2022-04-05-accounts

Action in Africa Annual Report

2021-22

Our Mission Statement.

The objectives of Action in Africa are to provide relief from poverty and sickness and to deliver funding for education, in two

areas of Tanzania – Nyaishozi and Mtandika. The beneficiaries are the people of the area, irrespective of race, religion or gender. We work through local committees representing all races and religions, men and women; helping them to develop a better future for themselves and for others.

The Chairman’s Report

It gives me great pleasure to present Action in Africa’s Annual Report, which sets out for our supporters and the general public what we have achieved in the past twelve months and our future plans. The timing of the Covid 19 global lockdown has run in parallel with the beginning of our reporting year. It has been our endeavour to support Nyaishozi and Mtandika through this crisis, whilst still providing the funds they need for ongoing projects.

2021/22 has still been a good year for the charity. As detailed below, we did not allow the pandemic to impinge on our work.

Nyaishozi

As no visitors were allowed to visit Tanzania for most of the accounting year, we scaled back on development projects and concentrated on our sponsored students. This time was not wasted. Father Hans, our chairman was allowed the breathing space he needed to settle into his roles as parish priest of Nyaishozi and was able to introduce himself to our students at his own pace.

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Dean Macklin, teacher at St Andrew’s Secondary School and our Marathon Man 2020 was finally able to run the iconic London race in October of this year. Dean trained through the pandemic and St. Andrews Secondary School fundraised tirelessly in preparation for the event. As a result, a staggering £5,352 was raised! He had been aiming to run the gruelling 26 mile race in 3 hours 30 minutes and came in at a very respectable 3 hours 31! It was headmaster Alan Mitchell who let slip that he may have achieved his preferred running time, if he hadn’t played a full 90 minute game of competitive football the day before!

We are so proud of Dean, pictured below with his medal, after the race and with vice chairwoman Tina Rayburn (far right) and treasurer Carolyn Higgs.

When we first met Bibiana Patrice in 2015, nobody had any idea what the future might hold for this 15 year old girl, who was living in desperate circumstances with her father, disabled mum and brother, who suffers with his mental health. She and her family, are pictured below left, outside where they were living. Bibiana had only received the most basic education, intermittently, as the family finances allowed. At that time, she had no English and we had no Swahili, so we hoped that Action in Africa was making the right decision, in removing her from her daily life with her family and enrolling her to study at Nyaishozi Secondary School pictured below right, where she would become a border. It was there she would live for the next six years.

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Bibiana faced huge challenges – she was basically starting from scratch with her education, but she is a clever girl and worked extremely hard. However, she failed to secure enough grades to continue to ‘A’ level and when we returned to Nyaishozi in 2019, she was at home. When we spoke to the exams officer at the school, he felt that she had the ability to resit her exams and achieve good enough ‘A’ level grades to attend university. When we met with her, she told us in English how her dream was to become a lawyer. Well – she made that happen! Well done Bibiana! This year Bibiana qualified to study Law at St Augustine University of Tanazania. We are very proud!

Bibiana is pictured here, second left with three of our other sponsored students and below at St. Augustines’s. Debora Merrick (left) is studying at Kajungutu Secondary School, Albina Alphonce (second right) is studying the environment at Kabanga Agricultural College and Jewels Philbert is training to be a medical technician at Sengerema Clinical College. We are very proud of our girls who have come desperate living conditions and had to overcome many challenges.

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The departure of Father Vitalis has taught us the importance of having a strong support team for the incoming chairman. We are pleased to announce that we have three new trustees on the Nyaishozi board of Action in Africa. Mr Ambruce, deputy head at Rugu School, (pictured below centre) has taken on the role of General Secretary. In addition, we have Rugu Secondary School headmistress, Adventina Mfunjo (pictured right) and midwife at Nyaishozi Dispensary Rebecca Didas, (pictured second right). Also pictured are trustees Sister Xavelina and Paul Clavery. We would like to welcome them to the charity and thank them for their help.

These last 18 months have been a challenging time for all charities, but by tightening our belts and focusing on our sponsored students in Nyaishozi, we have weathered the Covid 19 pandemic. We have great things in store for 2022/23 and are looking ahead with hope and excitement.

Mtandika

This has been another good year for St Agnes Vocational Training College, formally known as the Mtandika Trade School. The Government’s Vocational Education and Training Authority [VETA] carried out another inspection in early 2022. Their report was generally very complimentary, their main comments being as follows:

• All buildings, utilities [water and electrical provision], internal fittings [desks, beds] educational resources [materials for practicals] were generally found to be excellent.

• They congratulated the teachers on the very good results achieved.

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Students sitting their exams

VETA did ask that an effort be made to enroll more students but it was pointed out that this was not easy, with the college being in a poor, rural environment where it’s main mission was to improve the potential of poorer students, many of whom were orphans. The fact that students were leaving with a good education and very well paid jobs was recognized by VETA.

Past students now working for TANESCO, the Government’s Electrical Company,

the state power company equivalent to UK’s National Grid.

