THE LANGALANGA TRUST (LLT) - TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT Year ended 31 December 2023
Registered Charity Number 1076360
General
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No charitable institution can be immune to international events, but despite wider security and economic instability the Trust continued to focus activities successfully in 2023 on educational services and support in the Langalanga and Gilgil region of the Rift Valley in Kenya. We have continued to provide scholarships, and funding for remedial education, food programmes and occasionally minor works to a few local secondary and primary schools.
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Our vision remains:
To inspire and help disadvantaged Kenyan children and young adults to escape ~~Oe~~ poverty and achieve their potential through education and employment
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Our scholars have thrived, mentored and supported by a group of scholar alumni who give their time and experience to assist the scholarship scheme, overseen by Trustees. These alumni officials and others who provide contracted services remain a vital component of the Langalanga Trust (LLT) eco-system. Our programme, ‘Lunchbox’, providing lunch meals to the most deprived primary schools in our catchment area within the Rift Valley, has also continued to be a great success, and has expanded to include another school so that over 500 school meals are provided during a school day.
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Our core donor base has continued to hold up in meeting the Trust’s commitments and objectives. However, our ability to secure significant donations from new supporters, with one or two exceptions, remains limited reflecting the capacity and experience of Trustees to expand engagement and marketing. This remains an area of opportunity in the future and one we hope to develop in 2025. This said, more efficient working practices continue to be embedded to manage costs and have contributed to the Trust’s resources broadly matching demand.
Objectives
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The main areas of support in 2023, therefore, continued to be in the following areas:
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The provision of education to disadvantaged children and young adults from the Gilgil and Langalanga area of the Rift Valley through our scholarship scheme but focused now on schools closer geographically to Langalanga and Gilgil.
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Our ‘lunchbox’ programme providing much needed food for two Primary Schools, whose catchment contains some of the most deprived communities in our area of engagement.
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As sponsor for the Woodard Langalanga Secondary School (WLSS) the provision of funding for extra tuition and modest extension of education facilities. This includes helping to strengthen the relationship between the school, the Woodard Corporation and sister schools in the UK.
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Maintaining support for our alumni of the scholarship scheme, where there are exceptional cases of need to promote job opportunities.
Governance
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Governance arrangements by Trustees remain unchanged and they continue to offer their time, expertise and advice freely. Their commitment and breadth of experience provide effective leadership, which has been strengthened by the single Kenyan Trustee, now fully settled into the role and who brings deeper insight and context to Kenya and the Kenya education environment. In combination with officials and volunteers in Kenya appropriate oversight exists to ensure safe administration and support to scholars alongside parents and guardians, and to our other charitable activities. Particular attention is given to safeguarding and measures to build confidence in and promote equality of opportunity for our scholars.
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Trustees meet routinely both virtually and face to face as part of well-established working practices. The Chairman, and from time-to-time other Trustees, routinely visit Kenya to validate and provide assurance on activities. As part of the approach of turning more routine operational activities over to Kenyans the Trust continues to review how it can more effectively and economically fulfill its objectives. In this regard 2023 saw the launch of a review of internal governance arrangements linked to support for and mentoring of scholars and the role of the Langalanga Scholar Professional Association (LLSPA) which will report in 2024.
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Priorities . Our priorities in 2023 continued to be to:
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Support the well-being, confidence and health of our scholars and alumni.
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Continue to support scholars to the conclusion of their education, including some minor measures to help with their next steps into employment.
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Nurture our sponsors and donors, who have been remarkably loyal and supportive over the years.
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Maintenance of the ‘Lunchbox’ programme subject to sponsor donations.
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Support LLSA and LLSPA officials as they engage on the Trust’s behalf in providing administrative, welfare and moral support to scholars and alumni.
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Provide modest financial support to the Woodard Langalanga Secondary School (WLSS) to help make the school environment safer for learning and to provide resources to improve teaching through a remedial programme of work.
