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← Sentebale

2024-12-31-accounts

REPORT & ACCOUNTS PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

(Covering reporting period 1 September 2023 to 31 December 2024)

COMPANY NUMBER 05747857 | CHARITY NUMBER 1113544 2

CONTENTS

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All children and young people in Southern Africa are empowered, healthy and resilient.

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A Message from our Chair

Dr Sophie Chandauka MBE Chair of the Board of Trustees

This annual report is dedicated first and foremost to those who have supported Sentebale in the past 19 years, who deserve not just our deepest gratitude but a clear and honest account of our journey; to the tireless allies who have poured heart and resolve into supporting Sentebale over these last two years of profound transformation; and to all those who hold onto hope, deeply believing that we will not only reach our 20th anniversary next year, but soar beyond it, empowering even more children and young people across southern Africa to claim their futures.

Reflecting on my tenure as Chair since July 2023, I do so after a grueling and humbling period that has tested us beyond belief, and with profound gratitude, pride and conviction in the future of Sentebale.

Securing Our Future Through Bold Transformation

This 16-month reporting period has been one of bold and decisive transformation for Sentebale, laying solid foundations for stronger programme delivery, robust governance, and financial resilience. This year, as a team working across borders, bottoms-up, we have rolled up our sleeves and methodically addressed the long-term structural weaknesses identified in our 2023 finances, slashing our annual cost base by £1 million through targeted workforce restructuring and contract renegotiations, while safeguarding 92% of our vital Africa-based staff to fuel the high-performing regional team. Critically, we’ve retained 100% of our institutional funders, nurtured by that very team, with over 70% of 2026 funding goals already secured. Amid it all, our direct support for 78,000 children and youth has continued uninterrupted, a testament to the resourcefulness and focus of our country teams in Lesotho and Botswana.

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Since year-end, we’ve surged ahead: new programme awards in 2025 lock in impact into 2027, positioning Sentebale stronger than ever for the future.

Building Trust Through Culture, Transparency and Accountability

This year, Sentebale has emerged stronger from thorough engagement with the UK Charity Commission, welcoming the August 2025 conclusion of its compliance review as a pivotal opportunity for positive transformation and renewed trust. Guided by our core values of accountability, sustainability, compassion, and respect, our leadership embraces its profound responsibility as stewards of the generosity from supporters and the vital communities we serve in Southern Africa. In an era where charities confront escalating demands, from HIV support to climate resilience, amid squeezed resources and public scrutiny, we prioritise efficiency and organisational excellence to safeguard every contribution. Central to this is fostering a culture of “psychological safety”: a strategic imperative where every voice is heard and required, where people feel empowered to innovate, ask tough questions and challenge entrenched views without fear of reprisal. This ethos has carried us through this difficult year and will propel us as we collaboratively solve problems and navigate the future.

Guided Through Umuntu Ngumuntu Ngabantu

To conclude, I wish to express a debt of gratitude to the communities we serve, the entire team at Sentebale, my family and friends around the world who gave me air cover, inspiration and strength on the most difficult days. Thank you to my fellow Trustees Dr Bhakti Hansoti and Mr Iain Rawlinson, individuals of great courage, integrity and expertise in their respective domains. They took the brave step to join Sentebale at a turbulent and defining moment in the history of the organisation. Together with Carmel, Ntoli and KT and other members of our leadership team, their commitment to our vision, mission and values has ensured Sentebale’s resilience through challenging times. Their embodiment of ubuntu, the understanding that we are interconnected and that our humanity is affirmed through the humanity of others, has positioned us for continued impact in the communities we serve, dignity intact.

Dr Sophie Chandauka MBE Chair of the Board of Trustees

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A Message from our Executive Director

Carmel Gaillard Executive Director

It is with feelings of extraordinary inspiration, accomplishment, and great pride in the dedication and tenacity of the Sentebale team that I, as the inaugural Southern Africa-based leader of Sentebale, present this annual report to all our valued supporters, donors and stakeholders.

As Sentebale approaches its 20th anniversary, the organisation stands as a trusted partner in Lesotho and Botswana, recognised by communities, governments, and peer organisations for effectively supporting vulnerable children and young people. This legacy brings a responsibility to continuously adapt and strengthen our approach to meet evolving needs.

While Lesotho and Botswana present distinct contexts, Sentebale’s work in both countries is aligned and mutually reinforcing. Programmes are locally tailored yet unified by the goal of empowering young people to thrive, with insights from each setting informing regional impact and enabling scalable, sustainable change.

Sentebale plays an integral role in the regional development ecosystem, whether its strengthening psychosocial support for young people living with HIV, empowering women to break the cycle of poverty, and helping communities adapt to climate challenges. Our work aligns with national priorities and local needs, built on years of dedicated partnership and a commitment to reliable, collaborative delivery.

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The preparation and publication of this annual report has been both challenging and transformative for Sentebale. The report demonstrates that Sentebale’s work remains relevant and effective, benefiting 78,000 children, young people, and their communities. Transitioning to the calendar year as the financial year extended this reporting period to 16 months which required careful adjustment of operational systems. Sentebale’s financial and programmatic results indicate this transition was managed effectively.

During the reporting period, we made the strategic decision to embed executive leadership within Southern Africa. This move has deepened our understanding of local contexts and enhanced our responsiveness.

Following the reporting period, Sentebale experienced a substantial change in Board composition due to governance challenges highlighted by the UK Charity Commission Regulatory Compliance Case. Throughout these transitions, our staff remained unwavering in their commitment, ensuring programmes continued seamlessly and young people received sustained support. This steadfastness, supported by dedicated financial partners, government stakeholders, and participant communities, was especially vital as our team navigated the review, a process that ultimately affirmed the current Board’s appointment, offering a robust foundation for advancing governance and accountability, in line with the expectations of our staff, donors, and beneficiaries.

Reflecting on my first year as Executive Director, I am deeply optimistic about Sentebale’s future. The heart of our organisation, our mission, our team, and the resilience of the young people we serve, remains steadfast. With renewed governance, a unified team, and an enduring commitment to our beneficiaries, I am confident that the next chapter of Sentebale’s journey will be as impactful as the first.

Thank you for your continued trust and partnership as we look ahead to the future. Carmel Carmel Gaillard Executive Director

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A Message from our Lesotho Country Director

Ntoli Moletsane Lesotho Country Director

This past year in Lesotho has tested our resilience in more ways than one. As Country Director for Sentebale Lesotho, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges our communities are facing; from worsening climate conditions and economic strain to persistent food insecurity and health disparities. Yet, I’ve also witnessed incredible moments of courage and collective will.

The economic situation has been deeply felt. With reduced revenues from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and global inflation driving up food and fuel prices, families are struggling to meet their basic needs. Food insecurity is rising, particularly in rural areas. According to the Lesotho Vulnerability Assessment, more than 300,000 people could face acute food shortages in the immediate future. Considering the total population of 2.36 million (1.2 million of which are under 25 years old), this is so incredibly significant. This has a knock-on effect on children; on their health, their education, and their sense of hope.

Health challenges persist as well. Lesotho still carries one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the world, and while we’ve made good progress, especially in improving antiretroviral coverage for children and adolescents, there is more work to do to reach universal coverage. Gender inequality continues to shape who gets infected, who accesses services, and who thrives. Many adolescent girls still face risks tied to gender-based violence and early pregnancy, which impact their overall wellbeing and future opportunities.

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Another area we’re deeply concerned about is youth unemployment. Almost 40% of young people in Lesotho are not in school, not working, and not receiving any form of training. But we believe in the potential of Lesotho’s youth, as we see their resilience and determination regularly. With the right support, skills training, mentorship, psychosocial care, we can unlock that potential and create real, sustainable opportunities.

Lesotho’s rural communities, where most of our children and young people live, have been hit hard by the extreme weather conditions and changing landscapes. Erratic rainfall and recurring droughts continue to devastate crops. For families that depend on farming to feed their children and generate an income, this means facing each season with more uncertainty than the last. Despite government investment in the agricultural sector and efforts to promote climate-smart farming, many traditional farming practices remain in place, and our natural water sources are under increasing pressure.

Whether through our signature Clubs and Camps for young people living with HIV, vocational training and internship programme for young women, our community-based, comprehensive HIV prevention programming, and our participation in the Regeneration of Landscapes and Livelihoods programme, we are providing services that respond to the lived realities of our children and youth.

As I reflect on this past year, I am reminded that real change doesn’t happen overnight. But it does happen, when we listen, when we stay the course, and when we never lose sight of why we’re here: to support children and young people to thrive, no matter the challenges they face.

Ntoli

Ntoli Moletsane Lesotho Country Director

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A Message from our Botswana Country Director

Ketlogetswe (KT) Montshiwa Botswana Country Director

It has been an extraordinary year for Botswana; one marked by political change, social dialogue, and renewed hope among young people. I’ve had the privilege of witnessing this period of transition unfold, and of seeing how it intersects with the needs and aspirations of the children and youth we serve.

One of the most defining moments of the year came in October 2024, when Botswana elected a new government for the first time since independence in 1966. The sense of anticipation and possibility was palpable. The new leadership’s early commitments, including placing human rights and youth priorities front and centre, offered a sense of alignment with Sentebale’s own values and mission. Their promises to expand support for girls and increase social protection for vulnerable groups give us reason to be hopeful.

At the same time, we cannot ignore the harsh realities that continue to shape the lives of many young people. Botswana’s economy has been under pressure due to a global decline in diamond sales, a core pillar of the national economy. Youth unemployment remains extremely high, especially among young women, and many of the young people we work with feel the weight of these economic challenges daily. Even those who want to start businesses or pursue vocational paths often face barriers such as a lack of access to finance, limited mentorship, and policies that are not always youth friendly.

In our programmes, we also see the lingering impact of health disparities. Although Botswana has made impressive strides in its national HIV response, adolescents and young adults remain one of the hardest groups to reach. Too many young people still don’t know their status, and even those on

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treatment face challenges with adherence, stigma, and limited psychosocial support. Mental health is a growing concern and is something we hear about regularly in our engagement with youth. It’s linked not only to health and employment, but also to identity, safety, and social inclusion.

One issue that has shaken many of us this year is the rise in gender-based violence. The statistics during the December 2024 holiday period were staggering, and the conversations that followed online, in the media, and within our communities signalled both deep concern and a collective desire for change. At Sentebale, we know that any future worth building must be safe and equitable for girls and young women. This remains a core focus of our work.

But amidst these challenges, there have also been moments of national pride; none more uplifting than seeing 21-year-old Letsile Tebogo winning Botswana’s first Olympic gold medal. It reminded us of what young people are capable of when given opportunity, support, and confidence building.

In this moment of change, we at Sentebale are committed to deepening our partnerships, adapting to the evolving landscape, and ensuring that no young person is left behind. This year has reaffirmed that young people are not just our beneficiaries, they are our leaders, our innovators, and the heartbeat of a better Botswana.

Ketlogetswe (KT) Montshiwa

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ABOUT US

The world’s largest and fastest-growing youth population is in Africa: an overflowing pool of talent, ingenuity, and culture. Africa will be home to one-quarter of the global population by 2050. Meanwhile, rising inequality and climate change are two of the largest issues facing humanity and our global economy, with Africa disproportionately impacted.

We need to address these problems head-on by promoting solutions in health, employment and livelihoods, and climate resilience, and activating the next generation of African leaders to drive solutions that ensure health and wealth while promoting equity, dignity and sustainability.

Sentebale works with children and young people (0-24) in the Southern African countries of Lesotho and Botswana to create sustainable solutions across three impact areas: health, wealth creation, and climate resilience. For nearly two decades, Sentebale has worked in close partnership with children, youth, caregivers, and local institutions to design locally led, culturally relevant programmes that uplift and empower the next generation of African leaders. Annually, Sentebale directly supports over 78,000 children and young people in Lesotho and Botswana.

The organisation was founded by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, and HRH Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006 as a response to the needs of children and young people in Lesotho and in memory of their late mothers. The name means ‘forget-me-not’ in the Sesotho language, representing a pledge to always remember the most vulnerable children in the region.

As we approach two decades of investing in youth in Southern Africa, we’re more focused than ever on building a stronger future alongside the young people of the region.

A camp in session at The Mamohato Children’s Centre in Lesotho.

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Prince Seeiso and Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, Founders and former Patrons pictured together in Lesotho in the courtyard of the Mamohato Children’s Centre for the first time since 2018 for the Return to Southern Africa visit in October 2024.

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Ne Y

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Botswana Lesotho ~~>~~ & ; 1 4 S E N T E B A L E A N N UA L R E P O R T 2 0 2 4

LESOTHO

BOTSWANA

TOTAL POPULATION (2025) Approximately 2.3 million

TOTAL POPULATION (2025) Approximately

2.5 million

YOUTH POPULATION (UNDER 25) Estimated at around 1.2 million, making up approximately 53% of the total population.

YOUTH POPULATION (UNDER 25) Estimated at around 1.2 million, counting for approximately 49% of the total population.

MEDIAN AGE MEDIAN AGE 21.8 23.4 years years

SOURCED FROM WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

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2023/2024

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

LESOTHO

PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION OUTCOMES IMPACT
CLUBS AND Delivers psychosocial support 2 weeks of camp for 184 Improved treatment
CAMPS to children and young people children. adherence, viral suppression,
living with HIV through
monthly Clubs and seasonal
Camps held across 40 health
facilities in four districts.		 64 caregiver sessions held for
1,466 caregivers to provide
education and support.		 and overall quality of
life for children and young
people living with HIV.
YOUTH HUB Engages young people 11,048 parents/caregivers Increased awareness
in peer-led advocacy and reached through and reduction in new
information sharing to engagement sessions. HIV infections through
improve access to health,
education, and social rights
within their communities.		 66,810 adolescent girls
and young women (AGYW)
received core services (77%).		 community engagement.
64 community radio
programmes aired on TB/HIV
awareness.
7,177 AGYW referred for health
services (82% received care).
ACCLERATING Supports individuals who 98% children and youth Improved retention in
LESOTHO’S have missed critical clinic returned to care. care for young people
PROGRESS appointments by returning with HIV who missed clinic
TO EPIDEMIC them to care and strengthening appointments.
CONTROL (ALPEC) adherence to treatment.
LET YOUTH Empowers young people 2,882 young people reached Improved access to health,
LEAD to become advocates for with information on education, and social services
better health, education, and education access. through youth advocacy.
social justice by equipping
them with leadership and
communication skills.
SOCIO Works with young women 198 AGYW received Increased access to economic
ECONOMIC to deliver vocational vocational training. opportunities for adolescent
STRENGTHENING
PROGRAMME		 training, mentorship,
business planning, and
access to internships
and capital support.		 36 AGYW with post-
secondary qualifications
placed in internships.		 girls and young women.
875 AGYW assessed for
livelihood support.
3 AGYW linked to school
bursaries.
REGENERATION Helps communities 15,887 community members Improved natural resource
OF LANDSCAPES restore natural landscapes, mobilised to join local management and livelihood
AND access critical resources, interest groups. opportunities through
LIVELIHOODS and build sustainable
livelihoods through youth-
led regeneration projects.		 1,080 interest groups
engaged for landscape
regeneration projects.		 youth-led action.

