Trustees Annual Report 2020
Charity name: Casa Reom Trust Registered charity number : 1113673 Charity address: 1a New Street, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV22 7BE Trustees: Dave MacLellan (Chairman) Iain Slater (Treasurer) Farai Mutsambiwa
Structure, Governance and Management:
Governing document: Deed of Trust How is the charity constituted? Declaration of Trust dated 23[rd] October 2005 Trustee selection method: By resolution of the trustees
Objectives and Activities:
Objects of the charity are:
To promote general charitable purposes for the benefit of the community of Beira, Mozambique and the surrounding area, and to provide relief from financial hardship and social and/or economic disadvantage and to advance the education of its residents of all ages; and in particular to provide opportunities for the aforementioned residents to participate fully in the life of their community in ways which address and alleviate social and economic disadvantage.
Summary of main activities in relation to these objects:
The present aims of the trust are:
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to raise funds to finance the completion of the new Youth With A Mission (YWAM) Casa Reom centre for street children in Inhamizua, Beira
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to ensure that the Casa Reom project has sufficient funds to cover the dayto-day running costs.
The trustees agree any development plans with the director of the Casa Reom centre, providing funds and receiving reports to monitor progress.
Some of the day-to-day running costs for the Casa Reom centre are provided by independent donations (not associated with the Casa Reom Trust) to YWAM UK. However, the trustees correspond with YWAM UK to ensure that sufficient funds are provided for running costs by sending Trust funds if necessary. Whilst donors can specify that they want to support regular running costs or the building project, normally funds which are donated to Casa Reom Trust will be allocated by the trustees to either the building project or running costs as is appropriate and required at the time.
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Summary of main activities of the charity during 2020:
Covid-19 Situation
The Trustees have been in regular contact with Casa Reom during the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020. The number of Covid-19 cases in Mozambique has been far lower than those in the UK but nevertheless the Mozambique government decided to enforce a lockdown which resulted in Casa Reom closing its gates and the school, Escola Reom, closing to all pupils in April 2020.
The highest number of cases during 2020 occurred in the north of the country, with a greater rise in cases in the capital Maputo to the south during December 2020. However, the number of cases in the central area, where Casa Reom is located, remained low throughout 2020.
When the Casa Reom site was closed, the gates were locked and everyone coming onto site was required to wash hands. The boys had to innovate to find ways of entertaining themselves and one of the staff members, Nelio, began teaching the boys how to make face masks and other items of clothing. Thanks to the gift of two more new sewing machines, the boys were kept busy.
Boys relaxing during lockdown
One of the boys sewing
With further extensions, the long period of lockdown that stretched from April to October 2020, resulted in schools and many businesses being closed. This interrupted education, diminished career opportunities and caused disruption to the supply of food and raw materials imported from outside the country. The weakening of the Mozambican metical and supply shortages led to higher prices in the shops and have been challenging for those young men and women trying to establish homes and livelihoods around Beira.
The Trustees discussed whether any special measures were needed during the pandemic and monitored income donations. Income through regular donations did not drop but actually increased during 2020. Likewise, the Trustees were in communication with Casa Reom regarding any increase in expenditure due to Covid-19 but no additional funds were needed during 2020.
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Escola Reom School
Escola Reom is the school that is based at Casa Reom’s Inhamizua site. The school provides primary education, up to Year 6 (Grades 1 to 6), for around 600 children from the local community around Inhamizua as well as about 10 of the younger children at Casa Reom. The older boys living at Casa Reom attend secondary schools and colleges nearby.
Parents meeting
Escola Reom school reopens in October
The year began with staff and teachers holding meetings with parents of children joining the school in 2020. The venue was the dining room with a capacity to hold over 100 people. The meetings present parents with the opportunity to ask questions about the operations and future plans for the school and their children. A few of the Casa Reom based boys attending Escola Reom school failed their end of year exams and had to repeat the tests in 2020.
As the school continued to expand, a gift from a donor enabled additional desks and tables for the teachers to be purchased. During 2020, there were a total of 7 teachers working at Casa Reom, including the school’s headmaster.
Learning New Skills
Before the closure of Escola Reom school and the lockdown of the Casa Reom Inhamizua site, some of the boys started new vocational training courses. Vicente Chico and Nelson da Paz were studying "Civil Construction" and Manual Quite was studying welding. Their courses were run by another nearby organisation called Young Africa.
