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2024-09-30-accounts

THE AKILI TRUST

ANNUAL REPORT October 2023 – September 2024

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

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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 a very rural area . English is the language of instruction in all Kenyan schools, but there are few books available for people to read, many adults cannot afford to buy a newspaper and the nearest libraries are some distance away .

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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 access to information and education. In practical terms, this means:

3

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 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. Payroll is managed by a local

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provider, who arranges all the necessary tax and statutory deductions.

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

Kenya’s Covid 19 Context

After the Covid period of closure, the school academic years were changed to allow for catch up. From January 2023 the usual academic year was reinstated with one point of admission in the school year.

Trustees in the UK continued to maintain close contact with staff in Kenya using ‘Whats app’ group calls.

The libraries

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 exbursary recipient, is helping to push forward developments with a

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particular focus on helping the staff to develop and deliver a range of reading promotion activities in both schools.

Kakuyuni Library plays a significant role in contributing to the life of the school and work with the library is very well integrated into the school programme.

The comparatively new Watamu library is 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. During this period the Akili Trust received a major donation of books from Book Aid International in the UK. These books were shipped via the Kenya National Library Service and had to be transported from Nairobi to the Coast. The import and onward shipping costs were higher than expected, nevertheless the books have made a significant impact. They were selected with the local librarians and have filled many gaps in the collections.

Akili Trust Bursary Programme

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 Watamu Primary School to the bursary funding programme.

Bursaries are funded from the general Akili Trust budget, together with funding from individual donors and the Hutton Dabaso Trust. The students are selected at the beginning of the Kenyan school year, through a very carefully monitored process.

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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, though they have now handed over attendance at school meetings to the parents, except if an emergency situation arises. An annual meeting is held individually between the librarian and individual students and this is used to produce an annual report on progress and aspirations. This is available on our website. In addition, the librarians arrange an annual training session and get-together 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.

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.

Other Activities of the Trust

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 can support trustee members with some financial support towards costs when necessary.

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. This is supported by the NGO trustee board in Kenya. The auditor is working on updating changes to the membership of this board.

CHARITY COMMISSION REQUIREMENTS

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Our statutory policy requirements are reconsidered every year.

FUNDING

The Trust’s funding comes from a variety of sources.

RISKS AND CHALLENGES

Cost of living increases, fluctuating exchange rates and an unstable world political situation have all made for a challenging fundraising environment. 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:

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FINANCIAL REVIEW

Incoming*

Total income – £31,030

Standing orders - £5,445 Donations – £16,195 Bursary donations - £3,600 UK Events – £3,469 Grants – £2,300 Interest - £21

Outgoing

Total outgoing – £25,340

KCB – £23,500 Bank Charges - £185 Shipping - £75 UK Events (costs) – £1,112 Travel and visits – £468

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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS FOR Y/E 09/15

The charity’s trustees consider than an audit is not required for this year (under section 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the Act) as amended by s.28 of the Charities Act 2006) and that an independent examination in needed.

My examination was carried out in accordance with General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.

In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

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Signed:

Name: Harry Woods

Date: 30[th] July 2025

Relevant professional qualification or body (if any): ICAEW ACA Qualification Membership Number: 6228203

Address:

37 Cambridge Crescent, Teddington, TW11 8DX

11

Charity Name Charity Name No (if any) No (if any)
The Akili Trust 1114275
Receipts andpayments accounts CC16a
For the period
from
~~rr ~~
For the period
01/10/2022
~~a~~
To
~~ee~~
30/09/2023
Section A Receipts and payments Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Endowment
funds
Total funds Last year
to the nearest
£
to the nearest to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
StandingOrders 3 970 3 970 - - 3 970
Donations 15 119 15 119 - - 15 119
Bursarydonations 3 475 3 475 - - 3 475
UK Events 4 506 4 506 - - 4 506
Interest 19 19 - - 19
Bankingerror 215 215 - - 215
Sales
Gift Aid
- - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
Sub total(Gross income for
AR)
(Gross income for
AR)
27 304 27 304 - - 27 304 - -
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Sub total -
-
-
-
-
Total receipts 27 304
-
-
27 304
-
~~——————~~
A3 Payments
KCB (transfer to Akili Community
Libraries) 24 000 24 000 - - 24 000
Bank charges 211 211 - - 211
Shipping 956 956 - - 956 - -
UK Events costs 1 048 1 048 - - 1 048 - -
Books & Resources - - - - -
Other - - - - -
- - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
**Sub total ** 26 215 26 215 - - 26 215 - -
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Sub total -
-
-
-
-
Total payments
26 215
-
-
26 215
-
~~—————~~
Net of receipts/(payments)
1 089
-
- 1 089
-
A5 Transfers between funds
-
- -
-
-
A6 Cash funds last year end
11 306
- -
11 306
-
Cash funds this year end
12 395
-
- 12 395
-
~~SSS55=~~