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BOTSWANA

PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION CONSOLIDATED IMPACT
OUTCOMES DATA
HER VOICE Supports adolescent girls Capacity building & oversight Increased leadership and
and young women to of 5 grantee organisations. decision-making capacity
actively participate in of adolescent girls and
decisions that impact their young women
health, education, and
futures through mentorship,
leadership training,
and peer engagement.
OPERATION Encourages adolescents 1,092 young people enrolled Improved HIV treatment
TRIPLE living with HIV to achieve in OTZ. adherence, viral suppression,
ZERO (OTZ) three key health goals:
zero missed medication
doses, zero missed clinic
appointments, and zero viral		 783 reached with positive
messaging about HIV
prevention and treatment.		 and clinic attendance
among adolescents.
load, helping to close the 402 caregivers trained to
HIV treatment gap. provide education and
support.
10 Healthcare Workers
trained.
Reached 300,363 young
people through mobile
and/or virtual campaign
regarding HIV prevention
and treatment.
LET YOUTH Empowers young people 24 Advocates received Increased youth
LEAD (LYL) to become advocates mental health support. participation in decision-
for better health,
education, and social
justice by equipping		 12 episodes on Radio
Positive aired.		 making and visibility in
national and community
platforms.
them with leadership and 13 advocates trained on
communication skills. school programme delivery.
480 students received
messaging on Sexual
and Reproductive Health
and Rights.
40 AGYW trained on health
budget advocacy.
SUPPORT Helps people living with 27,226 condoms distributed. Improved health outcomes
FOR PEOPLE
LIVING WITH
HIV/ADS		 HIV to stay healthy,
prevent reinfection, and
protect their partners		 1,057 reached with prevention
messaging.		 and treatment continuity
for people living with HIV.
and families—promoting 1740 reached through talks
long-term wellbeing on Sexual and Reproductive
and positive living. Health and Rights.
219 students educated on
substance abuse dangers.

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SNAPSHOTS

One of the most trusted implementation partners in the region

Sentebale is one of the most trusted implementation partners in the Southern African region by some of the world’s largest NGOs. We’re proud to be newly executing programming for the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in Lesotho and the International Fund for Agricultural Development cl ; (IFAD) while continuing to be a crucial delivery partner pee #. for organisations such as, Diamonds Do Good, National AIDS & Health Promotion Agency (NAHPA), Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF), pain f z£ UNAIDS, UNICEF, and The Global Fund.

Increasing Awareness in the US

By 2050, Africa is expected to be home to onethird of the world’s population aged 15 to 24 (United Nations). Africa is undeniably a key part of the world’s future - and when young people across the continent are given the opportunity to thrive, the impact is felt globally. With historically strong awareness of Sentebale in the UK and Southern Africa, we are continuing to expand our reach to the US - building new communities of support through events such as our April

2024 panel in Miami on challenges facing youth in Africa and beyond, creative partnerships with Sotheby’s and the Ki Smith Gallery in Manhattan, uniting purpose-driven artists, collectors, and philanthropists behind Sentebale’s mission.

Educating on what climate resilience means

As of 2023, approximately 69.6% of Lesotho’s total population resides in rural areas (World Bank). While specific data on the ruralurban distribution of the youth population (ages 15–24) is not readily available, it’s reasonable to infer that a significant majority of Lesotho’s youth live in rural areas, given the country’s overall demographic distribution.

Reliance on the land for both food and income is not just a way of life - it’s a lifeline. But with increasingly severe droughts and unpredictable

weather patterns, Lesotho’s natural environment is changing rapidly, putting livelihoods at risk. We are proud to be a core implementation partner in the Regeneration of Landscapes and Livelihoods (ROLL) programme, alongside the Government of Lesotho and as a joint venture with South Africa-based AvoVision.

Since launching in 2024, ROLL has reached over 500 rural villages, training individuals to create enterprise plans that both boost incomes and

regenerate the land - from planting school gardens to restoring riverbanks and introducing tiered farming. Youth are central to this work, making up 40% of participants.

As we approach our 20th anniversary, we’re committed to expanding this pillar of work and supporting four times as many rural groups over the next two years; investing in climate-resilient solutions that protect livelihoods and preserve the land for future generations.

Above photo: Leribe youth build a retainer wall as part of the Regeneration of Landscapes and Livelihoods Programme.

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Supporting young women with skills that bring independence

This reporting period featured the kick-off to the Socio-Economic Strengthening programme in partnership with the Global Fund; a programme that provides vulnerable young women with the opportunity for vocational and entrepreneurship training, business skills development, and support in securing an internship or capital for their own business ventures. More than 200 young women were partnered with business mentors for a threemonth training journey, that also included psychosocial and health support.

Making New Friends

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A young woman learns baking skills.
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Measurement and Impact

A workstream on the development of more sophisticated impact measurement capabilities was initiated during this reporting period and has since led to the rollout of an improved Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework. A comprehensive M&E Plan was developed and approved, establishing more systematic approaches to collecting, analysing, and interpreting data. These improvements have enabled more efficient practices across the organisation and are supporting better-informed decision-making and strategic planning. Existing Project M&E Officers were mentored and supervised throughout the process, further strengthening internal capacity to track and demonstrate impact.

As part of our efforts to expand awareness of our work, we welcomed a group of forwardthinking international business leaders to Lesotho in October 2024 to witness our impact firsthand and meet our team. Following programme visits in the Leribe region and a gathering to hear our Let Youth Lead advocates speak at our Maseru headquarters, we hosted a roundtable in Johannesburg focused on collaborative approaches to advancing youth development that was attended by large corporations with a presence in Southern Africa, alongside foundations and non-profits with an interest in youth.

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International guests help with a landscape
regeneration project in Leribe, Lesotho. # “4 #
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Co-Founder and former Patron Prince Seeiso dances with the community of Matlameng – Ha Mahlehle and Sentebale team members. aS aeSS See ‘Ve SS AEESSS SE 2 0 S E N T E B A L E A N N UA L R E P O R T 2 0 2 4 Wo

IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS

HEALTH

Doubled parent engagement sessions, reaching 11,000+ caregivers of adolescent girls and young women.

Engaged with over 52,000 payoung people living with HIV with health screening, treatment adherence and education, and more in Botswana.

Extended clinic hours at rural facilities, ensuring children and young people don’t miss school for health visits.

66 community radio awareness sessions conducted on essential health services, including HIV and TB.

Educated Achieved 67,000+ 98% high-risk adolescent girls and young women on of success in returning risk reduction and linked young people living them to services in Lesotho. with HIV to care.

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WEALTH

Vocational training and business skills was provided for almost 250 vulnerable young women, with 45% securing internships.

CLIMATE RESILIENCE

Regeneration Coalitions (RC) in rural villages have brought together over 500

community groups with the goal of regenerating their natural landscapes.

The Regeneration of Land and Livelihoods (ROLL) programme supports communities in revitalising landscapes and accessing sustainable resources.

Evaluated 38 business plans for young women entrepreneurs; 60 more are in progress.

40% of RC members are young people, ensuring youth leadership in sustainability.

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‘I learned skills that helped me find a job[.][’] .)e LESEGO, AGE 22 4

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OUR WORK

This reporting period Covers the period of 1 September 2023 to 31 December 2024 to align our fiscal year with the calendar year. This change better reflects charitable giving patterns, which typically peak in the fourth quarter across many key international markets.

In our last Annual Report covering the twelve months prior to 31 August 2023, we noted plans for a mid-term review of our strategic plan. Following that review, we reaffirmed our strategic direction and more clearly defined Sentebale’s core impact areas: health, wealth creation, and climate resilience. While our current operational plan reflects these refined priorities, for clarity this report presents progress using the structure and terminology of the original strategy. You will see the three impact areas reflected within the strategic objectives, with programmes reported under the objective they most closely support.

As trusted implementation partners in Lesotho and Botswana, and key contributors to community wellbeing through our programming and expertise in sustainable support for children and young people, we are constantly learning and evolving.

This reporting period has been no exception. Some of the most significant insights we continue to observe are that:

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A young girl attends the health clinic at the
Mamohato Children’s Centre camp programme.
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in Botswana. Bottom right: A Sentebale team member educates young women in Thaba Tseka, Lesotho on condom use. “s its

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A Sentebale team member speaks to youth about Sexual and Reproductive Health.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 1

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Children and young people are able to access and benefit from youth-friendly support services for their health and well-being

Sentebale was built on the foundation of health, and this continues to be the core area of focus.

Of these referrals, 82% were successfully completed, demonstrating strong follow-through and coordination with health facilities.

ACHIEVEMENTS IN LESOTHO

In Lesotho, Sentebale recruited and trained peer educators to deliver Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) sessions and facilitate referrals to both health and non-health services; the majority of which took place in rural regions within the country, where the need is most significant. In addition, our team was trained in community HIV Testing Services, with targets for both training initiatives fully achieved.

As part of efforts to improve access to care, over 7,000 adolescent girls and young women at high risk were referred to appropriate health and social services, including their male partners.

Through the ALPEC programme (Accelerating Lesotho’s Progress to Epidemic Control) funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Sentebale supported children and young people living with HIV (ages 0-24) to stay on treatment by addressing key barriers like transport costs and school or work conflicts. Historically, they have been required to collect their medication from the clinic monthly. This requirement interferes with school and work, as well as requiring financial resources since most of those who struggle live far away from the health facility that provides their care. The team works with the facility team to

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CHARITY, LESOTHO

Let Youth Lead advocate Sekgabo speaks in Gaborone to launch the Changemakers booklet that celebrates stories of hope.

ACHIEVEMENTS IN BOTSWANA

identify patients who have missed appointments and then distributes medication to individual patients in their homes. This distribution also allowed for delivery of medication for at least 3 months, allowing the patient to spend less time and resources collecting medication. This work contributed to a 98% return-to-care rate for those who had defaulted - exceeding the 95% target set for the year.

We piloted weekend antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinics in partnership with selected health facilities. This flexible approach aimed to increase treatment access for young people attending school or work during weekdays.

Finally, our flagship Camp programme took place during the December 2024 holiday period, with 92 vulnerable young people with the highest viral load in the country receiving intensive support at a weeklong camp at our Mamohato Children’s Centre, providing them with health care, psychosocial and peer support and post monitoring to monitor the impact of the camp on viral load.

In Botswana, our work under Operation Triple Zero (OTZ) in partnership with UNICEF Botswana, an initiative with core principles of Zero missed doses, Zero missed appointments, and Zero viral load for those adolescents and young people living with HIV (AYPLHIV), had significant impact. We established 19 Empowerment Clubs, reaching 796 young people with services including psychosocial support, medical reviews, academic assistance, socio-economic strengthening, and adherence buddy systems, with over 400 caregivers trained on OTZ’s core principles. An OTZ Camp was held in July 2024 for young people struggling with adherence, providing targeted support to participants.

In partnership with UNICEF, we launched Botswana’s first youth-led Network for Young People Living with HIV, reaching 195 of the targeted 200 individuals. Six of Sentebale’s trained Let Youth Lead advocates form its leadership and will continue to drive this support network forward.

Through our collaboration with the Botswana Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS (BONEPWA+) we delivered a comprehensive package of community-based care for 1,622 People Living with HIV that included prevention messaging, screening hundreds for STIs, Tuberculosis, and non-communicable diseases, and distributing over 29,000 condoms. These activities took place in four regions throughout the country, and included counselling, health talks at local centres, and outreach services. A boot camp in Gumare specifically supported young people facing stigma and mental health challenges, providing resilience-building, self-management tools, and peer connection.

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STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 2

NURTURING COMMUNITIES

Engaging National and Community Stakeholders to ensure a more protective, supportive and inclusive environment for addressing children and young people’s social and health issues

ACHIEVEMENTS IN LESOTHO

In Lesotho, the team facilitated parental engagement and sensitisation sessions to strengthen caregiver involvement in project interventions, reaching over 11,000 caregivers - well above the target of 6,000. Caregiver support remains paramount to ensure communities are self-sufficient in engaging with those who need extra care.

Outreach activities were conducted through youth clubs, schools, workplaces, and faith-based organisations, helping almost 67,000 adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), and their male partners adopt risk-reduction behaviours and access relevant health services. To expand reach and create demand for HIV, Tuberculosis (TB), and other health services, 64 multimedia sessions were delivered via social media (Facebook) and radio platforms -

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Young Basotho women perform traditional song and
dance for international guests learning about the culture.
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which are the core platforms for reaching youth in the country, especially in rural areas.

Within the focus area of psychosocial support, 1,086 children living with HIV accessed monthly Network Clubs (60% of target), which take place in 71 locations across the country. With Lesotho’s mountainous landscape and poor transportation systems, a reduction in transportation support contributed to a slight drop in individual membership.

Herding is a deeply rooted tradition in Lesotho, but herders - particularly herd boys who can be as young as eight years old - often lack access to essential services such as healthcare, education, fair pay, legal protections, and vital registration. Without registration, many remain invisible to the system, unable to access basic rights and services. Through the Herd Boys Participatory Action Research initiative, Sentebale engaged directly with herders to understand their needs and co-design solutions. This led to a successful pilot in the regions of Mokhotlong and Thaba Tseka, where 200 herders accessed a comprehensive package of services, including health care, oral hygiene, self-care, community policing, range management training, and basic supplies like clothing and gumboots. The programme, delivered in collaboration with government departments and World Bank-funded projects, has positioned Sentebale as a leader in engaging marginalised communities. It is now a model being adopted by the Regeneration of Landscapes and Livelihoods (ROLL) Project and holds strong potential for scale-up across Lesotho’s remaining districts.

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STORY OF IMPACT

Community Care

MOLEPOLOLE, BOTSWANA

A reflective sip and paint session for the Let Youth Lead advocates in Botswana.

ACHIEVEMENTS IN BOTSWANA

It takes a village, and in Botswana, the team focused on strengthening the capacity of both community stakeholders and young leaders to create more supportive environments for children and young people. Under the Operation Triple Zero (OTZ) programme in partnership with UNICEF, a four-day, in-person training was delivered to 27 healthcare workers and community volunteers, equipping them with the skills to provide psychosocial support and holistic care. The training also included modules on monitoring and evaluation to improve data collection and tracking of OTZ indicators.

In parallel, the team hosted a two-day capacitybuilding workshop for 20 Let Youth Lead Advocates, focused on leadership, advocacy, public speaking, and income-generating activities. With youth unemployment in Botswana at 40%, the training placed particular emphasis on economic empowerment, including entrepreneurial strategies and government-backed opportunities. Discussions also began around establishing a business incubation hub under Let Youth Lead. Notably, the workshop was facilitated by a business consultant who has since been appointed as Botswana’s Minister of Youth, Sports and Arts.

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STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 3

YOUTH ADVOCACY

Young people successfully advocate for their health, education and social protection rights

In addition, the Lesotho team facilitated a series of community conversations led by and for young people, creating safe spaces to discuss education challenges and advocacy priorities identified by youth themselves. These dialogues reached almost 3,000 young people across Lesotho, significantly surpassing the target of 1,860, and reinforcing the importance of youth-led solutions in shaping responsive education and support systems.

