## **THE AKILI TRUST** ## **ANNUAL REPORT** **1 October 2019 – 30 September 2020** ## **Charity Name and Number** The Akili Trust: Registered charity number: 1114275 Akili Community Libraries (Kenyan NGO) registered number: OP.218/051/2008/017/5057 Website: www.akilitrust.org ## **Correspondence Address** 119 Victoria Road, London N22 7XG 1 ## **Trustees** Pam Dix _(Chair)_ Dan Gavshon Brady _(Treasurer)_ Laura Gavshon Seonaid Macleod Mark Orchard Jenny Pitkin Jess Rolfe Dix Margaret Sills Anne Sofer ## _**HISTORY, OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES OF THE TRUST**_ The Akili Trust was established in January 2006 with a remit to establish and support community libraries in Kenya and East Africa _._ Charitable status was granted in May 2006 and NGO status in Kenya, as Akili Community Libraries, in 2008. Kilifi County, where the Trust’s libraries are based, is one of the least developed areas in the region. Electrification is becoming available but is not in every home and transport is limited _._ English is the language of instruction in all Kenyan schools, but there are few books available for people to read, and many adults cannot afford to buy a newspaper _._ In Kenya, primary schools are universally free. However, this is a deceptive statement: many schools are desperately under-funded and under-resourced, with parents expected to pick up the shortfall through the PTA (Parent Teacher Association) as well as ancillary costs like uniforms, materials, cooks, and so on. The Government has recently capped secondary school fees with a long-term ambition to make this free too. Current costs are still relatively high for families and competition for bursary funding is intense. The Akili Trust aims to work with local communities to improve literacy and expand 2 access to information and education. In practical terms, this means: - Supporting the existing libraries, establishing new libraries if funding is available and arranging outreach support to other schools - Ensuring that the libraries have suitable collections of books in English and Kiswahili - Ensuring that the libraries have adequate IT provision and run suitable training programmes for the school and the community - Ensuring that the libraries are adequately staffed with locally appointed personnel - Funding librarian salaries and running costs, including daily newspapers in English and Kiswahili - Providing support and training for librarians - Establishing local management committees to run the libraries and liaising with them and with local schools and other relevant authorities - Maintaining a bursary programme for secondary education - Looking at other opportunities for partnership working within the community ## _**STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**_ The Akili Trust was created by a Declaration of Trust dated 23 January 2006. The Trust Deed provides for a minimum of three trustees, who are appointed for two or three year terms, with the opportunity for standing again. When there is a requirement for new trustees, these are identified and appointed by the existing trustees. The Chair of Trustees and Treasurer are responsible for the registration and induction of any new trustees and for managing the UK bank accounts with CAF Bank. The Trust Deed gives trustees the power to apply the funds in such a manner as they think fit to further its stated aims. As the Trust aims to spend as much as possible of its funds directly in East Africa, costs in the UK are kept to a minimum. The Trust does not make grants to individuals or organisations that apply for funding 3 speculatively. Trustees meet at least four times a year to plan developments and monitor progress and finances. The committee reviews quarterly reports and correspondence from the libraries, decides on financial priorities and plans fundraising. Minutes of these meetings are held at the Trust’s address. Sub-committees are formed from time to time as required. The Akili Trust operates in Kenya through a local NGO, Akili Community Libraries (ACL), wholly funded from Akili in the UK. ACL is effectively the business operation in Kenya. It has its own bank account held at KCB (Kenya Commercial Bank) in Kenya and accounts are audited by independent auditors in Kenya. Annual reports are lodged with the NGO Board and returns prepared for the KRA (Kenyan Revenue Authority). It is agreed that a meeting of the NGO Board will always be held with whichever of the UK trustees visits Kenya. In Kenya, each Akili Trust library has a Management Committee, appointed from the local community. These Management Committees also include representatives of the primary school where the library is based, normally the Headteacher and the Chair of the Primary School Management Committee, and other community representatives. This Committee provides support, encouragement and advice to the Librarian and Assistant Librarian, as well as being a further point of contact and information for the Akili trustees. They are responsible for the selection of staff, monitoring of staff performance and for the management of the selection process for the bursary students and also a delegated budget for running costs and incidental local spending. The larger sums relating to salary costs, bursaries, and book purchase are managed by the UK trustees through the main KCB account. The libraries are required to prepare a mid-year and end of year financial report. ## _**ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE OF THE TRUST**_ During the year ending 30 September 2020 the Akili Trust has continued to support the libraries in Dabaso and Kakuyuni, with an increasing level of support for various local primary schools. This is normally through the provision of loans to these schools as well as class visits. There are now two satellite libraries in two local secondary schools and two primary schools. The two main libraries have developed into real community hubs in their areas. Our two main libraries are required to produce quarterly reports to update the trustees and supporters on life in the libraries. 