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Utilising the growing alumni community to support the objectives of the Trust, empowering women members to act as influential role models within their communities.
The Langalanga Scholarship Fund
- Background. The Trust admitted its first student in 2019. Since then, 304 scholarships and 6 bursaries have been offered up to the 2022 academic year. In early 2023 all bursaries were upgraded to scholarships and a further 5 scholarships added so that a total of 315 scholarships have been allocated over the life of the Trust. In 2023 the secondary school student population increased to 29, whilst 7 scholars remained in tertiary education, with 4 graduating later in the year. A further 2 scholars, who left university in 2022, concluded further modules and another 2 returning scholars started as mature students studying to become teachers of Information Technology.
Secondary School Scholars
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Our secondary scholars continue to flourish. 2023 award selections were made, as in the past, from primary schools in the Trust’s traditional catchment area[1] and were based on reports from home visits, a verification process, interviews and final selection measured against core metrics to ensure fairness. Most of this activity was conducted on behalf of Trustees by the principal secondary scholar administrator, mentor and lead, supported by other officials, although final decisions lay with the Trust. 5 scholars were selected with 2 boys and 1 girl achieving places at a national school and a further 2 girls being placed at good, local secondary schools.
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In 2023, education in Kenya returned to the normal long-established timetable of the school year beginning in January. This timetable had been adjusted annually since Covid to account for periods in which schools were not operating. In 2023, in both national and local schools, our scholars continued to achieve well within the top half of their year groups, and within local schools within the top 10%. For young people from challenging backgrounds and few role models, our scholars continue to impress with their commitment to achieve their potential. The bursary scheme, with placements in local schools, allowed the Trust to broaden its offer to a wider range of potential scholars. At the introduction of the scheme in 2021 the Trust did not guarantee support to university or college. The lesson to emerge following a few years’ experience is that our bursars’ academic achievement in good secondary schools closely matches that of our scholars in national schools. Consequently, in 2023 Trustees agreed to upgrade bursaries to scholarships and remove the condition and resulting uncertainty for relevant scholars.
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The Kenyan policy of allocating students who achieve entry to national schools some distance from their home region, often outside their county, adds higher costs for travel and stretches our administration capability. Whilst this is being well-managed by our in-country team we have been able to secure placements at good national schools
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within Nakuru county. We will continue this approach to centralise scholars in fewer more local schools, where permissible, which allows us to build stronger relationships with school leadership and provide better support and outcomes for our scholars.
- The Trust has also previously set a threshold of a B grade to secure sponsorship to further education. However, in view of the broader approach to the offer of scholarships to top achievers from the most deprived primary schools, where the starting academic position might be insufficient to secure a place at a national school, our policy is under review to examine whether we might adopt a more adaptive approach without compromising the Trust’s core principles.
Scholars in Further Education
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As a consequence of a decision in 2014 to pause secondary level scholarships the numbers of scholars in further education had been reducing gradually but will grow again as the 2020 secondary cohort move into further education in 2024.
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In 2023 there were 7 scholars still studying a first degree, 3 at the Technical University of Kenya (TUK), and one each at Machakos University, Kenyatta University, Chukka University and Nairobi University. During the year, 4 graduated successfully with degrees in Education, Architecture, Building Construction and Electrical Engineering. Two scholars are expected to graduate in 2024, one in Education and the other as a doctor with a BSc in Medicine and Surgery. The remaining tertiary scholar is in his second year of a BSc In Biomedical Science and Technology.
Academic Extensions or Second Degrees
- In 2023 the Trust continued to fund 2 former scholars on courses that will enhance their employment opportunities. One scholar is upgrading a teaching certificate to a B.Ed degree to enable her to teach secondary pupils. The other scholar is strengthening their HR degree to achieve the national standard of a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP). In addition, a further 2 mature, returning scholars started courses at the Kenya School of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (KSTVET), an institution of higher learning situated in Nairobi, studying to become teachers of Information Technology to improve their competitiveness in the workplace.
