Simwatachela Sustainable Agricultural and Arts Program [SSAAP]
Assisting our organisation to take legal action against a partner organisation in Colorado
SSAAP's properties were held by an organisation that returned them then threatened a libel suit
Posted July 18, 2024
Background & Context
Our partner organisation since 2022, reached out to local libraries for books to be donated to SSAAP for a Resource Centre in Zambia. Additionally, SSAAP has had in-kind items donated to our organisation since 2010 that were being kept in a storage unit. The Executive Director of the partner organisation told SSAAP to give all the old in-kind donations to store in their office, as well as new in-kind donations to be delivered to their office, as they promised to fundraise for shipping the items to Zambia. Dishware, books, clothing for the rural poor were donated as well in 2022 for the proposed SSAAP-Zambia Resource Centre; after failed communication attempts for 5 months, mediation intervention, and Colorado Secretary of State intervention, SSAAP managed to get its properties back from the organisation. Now, the organisation is threatening a libel suit against SSAAP.
Immediate Problem
To work with SSAAP in the event the organisation files a libel suit against SSAAP; to support SSAAP in the event the organisation files a libel suit against SSAAP
Work & Deliverables
Books and in-kind donations were donated to SSAAP for the last decade, and one library in the States donated used books for our SSAAP library in Zambia. Our partner organisation, was accepting the in-kind donations and holding them (in-kind donations such as kitchenware, clothing, and books, so that SSAAP-Zambia could set up a Resource Centre at our Project Headquarters in Zambia), and promised to ship them to Zambia thus to raise funds for shipping in 2022. This was never done. After failed communication attempts for 5 months, mediation intervention, and Colorado Secretary of State intervention, SSAAP managed to get its properties back from the organisation. Now, the organisation is threatening a libel suit against SSAAP.
Preparation Phase
- Learn more about the issue, discuss with SSAAP Executive Director Heather
Collaboration Phase
- Discussion of the things leading up to partnership failure between SSAAP and the other organisation
Wrap Up
- Follow-up to make sure SSAAP is not sued by the other organisation
Simwatachela Sustainable Agricultural and Arts Program [SSAAP]
We are a grassroots organisation working to help rural Africa (Zambia and Sierra Leone) with clean drinking water via water wells. We also work with food sustainability and nutrition through simple irrigation systems (Water Reticulation Systems) so that people can grow food year-round. We are a small organisation, committed to serving the needs of the local people through basic human needs: water and food! SSAAP is also working in partnership with George Washington University Law School, with their Pro Bono Program (https://www.law.gwu.edu/pro-bono-program). Any attorney who wishes to work with SSAAP on any of its projects may also work with a GW Law student who would do much of the legwork, research, and work for the project, though supervised by a bar-certified attorney.
Volunteer for this project!
Simwatachela Sustainable Agricultural and Arts Program [SSAAP] would love your help with this project. Enter your name and email address to get started!
Simwatachela Sustainable Agricultural and Arts Program [SSAAP]
We are a grassroots organisation working to help rural Africa (Zambia and Sierra Leone) with clean drinking water via water wells. We also work with food sustainability and nutrition through simple irrigation systems (Water Reticulation Systems) so that people can grow food year-round. We are a small organisation, committed to serving the needs of the local people through basic human needs: water and food! SSAAP is also working in partnership with George Washington University Law School, with their Pro Bono Program (https://www.law.gwu.edu/pro-bono-program). Any attorney who wishes to work with SSAAP on any of its projects may also work with a GW Law student who would do much of the legwork, research, and work for the project, though supervised by a bar-certified attorney.