4 ## _**Dabaso Library**_ Dabaso Library is now firmly established both in the school and as a part of the local community. It is well used by students from the school during the school day and by students from the nearby local secondary schools. It has a good number of regular adult borrowers, who use the library for book borrowing, for reading the newspapers and for learning to use the computers. The chair of the Dabaso library committee , an ex-bursary recipient, is helping to push forward developments with a particular focus on helping the staff to develop and deliver a range of reading promotion activities in both schools. ## _**Kakuyuni Library**_ Kakuyuni School has made enormous progress and continues to see some very high grades for some of its students. The school acknowledges that the library plays a significant role in contributing to this and work with the library is very well integrated into the school programme. ## _**Watamu School**_ A new library has been established at Watamu School, run and managed by the Dabaso Library staff working with the school management team. It is housed in a separate room and the librarians attend once a week to run sessions. ## _**Books**_ The libraries are stocked with a mixture of books shipped from England and books bought locally, in English and Kiswahili. There is an inexhaustible demand for more local books and for course books and revision guides. ## _**Library Bursaries**_ The bursary programme is now well established and well known and respected in the local area. During this year we supported 28 bursary students. Each year we offer a minimum of two bursaries, one for a girl and one for a boy, in each of our two main schools. We have added another local school, Watamu Primary, to this as the school has very considerable needs and we have begun to work with them on library and reading support. Bursaries are funded from the general Akili budget together with individual donors. 5 The Hutton Dabaso Trust also provides funds for bursaries, now set at four bursaries at any one time for Dabaso School students only. Additionally, we have a number of students in the programme who are funded through grants from the Cassel Trust. The students are selected in January each year, the beginning of the Kenyan school year, through a very carefully monitored process. The progress of the students is closely monitored and supported by the library staff and reported on regularly to the Akili trustees. The librarians carry out this responsibility with considerable care, attending regular meetings with the secondary schools. They have applied sanctions or additional support to students when necessary. The students are required to work in the library at certain points during the academic year, carrying out general library duties and helping younger students with their schoolwork. We have now set up a system of reporting on this annually, in December each year, and these reports are available on our website. In addition, we have set up a system for an annual meeting for all current and past bursary students. This gives an opportunity for students to share their experiences, concerns and needs and for the older students to mentor the younger ones. ## _**Other Activities**_ ## _**Regular enewsletters and website**_ Our website and regular newsletters are our main ways of communicating with supporters of the Trust. ## _**Trustee visits**_ Trustee visits are self-funded, though we are able to support trustee members with some financial support towards costs when necessary. A trip was made in October 2019 as part of the anniversary celebrations of the Hutton Dabaso Trust and two Akili trustees participated. Another trustee visited Nairobi in Spring 2020 on a business trip and was able to meet the chair of the Dabaso Library Committee to discuss Akili matters. ## _**NGO**_ Our payroll provider in Kenya is responsible for all issues to do with staff pay and tax and also carries out the annual audit and NGO returns. During our visit in May, we 6 recruited a new team to run the NGO locally and had intensive discussions with them about future plans. However, progress in setting this up has been slow. This year we have streamlined the way in which we transfer money from our UK CAF account to our Kenyan KCB account, minimising transfer and other charges in the process. ## _**COVID IN KENYA AND THE TRUST’S PROVISION**_ Schools in Kenya closed in March 2020 as did all public institutions. Students were sent home with some work and online teaching arrangements which none of our bursary students were able to access. Early on in the pandemic we instituted weekly calls between the librarians and the Chair of the Trust in the UK as it became increasingly important to establish a quick and regular system of communication. We have worked to try to keep staff and communities safe and to deliver the best possible services in the circumstances. After local negotiations with public health officials and school management, the libraries opened for book distribution. Hand sanitizing