## Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended
May 31
2025
## Shine
Sharing the gift of literacy with Africa’s poorest children
Registered charity no. 1117954
The Trustees of Shine present their report and consolidated financial statements for the charity and its subsidiary Shine Zambia for the period ended 31[st] May 2025.
Shine is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales under registration number 1117954.
## **Charitable objects**
As stated in our Constitution, the objects for which Shine was established for the public benefit are:
- The advancement of education of children in Africa
- To meet the educational needs of children and young people in deprived, poverty-stricken communities in Africa with teaching in literacy and numeracy, where access to education is limited
- To provide an opportunity to these children to learn how to read and write, where their needs have not been met by the local education system
- To provide education to children in state or community schools who are unable to read or write
- To reduce the rate of child illiteracy in poor communities in Africa
- To give illiterate children and young people in Africa the opportunity to develop a sense of value, self-worth and hope for the future, through the provision of literacy skills so that they may go on to become educated and contribute to their community
- To provide these opportunities without distinction of gender, race, religion or physical ability
- To work together with other organisations and community groups in a common effort to advance the above objects
In setting our objectives and planning our activities our Trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit.
## **Focus of this Annual Report**
The period from 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025 constitutes the focus of this Annual Report. The Report covers the charity’s operations during the period. It also presents a Financial Report outlining our financial position at the end of the period. The operations of the charity are primarily focused on running our Literacy Centre in Zambia, _Shine Zambia Reading Academy_ , as well as other activities related to the provision of literacy skills in Zambia.
In summary, the key activities and milestones during the period are as follows:
- Continued excellent performance of our core literacy programmes in Zambia
- Closure of pig farm sustainability project
- Shine continues its Mental Health Programme for our underprivileged pupils
Page 1
Annual Report 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025
## **ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHARITY**
Name of charity: Shine Charity registration number: 1117954 46 Heathcliff Avenue Stotfold Hitchin Registered office: Hertfordshire SG5 4EY 07949 611 832 (primary contact) Telephone: 07540 109 096 (secondary contact) info@shinecharity.org E-mail: Web: www.shinecharity.org Vineet Bhatnagar (Chair) Siân Elizabeth Bhatnagar (Secretary) Trustees: Richard Mumba Staff: None HSBC 7 West Nile Street Bank: Glasgow G1 2RQ
There were no changes to the Board during the reporting period.
This Annual Report was approved by the Board of Trustees on **30[th] March 2026** and signed on its behalf by:
Vineet Bhatnagar Chair& Founder 30 March 2026
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Annual Report 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025
## **SHINE – WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO**
## **Registration, structure and governance**
Shine is an international educational charity that was registered with the Charity Commission of England & Wales in February 2007. Shine works exclusively in Africa. Its governing body is the Board of Trustees, currently consisting of three UK-based individuals. Shine’s governing document is its constitution, which was adopted in May 2006 by the Board of Trustees prior to registration with the Charity Commission. Shine is a non-governmental, non-political and non-religious organisation.
Although Shine is based in England, it works exclusively in Africa. Currently, its work is being implemented specifically in Zambia through its subsidiary, Shine Zambia – a registered NGO in Zambia. Shine and Shine Zambia essentially share the same constitution, and the three current Trustees are also Trustees of Shine Zambia.
Shine has no UK staff. Its work is carried out by the Trustees and by volunteers, therefore administration costs are kept to a minimum. Funds raised by Shine in the UK are sent to Shine Zambia for use in its projects to tackle illiteracy.
## **Trustees**
The Board of Trustees meets as and when necessary, but at least once per quarter, to review performance and to plan forthcoming activities. Day-to-day decisions are made by the Trustees, often in consultation with the Trustees of Shine Zambia and other advisors. All trustees give of their time freely. The names of the Trustees are listed above in the chapter _Administrative Information about the Charity_ .