ACHIEVEMENTS IN BOTSWANA

During the reporting period, 50 LYL Advocates in Botswana received mental health awareness training and identified key priority areas for 2024, including leadership, public speaking, vocational skills, income generation, youth unemployment, civic engagement, and sexual

and reproductive health and rights. The advocates took part in a variety of initiatives to strengthen their advocacy efforts with 17 participating in a leadership retreat focused on youth participation and community leadership. Radio Positive, a weekly national show hosted by LYL advocates on DUMA FM, continued to promote civic engagement, including live broadcasts from the Botswana Trade Fair. Five

ACHIEVEMENTS IN LESOTHO

Through the Let Youth Lead (LYL) advocacy programme, Sentebale empowers young people to advocate for their health, education, and social ay i protection rights by creating opportunities for their voices to influence community and policy-level decisionof, making. The programme supports meaningful youth participation through consultative forums, targeted training, and ongoing capacity building at local, national, regional, and international levels.

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Leadership retreat for the Let
Youth Lead advocates in Botswana.
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LYL advocates contributed youth perspectives at a regional dialogue on new HIV treatment innovations and collaborated with Sustain267 to lead a Clean-Up Campaign in a low-income area of Gaborone. Other highlights included a reflective Sip & Paint session, participation in the Southern Africa Regional Students and Youth Conference (SARSYC V), and involvement in events such as the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial and the 16 Days of Activism campaign. In May 2024, the Changemakers: Stories of Hope booklet, featuring the voices of 20 LYL Advocates, was officially launched by former First Lady Mrs. Neo Jane Masisi. Spearheaded by two Advocates, the booklet captured the real-life impact of Sentebale’s support over seven years and was supported by

Within the Youth Advocacy objective in Lesotho, Sentebale continued to amplify the voices and needs of adolescents and young people (AYP) through targeted engagement and communitydriven dialogue. LYL advocates focused on key issues affecting vulnerable youth, including access to education, menstrual hygiene, and nutrition support, successfully increasing awareness within the private sector. These efforts led to 20 direct engagements with the business community - meeting the annual target - and resulted in 47 businesses pledging tangible support for AYP, well above the original goal of 30.

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Diamonds Do Good and UNAIDS. The launch was attended by government, development partners, and young people, and received national media coverage, generating widespread interest in the LYL programme and Sentebale overall. The Advocates also bravely shared their stories with international leaders who joined Sentebale at the Mamohato _ Children’s Centre in October 2024; of my talking about the impact the . programme has had on their lives, > 4 oN and the lives of other young people.

In April 2024, two Let Youth Lead Advocates took part in the 2nd Annual National Youth Employment Forum in Gaborone under the theme Tackling Youth Unemployment Challenges – Innovative Solutions from Think Tanks, engaging with policy makers and partners to address youth joblessness in Botswana. Let Youth Lead Advocates further amplified their voices with four youth attending the 25th International AIDS Conference in Munich, Germany, through International AIDS

Society scholarships, participating as panellists, moderators, and podcast contributors. Domestically, ten advocates supported the national World AIDS Day commemoration in Nata Village, co-hosting the Youth Village and representing Sentebale

through exhibition and reporting activities. They also contributed to the 2024 International AIDS Candlelight Memorial by distributing condoms and drafting remembrance messages and they led digital awareness efforts during the 16 Days of Activism Campaign - highlighting the role of youth, particularly young men, in preventing gender-based violence.

Sentebale delivered two advocacy workshops called ‘Show us the money: health budget advocacy programme’ alongside AIDS & Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA), training adolescent girls and young women to better understand and influence health financing in their communities.

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OF IMPACT
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Ensuring Safe Infant Feeding for a Young Mother Living with HIV

BOTSWANA

In Molepolole, a young woman living with HIV reached out to a Sentebale Peer Leader for urgent help. After giving birth to a baby girl, she was medically advised to formula feed - a method supported by a government scheme for mothers in similar situations. However, repeated stockouts at her assigned clinic left her without formula, putting her child at risk and forcing her to take frequent time off work to check for supplies, jeopardising

her job. Through Sentebale’s Network of Young People Living with HIV, the case was escalated to the Programmes Team for intervention.

Leveraging our position in the Prevention of Mother-toChild Transmission (PMTCT) Technical Working Group, Sentebale engaged the Ministry of Health directly. They investigated the issue, identified supply chain delays, and quickly arranged for an

emergency supply of formula. Sentebale supported the young woman’s travel to collect the three-month supply, avoiding a dangerous gap in feeding. Since the Ministry’s involvement, the clinic has resolved its stock issues, and the young mother continues to receive the formula regularly. This case highlights how youthled networks and strategic advocacy can ensure timely, life-saving support.

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STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 4

Young people are more resilient, self-confident and valued members of their communities

Youth education in the community on sexual health and wellbeing.

ACHIEVEMENTS IN LESOTHO

In Lesotho, Sentebale continued advancing its youth economic empowerment efforts with youth advocates mapping and profiling education support service providers across all districts, including identifying district-level vocational training institutions. These efforts laid the foundation for improved linkages between young people and available skills development opportunities. At the district and community level, 36 graduates - 90% of the annual goal - were successfully linked to internships through partnerships with the Ministry of Gender, Sports, Youth and Recreation, as well as private sector partners, despite some resource and placement constraints.

To better target livelihood support, community-level registers of adolescents and young people (AYP)

were developed and disaggregated by age, sex, education level, and location. In terms of vocational and entrepreneurial support, 215 adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) were identified as highly vulnerable and received training (36% of the goal) through the Socio-economic Strengthening Programme through the support of the Global Fund. 45% of the young women were supported to access internships to continue to improve their skills in business, and the team has been working with the young women to develop business plans in preparation for upcoming support for business capital.

Importantly, Sentebale joined forces with AvoVision, an implementation partner of the Ministry of Forestry and Agriculture, in the Regeneration of Landscapes and Livelihoods (ROLL) programme.

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This collaboration acknowledges Sentebale’s growing role in tackling wealth inequity through the breakdown of the natural landscapes that communities deeply rely on for income generation. Within the ROLL programme, 900 communities have been identified, with 40% of Regeneration Coalition leaders being young people who are actively proposing and driving solutions to adapt to climate change - securing both funding and support to bring their ideas to life. With young male herders making up a significant population of those relying on the natural environment for their livelihoods; herders and community members have been engaged to play an active role in supporting the change efforts within communities; whether this is creating tiered irrigation in fields to better distribute rainfall for the crops, the distribution of waste management materials o service communities, or the creation of water harvesting structures.

TSEPANG, LESOTHO

ACHIEVEMENTS IN BOTSWANA

In Botswana, Sentebale delivered a range of economic empowerment initiatives aimed at equipping young people with the skills and confidence to contribute meaningfully to their communities. As part of the Empowerment Clubs, out-of-school adolescents and young people living with HIV (AYPLHIV), aged 18–24, participated in tailored economic empowerment sessions. In partnership with ABSA Bank, these sessions were delivered using the Ready to Work curriculum, which focused on work readiness, interpersonal skills, and entrepreneurship. By December 2024, 69.1% of eligible participants in this age group had received this training, with many also supported through job placements. In-school AYPLHIV were offered academic support during club meetings, including homework help and tutoring, with peer-to-peer learning encouraged through group discussions and one-on-one sessions.

Nearly 700 adolescent girls and young women participated in training focused on financial literacy, business skills, résumé writing, job applications, and vocational pathways. District teams partnered with local businesses and government institutions to deliver workshops on starting small businesses and to offer job shadowing opportunities.

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FUNDRAISING HIGHLIGHTS

This reporting period marked the beginning of an initiative to diversify funding resources, taking the opportunity to introduce the work of Sentebale to new potential partners.

In October 2024, international philanthropists and business leaders joined Sentebale in Maseru, Leribe, and Johannesburg to visit the work, meet the team, and engage with other like-minded, innovative thinkers in the development space. The ‘Return to Southern Africa’ mission created opportunities for building long-term partnerships and expanding Sentebale’s network of support. More can be read about the initiative on our website here.

Recognising an opportunity to attract support from the world of the creative arts, Sotheby’s held a digital benefit auction to support Sentebale which united a dynamic group of internationally acclaimed artists, including four generations of African talent, whose works reflect themes of resilience, identity, heritage, and power. The Ki Smith Gallery in Manhattan curated an op art exhibition in honour of Sentebale that hosted an opening event for supporters and collectors along with a discussion on the intersection between art and impact, which kicked off the exhibition then opening to the public.

The Polo community came together for the Royal Salute Polo Challenge; a Polo event in Wellington, Florida, supported by long standing corporate partners Royal Salute, alongside other sponsors including U.S. Polo Assn, the Grand Champions Polo Club and the Ganzi Family, Four Seasons, and The Cox Family of Oklahoma.

We hosted the ‘Forget Me Not’ campaign; our first end of year digital holiday appeal to invite our social community to support our work before the year ended, which introduced a host of new individual donors to the charity.

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The Return to Southern Africa visitors learning about
Thaba-Bosiu - considered the birthplace of the Basotho nation.
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Our institutional partners:

We are proud to be a trusted implementation partner to national and international non-profit organisations. Institutions supporting our work during the reporting period were:

AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA)

Diamonds Do Good

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation

The Global Fund

Her Voice Fund (Y Plus Global)

Ministry of Forestry and Agriculture Lesotho

National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency (NAHPA) through Botswana Network of People

Living with HIV/AIDS (BONEPWA)

PEPFAR UNICEF

Please see our acknowledgements section for those corporations, foundations and partners who have contributed to the work of Sentebale. We are grateful for all the support we have received from our financial and in-kind supporters during the period – which enables our work to reach the communities we serve.

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Above: Sentebale convenes innovative funders, business leaders and corporations in Southern Africa to accelerate prosperity for youth in the region.

Left: Let Youth Lead Adocates from Botswana at the Mamohato Children’s Centre in Lesotho in October 2024.

Below: Youth from Southern African based Radio Workshop speak at the Sentebale reception about their generation’s role in the development landscape.

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‘I once thought background determined my future, but when the opportunity for vocational training arrived, I finally believed.[’]

YOUNG WOMAN, BUTHA-BUTHE, LESOTHO

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LOOKING AHEAD

As we approach our 20th anniversary in March 2026, we are accelerating progress across key areas that will deepen Sentebale’s impact and advance our unwavering commitment to transforming the lives of children and young people.

LEADERSHIP

FUNDRAISING

PROGRAMMES

BOARD DEVELOPMENT AND GOVERNANCE

SAFEGUARDING

DEVELOPMENT OF IMPACT REPORTING

MAMOHATO CHILDREN’S CENTRE

Let Youth Lead Adocates in Botswana as featured in our Changemakers campaign joined us in Lesotho, October 2024.

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COMPANY DIRECTORY

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Dr Sophie Chandauka MBE (Chair) Dr Bhakti Hansoti Iain Rawlinson

AUDITORS

Buzzacott Audit LLP, 130 Wood Street, London EC2V 6DL

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Carmel Gaillard Appointed December 2024

COMPANY SECRETARY Carmel Gaillard

REGISTERED OFFICE

17 Gresse Street, 6 Evelyn Yard Entrance, London W1T 1QL

PRINCIPAL ADDRESSES

17 Gresse Street, 6 Evelyn Yard Entrance, London W1T 1QL

Lihaseng, Ha Ramarame, Thaba-Bosiu, Lesotho Extension 2, Plot 720, Gaborone, Botswana

BANKERS

HSBC Private Bank (UK) Limited, 78 St James’s Street, London SW1A 1JB

Starling Bank Limited, 3rd Floor, 2 Finsbury Avenue, London EC2M 2PP

Standard Bank Lesotho, 1st Floor Bank Building, Kingsway Road, Maseru, Lesotho

Stanbic Bank Botswana, Fairgrounds Holdings, Gaborone, Botswana

SOLICITORS

Bates Wells, 10 Queen Street Place, London EC4R 1BE

COMPANY NUMBER 05747857

CHARITY NUMBER 1113544

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GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE

FORMER TRUSTEES AND MANAGEMENT WHO SERVED DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD

CURRENT TRUSTEES AND LEADERSHIP SERVING THE ORGANISATION

Dr Sophie Chandauka MBE, Chair of the Board

Rt Hon The Baroness Chalker of Wallasey Dr Sophie Chandauka MBE, Chair of the Board January 2012 to October 2024 2008 to 2015, and July 2023 to Present

Dr Tsitsi Chawatama July 2015 to February 2025

Dr Bhakti Hansoti, Trustee Appointed March 2025

James Marshall November 2020 to February 2025

Iain Rawlinson, Trustee

Appointed March 2025

Tim Boucher

November 2014 to March 2025

Carmel Gaillard, Executive Director Appointed December 2024

Mark Dyer, MVO

April 2006 to March 2025

Ntoli Moletsane, Country Director – Lesotho Appointed March 2020, with Sentebale since 2009

Audrey Kgosidintsi

November 2022 to March 2025

KT Montshiwa, Country Director – Botswana Appointed 2016

Dr Kelello Lerotholi

November 2022 to March 2025

Damian West

April 2006 to March 2025

Richard Miller, CEO

May 2019 to January 2025

Graham Leigh, COO and Director of Fundraising February 2019 to August 2025

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THANKS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We wish to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who made our work possible during the reporting period, including our funders, partners, dedicated staff, and, most importantly, the children, families, and communities we serve. This marked a significant milestone for the organisation as a transformational year as set out on pages 70 to 74. Your belief in the potential of the next generation inspires everything we do. Together, we are creating opportunities for children and young people across Southern Africa to be empowered, healthy, and resilient. Sentebale remains committed every day to enabling vulnerable children and young people to thrive.

BOTSWANA

AIDS and Rights Alliance for EGPAF - CDC Integra Connect
Southern Africa (ARASA) EGPAF Lesotho José Andrés Group
Babuseng-Maswabi Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, TB and Ki Smith Gallery
Attorneys at Law Malaria
LEBEC
Botswana Network of People Lesotho Mounted Police Service
living with HIV (BONEPWA)
BW Jobs 4 Graduates		 Ministry of Environment and
Forestry - ROLL project		 Nacho Figueras
Nandi Life Sciences
Diamonds Do Good Ministry of Finance and Nubicon Africa
Duma FM Development Planning -
Project Management		 Okapi Energy
Ministry of Youth Gender, Unit for Global Fund Radio Workshop
Sport and Culture (MYSEC) Ministry of Gender Youth Rawlinson Partners
National AIDS and Health
Promotion Agency (NAHPA)		 and Social Development
PEPFAR		 Royal Salute
PEPFAR Standard Lesotho Bank Sotheby’s
SAT Botswana UNAIDS Steve Cox and Family
The Former First Lady UNICEF TAFETA
Ms Neo Jane Masisi Tesseract
The Ministry of Health (MOH) The & Partnership
Tokafala Trust INTERNATIONAL The Ganzi Family and the
UNAIDS American Friends of Sentebale Grand Champions Polo Club
The James and Deborah Burrows
UNICEF Botswana Anglo American Foundation Foundation
Y Plus Global Baker McKenzie The Marshall Foundation
Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach U.S. Polo Assn.
LESOTHO Genesis Analytics
BB Alert Security service Instinct Brand Equity

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We welcomed new American friends to Southern Africa in om October 2024 including at a reception in Johannesburg featuring local music and dance talent, and to discuss the opportunities for catalytic philanthropy.