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

1

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Categories
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
B5 Liabilities
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use
B3 Investment assets
B2 Other monetary assets
B1 Cash funds
Signature
N/A
Details
Details
N/A
Details
N/A
Details
N/A
Cash in Charity bank account
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
Details
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
12 396
-
-
-
-
-
12 396
-
Agreement Error
OK
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
N/A
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
liability relates
Amount due
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Print Name
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
OK
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
When due
(optional)
Date of
approval

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

2

Charity Name No (if any) The Akili Trust 1114275 Receipts and payments accounts For the period 01/10/2022 30/09/2023 To from ~~rr a ee~~ Section A Receipts and payments

No (if any)
1114275
Receipts and payments accountspts and payments accountsts and payments accountspayments accountsayments accountsyments accountsments accounts CC16a
Unrestricted
funds
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Restricted Endowment
funds
Endowment
funds
Total funds Last year
to the nearest
£
to the nearest to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Donations & Legacies 22 564 22 564 - - - - 22 564 N/A
Charitable activities - - - - - - - N/A
Other tradingactivities 4 506 4 506 - - - - 4 506 N/A
Investments 234 234 - - - - 234 N/A
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
Sub total(Gross income for
AR)
(Gross income for
AR)
27 304 27 304 - - - - 27 304 - - -
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Sub total -
-
-
-
-
Total receipts 27 304
-
-
27 304
-
~~——————~~
A3 Payments
Moneyspent in UK 1 258 1 258 - - - - 1 258 NA NA
Moneyspent in Kenya 24 956 24 956 - - - - 24 956 NA NA
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
**Sub total ** 26 214 26 214 - - - - 26 214 - - -
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Sub total -
-
-
-
-
Total payments
26 214
-
-
26 214
-
Net of receipts/(payments)
1 090
-
- 1 090
-
A5 Transfers between funds
-
- -
-
-
A6 Cash funds last year end
11 306
- -
11 306
-
Cash funds this year end
12 396
-
- 12 396
-
~~———=—~~
~~SSS55=~~

CCXX R3 accounts (SS)

3

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Categories
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
B5 Liabilities
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use
B3 Investment assets
B2 Other monetary assets
B1 Cash funds
Signature
N/A
Details
Details
N/A
Details
N/A
Details
N/A
Cash in Charity bank account
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
Details
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
12 396
-
-
-
-
-
12 396
-
OK
OK
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
N/A
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
liability relates
Amount due
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Print Name
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
OK
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
When due
(optional)
Date of
approval

CCXX R4 accounts (SS)