Regarding the appointment of new Trustees, existing Trustees identify possible new Trustees, taking into account the need for a range of skills and experience to be represented on the Board to ensure effective management. We also desire diversity within the group with regard to gender and ethnicity.
## **Chair**
The Chair of Shine is Mr. Vineet Bhatnagar. Vineet is responsible for the day-to-day running of the charity and its local branch in Zambia, Shine Zambia. He is actively involved in the running of the school in Zambia along with his wife, Siân. By profession, Vineet is an IT consultant and his permanent residence is in the UK.
## **Our vision**
Shine’s vision is of a Zambia where every child can read and write. Its aim is to help alleviate poverty in Zambia by tackling one of its root causes - illiteracy - in the poorest areas by setting up schools specialising in providing free literacy education. The charity’s target beneficiaries are poor and vulnerable children in urban shanty towns and rural areas, where poverty levels are high and literacy rates are low.
## **Our activities**
Shine’s primary function is to financially support its local branch, Shine Zambia, which conducts charitable activities for achieving our objectives. Shine is helping to educate underprivileged children in Lusaka, Zambia by providing free literacy education to children who were previously out of school and illiterate, and who are living in poverty. Shine set up its first Literacy Centre in January 2007 in a shanty town called Kalikiliki, an urban ‘compound’ on the outskirts of Lusaka. The school is called Shine Zambia Reading Academy and currently has an enrolment of around 180 orphans and vulnerable children from nearby townships.
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Annual Report 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025
## **An overview of our Literacy Centre, Shine Zambia Reading Academy**
Soon after Shine was established in the UK and was registered in Zambia (as ‘Shine Zambia’), we began our first Literacy Centre in a compound called Kalikiliki in the east of the capital, Lusaka. Kalikiliki has around 30,000 inhabitants and is one of the poorest compounds in Lusaka. Educational facilities in the compound are poor – there are no government schools and just a few ‘community schools’, which charge fees and generally have little resources and unqualified and inexperienced teachers.
Shine wanted to address the problem of illiteracy in Kalikiliki by starting a literacy school called Shine Zambia Reading Academy. The school started as a pilot project in January 2007 with just 30 children and two local teachers. It started in a room in someone’s house in the community. Since then, it has grown significantly. The school now has its own premises on a 4-acre plot of land in the township, including a 4-classroom block, an administration block, library and separate water-borne toilets for pupils.
During the period of this report, there were around 180 pupils enrolled in the school with 10 full-time teachers and several auxiliary workers: an office administrator, a caretaker/landscaper, security guard and cooks to prepare food for the children every day. All our staff are from the local community and are paid a monthly living allowance by Shine.
The Academy offers a program which is not offered by other schools in Zambia. It is a two-year program, specialising in literacy. Children who enrol at Shine Zambia Reading Academy are completely illiterate or very poor at reading at the start. By the end of the program they achieve the level of literacy expected at Zambian Grade 4 level. This means we deliver 4 years’ education within 2 years. Other points to note about the program:
- Pupils are between 8 and 12 years old when they enrol
- Pupils pay no fees whatsoever at the school and receive free exercise books
- Every child receives a meal at the school each day
- Each class has only 15-20 pupils – this allows us to provide a high quality of education
- Literacy makes up > 50% of the timetable. This includes teaching children how to ‘sound out’ letters and words in English using phonics, and lots of reading practice
- Pupils also learn Maths alongside literacy and, in Year 2 of the program, Science, Cinyanja (local language) and Social & Development Studies
- Our teachers have been trained in specialist literacy teaching by volunteer teachers and experts from the UK and the US, and also have local teaching qualifications
- After 2 years, pupils take their final exams at Shine. If they pass, they ‘graduate’ from the school. Shine then arranges places for them in nearby mainstream schools. They go directly into Grade 5 or 6, depending on their level. Pupils who do not pass stay at Shine until they are good enough to survive and thrive in a formal Zambian school
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Annual Report 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025
## **MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR**
2024/25 was a positive year for Shine as we continued the strong performance of our various literacy programmes in Zambia. The continuation of our Partner Schools and Rural Reading Programmes have allowed us to strengthen our model of having one central Literacy Centre and satellite literacy programmes, either based at the Centre or remotely.