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FINANCIAL REPORT

SUMMARY

Throughout this report, the results relate to a 16-month period starting on 1 September 2023 and concluding on 31 December 2024. This fundamentally differs from the last annual report published by the charity which reflected results for a 12-month reporting period starting on 1 September 2022 and concluding on 31 August 2023. The change in Sentebale’s financial year-end from 31 August to 31 December was agreed by the Sentebale Board on 18 July 2024 in order to align the charity’s annual financial reporting with its proposed US fundraising milestones and existing institutional reporting deadlines. In order to aid comparison with the prior period in some instances below, the 16-month results have been annualised, although it is acknowledged that income and expenditure results are not linear.

During the 16-month period ending December 2024, Sentebale secured income of £3.35m, compared with £3.41m for the 12 months to December 2023. Of the total income in the period, £1.59m was unrestricted income (2023: 12 months - £2.23m) and £1.75m was restricted income (2023: 12 months - £1.18m) reflecting the substantial and increasing strength in institutional support for our work. Included in the total income is £0.32m of gifts in kind (2023: £0.20m).

The total expenditure in the period was £4.97m (2024 annualised: £3.72m) (2023: 12 months - £3.78m) being broadly similar on a 12-month basis to 2023. Fundraising costs accounted for £0.55m (2024 annualised: £0.41m) (2023: 12months - £0.39m), an increase of £0.16m. This reflects an increase in gifts in kind to support the development of new US-based financial partnerships for the charity in line with the strategy to substantially diversify sources of unrestricted income following the relocation of Prince Harry, the charity’s former patron, to the US. Total expenditure includes the cost of strategic advisers supporting the transformation of the charity and the development of new funding relationships, which were approved by the Board. The Board is pursuing a priority strategy to reactivate funding discussions with prospective financial partners following the conclusion of the Charity Commission compliance case review.

Expenditure on charitable activities was £4.42m (2024 annualised: £3.32m) (2023: £3.40m) maintaining a broadly similar level with the previous year on a 12-month basis.

The net assets on the balance sheet at the year-end totalled £0.57m (2023: £2.19m) which included free reserves of £0.23m (2023: £0.93m), being general unrestricted funds.

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COMMENTARY

Sentebale’s financial model

The 16-month period to December 2024 included the third and last year of the charity’s drawdown of the one -off donation of US$1.5milion made by its former patron, Prince Harry, in 2021 - representing a proportion of proceeds from his memoir, Spare and allocated towards investment in the quality of programmes over a three year period reported between 2022 and 2024.

Since 2021, this support masked two important long-term structural weaknesses in Sentebale’s financial model which remained unaddressed and had given rise to an increasing risk profile for the charity which were as follows:

Excluding the effect of the one-off donation referred to above, the combination of these weaknesses contributed to deficits being reported in the charity’s reported accounts for six of the seven financial periods from 2017 to 2023, with no strategy being adopted for when the three year investment was exhausted. These weaknesses were brought to the attention of the Board by the Chair at a formal meeting on 21 September 2023 in the form of a detailed analysis developed with the senior executive teams, which became the evidence base upon which the transformation agenda and urgent approach to activating US fundraising was agreed by the Board. Please see pages 70 to 74 for further detail.

Although efforts were made by the senior executive team to address the high cost base of the charity through a cost reduction programme pursued in the Lesotho and Botswana operations in late 2023, these measures were insufficient. They did not address the fundamental long-term structural weaknesses in the overall cost base or the longstanding need to execute a strategy for raising unrestricted funding from a wider range of partnerships and supporters, addressing the single point of failure risk associated with fundraising from events centred around the former patron, Prince Harry.

Drivers of the Deficit of Expenditure Over Income During the Period to December 2024

The deficit of expenditure over income during the period to December 2024 was driven by the following significant factors:

  1. Reduced income from the April 2024 Miami polo challenge

due to a late change in venue to accommodate a commercial filming request from one of the charity’s former patrons that resulted in a financial shortfall of at least US$136,000 for the charity;

  1. Deferral of a polo challenge budgeted to raise at least £500,000 in net proceeds for the charity in September 2024 due to severe illness of the principal underwriter;

  2. An unforeseen default by a third party to an intellectual property financing agreement entered into by a related party for the benefit of the charity on 10 April 2024 under which US$250,000 was paid in April 2024 and US$750,000 due in December 2024 remains unpaid; and

  3. Substantial delays in the announcement and implementation of the new global operating model which involved restructuring the charity’s workforce and programmes for greater cost recovery and cost efficiency.

The challenges noted above were exacerbated by the substantial decline in international development funding to Southern Africa beginning in late 2024 in anticipation of a change in US administration policy and tax incentives for corporate foundations.

The year end reserves as at 31 December 2024 of £232k were close to minimum reserves level as a result of the operating deficit outlined above, and were close to the level reported in 2019. This is evidence of the enduring impact of the long-term weaknesses in the financial model which will be strategically addressed through sustainable non-events driven funding as a core priority for the Board now and in the future.

Resilience of Institutional Funding and Mission Driven Partnerships

Despite these challenges, institutional support for the charity’s work in Lesotho and Botswana has continued to be strong, accounting for a majority of the charity’s funding in the period to December 2024, which is a testament to the resilience and excellence in service delivery of the in-country teams. The investment in charitable activities has stayed broadly constant on an annualised basis.

Progress since January 2025

Since the beginning of 2025, following the introduction of new executive leadership based in Southern Africa, the future cost base of the charity has been reduced by an estimated annualised amount of £1m. This restructuring has been achieved through a cost reduction programme across the organisation, including workforce rationalisation with a focus on redundant roles and renegotiation of service delivery contracts to improve cost recovery.

This work was done following detailed analysis initiated by the Chair steering the executive team and reporting to the Board from February 2024 onwards. Implementation of this global restructuring began in March 2025 following approval by the

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Board on 21 February 2025. The charity remains on track to serve at least 78,000 children and young people across Lesotho and Botswana this year, matching or exceeding our 2024 impact, demonstrating that these changes have been made without any material reduction in service delivery for the charity’s programmes, whilst maintaining 92% of the charity’s workforce in Southern Africa where all the charity’s programmes are delivered with the support of key stakeholders in the relevant local communities.

Due to the focus on optimisation of the charity’s operating model and financial planning, the charity expects to begin the process of rebuilding reserves in the current financial year. Long-term financial planning, further diversification of funding sources and rebuilding of reserves will be core priorities for the Board and senior executive leadership in the future.

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FINANCE AT A GLANCE

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2023 2024
0.8%
0.9%
9.6%
6.0%
21.4%
6.6%
0%
33.4% 47.3% 51.3%
8.7%
5.5% 1.4%
6.9%
0.1% INCOME
[Event income ] [Trusts & Foundations ] [Corporate Donors ] [General Donations ] [Legacies ] [Institutional Funding ] [Gifts in Kind ] [Investments]
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
10% 11%
90% 89%
EXPENDITURE
[Charitable activities ] [Fundraising costs]
14%
24%
12%
66% 58%
8%
15%
4%
CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
[Health & Wellbeing ] [Nurturing Communities ] [Youth Advocacy ] [Education & Livelihoods]
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FINANCIAL STRATEGY AND POLICIES

There are three core components to the long term financial strategy of Sentebale – to rebuild reserves, to diversify sources of revenue and keep tight control of costs. Since the start of 2025 the Board and executive team have already achieved a significant reduction in the charity’s cost base addressing a root cause of weakness in the previous financial model, while diversification of revenue is a focus for the remainder of the year. The Trustees are confident that delivery of this strategy will introduce a more resilient financial structure for the longer term, which in turn provides a stable platform from which to deliver our programmes and a more focused investment case for existing and future financial partners.

As key components of this strategy the reserves policy and going concern status are kept under review as matters of high priority for the Trustees.

partnerships during the reporting period, including engaging with like-minded leading organisations based in Africa and internationally focused on development in Southern Africa - positioning the charity for the future.

The Board is pursuing a priority strategy to refresh and activate both restricted and unrestricted funding discussions with existing and prospective financial partners following the conclusion of the Charity Commission compliance case review, the main elements of which include:

RESERVES

Given the changes now made to the financial model of the charity where the emphasis of fundraising is expected to be on securing restricted funding for a majority of revenue, the Trustees are reviewing the reserves policy to ensure it is most appropriate for the future so as to maintain sufficient reserves to provide protection for a proportion of core (non-programme) costs.

Under the previous policy, which was to hold free reserves equal to one quarter of forecast unrestricted expenditure, the target level of free reserves for 2025 would have been set at £225k. The level of free reserves at the balance sheet date, being unrestricted general funds excluding tangible fixed assets, was £232k (2023: £918k). During the period the programme reserve of £668k (as at 1 September 2023) was invested in activities to diversify income streams.

Looking forward, there is also scope to reduce costs further in the Botswana operation, following on from the restructuring already implemented during Q2 2025, with a view to achieving equivalent impact working through a more focused in-country team.

Cashflow projections

GOING CONCERN STATUS

Funding landscape

The global economic climate continues to present challenges for international fundraising. Geopolitical shifts, particularly in the United States, have resulted in a decreased focus by corporates and foundations on funding initiatives beyond domestic borders. At the same time, economic uncertainty and rising living costs worldwide are contributing to greater caution in charitable giving. These factors, combined with the reality that establishing new donor relationships can often take more than 12 months, have made resource mobilisation more complex.

Short term financial strategy

Sentebale has made progress in beginning to diversify its funding base, introducing a number of innovative events and commenced new relationships with potential funding

In preparing its cashflow projections to the end of 2026 the Trustees have had regard to the uncertainty created by the changes in trustees, the media coverage and the Charity Commission compliance case review in 2025, and how the projections may be affected by exchange rates and other sensitivities.

The cashflow projections show cash in excess of £300k as at December 2026 and do not assume any funding being received in respect of the fundraising opportunities identified in (a) to (d) above. Forecast cash and general reserves as at 31 December 2026 will enable programmes to continue into 2027, although below the level at 31 December 2024. The reduction in non-project costs already implemented since December 2024 has a material beneficial effect on preserving cash resources, with scope for further cast savings being achieved without impacting programme delivery. Meanwhile, the Board’s confidence in its revenue projections has been reinforced by

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(i) recent extensions of existing programmes and (ii) the ongoing support received during 2025 from existing donors of unrestricted funds. Additionally, commitments have been received to provide additional support should it be required in the review period, including from trustees and connected parties.

The Trustees consider that the strengthened financial position and outlook shown by the cashflow projections, and the financial commitments received, provide a stable platform from which Sentebale can continue to rebuild revenue and reserves, including achieving greater cost recoveries from programmes. The Trustees do not believe there is material uncertainty relating to going concern in the period to 31 December 2026. The Trustees have prepared Sentebale’s accounts on a aoing concern basis.

KEY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL

Key management personnel are:

GRANTS POLICY

The trustees apply all funds available for charitable purposes to the pursuit of ensuring the successful delivery of the charity’s objectives. Partner disbursements are approved based on the nature of the project and the needs of the children and young people, together with the effectiveness of the grant in achieving the objectives of the charity.

The Trustees

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) up to January 2025 and Executive Director (ED) after January 2025

Chief Operating Officer and Director of Fundraising

Country Director Lesotho

FUNDRAISING POLICY

Sentebale’s fundraising activities adhere to the following principles:

Country Director Botswana

The CEO and ED remuneration is set and agreed by the Board of Trustees. The CEO/ED proposes the remuneration levels of the other executive key management personnel, which is approved by the Board of Trustees.

Richard Miller resigned as CEO in January 2025 after five years of service, and Carmel Gaillard assumed the position of Executive Director.

PUBLIC BENEFIT

All the Trustees are conversant with the Charity Commission’s guidelines concerning charities and public benefit and have given consideration to them when assessing the charity’s activities. The Trustees believe that they have complied fully with the duty in Section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Commission.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Sentebale does not have share capital and is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. The company is constituted by its Memorandum and Articles of Association (dated 3 April 2006), as amended by special resolution (dated 25 December 2008). Operations in Lesotho are carried out by a taxexempt Branch Office of a Foreign Company under Lesotho law. Operations in Botswana are carried out under Botswana law as a tax-exempt charitable trust.

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SENTEBALE’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The Board of Trustees governs the organisation in line with its Articles of Association, vision, mission, values, and provides overall policy direction. The Board is responsible for compliance with the legal and statutory requirements of a UK charity as well as those in other countries in which the charity operates. The Chair leads the Board of Trustees, and the day-to-day management of the charity is delegated to the Chief Executive until January 2025, and the Executive Director thereafter, who is also Secretary and is responsible for all legal filings.

Trustees serve initially for two terms of three years each. They may serve further three-year terms subject to approval from the Board.

The trustees are unpaid, and details of the trustees’ expenses are disclosed in Note 7 to the accounts. Indemnity insurance for the trustees was provided during the period at a cost of £1,254 (2023: £907).

POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR THE INDUCTION AND TRAINING OF TRUSTEES

Prospective trustees may be selected through a combination of appeals to the charity’s own networks and approaches via recognised experts, followed by a formal application and approval by all trustees. Criteria applied to new trustee appointments includes an evaluation of how the appointee’s skills fulfil the priority needs of the organisation. Newly appointed trustees will receive an induction and any training deemed necessary by the Chair and candidate at the appointment stage.

The actions being taken incorporate several initiatives to build revenue and reserves (including expanding our supporter base in the US) and by seeking new funding opportunities from trusts, foundations, and high-networth individuals; and reduction in our cost base.

2. Reputational Damage – We are vulnerable to negative interest from press by nature of having had high-profile co-founding patrons. What could be dealt with appropriately and quietly in another non-profit may attract more attention in the public domain which may adversely affect decision-making by existing and potential financial partners during a period of uncertainty. We have relationships with communications management professionals to support the organisation in this regard.

3. Safeguarding and Safety of Personnel – Any breaches in safeguarding best practice could put children and young people and staff at risk and impact our ability to deliver programmes due to loss of reputation with donors. Staff and trustees are trained in safeguarding responsibilities, risk mitigation and reporting. We also maintain an up-to-date suite of policies and procedures to protect the children and young people we work with from exploitation, abuse, and harm.

MANAGING RISK

Sentebale works with vulnerable children and young adults which brings a high level of responsibility for their safeguarding and welfare. We have an active risk management process in place to ensure appropriate steps are taken to manage and mitigate risk across the organisation.

The trustees have identified and reviewed the major risks to which the charity is exposed and have established a risk assessment procedure to identify and anticipate these risks and to consider further risks which may arise. The trustees believe that implementation of agreed actions and procedures limits the probability and impact of these risks to an acceptable level.

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT RISKS IN THIS REPORTING PERIOD WERE:

1. Financial position of the organisation – The income of the charity was adversely affected in the period due to a number of factors set out in the Financial Report above. The fundraising and cost saving initiatives also referred to underline the ongoing work to strengthen the resilience and sustainability of the charity’s new financial model.