The college management remains as last year with Principal, Sister Damiana Kikoti, Vice Principal Shabani Bilaly and Bursar, Sister Restituta Msemwa. The teachers are also as last year, with Shabani Bilaly as Vice Principal and teacher of Electrical Engineering and Engineering Science, Peter Madeba as teacher of English and Communications, Technical Drawing and Life Skills, Yohana Mtagawa as teacher of Computer Studies and Mathematics and Sylvia Mfalamagoha as teacher of Tailoring, Business Studies and Entrepreneurship. The consistency of the management and teaching staff is a great advantage for the success of the college.

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The tailoring and electrical courses are now well established, with 35 students in total spread over two years. The VETA annual appraisal confirmed that the college continues to produce well educated students capable of obtaining good jobs when they leave.

Happy 2021 Electrical graduates

Funds had to be found this year for essential rehabilitation of buildings and critical infrastructure, with emphasis on reliable water supply and quality. The main 70,000 litre water tank was found to be leaking, causing scour under the tank floor and cracking of the walls. Secondly the main distribution polytank started leaking and had to be replaced. Finally several female students were getting sick from water related diseases and medical advice recommended that the girl’s toilet block be renovated to minimize the potential for sickness.

Scour under the main tank External plastering of the tank Internal plastering

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External renovation of girls toilets Fitting new doors Internal works

New distribution tank

The students have continued to assist in the growing of essential crops [maize, cassava, rice, beans, onions, tomatoes, bananas and papayas]. After many years of minimal rainfall, when crop production depended on irrigation by pump from the nearby river, this year there has been plenty of rain which has resulted in multiple crops.

One of several maize crops this year

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As in previous years, whilst most of the College students pay annual tuition fees of TSh 700,000, about £300 at current reduced exchange rates, we continue to sponsor 10 of the 35 College students who are orphans or from very poor families. This is only possible through the generous, regular donations from individual sponsors and TWOAT, the Tadworth and Walton Overseas Aid Trust, who sponsor six of the ten students.

As well as paying for some of the running costs at the College, including £2000 from TWOAT to supplement the teachers’ salaries, our sponsors continue to support the education of half a dozen young orphans who live at the College to go to the village Primary and Secondary Schools, six Secondary School students who board away from Mtandika, as well as one student studying for a Degree at university and another for a Diploma as a Laboratory Technician at college. All of these are either orphans or from very poor families. Two of the Secondary School students are now in their final year, so a decision will have to be made next year about any future education.

Fund raising has continued to be extremely difficult, with Covid virus lockdowns restricting gatherings for fundraising events such as the annual quiz and garden party. Fundraising has thus continued to be from regular cake and jam sales, as well as several generous donations from friends. It should finally be noted that the reduction in the exchange rate over recent months has considerably affected the value of funds transferred to Tanzania.

Accounts

The Accounts for the year 2020/2021 are appended to this report.

Thanks

As Chairman, I would like to thank the Trustees who sat on the Action in Africa board this year, Tina Rayburn (Vice Chairwoman), Carolyn Higgs (Treasurer) and Michael Andrews, for all their hard work. I really feel that the Charity continues to make a marked difference to the lives of so many people living in the Nyaishozi and Mtandika areas of Tanzania.

Michael Agius

Chairman

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ACTION IN AFRICA (Charity No. 1072661)

Receipts and Payments Account for the year to 5 April 2022

Receipts

Fundraising Donations received Gift Aid receipt Total Costs Administration (Tanzania) Administration (UK) Cash transfer costs Fundraising expenses Total Net Income Payments to beneficiaries Education Development Health Total Funds at 6 April 2021 Excess of receipts over payments for the year Funds at 5 April 2022	£8,324 £18,935 £4,299 £31,558 £0 £0 £531 £0 £531 £31,057 £18,531 £5,081 £0 £23,612 £13,651 £7,415 £21,066

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Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 5 April 2022

Assets	£21,066
Liabilities	£0

Note to the accounts:

Net Fundraising proceeds (fundraising was on hold for most of the year due to Covid-19 resrtictions)

Marathon 2020 (postponed to 2021) Jams/Cakes/Small church donations Total	£3,469 £4,855 £8,324

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Inde ndent examinerfs re rt to the trustees of Actlon in Africa I report on the accoLtnts of Action in Africa for the year ended 5 April 2022. which are set out in pages 9 to 10. Res ctive res nsibilities of trustees and examiner The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charIt￿S trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144121 of the Charities Art 2011 Ithe 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to: Examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act To follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the commission under section 14515llbl of the 2011 Act To state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basis of inde endent examinerfs re ort My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be requlred In an audlt and consequently no opinion is glven as to whether the accounts provide 'true and fair view, and the report is limited to those matters set out in the next statement. Inde ndent exarninerfs Statement In connection with my examination. no matter has come to my attention- l. Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements To keep accounting record5 in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act and To prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Att Have not been met or 2. To which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached Mary-A ne Catto BA CA Amberley, 12 Highfields, Ashtead, Surrey, KT212NL 4, August 2022