The Langalanga Scholars Professionals Association (LLSPA)
- The LLSPA[2] , a Kenyan charity founded in 2011, and an association made up of volunteer alumni of the LLSF – continued to provide support throughout 2023. As exscholars the membership of the LLSPA remains closely connected to the communities from which their membership comes (and the Trust’s catchment area) and so, subject to individual’s time, the Association continued to:
a. Assist with the selection of secondary scholars.
2 LLSPA was registered under the Societies Act, Laws of Kenya in March 26th, 2014 and more details on LLSPA can be found at https://llspa.org.
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b. Help with some administration tasks, support scholars into their schools, and provide mentoring and welfare support as needed.
The Woodard Secondary School
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The Trust continues to support the Woodard Langalanga Secondary School (WLSS). The Trust Chairman is de facto the sponsor of the school representing the Woodard Corporation, from which the school takes its name, and which helped fund its construction. The school Board of Management, which meets three times a year, include two other Trust representatives who are local Kenyan businessmen (one of whom graduated out of the scholarship scheme) and contribute to governance and represent the interests of the Trust.
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Trustees are delighted also to report that the relationship with the Woodard Corporation has strengthened with a visit to the school in 2023 by the Senior Provost. This closer connection and representation back to the Board of the Woodard Corporation has led to a commitment of joint funding, alongside the Trust, to build an IT Centre which will involve the conversion of a classroom in 2024 to include 30 desks, computers and infrastructure to enable IT education.
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Langalanga is a modest Kenyan town, with limited scope for employment and opportunity and WLSS remains a significant education facility central to the local community. Social challenges remain, such as alcoholism, drug abuse and teenage pregnancy, but WLSS is playing its part in influencing positive change through its pupils and influence over parents. Progress is inevitably gradual, but it is taking place, and the school continues to improve and grow. The Trust has continued to provide financial support for remedial training and books, focused in the main on mathematics, and a Trustee also arranged the gifting of a high-grade microscope for the study of biology. The return, post-Covid, of a day visit, part of a wider trip to Kenya by teachers and pupils from Ardingly College’s LIV[3] , also brings real value in sharing experiences, broadening horizons and understanding of their different cultures and background. This engagement, alongside the IT Hub and past infrastructure investment in WLSS, mean that the school is very well provided for and should contribute to the improvement of standards and opportunity.
The Lunchbox Programme
- Our ‘Lunchbox Programme’ has grown. It continues to provide lunch meals of sorghum, maize and beans to two of the most deprived primary schools in the Gilgil area. Mwega and Ndogo Primary Schools are situated in particularly deprived parts of the Rift Valley and without our support some pupils would face a day in lessons without a midday meal. Following the commitment of a new donor the Trust has been able to expand the scheme to include Murindati Primary School, in the same part of the Rift Valley outside Langalanga and enabled school meals to grow to about 130,000 meals over the year. Whilst many factors shape a child’s education experience, we do believe that ‘Lunchbox’ contributes significantly to enable young, disadvantaged children in these schools to focus on their learning.
Finances
3 Ardingly is also part of the Woodard Corporation of schools.
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The Trust’s financial position continues to be stable and positive in support of current objectives. Despite the tight economic circumstances, support from loyal sponsors and donors has held up, although the Trust aspires to broaden the donor base more widely. During the year £58,456, including interest and Gift Aid, has been raised thanks to the very generous support of many sponsors. This income enabled over £20,000 to be spent directly supporting scholars and a further £11,000 on individual projects and feeding programmes.
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Administrative costs remain very low, and the Trust continues to adopt the most economic approach to provide its services. Overall funds remain sufficient, based on current assumptions regarding donations and risk, to contribute to all objectives. Ringfenced or restricted funds are protected for investment in those activities specified by donors. Meanwhile unrestricted funds remain available through our investments to meet the commitments of current scholars through to the completion of their studies, which can extend to between 4 to 9 years, depending on their academic achievements.