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STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES

The Trustees (who are also directors of Sentebale for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report (which is also the director’s report for the purposes of company law) and Financial Statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law requires the trustees to prepare Financial Statements for each financial year. Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

This confirmation is given and should be interpreted in accordance with the provisions of s418 of the Companies Act 2006. The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD Dr Sophie Chandauka MBE Chair of the Board of Trustees

30 September 2025

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Each of the trustees confirms that:

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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF SENTEBALE

OPINION

We have audited the financial statements of Sentebale (the ‘charitable company’) for the period ended 31 December 2024 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, statement of cash flows, the principal accounting policies and the notes to the financial statements. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’ (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion, the financial statements:

BASIS FOR OPINION

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

doubt on the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

OTHER INFORMATION

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon, which comprises the trustees’ report and Reporting on transformation during and after the reporting period, and Public interest disclosure addressing disinformation. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

OPINIONS ON OTHER MATTERS PRESCRIBED BY THE COMPANIES ACT 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

CONCLUSIONS RELATING TO GOING CONCERN

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant

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MATTERS ON WHICH WE ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT BY EXCEPTION

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the trustees’ report. We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEES

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

AUDITOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE AUDIT OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will

always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below

Our approach to identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, was as follows:

We assessed the susceptibility of the charity’s financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur, by:

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To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls, we:

undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Edward Finch (Senior Statutory Auditor)

For and on behalf of Buzzacott Audit LLP, Statutory Auditor 130 Wood Street London

EC2V 6DL

30 September 2025

In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:

There are inherent limitations in our audit procedures described above. The more removed that laws and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of non-compliance. Auditing standards also limit the audit procedures required to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations to enquiry of the trustees and other management and the inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.

Material misstatements that arise due to fraud can be harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at www.frc.org.uk/ auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

USE OF OUR REPORT

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been

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STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

(INCORPORATING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE) FOR THE 16 MONTH PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

Total Funds
for the 12
Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds months ended
Funds Funds 31 Dec 2024 31 Aug 2023
Notes General Programmes
Income from £000 £000 £000 £000
Events 715 - 715 1,612
Donations and legacies
General donations 293 - 293 187
Corporate donors - - - 4
Trusts & Foundations 187 34 221 234
Institutional funding - 1,717 1,717 1,136
Legacies 47 - 47 -
Gifts in kind 321 - 321 204
Investments 31 - 31 29
879 1,751 2,630 1,794
Total income 1,594 1,751 3,345 3,406
Expenditure on raising funds 2 554 - 554 386
Charitable activities: 3
Health & well-being 1,544 1,029 2,573 2,230
Nurturing Communities 133 22 155 285
Youth Advocacy 553 96 649 403
Education & Livelihoods 442 604 1,046 476
Total charitable activities 2,672 1,751 4,423 3,394
Total expenditure 3,226 1,751 4,977 3,780
Deficit of income over expenditure
before investment gains/(loss)		 4 (1,632) - (1,632) (374)
Unrealised investment gains/
(losses)		 11 9 - 9 (12)
Transfer between funds - -
Net movement in funds (1,623) - (1,623) (386)
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward at
1 September 2023		 2,190 - 2,190 2,576
Total funds carried forward at
31 December 2024		 567 - 567 2,190

Funds relate to continuing activities of the Charity.

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BALANCE SHEET

AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2024

Total funds Total funds
Notes 31 Dec 2024 31 Aug 2023
£000 £000
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 10 335 597
Investments 11 25 16
Current assets
Debtors 12 45 599
Cash at bank and in hand 556 1,433
601 2,032
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 13 (394) (455)
Net current assets 207 1,577
Net assets 567 2,190
Funds
Unrestricted funds
General funds 15 232 929
Designated fund:
Programme Reserve		 15 - 668
Designated fund:
Lesotho Mamohato Centre		 15 290 403
Designated fund:
Botswana Childrens Camp		 15 - 144
Designated fund:
Other tangible fixed assets		 45 46
Restricted funds
Programmes 16 - -
Total funds 567 2,190

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies and with the Financial Reporting Standard 102.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD Dr Sophie Chandauka MBE Chair of the Board of Trustees

30 September 2025

Company number 05747857

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STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

FOR THE 16 MONTH PERIOD TO 31 DECEMBER 2024

2024 2023*
Total Funds Total Funds
£000 £000
Cash flows from operating activities
Net cash (used in) operating activities (970) (625)
Cash flow from investing activities
Dividends, interest, rents from investments 25 17
Proceeds on disposal of fixed assets 7 -
Purchase of property, plant and equipment (6) (63)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 26 (46)
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting period (944) (671)
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period 1,433 2,108
Change in cash and cash equivalents due to exchange rate movements 67 (4)
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period 556 1,433
Net Movement in funds for the reporting period
(as per the statement of financial activities)		 (1,622) (386)
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charges 109 151
Loss on disposal of fixed assets 118 -
Unrealised (gains)/losses on investments (9) 12
Dividends, interest and rents from investments (25) (17)
Exchange rate movements (34) 33
Decrease (increase) in debtors 554 (89)
(Decrease) in creditors (61) (329)
Net cash (used in ) operating activities (970) (625)
Analysis of cash and cash equivalents
Cash in hand 556 1,433
Total cash and cash equivalents 556 1,433

The charity has no loans or debt instruments. There is therefore no difference between the movement in cash and cash equivalents and the movement in net debt.

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For many young boys in Lesotho, herding means months of isolation, missing vital health, education, and social opportunities.

5 6 S E N T E B A L E A N N UA L R E P O R T 2 0 2 4 pees: £

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE 16 MONTH PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

1. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES

A. Basis of accounting

These financial statements have been prepared for the 16 months to 31 December 2024. Comparative amounts are for the year ended 31 August 2023. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policies below or the notes to these financial statements. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their financial statements in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006. The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial statements are presented in sterling and are rounded to the nearest thousand.

B. Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement

Preparation of the financial statements requires the trustees to make significant judgements and estimates. The items in the financial statements where these judgements and estimates have been made include:

establishing new donor relationships can often take more than 12 months, have made resource mobilisation more complex. Despite this, Sentebale has made progress in diversifying its funding base, introducing a number of innovative events and commenced new relationships with potential funding partnerships, including with like-minded leading organisations based in Africa and internationally focused on development in Southern Africa - positioning the charity well for the future. At the same time, since the start of 2025 the Board and executive team have affected significant reductions in the charity’s cost base.

Accordingly, the Trustees are confident that Sentebale now has a more resilient financial model, and the organisation has streamlined its operations enabling better financial controls. Further details are provided in the Financial Report. The Board has prepared the accounts on a going concern basis.

D. Income recognition

Donations are recognised either when there is a contract for receipt and Sentebale considers that any outstanding conditions under the contract have been met, or when Sentebale has become entitled to a future payment and its amount can be ascertained with reasonable probability. Funds received in one accounting period for expenditure that must take place in subsequent accounting periods are not accounted for as income but are carried forward in creditors as deferred income.

Legacies are included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is entitled to the legacy, the executors have established that there are sufficient surplus assets in the estate to pay the legacy, and any conditions attached to the legacy are within the control of the charity. Receipt of a legacy, in whole or in part, is only considered probable when the amount can be measured reliably. Where legacies have been notified to the charity, or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, but the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material.

C. Assessment of Going Concern

The global economic climate continues to present challenges for international fundraising. Geopolitical shifts, particularly in the United States, have resulted in a decreased focus by corporates and foundations on funding initiatives beyond domestic borders. At the same time, economic uncertainty and rising living costs worldwide are contributing to greater caution in charitable giving. These factors, combined with the reality that

Income from institutional funders is recognised when the following conditions are met – the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received, and the amount can be measured reliably. Income for funds requested in advance are deferred to the extent that it relates to specific future periods either via explicit or implicit time conditions within the grant agreement.

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE 16 MONTH PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

Event income includes receipts from fundraising events as well as any insurance receipts if events are cancelled. The income is recognised when a commitment has been made or paid and the event has taken place.

Donated services are recognised as income at the value that the charity would have paid to otherwise obtain the resources concerned.

Investment income is recognised on a receivable basis and when the amounts can be measured reliably. Dividends are recognised once the dividend has been declared and notification has been received that the dividends are due.

E. Expenditure recognition

Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis. Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure includes any attributable VAT which cannot be recovered.

Maloti) and for Botswana was £1 = 17.39 Botswana Pula (2023: £1 = 17.17 Botswana Pula). The average exchange rate in 2024 for Lesotho was £1 = 23.39 Maloti (2023: £1 = 22.12) and Botswana £1 = 17.24 (2023: £1 = 16.16 Botswana Pula).

I. Leased assets

Rentals payable under operating leases, where all the substantial risks and rewards of ownership remain with the lessor, are charged to the statement of financial activities over the period of the lease term.

J. Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets are stated at historical cost less depreciation and applicable impairment. Depreciation is provided on all tangible fixed assets at rates calculated to write each asset to its estimated residual value evenly over its expected useful life, as follows:

F. Expenditure allocation

Expenditure is analysed in the statement of financial activities in accordance with the purposes for which the funds are applied. Where expenditure does not fall clearly into one category of purpose, it is allocated to the appropriate headings on a reasonable percentage basis. The basis of allocation is determined on the approximate proportion of costs applicable to each category based on time spent on each activity. Expenditure on raising funds includes fundraising and event costs, including gifts in kind allocated from events partners, as well as marketing, PR, and website development. Costs of charitable activities represent staff costs, Sentebale programme costs, partner disbursements, support and other direct costs associated with undertaking the activities and objects of the charity. Governance costs of the charity, which are included within support costs, comprise those costs relating to strategic rather than day-to-day management of Sentebale’s activities. This includes such items as audit costs, legal advice, and meeting constitutional and statutory requirements.

G. Partner disbursements

Financial support to partners is recognised in the statement of financial activities when approved by the trustees as part of the budget process and a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with the partner. The charity monitors the grants according to agreed budgets and payments are issued according to the agreed payment schedule.

K. Debtors

Debtors are recognised at their settlement amount, less any provision for non-recoverability. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid. They have been discounted to the present value of the future cash receipt where such discounting is material.

L. Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand represents such accounts and instruments that are available on demand or have a maturity of less than three months from the date of acquisition. Deposits for more than three months, but less than one year are disclosed as short-term deposits.

M. Creditors

Creditors are recognised when there is an obligation at the balance sheet date because of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably. Creditors are recognised at the amount the charity anticipates it will pay to settle the debt. They have been discounted to the present value of the future cash payment where such discounting is material.

N. Restricted funds

These funds can only be used for purposes as specified by the donor and are summarised in note 16.

H. Foreign exchange

During the period, the reported income and expenditure for Lesotho and Botswana was translated at the monthly average rates of exchange. Any adjustments are made for balance sheet items at the prevailing rate of exchange. The rate applied on 31 December 2024 for Lesotho was £1 = 23.27 Maloti (2023: £1 = 23.88

O. Unrestricted funds

The unrestricted general funds are available to cover any costs associated with running the organisation and its programmes. The designated funds are monies set aside out of general funds and designated for specific purposes,

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE 16 MONTH PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

although the trustees may ultimately decide to use such funds for other purposes.

The charity currently has four designated funds as follows:

achieve the greatest possible impact and, in turn, attract growing support from existing and new funders. During the period the programme reserve transferred to unrestricted reserves and was invested in activities to diversify income streams.

The designations in relation to tangible fixed assets have been made as such assets are vital to the charity being able to carry out its charitable work and the value invested in the assets cannot therefore be realised to meet future expenditure or contingencies. Fixed assets funded by restricted funds are initially capitalized within restricted funds, with a transfer being made from restricted to the other tangible fixed assets fund once these assets are substantially complete or all restricted funding has been utilised.

2. EXPENDITURE ON RAISING FUNDS

Total Funds Total Funds
31 Dec 2024 31 Aug 2023
£000 £000
Events 476 343
Support costs 78 43
Cost of generating funds 554 386

The total increase in costs of fundraising reflects:

Included in the events cost is gifts in kind donations of £208k (2023: £120k).

Gifts in kind include donations from Sponsors towards the fundraising events held in the period.

The above support costs include governance costs of £15k (2023: £12k).

3. CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

Charitable Activity Programme
costs		 Programme
support costs		 Total costs
December 2024
£000 £000 £000
Health & well-being 2,515 58 2,573
Nurturing Communities 138 17 155
Youth Advocacy 580 69 649
Education & Livelihoods 999 47 1,046
Total Charitable Activities 4,232 191 4,423

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE 16 MONTH PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

3. CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)

The above support costs include governance costs of £37k (2023: £40k) and foreign exchange losses of £4k (2023: losses of £46k).

Governance costs include legal, audit and bank charges.

CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES: COMPARATIVE INFORMATION

Programme Programme Total costs
Charitable Activity costs support costs December 2024
£000 £000 £000
Health & Wellbeing 2,185 45 2,230
Nurturing Communities 258 27 285
Youth Advocacy 363 40 403
Education & Livelihoods 447 29 476
Total Charitable Activities 3,253 141 3,394

4. NET INCOME

4. NET INCOME
2024 2023
£000 £000
This is stated after charging
Auditors Remuneration:
Audit fee to financial statement - CY 26 25
Audit fee to financial statement - PY 1 -
Audit fees to other auditors 11 9
Depreciation 109 151
Operating Lease Charges 14 31

5. PARTNER DISBURSEMENTS

5. PARTNER DISBURSEMENTS
No of grants 2024 31-Dec-24
£000		 No of grants
2023		 31-Aug-23
£000
Education and livelihoods (school bursaries) - - 25 3
Total partner disbursements - - 25 3

School bursaries cover tuition, boarding and exam fees, transport fares, living allowance, stationery, uniform, and hygiene packs.

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE 16 MONTH PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

6. STAFF HEAD COUNT AND STAFF COSTS

The average weekly number of persons employed by the
charity expressed on a full-time equivalent basis was:		 2024 2023
Programme 112 99
Fundraising 6 4
Other 7 4
125 107
Lesotho based 85 87
Botswana based 35 15
London based 5 5
125 107

The changes in Lesotho and Botswana staff numbers are due to fixed term staffing requirements for the delivery of restricted funded programmes.

Staff costs comprised (UK, Lesotho, and Botswana) 31-Dec-24
£000		 31-Aug-23
£000
Wages and salaries 1,667 1,203
Social security 45 49
Other pension costs 113 84
1,825 1,336

The increase in total staff costs is partly due to an additional four months of expenditure due to the adjusted reporting period from August to December.

Underlying annual salary increases were 7.5% in Lesotho and 7.5% in Botswana. In the UK the underlying annual salary increase for all staff was 6.5%.

2024 2023
Number of employees who received emoluments over
£60,000 during the period:		 No No
£60,001 - £70,000 1 1
£80,001 - £90,000 1 1
£90,001 - £100,000 1 -
£120,001 - £130,000 1 1
£180,001 - £190,000 1 -

The pension contributions for the five employees earning more than £60,000 in the period amounted to £52,985 (2023: £28,037).