Although the cost of living in Zambia continues to rise, adding financial pressure on the charity, we managed to increase income-generation through our sustainability projects. We also took the decision to close one of those projects, the pig farm, which was not performing as we had liked.
**Vineet Bhatnagar** Chair & Founder, **Shine**
Despite the financial challenges, Shine is continuing to achieve its main aims. Our core purpose – teaching underprivileged children how to read – continued at our Literacy Centre in Zambia, with around 180 children enrolled in our programmes. These children received a free education from Shine as well as a free meal every day. This is what we have always set out to achieve.
Shine Zambia, our local entity, maintained its policy of raising funds locally through its various income streams – a rental property, a car park business within the boundary of the school’s security fence and hiring of the school premises to churches at weekends.
During the course of the year, we achieved our aim of offering a high-quality literacy programme for the orphans and vulnerable children of Kalikiliki, Zambia. This is ultimately our aim – to share the gift of literacy with underprivileged children in Zambia.
I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who have supported Shine, whether through donating money or materials, participating in fundraising events for us, offering their time or giving us their advice and moral support. Without the generosity of these individuals and organisations, we would not have enjoyed a year which will enable us to help empower many more vulnerable Zambian children.
## **Vineet Bhatnagar**
Chair & Founder, **Shine**
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Annual Report 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025
## **ACTIVITIES, ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE**
## **Continued excellent performance of our four core literacy programmes in Zambia**
Our four core literacy programmes in Zambia during this period are shown below:
All four programmes performed excellently during this period, with over 400 beneficiaries enrolled in our literacy initiatives:
- Literacy Centre, Lusaka: this is our main programme in Zambia and had 180 pupils enrolled during the period. Our pass rate at the end of 2024 was over 90%, which it has been consistently for many years
- Partner Schools Programme, Lusaka: based at our main Literacy Centre, pupils from five nearby community schools are brought to our Centre (once our main pupils have gone home) to learn how to read for an hour per day. This has proved hugely successful in improving those pupils, as attested by their teachers, and is helping to build capacity in the local schools since the local teachers are also attending our classes
- Feeding Programme, Lusaka: based at our main Literacy Centre, our feeding programme is essential for maintaining a high attendance rate. Over 300,000 free meals were served during the period
- Rural Reading Programme, Rufunsa: In the rural area of Rufunsa, Shine has trained two local teachers to deliver our reading programme to around 100 village children. Parents and guardians from the villages are extremely happy and thankful to Shine as they have seen a marked improvement in their children’s literacy skills
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Annual Report 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025
## **Closure of pig farm sustainability project**
In 2018, Shine set up a pig farm on land in Rufunsa (60km east of Lusaka) given to us by the local tribal Chief. A pig pen was constructed using a grant awarded by Lions Club Norway and we raised funds to purchase initial livestock.
## **Why the pig farm was set up**
Shine charges no fees for its core charitable activities i.e. teaching children how to read and write. Funds to meet running costs are primarily generated through donations from well-wishers. However, the cost of running our charitable programs is high and the cost of materials is constantly increasing.
Shine aims to eventually make its Literacy Centre and various literacy programmes fully or mostly self-sustaining (i.e. a significant proportion of the running costs covered by income-generating activities). This will free up vital funds which can be diverted to expanding our literacy programmes and reach even more illiterate Zambian children.
Currently, around 40% of our running costs are covered by small-scale, local income-generating activities:
- Renting of our classrooms to churches at weekends
- Running a fee-paying car park at the school
- Rental income received from a few small flats based at our Literacy Centre in Lusaka
The above activities have been valuable but have proved insufficient on their own to propel us towards full sustainability. It is for this reason that Shine decided to establish a pig farm, recognising that the pig farming business can be lucrative and can therefore be a key part of Shine Zambia’s sustainability plan.