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Risks faced by the charity are both financial and operational. The former includes adverse currency exchange movements and inflation levels in Kenya, both of which are outside the control of the Trust. The team of Trustees running the charity is relatively small with limited resilience resulting in some operational risk. Reserved funds expended on special projects (WLSS, Lunchbox and Audrey Leitch scholarship fund), however, exceeded incoming funds but excess expenditure was carried by general Trust funds. As in prior years, the accounts were reviewed by an independent examiner and no issues arose. The accounts are published alongside this report to the Charity Commission website at Enclosure 1.
Conclusion
- 2023 has continued to be a year of adjustment and consolidation to manage activities within allocated resource, and within the capacity of both Trustees and volunteers in Kenya. We have as a consequence been able to maintain our core objectives, but risks remain over financing and maintaining donor support. Inflationary pressures have driven up costs in Kenya, both for education fees and living costs. Our current donor community has remained loyal and committed, and we continue to plan support for our current scholars to the end of their education. Financial pressures will continue and may limit future ambition in the years ahead but for the moment the Trust continues to provide invaluable services to children and young adults from very poor backgrounds in the Gilgil and Langalanga area of Kenya. It continues to change the lives of scholars and give them opportunities they would otherwise never access.
G A Nield OBE Chairman
Enclosure:
- Annual Financial Report.
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LANGALANGA TRUST
Registered Charity Number: 1076360
ACCOUNTS
Year ended 31 December 2023
LANGALANGA TRUST
Registered Charity Number: 1076360
INDEX
TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
| Information | Page 3 |
|---|---|
| Unrestricted Fund | Page 4 |
| Restricted Funds | Page 5 |
| Notes | Page 6 |
| Independent Examiner's Report | Page 7 |
LANGALANGA TRUST
Page 3
| CHARITY INFORMATION | ||
|---|---|---|
| GOVERNING DOCUMENT | ||
| Registered Charity Number 1076360 | ||
| Subject to a Declaration of Trust dated 4 March 1999 | ||
| (amended by Resolutions dated 6 November | 2012 and 9 November 2019) | |
| TRUSTEES | ||
| Prof Andrew Leitch | ||
| Dr Joyce Njeri | ||
| Brig Geoff Nield | Chairman | |
| Mr Nicolas Singeisen | ||
| Mrs Anne Smyth | ||
| Mr Alan Twigg | ||
| INDEPENDENT EXAMINER | ||
| Mrs Amanda Cavanagh | ||
| CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS | ||
| Cricket Farm | ||
| Millards Hill | ||
| Trudoxhill | ||
| Frome BA11 5DW | ||
| BANKERS | ||
| National Westminster Bank PLc | United Kingdom | |
| CFC Bank | Kenya | |
| Kenya Commercial Bank | Kenya | |
| INVESTMENT MANAGERS | ||
| CCLA Investment Management Limited |
LANGALANGA TRUST
Page 4
Registered Charity Number: 1076360
ACCOUNTS
UNRESTRICTED FUND FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
| Notes INCOMING RESOURCES Donations received Other Income Interest Gift Aid reclaimed Currency Exchange difference Total Incoming Resources RESOURCES EXPENDED School and University Fees Scholars expenses and upkeep Books Bank charges Travel & Accomodation Donation to associated charity Note 3 Transfer to restricted fund - Woodard Website costs Miscellaneous Currency Exchange difference Total Resources Expended Net Excess of Resources Expended Balance at 1 January 2023 Balance at 31 December 2023 Represented by CCLA - Investments held at cost Notes 1 + 2 Bank accounts National Westminster Bank -savings account National Westminster Bank -current account Kenya Commercial Bank Standard Chartered Bank Prepayment |
Notes | 2023 £ 26,192 4 7,891 3,241 - 37,329 5,968 7,417 - 457 2,271 1,444 4,000 4,312 661 8,690 35,219 2,110 273,303 275,413 152,488 40,105 49,885 1,769 27,532 3,634 275,413 |
2022 £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 57,370 5 7,979 10,408 - |
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| 75,763 | |||
| 8,491 28,001 488 684 2,533 1,953 - 3,727 40 775 |
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| 46,693 | |||
| 29,070 244,233 |
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| 273,303 | |||
| 152,488 40,105 49,885 1,769 27,532 3,634 |
152,488 - 108,897 3,615 8,303 - |
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| 275,413 | 273,303 |
Subject to the Independent Examiner's Statement shown on page 7
Signed
Brig Geoffrey Nield
................. G A Nield …...............
