2024-07-31-accounts - Solar Links Initiative

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Charity Number 1110013

SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE

TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2024

SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE Year ended 31 July 2024

Trustees’ Report for the period ending 31 July 2024

The Trustees are pleased to present their report together with the accounts for Solar Links Initiative (the charity), for the year to 31 July 2024.

Achievements and performance

During the year Solar Links Initiative has continued to provide solar lighting equipment to a number of long-term partners. The first, supplying nearly 1,000 families, is in the ten villages of Kai Parish, Akura sub-County in Alebtong District.

The following feedback from beneficiaries in this District demonstrates the impact of lighting – residents of Agira village wrote “I am so happy to have solar light in my home; before, I was spending a lot of money in buying the small torches which are not durable but now I have the solar lamp which is durable and easy to use therefore, making life so easy”; and “from today, we will rest from the accidents of our houses getting burnt as a result of using kerosene lamp, candles and grass as sources of light. We are so happy because we have been provided with a better source of light for us!” Similarly, a family in Oweoapena village reported “for a long time, we were being attacked by the red ants at night and to make it worse we didn’t have any good source of light to help us at the time but now that we have received the solar lamp, we will be safe from the ants and snakes. The lights will also improve on the hygiene of our home since we will no longer use the kerosene lamp” and others in Atingtwoo village said “we could only see solar light in the homes of the rich, but today we are so happy to have our own. The light will help our children to revise their books in the night”

As agreed at the outset, all the beneficiaries have made contributions in return for the equipment to community projects, for example towards the purchase of banana suckers, commercial vegetable seeds (tomatoes, cabbages and onions), and the payment of school fees for the students under their scholarship programme. SLI boosted this programme with funding for the further purchase of tree seedlings. Also, in Karamoja, SLI gave support for the purchase of tree seedlings (teak, pine, eucalyptus, avocado and jackfruit) and seeds (tomatoes, cabbage and onions) and for training of young single mothers in tailoring.

Once again SLI gave solar lanterns to refugee families, in the Nakivale Refugee Camp, who have particularly vulnerable children. This has aided those children to become a little more confident and independent and thereby helped their families.

SLI purchased, in Kampala, several hundred solar home systems for returnee families in South Sudan and support is under way for further households there, as well as for community organizations. In striving to rebuild their lives after spending many years as refugees in Uganda, when they fled from civil war in their homeland, lighting provides a significant boost to progress as well as giving them some hope for the future. Here too, beneficiaries are contributing to the construction of a community centre and to piggeries which help fund community causes, now that they no longer have to purchase kerosene, candles or batteries for their light or pay for phone charging.

In contrast to these encouraging developments, during this year a number of trusted partners of SLI have suffered dramatic reversals in their own personal fortunes or in their organisations. In two cases this was caused by serious health issues, one from a traffic accident and the other from attacks from raiding herdsmen from Kenya. Both were life-threatening and required major surgery and inevitably impacted progress in their projects. In the case of a third key partner, their main programme funder suddenly withdrew support which has

SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE Year ended 31 July 2024

left them struggling to find new funding for their intensive but very successful development programmes. We will continue to do what we can to support these and other partners with the provision of solar lighting where they are in a position to work with their beneficiaries to make a contribution, in return for it, to a communal endeavour. This not only strengthens their wider community but gives them ownership of the equipment and greater responsibility for its care.

On behalf of the families whose lives are transformed by light, and by other small interventions, SLI wishes to express its gratitude to the small number of generous donors, as well as some charitable trusts and foundations, who make this work possible.

Objectives and activities

Solar Links Initiative is a charity and its objects are:

To develop the capacity and skills of the members of socially and economically or socially disadvantaged communities selected by the trustees on the basis of appropriate evidence of disadvantage, for the benefit of those communities;
To relieve poverty for the benefit of the public by such means as the trustees think fit, including but not limited to the use of communications technology, the provision or facilitation of information and the encouragement of best practice;
To relieve sickness.

The trustees confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the Trust’s objectives and in planning future activities.

SLI carries out these objects by taking action to benefit people around the world who are improving the lives of their communities, and we currently provide funds to assist disadvantaged communities primarily through the introduction of solar lighting.