Monteiro is one of the older boys who graduated in 2020
Pedro leaves for Maputo City police training
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Pedro Lourenco, who completed his medical training at the end of 2019, was accepted to train for the police. He undertook a gruelling selection process, sitting 3 separate exams and winning one of around 100 places out of over 1000 people who applied. At the end of 2010 Pedro received a medical position at the national police hospital and has expressed an ambition to train as a doctor.
Another boy, Monteiro, who grew up at Casa Reom has finished his training to be a Physical Education teacher but cannot start work there due to the pandemic. He has a 12 - 18 months contract to work with the railway company and is doing well. He is saving money to buy a plot of land and build his house.
Both Monteiro and Pedro are shining examples of typical outcomes from Casa Reom.
Building work
a) Houses for community around Casa Reom
More houses for families in and around Beira have been completed. The houses provide a new start for some of the poorest people whose lives were devastated by the Cyclone. This is a building programme by YWAM, with international funders, but managed by Casa Reom staff.
b) New Dining Room and Kitchen
The new Dining Room and Kitchen was commissioned in early 2020. Equipment for the kitchen is still to be provided and school desks are in temporary use in the dining room until tables and chairs are made. The staff and boys had their first meal together in the new building to mark the beginning of 2021. The decision to 'build back better' means that this room will become a focal point for many community activities for Casa Reom and people outside the centre. The new kitchen also includes a bigger store, allowing Casa Reom to get cheaper bulk purchases.
Eating dinner in new dining room
A house for a widow with three young children and who lost her job due to Covid19 pandemic, was built back better after cyclone Idai
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c) New office and sanitary blocks
Work began on a new office block at Casa Reom as well as a new sanitary block for Escola Reom. The roof of the new office block is partly built with reinforced concrete to provide a secure record store for the Casa Reom and Escola Reom. The new sanitary block will take the pressure off the shower and toilet block that is for Casa Reom boys.
New office block under construction
Escola Reom school sanitary block under construction
d) Town centre building
Other construction work includes the town centre building which was re-wired and we are pleased to report that some of the ex-Casa Reom boys who were trained in electrical work were employed by Casa Reom to do some of the work.
Raising 1000 Appeal
An appeal to recruit new supporters and increase the regular support for Casa Reom by £1,000 per month was launched in 2020. By the end of the year we had reached over 40% of the target.
Staff Member Attack
On December 22, 2020 Trustees heard sad news from Casa Reom that Nelio, one of the staff members, was attacked and badly beaten in his own home and was in hospital awaiting surgery. He was left bleeding in the brain and was in a very serious condition. Fortunately, with the help of doctors and prayer, he is well on the way to recovery and the doctors expect him to eventually make a full recovery.
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Nelio being helped get into the house by his wife Tabita
Nelio’s family
The Trust was able to launch an Emergency Recovery appeal which raised over £1,000 to help Nelio and family to repair any damage, replace locks etc. and offset any medical/hospital costs incurred.
Looking Ahead:
The Trust continues to work with YWAM towards greater sustainability for the project and hopes to make plans during 2021 to complete all the buildings at Inhamizua. From here, the Trust will plan the next 5 years, including the option for winding up the Trust.
Further Information:
Past copies of all of our Annual Reports can be found on the Casa Reom website (www.casa-reom.org.uk) along with newsletters and further updates on the project.
Financial Review:
Brief statement of the charity policy on reserves:
The trustees do not aim to keep particular reserves but ensure that commitments to provide funds do not exceed trust assets.
The fund is not in deficit.
Principal funding sources:
Funds are collected through different mechanisms:
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fundraising events
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individual donations, both one off and by standing order
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- applications for grants from other charitable trusts
Fundraising events are organised by individuals or groups, including trustees of Casa Reom Trust. The Casa Reom Trust may be willing with prior agreement to pay for fundraising expenses, but the events remain the responsibility of the organisers.
The accounts are included below on page 9. The restricted funds are itemised and include money given by individual donors specifically for running costs and money raised for specific projects and purposes such as the Cyclone Idai Appeal.
Receipts in 2020 totaled £26,702 and included:
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£24,703 unrestricted one-off and regular donations
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£105 restricted donations
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£1,883 tax refund on Gift Aid Donations
To all our donors, supporters, friends and volunteers – Thank you for your ongoing support!
Declaration:
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:
Signature:
Full name: David Kenneth MacLellan
Position: Chair
Date: 9 October 2021
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