The disclosure above is based on remuneration over a 16-month period. Only four employees received remuneration over £60,000 on an annual basis, The highest paid employee received an annual salary of £138,267.

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE 16 MONTH PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

6. STAFF HEAD COUNT AND STAFF COSTS (CONTINUED)

The earnings of the four remunerated key management personnel as described in the Trustees Report, including employer’s pension contributions and national insurance contributions, was £506,284 (2023: £362,247).

7. TRUSTEES

No Trustees or their family members received remuneration from the charity during the reporting period. No Trustees received remuneration for their services as Trustees during the reporting period or at present.

During the period, in addition to those donations made via family foundations as set out on page 67, donations received from trustees were £8,500 (2023: £120,000). Travel expenses paid for trustees were £6,018 relating to one trustee (2023: £15,138, one trustee). An amount is payable to one current Trustees for past services to the charity prior to his appointment as a trustee of £66,000 (2023: £0).

Indemnity insurance including cover for the trustees was provided in the period at a cost of £1,254 (2023: £907).

8. TAXATION

Sentebale is a registered charity and therefore is not liable to income tax on income derived from its charitable activities, as it falls within the various exemptions available to registered charities.

The company is also recognised as a registered charity in Lesotho and as such, for taxation purposes, is entitled to exemption from Lesotho taxation. In Botswana, the company is set up as a charitable trust, a body recognised by the Botswana Commissioner of Taxes as exempt from income tax.

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE 16 MONTH PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

9. COMPARATIVE INFORMATION

9. COMPARATIVE INFORMATION
Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds
Funds Funds 31 Aug 2023
Notes General Programmes
Income from £000 £000 £000
Events 1,612 - 1,612
Donations and legacies
General Donations 162 25 187
Corporate Donors 4 - 4
Trusts & Foundations 216 18 234
Institutional Funding - 1,136 1,136
Legacies - - -
Gifts in Kind 204 - 204
Investments 29 - 29
615 1,179 1,794
Total income 2,227 1,179 3,406
Expenditure on raising funds 2 386 - 386
Charitable activities: 3
Health & well-being 1,362 868 2,230
Nurturing Communities 224 61 285
Youth Advocacy 301 102 403
Education & Livelihoods 308 168 476
Total charitable activities 2,195 1,199 3,394
Total expenditure 2,581 1,199 3,780
Surplus/(deficit) of income over expenditure before
investment gains/(losses)		 4 (354) (20) (374)
Unrealised investment gains/(losses) (12) - (12)
Transfer between funds -
Net movement in funds (366) (20) (386)
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward at 1 September 2022 2,556 20 2,576
Total funds carried forward at 31 August 2023 2,190 - 2,190

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE 16 MONTH PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

10. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

10. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS
Property Land & Motor Fixtures, Fittings &
Buildings Vehicles Equipment Total
£000 £000 £000 £000
Cost or Valuation
Brought forward 1 September 2023 2,420 149 153 2,722
Additions - - 6 6
Disposals (187) (34) (1) (222)
Foreign exchange movements (7) (14) (13) (34)
Balance carried forward 2,226 101 145 2,472
Depreciation
Brought forward 1 September 2023 1,887 112 126 2,125
Charge for the period 105 - 4 109
Depreciation on disposals (62) (34) (1) (97)
Balance carried forward 1,930 78 129 2,137
Net book value
Brought forward 1 September 2023 533 37 27 597
Carried forward 31 December 2024 296 23 16 335

Property, land, and buildings represents the Mamohoto Children’s Centre in Lesotho.

In December 2023, the lease agreement for the Botswana camp site was mutually terminated by both parties to the agreement, and Sentebale relinquished control of the camp.

11. INVESTMENTS

11. INVESTMENTS
£000
Value 1 September 2022 28
Unrealised losses for the year (12)
Value at 31 August 2023 16
Unrealised gains for the period 9
Value at 31 December 2024 25
Historic cost of donated shares (deemed cost on receipt) 20

All investments are held in Crystal Amber fund.

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE 16 MONTH PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

12. DEBTORS

12. DEBTORS
31-Dec-24 31-Aug-23
£000 £000
Legacies receivable 12 85
Donations and sponsorship receivable 9 445
Prepayments 6 20
Other debtors 18 49
45 599

13. CREDITORS

13. CREDITORS
31-Dec-24 31-Aug-23
£000 £000
Amounts falling due within one year:
Trade creditors 23 35
Other creditors 4 11
Accruals 215 278
Deferred income 152 133
394 457

Deferred income represents restricted funds from institutional donors for future periods.

31-Aug-23
Brought 31-Dec-24
Forward Received Released Carried forward
£000 £000 £000 £000
Deferred income 133 1,561 (1,542) 152

14. MEMBERS LIABILITY

The charity does not have share capital and is limited by guarantee. In the event of the charity being wound up, the maximum amount each member is liable to contribute is £1. There were eight members on 31 December 2024.

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE 16 MONTH PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

15. UNRESTRICTED FUNDS

15. UNRESTRICTED FUNDS
Balance Income and
31 Aug 23 additions Expenditure Transfers Balance
£000 £000 £000 £000 31 Dec 2024
General funds 929 1,603 (2,968) 668 232
Designated funds:
Lesotho: Mamohato Childrens Centre 403 - (113) - 290
Botswana: Childrens Camp 144 - (144) - -
Other tangible fixed assets 46 - (1) - 44
Programme funds 668 - - (668) -
Unrestricted funds 2,190 1,603 (3,226) - 567

General funds represent all unrestricted income received and used to undertake the work of the charity.

During the period the programme reserve was transferred to unrestricted reserves and was invested in activities to diversify income streams.

16. RESTRICTED FUNDS: PROGRAMMES

Balance Income and Balance
31 Aug 23 additions Expenditure 31 Dec 2024
£000 £000 £000 £000
Health & well-being - 1,029 (1,029) -
Nurturing Communities - 22 (22) -
Youth Advocacy - 96 (96) -
Education & Livelihoods - 604 (604) -
Restricted funds - 1,751 (1,751) -

Restricted funds relate to donations received for specific projects and held at the period end.

RESTRICTED FUNDS: COMPARATIVE INFORMATION

Balance Balance
31 Aug 2022 Income Expenditure 31 Aug 2023
£000 £000 £000 £000
Health & Wellbeing 20 848 868 -
Nurturing Communities - 61 61 -
Youth Advocacy - 102 102 -
Education & Livelihoods - 168 168 -
Restricted funds 20 1,179 1,199 -

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE 16 MONTH PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

17. NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS

17. NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds
Designated
General funds Programmes Total
£000 £000 £000 £000
Fixed assets
Tangible assets - 335 - 335
Investments 25 - - 25
Current assets
Debtors 20 - 25 45
Cash at bank and in hand 417 - 139 556
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (230) - (164) (394)
Net current assets 207 - - 207
Net assets 232 335 - 567

18. OPERATING LEASE COMMITMENTS

On 31 December 2024 the total of the charity’s future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases was as follows:

2023 2023
£000 £000
Amounts due in one year 13 31
13 31

19. CAPITAL COMMITMENTS

On 31 December 2024, the charity did not have any capital commitments (2023: £0).

20. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The charity transacted with the following organisations which are considered related parties:

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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE 16 MONTH PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

20. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (CONTINUED)

Amounts receivable with these entities during the current and prior period were:

2024 2023
£000 £000
AFoS
Donations 711 610
Payments made by Sentebale on
behalf of AFoS		 1 -
Payments made by AFoS 2 -
The Marshall Foundation
Donations 174 116
The & Partnership
Gifts in Kind - 85
Storage fees - 1
Timothy Boucher
Donations 8 -
Baroness Lynda Chalker
Donations 1 -
Iain Rawlinson
Amount payable 66 -

Donations from AFoS relate to grants received in the period.

Donations from Marshall Foundation relate to grants received in the period.

Other transactions with trustees are disclosed in note 7.

21. CONTINGENT ASSETS – LEGACY INCOME

There were no contingent assets as at 31 December 2024 (2023: £0).

22. POST BALANCE SHEET EVENTS

Subsequent to the balance sheet date, the charity completed significant governance transitions including the appointment of a new Board in March 2025 following the resignation of the then patrons and trustees. This resulted in substantial media coverage and prompted a Charity Commission regulatory compliance case review which was successfully concluded in August 2025. There has also been significant financial transformation as described under “Going concern” in the accounting policies. Additional information and details of the current governance structure are provided in the Trustees’ Report and within Reporting on transformation during and after the reporting period, and Public interest disclosure addressing disinformation, that accompany these financial statements.

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‘A message to my fellow youth: Take up spaces, bring the impact you want to see, and face life ‘ ’ with boldness. LYL taught me that, and it’s the real deal.[’]

RACHEL

The Mamohato Children’s Centre in Lesotho after sunset.

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REPORTING ON TRANSFORMATION DURING AND AFTER THE REPORTING PERIOD

CONTEXT AND PURPOSE OF REPORTING ON THE TRANSFORMATION

The past eighteen months have marked the most comprehensive transformation in Sentebale’s history, reshaping its governance, operations, and culture. In the period covered by this report Sentebale went through significant organisational change which was not confined to one area but touched every dimension of the charity: governance structures, fundraising strategies, contractual frameworks, operating models, workforce configuration, and organisational culture. Since July 2023 the charity sought to intentionally and purposefully implement this “Transformation Agenda” . In parallel, the charity was forced to evolve due to several unplanned changes in circumstances. This report is a chronological account of these events and how Sentebale has confidently navigated and adapted to its present form.

The Trustees consider it essential to provide a full account of the Transformation Agenda, including significant developments that continued beyond 31 December 2024, given the fundamental importance of these events to understanding the charity’s operations and strategic direction during the reporting period and their ongoing impact on the organisation’s future.

Trustees have a duty to provide comprehensive disclosure of material events and circumstances that affect the charity’s operations and governance. The events described below represent significant developments that materially impact the charity’s governance structure, operational model, and strategy, and provide essential context for understanding the charity’s position and trajectory.

The Charity Commission’s regulatory compliance case review into Sentebale, which commenced on 3 April 2025 and concluded on 6 August 2025, represents a significant development in the charity’s transformation journey. This regulatory engagement and its outcomes provide important context for understanding the charity’s governance evolution and strategic direction. Trustees are encouraged by the regulatory framework to adopt a spirit of full disclosure to aid transparency and accountability.

Sentebale’s transformation can be understood through two complementary perspectives:

Taken together, these perspectives explain both the proactive choices and the necessary adaptations that shaped this period. In the pages that follow, readers will see a detailed chronological account of the drivers of change, the decisions taken, and the outcomes that position Sentebale for a stronger future.

70 S E N T E B A L E A N N UA L R E P O R T 2 0 2 4

The inclusion of this report on the Transformation Agenda therefore fulfils the charity’s legal and regulatory obligations for transparency under charity law and reporting requirements. This report ensures that readers have access to material facts necessary for their understanding of Sentebale’s historical challenges, current position and future direction in accordance with the disclosure requirements applicable to registered charities in England and Wales.

July 2023 - September 2023: Organisational Assessment and Imperative for Transformation

Following Dr Chandauka’s appointment as Chair in July 2023, a structured assessment of Sentebale’s opportunities and needs was initiated by the Chair reflecting her mandate at the point of her appointment to calibrate the organisation to attract a broader base of financial partners, particularly in the US.

The assessment was conducted with input from the then patrons, trustees, senior executives, external advisors, prospective trustees and stakeholders across Lesotho, Botswana, the UK and the US. Evidence was gathered through Board meeting workshops, consultations with stakeholders, and reviews of organisational performance, governance practices, and funding trends over a seven-year period.

November 2023 - May 2024:

The assessment highlighted five areas of need for focus: restoration of activities to pre-pandemic levels, streamlining the operational and financial model of the charity, improving team cohesion and performance management, responding to the impact of the shifting landscape for global development funding i.e., moving away from a focus just on HIV, and adapting to the relocation of a former patron to the US.

The assessment also confirmed that a key objective of the Transformation Agenda was to align Sentebale with the expectations of mission-oriented corporate foundations, family offices and individual donors. This was necessary in order to reduce dependence on events-based fundraising, particularly polo, which was heavily reliant on participation of one former patron who had expressed a desire for the charity to reduce its reliance on him for several years.

September 2023 - November 2023:

Board Mandate for the Transformation Agenda and Implementation Framework

At the November 2023 Board meeting the Board committed to meetings at least every other month focused on implementing recommendations as part of the Transformation Agenda (sometimes referred to internally as “Project Pivot”). The Board supported the need for prompt action. After the consideration of various other options which were not viable due to the need for immediate containment of a dynamic situation due to staff cohesion and underperformance issues at the time, and following one former patron’s written request and support communicated on 15 and 25 February 2024, Dr Chandauka was mandated to lead the Transformation Agenda as Executive Chair. The Executive Chair’s scope of work involved significant daily time commitment and was approved at a Board meeting on 29 February 2024, with specific milestones regularly reviewed asynchronously and discussed at Board meetings on 28 March, 23 April and 30 May 2024.

Review of Organisational Assessment and Foundation Setting

High-level milestones included:

Detailed results of the assessment were presented at Board meetings on 21 September 2023 and 30 November 2023. Discussion at these meetings focused on three thematic areas:

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The process setting, reviewing and progressing the Transformation Agenda involved frequent individual trustee meetings, Board plenary sessions and executive leadership consultation and engagement leveraging insights and delivery by self-employed strategic advisers with specialist skills as necessary.

Project Pivot Workstreams

Like many charities, Sentebale regularly utilises external expertise and self-employed professionals across various domains to meet organisational needs. Project Pivot was organised into three distinct workstreams, each of which required some level of additional support from external strategic advisers:

1. Market strategy and lead generation: Expert advice on how to competitively engage in the US philanthropic market and generate qualified leads.

2. Event management and convening: Project management and production of strategic convenings for these leads across different US locations where Sentebale did not have staff.

3. Organisational transformation: Expert assessment and implementation of organisational changes to meet the rigorous due diligence standards required by US-based corporate foundations, family offices and individual donors, ensuring Sentebale could withstand the intensive scrutiny these funding sources demand.

The charity secured an intellectual property partnership in early 2024 that yielded US$250,000 in April 2024, covering the majority of the Project Pivot costs.

Compensation was offered to the Chair for the additional responsibilities and time devoted to the charity, but the Chair elected to forego compensation to save costs for the charity, as documented in Board minutes on 27 June 2024, and in order to maintain independence.

Milestone specific information:

This workstream identified persons and institutions positioned to support the charity in multiple capacities, i.e. related to supporting the enhanced strategic focus and achieving fundraising objectives.

At the time, it was also acknowledged by the then patrons and trustees that Sentebale lacked several key elements for successfully attracting mission-oriented corporate foundations, family offices and individual donors in the US, including brand resonance in the highly competitive US market and a clear narrative regarding its focus areas and long-term goals. The Board also lacked strategic philanthropic relationships necessary for sustainable funding diversification in a landscape where, based on several case studies presented to the then Board, organisations typically make 50 approaches to secure one positive funding outcome.