stations, temperature monitors and mask wearing were compulsory. The Trust made a successful application to the Cassel Trust for additional funds for a new programme of COVID support. This included additional revision and support materials for students; additional computer and internet facilities; six week teaching programmes for bursary students, run by teacher training students who were also at home and were paid a small stipend; and funding for a writing project. Support has been provided as far as possible throughout the school closures. The Kenyan government has compressed the school years to allow a catch up programme and this runs until January 2023 when the normal school year will be reinstated. The Trust has held more frequent board meetings using the Zoom platform. A programme of online fundraising events has been organized. 7 ## _**CHARITY COMMISSION REQUIREMENTS**_ Our statutory policy requirements are reconsidered every year. ## _**FUNDING**_ The Trust’s funding comes from a variety of sources. - There are a number of key donors with regular standing orders, together with a good network of occasional donors. - Grants from charitable organisations are applied for whenever possible. - Fundraising events are run throughout each year. These also help to maintain interest in our work amongst the Akili ‘community’ in the U.K. - There are a number of links with schools in London and donations came from several schools this year, including the Garden Suburb Infants School who raised money for books through cake sales. ## _**RISKS AND CHALLENGES**_ It is clear that, with world economies in a state of flux and the impact that this has on exchange rates, budget monitoring is a priority to ensure that the Trust does not become over-committed. It is also clear that we need to monitor the local situation when planning any travel to the region. We recognise the challenge of managing staff and keeping in touch with developments from a distance. ## _**FUTURE PLANS**_ Our priorities for the next year include: - Ensuring that the implications of the world COVID pandemic are considered at all points; - Ensuring that there is an annual visit by Trustees whenever possible; - Looking for opportunities for partnership work with other organisations based or working in Kenya; 8 - Developing a regular staff training programme including visits to other libraries; - Looking at strategies and ideas for promoting a reading culture to sit alongside the more academic focus of much of the library work; - Looking at other funding opportunities in Kenya; - Continuing to provide funding for the purchase of relevant books, especially books in Kiswahili and featuring African writers and those important for the Kenyan school curriculum; - Consideration of e-learning and e-reading platforms to check their suitability and look for appropriate funded projects to support any development; - Looking at the future opportunities for our bursary students and seeking advice about work experience, university and HE opportunities in Kenya; - Considering the issues around the performance of the girls, both at the end of primary school prior to the bursary selection process and during their sponsored years as it has become clear that girls are underperforming; - Working on our fundraising strategies and a long-term strategy for the future of the Trust. ## _**RESERVES POLICY**_ We aim to hold sufficient funds in reserves to fulfil our commitments to the Akili Community Libraries employees, the librarians and assistants working at Dabaso and Kakuyuni libraries. Their job descriptions offer one month’s notice period, which amounts to around £515. We also aim to hold sufficient funds in reserves to fulfil our commitments to students on the bursary programme for the remainder of the academic year. This amount can vary year to year depending on school fees and the number of students in the bursary programme in any given year; as a guide, the maximum we have calculated to cover the bursary programme is £7,500, which is part funded through restricted funds. Based on this analysis, the trustees consider that an appropriate level of free reserves would be in the order of £8,000 to be held at all times to enable Akili to 9 support ACL in its charitable activities. Our balance at year end was £21,012, of which £8,803 was restricted. As at 30 September 2020 free reserves stood at £12,209. Free reserves are therefore in surplus by £4,209. It is anticipated that the free reserve surplus will be spent on the objects of Akili Trust over the next few years while ensuring that adequate free reserves are maintained. This report was approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by: _______________________________ Dan Gavshon Brady Trustee Date: 30 July 2021 10 ## _**FINANCIAL REVIEW at 30 September 2020**_ ||**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Total**|**_Prior Year_**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||**(£)**|**(£)**|**(£)**|**_(£)_**| |**Income from:**||||| |Donations|13,506|-|13,506|_12,907_| |Grants|-|2,679|2,679|_8,000_| |Bursaries|-|2,550|2,550|_1,750_| |UK Events|6,041|-|6,041|_5,110_| |Gift Aid (N1)|1,446|-|1,446|_-_| |**Total income**|**20,993**|**5,229**|**26,222**|**_27,767_**| |**Expenditure on:**||||| |Donations to ACL|15,014|986|16,000|_29,000_| |Web, media and printing|193|-|193|_622_| |UK Event Costs|912|-|912|_1,245_| |Bank Charges|120|-|120|_230_| |Travel expenses|715|-|715|_1,108_| |Shipping|100|-|100|_89_| |Books and resources|108|-|108|_335_| |**Total expenditure**|**17,162**|**986**|**18,148**|**_32,629_**| |**Net income / (expenditure)**|**3,831**|**4,243**|**8,074**|**_(4,862)_**| |Cash funds last year end|_8,378_|_4,560_|_12,938_|_17,800_| |**Cash funds this year end**|**12,209**|**8,803**|**21,012**|_12,938_| **N1:** Gift Aid claim submitted every two years. 