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Guernsey spent £2.5m on overseas aid in 2019

Tiyeni Fund/States of Guernsey Farmers listening to a lessonTiyeni Fund/States of Guernsey
The Tiyeni Fund was given funding to train farmers in Malawi

Guernsey spent £2.5m on overseas aid projects in 2019, according to the latest States report.

The president of the Overseas Aid and Development Commission said the States has concentrated its efforts on some of the poorest regions in Africa.

Deputy Chris Blin said Guernsey "should be proud" but added there was more to be done.

The States ambition is to be spending 0.2% of GDP on overseas aid within the next nine years.

The report revealed that more than 70 projects were supported with the 2019 cash.

Among the schemes was the installation of eight boreholes in Uganda for £39,003, a further £39,969 was spent in Nepal on school toilets and safe drinking water facilities.

United World Schools/States of Guernsey Teacher with children in NepalUnited World Schools/States of Guernsey
Schools in Nepal were also supported with money for toilet blocks, classroom furniture and drinking water facilities

About 6,700 women are now receiving maternity care as a direct result of funding from Guernsey.

Other impacts include 673,000 trees being planted and 36 solar power schemes being funded.

Mr Blin said: "The majority of it [overseas aid money] is going around Africa, this is not a randomised system, we work on the United Nations', in effect, poorest list and we work with their bottom tier of countries."

He said by 2030, under current States plans, Guernsey should be spending 0.2% of GDP on overseas aid.

"We are far from that right now, so from an ambition and development point of view there's a lot more we can look at doing."

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