April 2024 - September 2024:

Strategic investment in the US Philanthropic Market

Key achievements from the charity’s focus on building US relationships included activating prospective partnerships with several major corporate foundations, family foundations and social impact platforms. The charity co-hosted a highprofile Miami event in April 2024, attracting corporate foundations, international development institutions, purpose driven individuals and family foundations. The engagement successfully established a compelling value proposition

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aligning Sentebale’s track record with contemporary

philanthropic priorities around health, wealth creation, and climate resilience for children and young people in Lesotho and Botswana. A similar convening and highly impactful corporate roundtable was co-hosted by Sentebale allowing individuals and organisations who met in Miami to engage with leading organisations working in the children and youth sector in Southern Africa. The new supporters of Sentebale from Miami travelled to Lesotho and Johannesburg in October 2024 accompanied by members of the senior executive leadership team, the former patrons, the Chair and strategic advisors, including Mr Iain Rawlinson and corporate impact roundtable contributor Dr Hansoti, both of whom would join the Board of Trustees in March 2025. The convening was a resounding success for strategic partnership development and team building for the charity and marked Prince Harry’s first visit to Lesotho for the first time in six years.

The group of specialist strategic advisors delivered substantial measurable results during the initial phases of implementing the transformation - facilitating 65 key connections with potential partners and funders, including 37 new prospective funders representing 58% of all connections and prospects. Two successful convenings brought together leading development organisations and potential financial partners, one in Miami and another in South Africa, creating valuable networking opportunities and partnership pathways. Key outcomes included: a contract with a luxury fashion-for-good company with the potential to generate US$250,000 annually over time; final stage of governance for a grant worth US$5 million over five years from a Fortune Global 500 corporate foundation; due diligence with a US$500,000 partnership opportunity involving an innovative education company; exploratory discussions with a Fortune 500 technology corporate foundation.

This work created the foundations for exploring flexible grant funding from progressive funders with 1-3-year development timelines from April 2024.

April 2024 - December 2024: Transformation Actions and Governance Review

In parallel with the strategic fundraising efforts, a detailed governance review was completed between April and July 2024, followed by resolution of key issues from August 2024 onwards. This included agreeing transition plans for most of the then Board, some whose members had significantly exceeded recommended term limits.

However, between April and December 2024, Board functioning and fundraising operations experienced acute difficulties due to competing commercial interests, increasing interference, diversion and undermining of funding leads by one of the former patrons and some of the former trustees. The Chair raised governance and professional conduct concerns with one former patron on 7 November 2024 and the then senior independent trustee on 11 November 2024, initially seeking private resolution through protected disclosures as a

whistleblower under English law.

December 2024 - March 2025:

Board Changes and Reputation Management

From December 2024, records show that action was covertly initiated to remove the Chair without cause by one of the former patrons and some of the former trustees. When mediation attempts and the governance concerns raised by the Chair, including in writing on 12 February 2025, received no response, the Chair reported the matter to the Charity Commission through its whistleblowing procedure on 16 February 2025. Soon thereafter, two Board members resigned. The Chair also sought protection from the High Court of Justice of England and Wales, using her own resources, for urgent injunctive relief on 5 March 2025 to protect her from the ongoing unconstitutional attempts by one former patron and the remaining former trustees to remove her from office, beginning mid-February 2025. The Chair did not resign, staying committed to good governance and the team who understood the situation, as resignation would not serve the organisation’s long-term interests. On 6 March 2025, the High Court ordered a stay of proceedings and recommended mediation. The former patrons and remaining former trustees instead decided to resign with effect from 24 March 2025. A new Board from a preexisting pool of prospective trustees that had already engaged with the charity for over a year was appointed on 25 March 2025 in accordance with the charity’s constitution.

On 25 March 2025, without notifying the charity, the former patrons and trustees briefed the press and made public announcements regarding their departure which included misleading and incorrect statements regarding the charity’s leadership, governance and operations, and financial position, resulting in sustained adverse media coverage in international and social media. Disinformation caused reputational damage to the charity and its leadership, potentially affecting public trust in the charity. In response, from 29 March 2025, and in order to protect the charity from serious harm, Sentebale publicly addressed the most damaging disinformation through responses to the press, Sentebale’s social media channels, the Financial Times and a Sky News interview.

Throughout this period, the charity’s Southern Africa-based senior executives supported the action taken by the Chair and the transition to a new Board, guided by their assessment of organisational values, commitment to due process, and the importance of the Transformation Agenda to beneficiaries and the long-term independence and sustainability of operations in Lesotho and Botswana.

April 2025 - August 2025:

Charity Commission Regulatory Engagement and Validation

The media interest in the charity prompted the Charity Commission to open a regulatory compliance case review on 3 April 2025 stating that “The regulator’s focus, in line with its statutory remit, will be to determine whether the charity’s current and former trustees, including its chair, have fulfilled

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their duties and responsibilities under charity law”.

The Charity Commission issued its case concluding statement on 6 August 2025 confirming that Sentebale had validly appointed Trustees in place to take the charity forward and presenting a regulatory action plan for the Trustees to complete for the purposes of addressing past governance issues as identified in the review. The charity welcomed the Charity Commission’s validation of the new Board and the Commission’s recognition of the much-needed governance reforms which had been the focus of the Chair’s concerns as she had reported to the Charity Commission in February 2025.

The governance-related actions prescribed by the Charity Commission’s action plan, which the charity has largely completed, included introduction of robust policies for addressing internal complaints and whistleblowing; implementation of constitutional dispute resolution procedures; introduction of a trustees’ code of conduct; and implementation of clear delegation frameworks including guidance for approaching the governance of any future patron relationship. Recruitment of further trustees to complement the current Board will commence this year.

In its statement responding to the Charity Commission’s concluding statement on 6 August 2025, Sentebale summarised the operational progress made since the start of 2025. It noted that despite weathering a period of turbulence and a shifting international funding landscape that has increasingly deprioritised Africa, the charity remains on track to directly serve at least 78,000 children and young people across Lesotho and Botswana this year, matching or exceeding its 2024 impact, while maintaining exceptional partnerships with governments, traditional leaders, and donors.

The continued implementation of transformation work has brought diligent focus on efficiency and stewardship, with senior executive leadership established in Southern Africa closer to operations, a more agile smaller Board able to respond quickly to organisational needs and Charity Commission requirements, and a cost-management programme reducing the charity’s cost base by approximately 25% (GBP£1million) on an annualised basis. These changes were executed without any reduction in service delivery while retaining 92% of staff following completion of the global restructuring.

With these strong foundations in place, Sentebale can move forward with confidence - free from interference, committed to continuous improvement, and focused on delivering solutions addressing health, wealth and climate resilience for children and young people in Southern Africa.

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The rugged terrain of Lesotho makes it challenging for rural youth to access education, health and social services.

xe te sy <a ce f Ee 7 5 thisuf S E N T E B A L E A N N UA L R E P O R T 2 0 2 4 f wsweee: an os2)| Y s ae?tie ~Re od

PUBLIC INTEREST DISCLOSURE ADDRESSING DISINFORMATION

CONTEXT AND PURPOSE OF PUBLIC INTEREST DISCLOSURE ADDRESSING DISINFORMATION

The Trustees consider it essential to include the following clarifications in this annual report, having regard to their legal duties and regulatory obligations. Under charity law, trustees have a statutory duty to act in the best interests of the charity and to protect its assets, which includes safeguarding its reputation from demonstrably false statements that could materially impact its ability to fulfil its charitable purposes.

The Charity Commission’s guidance CC8 (‘Internal financial controls for charities”) emphasises that trustees must consider risks that could significantly affect the charity’s operations, including reputational risks. Additionally, Charity Commission guidance CC3 (“The essential trustee: what you need to know, what you need to do”) states that trustees should be transparent and accountable, providing stakeholders with accurate information about the charity’s activities and challenges.

Given that an adverse media campaign by former patrons and former trustees has emerged, relating to allegations concerning the charity’s governance and financial management, and given the widespread circulation of false statements since March 2025 and their potential material impact on fundraising capacity, donor confidence, and stakeholder relationships, the Trustees believe that addressing these misrepresentations is necessary to fulfil their fiduciary duties and transparency obligations.

This disclosure is further supported by the Charity Commission’s guidance on dealing with serious incidents, which emphasises the importance of transparency through prompt, full and frank disclosure when addressing matters that could affect public trust. The corrections provided are supported by the Charity Commission’s own formal findings in its public statement and the fuller set of private findings presented to the charity, alongside documented evidence from the charity’s records, ensuring this disclosure serves the public interest whilst maintaining the highest standards of charitable governance. Accordingly, the Trustees have provided the factual clarifications below relating to matters that have led to public statements and the Charity Commission’s regulatory compliance case regarding Sentebale which concluded on 6 August 2025.

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FALSE AND MISLEADING RATIONALE FOR FORMER PATRON AND TRUSTEES’ RESIGNATIONS

25 March 2025
Statement from former
patron and trustees		 “We could not in good conscience allow Sentebale to undertake that legal and financial burden
and have been left with no other option but to vacate our positions.”
SENTEBALE STATEMENT – This is false. Sentebale’s records show that, at the time of the
former patron and the former trustees’ resignation, legal fees totalling over £67,000 (before
VAT) had been incurred covertly by one former patron and former trustees since December
2024 – significantly exceeding initial estimates of £5,000. These costs arose during a period
of financial uncertainty for the charity.
Sentebale’s records show that a majority of these legal instructions were initiated by one
former patron’s legal advisers. Expenses were incurred despite multiple mediation offers
and recommendations, including from the High Court, and concerns raised about the
constitutionality of the legal strategy deployed. Sentebale’s records indicate that the full scope
and cost implications of this legal strategy were not properly communicated to all trustees
or authorised through appropriate governance channels, and that it was concealed from
the principal senior executive. Given the material implications for the financial health of the
organisation and the need for accountability, the senior executive should have been consulted.
For clarity, contrary to misleading reporting, the Chair has personally funded her own legal
costs throughout this matter.
25 March 2025
Statement from former
patron and trustees
3 April 2025
Statement from
Prince Harry		 CONTINUED
“What’s transpired is unthinkable. We are in shock that we have to do this, but we have a
continued responsibility to Sentebale’s beneficiaries, so we will be sharing all of our concerns
with the Charity Commission as to how this came about.” “This was not a choice willingly
made, but rather something we felt forced into in order to look after the charity.”
“In a statement issued in response to the Charity Commission’s decision to open a “compliance
case”, the prince said he hoped a “robust inquiry” would “unveil the truth”. “What has
transpired over the last week has been heartbreaking to witness, especially when such blatant
lies hurt those who have invested decades in this shared goal….. “We fully expect it will unveil
the truth that collectively forced us to resign. We remain hopeful this will allow for the charity
to be put in the right hands immediately, for the sake of the communities we serve.”
SENTEBALE STATEMENT – This is misleading. Based on the evidence provided and
reviewed by the Commission, it found no evidence of ‘over-reach’ by the Chair. The
Commission also determined that the Charity had validly appointed trustees in place
to take the charity forward.
By way of background as to the genesis of the dispute the following is to be noted:
A detailed governance review was completed for Sentebale between April and July 2024,
followed by resolution of key issues from August 2024 onwards. This included agreeing
transition plans for most of the then Board, some whose members had significantly exceeded
recommended term limits. Between April and December 2024, Board functioning and
fundraising operations experienced acute difficulties due to competing commercial interests,
increasing interference, diversion and undermining of funding leads in addition to poor
professional conduct of one of the former patrons and some of the former trustees. The Chair
raised governance and professional conduct concerns with one former patron on 7 November
2024 and the then senior independent trustee on 11 November 2024, initially seeking private
resolution for her protected disclosures as a whistleblower under English law.
From December 2024, records show that action was covertly initiated to remove the
Chair without cause by one of the former patrons and some of the former trustees. When
mediation attempts and the governance concerns raised by the Chair, including in writing
on 12 February 2025, received no response, the Chair reported the matter to the Charity
Commission through its whistleblowing procedure on 16 February 2025. Soon thereafter, two
Board members resigned. The Chair also sought protection from the High Court of Justice
of England and Wales, using her own resources, for urgent injunctive relief on 5 March 2025
to protect her from the ongoing unconstitutional attempts by one former patron and the

A detailed governance review was completed for Sentebale between April and July 2024, followed by resolution of key issues from August 2024 onwards. This included agreeing transition plans for most of the then Board, some whose members had significantly exceeded recommended term limits. Between April and December 2024, Board functioning and fundraising operations experienced acute difficulties due to competing commercial interests, increasing interference, diversion and undermining of funding leads in addition to poor professional conduct of one of the former patrons and some of the former trustees. The Chair raised governance and professional conduct concerns with one former patron on 7 November 2024 and the then senior independent trustee on 11 November 2024, initially seeking private resolution for her protected disclosures as a whistleblower under English law.

From December 2024, records show that action was covertly initiated to remove the Chair without cause by one of the former patrons and some of the former trustees. When mediation attempts and the governance concerns raised by the Chair, including in writing on 12 February 2025, received no response, the Chair reported the matter to the Charity Commission through its whistleblowing procedure on 16 February 2025. Soon thereafter, two Board members resigned. The Chair also sought protection from the High Court of Justice of England and Wales, using her own resources, for urgent injunctive relief on 5 March 2025 to protect her from the ongoing unconstitutional attempts by one former patron and the

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remaining former trustees to remove her from office, beginning mid-February 2025. The Chair did not resign, staying committed to good governance and the team who understood the situation, as resignation would not serve the organisation’s long-term interests. On 6 March 2025, the High Court ordered a stay of proceedings and recommended mediation. The former patrons and remaining former trustees instead decided to resign with effect from 24 March 2025. A new Board from a pre-existing pool of prospective trustees that had already engaged with the charity for over a year was appointed on 25 March 2025 in accordance with the charity’s constitution.

On 25 March 2025, without notifying the charity, the former patrons and trustees briefed the press and made public announcements regarding their departure which included misleading and incorrect statements regarding the charity’s leadership, governance and operations, and financial position, resulting in sustained adverse media coverage in international and social media. Disinformation caused reputational damage to the charity and its leadership, potentially affecting public trust in the charity. In response, from 29 March 2025, and in order to protect the charity from serious harm, Sentebale publicly addressed the most damaging disinformation through responses to the press, Sentebale’s social media channels, the Financial Times and a Sky News interview.

Throughout this period, the charity’s Southern Africa-based senior executives supported the action taken by the Chair and the transition to a new Board, guided by their assessment of organisational values, commitment to due process, and the importance of the Transformation Agenda to beneficiaries and the long-term independence and sustainability of operations in Lesotho and Botswana.

FALSE STATEMENT REGARDING CHANGES IN SENTEBALE’S FUNDRAISING STRATEGY

25 March 2025 Mainstream media

“The internal conflict is understood to be over about moving the charity’s fundraising efforts to Africa and when the board tried to remove Chandauka from her voluntary role she allegedly sued in response.”

SENTEBALE STATEMENT - This is false. As noted in the Charity Commission Compliance Case review concluding statement of 6 August 2025, “In 2023 Sentebale’s then trustees sought to implement a new fundraising strategy in the United States.” The fundraising pivot involved substantially expanding fundraising efforts to the US whilst continuing to nurture donor relationships in other locations, including Africa. The principal focus on the US was vital given the relocation of one of the former patrons and the scale of philanthropy from the US to African-based organisations.