11 INDEPEIIDEpif EXAMIlIE￿$ REPORTTOTHETRU5fEESOFTHE AKIUTRU I reporttothetrustees w my eX*nInat￿ ofthe actountsofTheNknli Trust lthe Trust) fortheyear ermled 30 September2020. RÉ5pon51WIF￿es#l￿1 ba51sof wt A5the charlty Iru5tee50ftheTruA ￿ are reSPo￿l>se forthe preparation of the counts in accordancewith the requirements ofthe(haritie5 Act 2011 (the ACVI. I report in respect of myexamination of the TrusV5 accourrts carried (rtrt under seLtK*n 145 of the 2011Act and in Out my examination I ha¥eldlDwed all theapplicabk Ditiws m*n bythe Obarty C(mmtssion uthder 5edK)n 14515llbl of the Act. I ha¥e completed my e￿￿Trinat￿>n. l Confirm that no materfal mattersha¥e cometo my attention in ￿)rnett￿ withthe examln*th gThMi$me GIu5eto belie¥ethat it) any material r25pert'. L accountingrecords We￿ thot kept ￿ respect of theTruA as required by 5ertion 130of the kt.lir 2. the accwnts do attordwith those recwds. I have nocancerns and ha* come acr05snoothermaners kn cortrnert￿n withth examinatknt) to whKh attentK>n shoukl be drawn in thisreport ￿ orderto en3b￿a proper understandinE of the accounts to be [t￿ed. &8ned: Name.. Rose Wrfght ACA D*e.' 29jU￿ 2021 dros: 73 Routh¢Trwaod Court. 3 Meath CreS￿nL Lormlon. E21XIL 12 12 **The Akili Trust** **No (if any)** ## **Receipts and payments accounts** **For the period** 10/1/2019 9/30/2020 **To from** ## **Section A Receipts and payments** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Total funds
funds funds funds
to the nearest
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
£
A1 Receipts
Donations 13,506 - - 13,506
UK Events 6,041 - - 6,041
Grants - 2,679 - 2,679
Bursaries - 2,550 - 2,550
Gift Aid 1,446 - - 1,446
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
20,993 5,229 - 26,222
Sub total (Gross income for AR)
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total - - - -
Total receipts 20,993 5,229 - 26,222
A3 Payments
Donations (to KCB (transfer to ACL) 15,014 986 - 16,000
Bank charges 120 - - 120
Web, media and printing 193 - - 193
UK Events (costs) 912 - - 912
Travel & Visit 715 - - 715
Books & Resources 108 - - 108
Shipping 100 - - 100
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ 17,162 ] 986 - 18,148
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - -
Total payments 17,162 986 - 18,148
Net of receipts/(payments) 3,831 4,243 - 8,074
A5 Transfers between funds - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 8,378 4,560 - 12,938
Cash funds this year end 12,209 8,803 - 21,012
**----- End of picture text -----**
|**Section B Statement**|**of assets and liabilities**|**at the end of the period**|**at the end of the period**|**at the end of the period**| |---|---|---|---|---| |||**Unrestricted**||**Restricted**| |**Categories**|**Details**|**funds**||**funds**| |**B1 Cash funds**|Bursary fees
**_Total cash funds_**|**to nearest £**
**12,209**
**-**
**-**
**12,209**|


|**to nearest £**
**8,803**
**-**
**-**
**8,803**| ||(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))|OK
|OK|| |||**Unrestricted**||**Restricted**| |||**funds**||**funds**| |**B2 Other monetary assets**|**Details**|**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|




|**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**| |**B3 Investment assets**|**Details**|**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**|**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|| |**B4 Assets retained for the**|**Details**|**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**|**Cost (optional)**
**-**|| |**charity’s own use**|||






|**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**| |**B5 Liabilities**|**Details**|**Fund to which**
**liability relates**|



|**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**| |Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees|Signature|Print|Name|| |||Dan Gavshon Brady||| **----- Start of picture text -----**
CC16a
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **Last year** ## **to the nearest £** **12,907 5,110 8,000 1,750 - - - - 27,767** **27,767** **29,000 230 622 1,245 1,108 335 89 - - 32,629** **32,629 - 4,862 - 17,800 12,938** ## **Endowment funds to nearest £** **-** OK **Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - - -** **Current value (optional) - - - - -** **Current value (optional)** **When due (optional)** Date of approval 30-Jul-21 INDEPENDENT EXAMINEFVS REpoKfTO THE TRUSTEES OF THE AKIU TRUST I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Akili Trust (the Trust) for the year ended 30 September 2020. Responsibllities and basis of report As the chartty trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts In accordance with the requirements of the Charities Att 20111.the Act'l. I report in respect of my examination of the Trusys accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under settion 14515)Ibl of the Act. Independent examlnerfs ststement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: l. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by Section 130 of the Act: or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examlnatlon to which attention should be drawn in this report in orderto enable a proper understanding of the accountsto be reached. Signed: Name: Rose Wright ACA Date: 29 July 2021 Address: 73 Roundwood Court, 3 Meath Crescent. London, E2 OQL 12