Structure, Governance and Management

Solar Links Initiative was originally established as a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 12 July 2004 with the name Global Links Initiative, and registered as a Charity on 13 May 2005. The charity changed its name to Solar Links Initiative on 9 December 2015 and on 15 July 2024 Solar Links Initiative converted to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.

Trustees may be appointed, either to fill vacancies or as additional Trustees, by resolution of the Trustees at a meeting of Trustees. Trustees are recruited to fill vacancies or to address the particular needs of the charity, as required.

Reference and administrative details

Charity number: 1110013 Registered Office: 22 Old Millmeads, Horsham, RH12 2LZ Independent Examiner: David Parker, 33 Wagtail Close, Horsham, RH12 5HL Bankers Barclays Bank plc, 92 High St, Crawley, RH10 1YF

The trustees serving during the year and since the year end were as follows:

SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE Year ended 31 July 2024

Ian Hutchinson Nicholas Derek Feeny Bhagyashree Mandke Phillida Purvis MBE

Financial review

Our policy is to maintain appropriate reserves to cover our immediate operating needs which, at any one time, are normally less than £3,000. At 31 July 2024 our reserves were £49,947 (2023 £56,096).

The Trustees review income and expenditure on a periodic basis and the level of expenditure is set to ensure that there will be adequate resources available to meet commitments made as they fall due.

The trustees have considered the major risks to which the charity is exposed and have concluded that our major on-going risk is to ensure that we have adequate financial resources available to finance our future activities.

The results for the year to 31 July 2024 amounted to net payments of £6,149 (2023 net receipts of £5,376).

Approved by the Trustees and signed on its behalf on 18 August 2024.

Ian Hutchinson Trustee

SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE Year ended 31 July 2024

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS ON THE UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS OF SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Solar Links Initiative (“the Trust”) for the period to 31 July 2024.

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 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 which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

David Parker Chartered Accountant

33 Wagtail Close, Horsham, RH12 5HL

Dated: 18 August 2024

SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE Year ended 31 July 2024

ACCOUNTS FOR THE PERIOD TO 31 JULY 2024

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT

Notes Receipts Donations and legacies Total receipts Payments Charitable Activities Total payments Receipts less payments for the year Fund balances at 1 August 2023 3 Fund balances at 31 July 2024 3	2024 2024 2024 Funds Unrestricted Restricted Funds Funds £ £ £ 35,765 35,765 - 35,76535,765 - 41,914 37,517 4,397 41,91437,517 4,397 (6,149)(1,752) (4,397) 56,096 51,699 4,397 49,94749,947 -	2024 2024 2024 Funds Unrestricted Restricted Funds Funds £ £ £ 35,765 35,765 - 35,76535,765 - 41,914 37,517 4,397 41,91437,517 4,397 (6,149)(1,752) (4,397) 56,096 51,699 4,397 49,94749,947 -

SOLAR LINKS INITIATIVE Year ended 31 July 2024

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

AS AT 31 JULY 2024

Notes Assets Cash in Bank and in hand Total assets Unrestricted income funds Restricted income funds Total funds	2024 £ 49,947 49,947 49,947 - 49,947	2023 £ 56,096 56,096 51,699 4,397 56,096

Notes to the accounts

1 Basis of preparation

These accounts have been prepared on a cash basis. As the Charity is registered in England and Wales, is not a company and has gross income that is not over £250,000 it is permitted under section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 to prepare receipts and payments accounts.

2. Restricted funds

Restricted funds, being donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the Charity’s work, are shown separately from unrestricted funds which are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of the charity.

3. Funds at 31 July 2023

Solar Links Initiative’s 2023 financial statements were prepared on an accruals basis as the charity was a company at that time. On that basis the funds at 31 July 2023 were £55,997 as the net assets included a creditor of £99. On a cash basis, as shown above, the funds at 31 July 2023 are £56,096.

4. Staff Costs and Trustees’ Remuneration

The Charity has no paid employees. Trustees received no remuneration (2023 £Nil), but are reimbursed for personal expenses, primarily costs of travelling to Uganda, incurred on behalf of the charity which amounted in the year to £Nil (2023 £Nil).

Approved by the Trustees on 18 August 2024 and signed on its behalf.

Ian Hutchinson Trustee