Please also see the disclosure above on page 73 regarding the circumstances leading to the governance dispute and see pages 70 to 74 of the 2024 annual report for details about the charity’s Transformation Agenda.

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FALSE STATEMENT REGARDING BARONESS CHALKER OF WALLASEY RESIGNATION

27 March 2025
Mainstream media		 “Baroness Chalker of Wallasey, who served as a trustee of Prince Harry’s African charity for
nearly 20 years”…
“Chalker, a former overseas development minister, told The Times that her retirement from the
Sentebale board in November was in response to Sophie Chandauka’s leadership.
SENTEBALE STATEMENT - This is false. Baroness Chalker of Wallasey served as a trustee for 12
years, not “nearly 20 years” as reported. She retired in October 2024, not November as stated.
The charity’s records demonstrate that Baroness Chalker’s decision to retire was made
independently and for personal reasons, not in response to the Chair’s leadership as suggested.
At the Board meeting of 30 May 2024, Baroness Chalker proactively raised her intention to step
down, candidly citing her age, health issues, and difficulties adapting to new technology.
During this same meeting, as part of ongoing governance discussions about board composition
and the charity’s transformation agenda, Baroness Chalker emphasised the strategic need
for “youth and entrepreneurial fundraising skills” to meet increasing challenges in securing
major funders. She specifically requested guidance from the Chair on the timing of her
resignation to ensure a smooth transition - demonstrating the collaborative nature of planning
for her transition.
Notably, Baroness Chalker was originally nominated to join the Board by Dr Chandauka during
her first term as a trustee and enjoyed much productive conversation and correspondence with
her throughout 2024.
The characterisation of her retirement as a response to current leadership is therefore
misleading and misrepresents both the timeline and the nature of her departure from the Board.

FALSE STATEMENT REGARDING THE FINANCIAL POSITION OF SENTEBALE

27 March 2025 A source familiar with the matter said that when Chandauka joined the organisation, Mainstream media it “was in a stable financial position and over the course of her tenure that changed’’. SENTEBALE STATEMENT – This is false. The charity’s financial position during this period must be understood in the context of longer-term structural weaknesses in its financial model. The 16-month period to December 2024 included the third and final year of the charity’s drawdown of a one-off US$1.5m donation made by its former patron, Prince Harry, in 2021, representing a proportion of proceeds from his memoir, Spare. Since 2021, this one-off donation had masked two important long-term structural weaknesses in Sentebale’s financial model: firstly, the narrow unrestricted funding base of the organisation, with corporate support declining in both number and overall contribution since 2019, reduced engagement from high net-worth donors and family foundations since 2020, and limited investment over many years in developing new donor pipelines; and secondly, the high cost of patron-affiliated fundraising activities and significant UK-based operational costs, which together amounted to over £650,000 per year, utilising the majority of funds raised through the annual polo cup.

Excluding the effect of the 2021 one-off donation, these structural weaknesses contributed to deficits being recorded for six of the seven financial periods from 2017 to 2023. These challenges were formally presented to the Board by the Chair at a meeting on 21 September 2023 through detailed analysis developed with input from the senior executive team. The Board’s subsequent transformation agenda and US fundraising strategy were developed to address these identified structural weaknesses.

Please see pages 41 to 44 of the charity’s 2024 annual report regarding further details about this matter.

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FALSE STATEMENT REGARDING THE RELIANCE OF SENTEBALE ON THE FORMER PATRON FOR FUNDRAISING

29 March 2025 Mainstream media

“A person familiar with the trustees’ account of events said: “The charity has been almost entirely reliant on the positive view of Prince Harry to raise funds.”

SENTEBALE STATEMENT – This is false. Over 70% of the funding needs of Sentebale now come from several institutional relationships cultivated by the teams in Lesotho and Botswana, demonstrating the charity’s strong foundation in its operational locations. Income in the 16 months to December 2024 directly related to the former patron’s presence accounted for less than 20% of total funds raised in that period. In 2025, there has been no reliance on the former patron for fundraising.

The charity acknowledges that the former patron’s relocation to the USA and changes in his public profile following the publication of his memoir Spare have affected traditional fundraising approaches. The former patron has consistently expressed his preference to reduce his time commitment to events-based fundraising activities, a position that was known to the then Board. During this financial reporting period, the charity worked to develop alternative and diverse funding strategies to reduce dependence on any single fundraising approach and to ensure long-term sustainability.

Please see pages 41 to 44 of the 2024 annual report regarding the charity’s financials.

FALSE STATEMENTS REGARDING ENGAGEMENT OF STRATEGIC ADVISERS DURING 2024 AND RESULTS

3 April 2025 Mainstream media 8 and 15 August 2025

“Sources close to the former trustees told Sky News of their huge concerns about the thousands of pounds spent on consultancy work”.

“In relation to the consultancy fees, the charity said the charges were put to the board, which the [former] trustees deny…”

“But it was a disagreement over the charity’s fundraising strategy in the US and a £400,000 bill for consultancy fees that led the relationship to break down fully.”

SENTEBALE STATEMENT - This is false. The Charity Commission conducted detailed scrutiny of these matters as part of their regulatory compliance case and confirmed on 6 August 2025 that “In 2023, Sentebale’s then trustees sought to implement a new fundraising strategy in the United States.”

Board Approval and Transparency

Sentebale’s records demonstrate that the Board reviewed budget items relating to the transformation agenda, including costs for key advisers, through meetings held in September 2023, November 2023 and during 2024. Like many charities, Sentebale regularly utilises external expertise and self-employed professionals across various domains to meet organisational needs.

Strategic Need for US Philanthropic Market Participation

Between July and September 2023, the then patrons and trustees recognised that Sentebale lacked several critical elements for successful US fundraising: brand recognition in the competitive American market, a clear narrative regarding focus areas and long-term goals, and the strategic philanthropic relationships necessary for sustainable funding diversification. Case studies presented to the Board showed that organisations typically make 50 approaches to secure one positive funding outcome in the US market.

Three-Pronged Strategic Approach

The engagement with self-employed strategic advisers comprised three distinct workstreams which made up “Project Pivot”:

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1. Market Strategy and Lead Generation: Expert advice on how to competitively engage in the US philanthropic market and generate qualified leads.

2. Event Management and Convening: Project management and production of strategic convenings for these leads across different US locations.

3. Organisational Transformation: Expert assessment and implementation of organisational changes to meet the rigorous due diligence standards required by USbased corporate foundations, family offices and individual donors, ensuring Sentebale could withstand the intensive scrutiny these funding sources demand.

Strategic Advice, Measurable Results and Return on Investment

The strategic advisers, formally contracted from November 2023 with full knowledge of patrons, Board, CEO and COO, delivered substantial measurable results during the initial phases of implementing the transformation agenda:

The charity secured an intellectual property partnership in early 2024 that yielded US$250,000 in April 2024, covering the majority of the Project Pivot costs.

Moving Forward

Following the conclusion of the Charity Commission review, Sentebale is actively working to reset the relationships and funding opportunities that were disrupted by interference and adverse media coverage. The charity remains committed to its mission and transparent governance practices.

Please see pages 70 to 74 of the 2024 annual report regarding the charity’s Transformation Agenda.

FALSE STATEMENTS ABOUT COMPENSATION FOR THE ROLE OF THE CHAIR PAYABLE TO HER AND PAYMENTS TO HER FAMILY

28 March 2025 Mainstream and social media

“…Sophie Chandauka Under Fire for Allegedly Seeking $300k from Struggling Sentebale…” “...request by Ms Chandauka for a $300,000 salary for her unpaid position prompted the trustees to ask her to step down...”

“…Sophie’s brother, also worked as a consultant for Sentebale during her leadership…”

SENTEBALE STATEMENT – This is false. The Chair has served in a voluntary capacity without remuneration since her appointment in July 2023. Furthermore, the charity’s records show that no member of Dr Chandauka’s family has received remuneration from Sentebale. To the contrary, the Chair’s family has provided substantial philanthropic support to the charity as part of their broader charitable giving commitments. Full details of related party transactions are provided in note 20 to the attached financial statements.

By way of specific background, the following should be noted:

At the November 2023 Board meeting the Board committed to meetings every other

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month focused on implementing recommendations as part of the Transformation Agenda (sometimes referred to internally as “Project Pivot”). The Board supported the need for prompt action. After the consideration of various other options which were not viable due to the need for containment of a dynamic situation involving executive underperformance at the time, and with one former patron’s written request and support communicated on 15 February 2024, Dr Chandauka was mandated to lead the Transformation Agenda as Executive Chair. The Executive Chair’s scope of work involved significant daily time commitment and was approved at a Board meeting on 29 February 2024, with specific milestones regularly reviewed asynchronously and discussed at Board meetings on 28 March, 23 April and 30 May 2024.

High-level milestones included:

The process of setting, reviewing and progressing the Transformation Agenda involved frequent individual trustee meetings, Board plenary sessions and executive leadership consultation and engagement leveraging insights and delivery by external consultants with specialist skills as necessary.

A new funding relationship was contracted in April 2024 to cover the costs of external strategic advisers supporting implementation of the Transformation Agenda.

Compensation was offered to the Chair for the additional responsibilities and time devoted to the charity, but the Chair elected to forego compensation to save costs for the charity, as documented in Board minutes on 27 June 2024, and in order to maintain independence.

Please see pages 70 to 74 of the 2024 annual report regarding the charity’s Transformation Agenda.

FALSE STATEMENTS REGARDING THE CHARITY COMMISSION’S SCOPE OF WORK IN RELATION TO BULLYING

6 August 2025 and following Mainstream media

“A spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex said: “Unsurprisingly, the commission makes no findings of wrongdoing in relation to Sentebale’s co-founder and former patron, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. They also found no evidence of widespread bullying, harassment or misogyny and misogynoir at the charity, as falsely claimed by the current chair.”

SENTEBALE STATEMENT – This is false. The Chair did not make any allegations regarding widespread bullying within the charity, as Prince Harry and his spokespeople are aware. The allegations made by the Chair concerned (i) poor governance and weak executive management; (ii) abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny and misogynoir against her in the boardroom – and the cover-up that ensued; and (iii) following the resignation of the former patrons and former trustees, their use of global press and social media to destabilise and deliberately cause harm to the charity on a large scale from 25 March 2025.

The Charity Commission focused its review on whether trustees, including the chair, had met their duties under charity law. The Charity Commission is clear, including in its public guidance,

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that it is not the Commission’s responsibility to adjudicate or mediate internal disputes.

The Commission did not investigate any individual allegations in the Compliance Case and therefore has not investigated or made any findings in relation to individuals in the review, including the allegations relating to Prince Harry, as has been falsely asserted by Prince Harry’s spokesperson on his behalf.

The Commission’s position is that issues not investigated by the Commission can and may be dealt with through avenues more appropriate than the Commission. For more on the Commission’s guidance on the subject of bullying and harassment concerns, please see https://www.gov.uk/government/news/following-collaborative-project-commissionclarifies-bullying-and-harassment-roles-and-responsibilities.

FALSE STATEMENT REGARDING OPERATIONS AT THE MAMOHATO CHILDRENS CENTRE

8 and 15 August 2025 and following The Times

“The Lesotho children’s centre run by Sentebale, the charity set up by Prince Harry in honour of his mother, was once flush with life. Until recently, more than 700 children with HIV headed to its state-of-the-art facilities for “life-changing” residential camps each year. It is alleged the site has been “effectively mothballed” amid a funding crisis that bled the charity’s reserves dry.”

“… The Times reported that the Mamohato Children’s Centre (MCC), in Lesotho — which once hosted more than 700 children per year at educational camps — had been “effectively mothballed”. Staff there have been told to work from home to save money, and the charity is said to have run down much of the £1.4 million built up over two decades.”

SENTEBALE STATEMENT – This is false. The Mamohato Children’s Centre (MCC) in ThabaBosiu remains fully operational and continues to serve its core mission. Far from being “mothballed,” MCC has been actively used during the reported period and throughout 2025 and continues to host Sentebale’s flagship camps programme, clubs, and staff training.

During the 2024 reporting period and 2025, the MCC hosted staff training, summer camps reaching children and young people, and numerous regeneration of landscapes and livelihoods (ROLL) training days for skills development and leadership.

Sentebale’s programming strategy has evolved to focus more extensively in rural areas where need is greatest and access to healthcare, education, and employment opportunities is most limited. Many of these communities are only reachable by treacherous roads, making it critical that services are brought directly to where children and young people live. This strategic shift represents programme enhancement, not facility closure.

When not in use for direct programming, MCC operates as a high-quality venue in a country with few such facilities, generating income that supports the wider mission. The MCC also serves the broader community by hosting external events including youth camps, staff functions, strategic meetings, annual general meetings for various organisations, children’s parliament representative meetings, and personal celebrations including weddings, anniversaries and graduations. Every event held contributes directly to the sustainability of the charity’s work, ensuring continued service to the most vulnerable populations.

The charity remains on track to serve at least 78,000 children and young people across Lesotho and Botswana this year. Claims that the MCC has been “mothballed” fundamentally misrepresent both its current operations and Sentebale’s continued commitment to adapting services to best meet beneficiary needs.

Please see pages 26 to 33 of the 2024 annual report regarding the charity’s work.

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FALSE STATEMENTS ABOUT REDUNDANCIES IN SENTEBALE AND THE LONDON TEAM

15 August 2025
Mainstream media		 “The charity founded by Prince Harry in honour of his mother has made all but one of its
London staff redundant amid a funding crisis.”
“But in a worrying turn of events, Sentebale has been forced to lay off four of its five London
staff. The redundancy round, which started in spring, resulted in at least two dozen staff
leaving Sentebale and its affiliated programmes. Employees dismissed include Sentebale’s
global head of finance and compliance, on top of other redundancies in its African teams.”
SENTEBALE STATEMENT – This is false. The charity implemented a planned restructuring
programme that was approved by the Board in February 2025 following comprehensive
discussions about the organisation’s operating model and cost efficiency requirements that
had been ongoing since April 2024. This restructuring forms part of the charity’s strategic
response to address long-term structural challenges in its financial model and to create a
more sustainable cost base.
The restructuring affected 21 positions across the organisation, representing less than
5% of the total workforce. The changes were designed to reduce operational costs whilst
maintaining the charity’s ability to deliver its core mission in Lesotho and Botswana. The
charity recognises the impact of these changes on affected staff and has worked to support
them through the transition process.
These organisational changes reflect the charity’s commitment to financial sustainability
and ensuring resources are focused on frontline delivery.
Please see pages 70 to 74 of the 2024 annual report regarding the charity’s Transformation
Agenda.

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Sentebale
17 Gresse Street,
6 Evelyn Yard Entrance,
London
W1T 1QL
Company number 05747857
Charity number 1113544
sentebale.org
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----- Start of picture text -----
| A young community member enjoys “
the day’s celebrations when our
international guests came to visit
Leribe, Lesotho in October 2024.
8 5 S E N T E B A L E A N N UA L R E P O R T 2 0 2 4
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