.
Some 96 Unexploded Ordinance (UXOs) were found in the garbage, and they were cleared by the Danish Demining Group.
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In June 2007, SAACID began a 2-year programme with Medair, to deliver health, nutrition, water and sanitation services to the population of Adale District, Middle Shabelle Region.
Now beginning the 2nd year of the agreement, the programme has been expanded to include full nutrition, health, water and sanitation service delivery.
Now beginning the 2nd year of the agreement, the programme has been expanded to include full nutrition, health, water and sanitation service delivery.
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Throughout 2007, SAACID worked to design, develop, secure funding and implement 10 wet food feeding centres in Mogadishu City, to cater for the hundreds-of-thousands of malnourished people subsisting in the city at that time. By November, SAACID had ben able to develop a consortium of partners to fund the initiative.
Partners and donors secured for a first 4-month phase of intervention included: the Danish Refugee Council, Oxfam-Novib, the World Food Programme, UN-OCHA, the Dutch Government and the Swedish Government.
The initiative operated at 10 sites in the city, with 50,000 meals being provided every day; and was completed in March 2008.
The security context has only continued to devolve throughout this programme period, and more donors have on come on board to support and expand this initiative. Partners and donors the committed to funding 3 further 6-months phases at 16 sites, delivering 80,000 hot meals throughout Mogadishu City every day (finishing 31 October 2009). Donors and partners included: the Danish Refugee Council, Oxfam-Novib, the World Food Programme, UN-OCHA, The $10 Club, the Danish Government, the Norwegian Government and the Swedish Government.
In this 4th phase of intervention, 80,000 meals have been provided every day at 16 sites throughout the city. From 20 June to 28 July, the programme was suspended, due to acute insecurity, and the fact that opposition military militias occupied (and continue to occupy) SAACID's primary administrative compound.
At the end of week 117 (21 February 2010), some 44,235,957 hot meals had been successfully provided to the starving in Mogadishu City.
Donors have now committed to a 5th 1-year phase, which will carry through to the end of November 2010.
The initiative operated at 10 sites in the city, with 50,000 meals being provided every day; and was completed in March 2008.
The security context has only continued to devolve throughout this programme period, and more donors have on come on board to support and expand this initiative. Partners and donors the committed to funding 3 further 6-months phases at 16 sites, delivering 80,000 hot meals throughout Mogadishu City every day (finishing 31 October 2009). Donors and partners included: the Danish Refugee Council, Oxfam-Novib, the World Food Programme, UN-OCHA, The $10 Club, the Danish Government, the Norwegian Government and the Swedish Government.
In this 4th phase of intervention, 80,000 meals have been provided every day at 16 sites throughout the city. From 20 June to 28 July, the programme was suspended, due to acute insecurity, and the fact that opposition military militias occupied (and continue to occupy) SAACID's primary administrative compound.
At the end of week 117 (21 February 2010), some 44,235,957 hot meals had been successfully provided to the starving in Mogadishu City.
Donors have now committed to a 5th 1-year phase, which will carry through to the end of November 2010.
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SAACID-Australia was contracted by UNICEF to provide daily water trucking to 123,000 people in 41 IDP camps in the Afgoye corridor (southwest of Mogadishu City) in March 2008. This initiative was originally funded by Oxfam Novib in the period November 2007 - February 2008. Then from March 2008, UNICEF began funding SAACID to deliver lifesaving drinking water. The UNICEF funding went through to February 2009, when a deep well bore hole and piping extension (funded by Oxfam Novib) were completed - providing free water on a daily basis to some 96,000 Internally Displaced People (IDPs). The water well and piping system continue to be in operation, delivering free fresh water to nearly 100,000 people on a daily basis.
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