4

Charity Name Charity Name No (if any) No (if any)
The Akili Trust 1114275
Receipts andpayments accounts CC16a
For the period
from
~~rr ~~
For the period
01/10/2022
~~a~~
To
~~ee~~
30/09/2023
Section A Receipts and payments Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Endowment
funds
Total funds Last year
to the nearest
£
to the nearest to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
StandingOrders 5 445 5 445 - - 5 445
Donations 16 195 16 195 - - 16 195
Bursarydonations 3 600 3 600 - - 3 600
UK Events 3 469 3 469 - - 3 469
Interest 21 21 - - 21
Bankingerror - - -
Sales
Gift Aid
Grants 2 300 2 300 - - 2 300 - -
- - - - - - -
Sub total(Gross income for
AR)
(Gross income for
AR)
31 030 31 030 - - 31 030 - -
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Sub total -
-
-
-
-
Total receipts 31 030
-
-
31 030
-
~~——————~~
A3 Payments
KCB (transfer to Akili Community
Libraries) 23 500 23 500 - - 23 500
Bank charges 185 185 - - 185
Shipping 75 75 - - 75 - -
UK Events costs 1 112 1 112 - - 1 112 - -
Travel & Visits 468 468 - - 468
Other - - - - -
- - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
**Sub total ** 25 340 25 340 - - 25 340 - -
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Sub total -
-
-
-
-
Total payments
25 340
-
-
25 340
-
~~—————~~
Net of receipts/(payments)
5 691
-
- 5 691
-
A5 Transfers between funds
-
- -
-
-
A6 Cash funds last year end
12 936
- -
12 936
-
Cash funds this year end
18 087
-
- 18 087
-
~~SSS55=~~

CCXX R5 accounts (SS)

5

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Categories
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
B5 Liabilities
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use
B3 Investment assets
B2 Other monetary assets
B1 Cash funds
Signature
N/A
Details
Details
N/A
Details
N/A
Details
N/A
Cash in Charity bank account
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
Details
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
12 396
-
-
-
-
-
12 396
-
Agreement Error
OK
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
N/A
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
liability relates
Amount due
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Print Name
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
OK
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
When due
(optional)
Date of
approval

CCXX R6 accounts (SS)

6

Charity Name No (if any) The Akili Trust 1114275 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period 01/10/2022 30/09/2023 To from ~~rr a ee~~ Section A Receipts and payments

Unrestricted
funds
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Restricted Endowment
funds
Endowment
funds
Total funds Last year
to the nearest
£
to the nearest to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Donations & Legacies 27 540 27 540 - - - - 27 540 N/A
Charitable activities - - - - - - - N/A
Other tradingactivities 3 469 3 469 - - - - 3 469 N/A
Investments 21 21 - - - - 21 N/A
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
Sub total(Gross income for
AR)
(Gross income for
AR)
31 030 31 030 - - - - 31 030 - - -
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Sub total -
-
-
-
-
Total receipts 31 030
-
-
31 030
-
~~——————~~
A3 Payments
Moneyspent in UK 1 580 1 580 - - - - 1 580 NA NA
Moneyspent in Kenya 23 760 23 760 - - - - 23 760 NA NA
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - -
**Sub total ** 25 340 25 340 - - - - 25 340 - - -
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Sub total -
-
-
-
-
Total payments
25 340
-
-
25 340
-
Net of receipts/(payments)
5 691
-
- 5 691
-
A5 Transfers between funds
-
- -
-
-
A6 Cash funds last year end
12 936
- -
12 936
-
Cash funds this year end
18 087
-
- 18 087
-
~~———=—~~
~~SSS55=~~

CCXX R7 accounts (SS)

7

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Categories
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
B5 Liabilities
B3 Investment assets
B2 Other monetary assets
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use
B1 Cash funds
Details
N/A
Details
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
N/A
Cash in Charity bank account
Details
Details
N/A
Details
N/A
Signature
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
12 396
-
-
-
-
-
12 396
-
Agreement Error
OK
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
N/A
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
liability relates
Amount due
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Print Name
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
OK
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
When due
(optional)
Date of
approval

CCXX R8 accounts (SS)

8

Docusign Envelope ID: 394090C4-53B1-4682-9367-5E14A4DB7F5F

Signed:

Name: Harry Woods

Date: 30 July 2025 | 13:57 BST

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS FOR Y/E 09/24

The charity’s trustees consider than an audit is not required for this year (under section 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the Act) as amended by s.28 of the Charities Act 2006) and that an independent examination in needed.

My examination was carried out in accordance with General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.

In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

1

Docusign Envelope ID: 394090C4-53B1-4682-9367-5E14A4DB7F5F

DocuSigned by: Signed: [aryBD4FBDD294CC40C...Woods

Name: Harry Woods

Date: 30[th] July 2025

ICAEW ACA Qualification Membership Number: 6228203

Address: 37 Cambridge Crescent, Teddington, TW11 8DX.

2