In an accord signed between ADRA-STP and representatives
of the national government of São
Tomé e Príncipe on December 5, 2008, ADRA
will provide training in general accounting and the
use of QuickBooks accounting software to the
Centro Nacional de Endemias (CNE). This center,
under the Ministry of Health, is the Sao tomean
counterpart to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) in the United States. In addition
to accounting and software training, ADRA will
assist CNE in setting up an accounting system to
international standards in preparation for CNE to
take over management of the Global Fund to Fight
AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria from the local
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
office.
ADRA-STP was approached about this opportunity
after a delegation of UNDP representatives
visited the offices of several NGO’s in the country
to assess the quality of their accounting systems
and experience with accounting software. The
transparency, rigor, and high standards of ADRASTP’s
Finance Department impressed the delegation,
and they were also attracted by the quality of
the QuickBooks program.
“The capacities of our monitoring and evaluation
department, our program planning department, and
other departments are strong,” says Dr. Herodes
Sousa Pontes do Sacramento Rompão, Director of
CNE. “But our financial system needs significant
strengthening. This training provided by ADRA is a
very important part of our preparation to manage the
Global Fund.”
The training and accounting system setup will begin
in December 2008 with duration of two months.
ADRA-STP’s Finance Director, Mr. Ugochukwu A.
Nwachukwu, will conduct the training based upon
his accounting degree from the University of Port
Harcourt (Nigeria), his experience as an international
businessman, and his work with ADRA-STP.
“We are very pleased to be afforded this opportunity,”
says Dr. Adam D. Kiš, Country Director for
ADRA-STP. “Most of our work takes place at the
community level, but working at the national level is
also a form of development which can ultimately
improve the lives of all.” ADRA has been present in
São Tomé e Príncipe since 1992 and in 1998 ADRA
became officially registered in the country. In the
last 5 years, ADRA-STP has managed more than
$1,500,000 in assistance to promote development
and alleviate poverty, impacting more than 30,000
lives.

By Adam Kis, Country Director