Nicolas Singeisen
Dated
................. 19-Oct-24 …..............
Page 5
LANGALANGA TRUST
Registered Charity Number: 1076360
ACCOUNTS
RESTRICTED FUNDS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
| INCOMING RESOURCES Donations received Other Income Prepayment Total Incoming Resources RESOURCES EXPENDED School and University Fees In support of school facilities Lunchbox programmes Scholars expenses and upkeep Currency exchange difference Total Resources Expended Net Incoming Resources Nat West Bank Balances as at 1 January 2023 NatWest Bank Balances as at 31 December 2023 |
2023 £ |
2022 £ |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodard Lunchbox Leitch Fund Ladies Fund LL School and other Scholarships Programmes |
21,127 - |
Woodard Lunchbox Leitch Fund Ladies Fund LL School and other Scholarships Programmes |
19,512 - |
|
| 4,000 6,127 10,000 1,000 - - - - |
- 8,512 10,000 1,000 - - - - |
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| 4,000 6,127 10,000 1,000 |
21,127 | - 8,512 10,000 1,000 |
19,512 | |
| 3,217 321 3,217 3,866 4,110 3,185 113 783 1,909 2,880 164 |
3,538 7,083 4,110 3,298 5,736 |
- - 3,603 3,863 4,907 - - - 3,955 - - - - 5,192 241 202 647 151 24 |
3,603 8,770 3,955 5,433 1,024 |
|
| 4,000 9,884 9,282 598 |
23,764 | 4,065 9,510 8,946 265 |
22,785 | |
| 0 - 3,758 - 718 402 3,031 4,212 1,898 985 |
2,638 - 10,126 |
4,065 - 997 - 1,054 735 7,096 5,209 844 250 |
3,273 - 13,399 |
|
| 3,031 454 2,616 1,387 - |
7,488 | 3,031 4,212 1,898 985 |
10,126 |
Subject to the Independent Examiner's Statement shown on page 7
Signed Brig Geoffrey Nield ............. G A Nield …............ Nicolas Singeisen Dated ............. 19-Oct-24 …................
LANGALANGA TRUST
Page 6
Registered Charity Number: 1076360
NOTES to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2023
UNRESTRICTED FUND - Page 4
Note 1
The following investments were held at 31 December 2023 at a combined cost price of £152,488 - CCLA Investment Fund - 4,365.56 units: bid market value £86,635 CCLA Property Fund - 96,571.87 units: bid market value £99,266 The combined bid market value at 31 December 2023 was £185,901
Note 2
With effect from 28 September 2020, CCLA Investment Management Limited announced that a 90-day notice period for redemptions would be introduced in respect of the Property Fund. This notice period was extended to 6 months on 18th October 2022.
Note 3
During 2022 and 2023 general support payments were made to Langalanga Scholarship Professionals Association, a charity incorporated in Kenya. Brig Geoff Nield is also a trustee of that charity. It is expected that further such payments will be made in 2024 and subsequent years.
LANGALANGA TRUST Page 7
Registered Charity Number: 1076360
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of the Langalanga Trust
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Langalanga Trust (the Trust) for the year ended 31 December 2023.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
2 the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3 the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view' which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Name: AMANDA CAVANAGH
(See Attached Sheet for Record of Signature)
Address : ORCHARD HOUSE, PENTON MEWSEY, ANDOVER, HAMPSHIRE SP11 ORW
Date .................................2024
*
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