## **Closing the farm**
After careful consideration by the Board, we decided to close the pig farm in December 2024, after a difficult couple of years where the cost of pig feed continued to rise (affected terribly by an unexpected drought), along with other running costs, while income through sales did not rise in line with the costs.
This made it no longer feasible to continue. Accordingly, in January 2025, our full inventory of pigs were sold. The pig pen infrastructure remains intact, and Shine may utilise the structures at some point in the future. E.g. if funds allow, they could be converted to classrooms, which would allow us to set up a small Literacy Centre in Rufunsa.
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Annual Report 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025
## **Continued support for vulnerable and traumatised children through our Mental Health Programme**
In February 2024, Shine launched a Mental Health Awareness programme aimed at supporting Shine pupils, mainly girls enrolled at our Literacy Centre, with their mental well-being. It targeted a subset of our enrolled pupils and, in particular, those who have suffered difficult circumstances during their upbringing.
Sadly, traumatic experiences caused by poverty and HIV/AIDS are commonplace in poorer parts of Zambia and this has a huge impact on the mental health of our young learners.
We addressed crucial topics such as: using daily positive affirmations to support our self-esteem, setting boundaries, learning to trust ourselves, and being in control of our emotions. We focused very much on feeding their young minds with positivity, whilst also discussing the importance of discussing feelings openly with trusted people. We also uncovered the harsh realities that many children face, including physical and verbal abuse, and living with cruel guardians. These revelations have underscored the importance of Shine's work and the need for continued support and intervention.
The programme continued in 2024/25, with many case studies showing how Shine pupils have been positively impacted and empowered by the programme.
## **Case studies**
## Victoria Musukwa
Aged 13, Victoria's life has been marked by profound loss and instability. She lost her father when she was just a baby, leaving her mother to raise her alone. Five years later, tragedy struck again when her mother passed away, plunging Victoria into deeper uncertainty. She then went to live with her grandmother, who provided her with care and stability for a few more years. Unfortunately, her grandmother also died, leaving Victoria in the care of her elder sister. Her sister, a housewife, and her husband struggled financially, making it impossible to pay for Victoria's school fees. As a result, Victoria had to drop out of school. Despite these hardships, Victoria has shown remarkable resilience. While Victoria’s resilience was evident before the program, Shine’s mental health programme played a crucial role in helping her channel that resilience in positive ways. The program offered her a structured environment to develop new coping strategies and acquire practical skills that could open up opportunities for a better future. Victoria reported feeling more hopeful and prepared to face her challenges, a significant outcome given her difficult circumstances.
## Anna Sakala
At just 12 years old, Anna has faced more hardships than many experience in a lifetime. She lost her mother when she was very young, a loss that changed the course of her life dramatically. Her late mother had cared for her with love and attention, but after her death, Anna was left in the care of her stepmother. The treatment she receives now is starkly different from the nurturing environment her mother provided. Anna lacks access to good food and clothes and often faces mistreatment. There are times when she goes to school with bruises, a visible sign of the struggles she endures at home. Despite these challenges, Anna remains determined to get an education. Her dream is to build a better life for herself and her younger siblings. The Shine mental health program has been a lifeline for Anna, giving her not only emotional support but also practical skills in sewing. This new skill has empowered her with the means to earn money and support herself, offering a glimpse of hope and independence.
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Annual Report 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025
## **Future plans**
Our short to medium term goals are as follows:
- to expand the Partner School model by partnering with more schools in Lusaka other areas
- to increase local income from our income-generating ventures, to reduce the reliance on donations
- to set up one new remote literacy programme (‘Literacy Hub’) in the next year
- to set up at least 3 more Literacy Hubs in Zambia over the next 5 years (these Hubs do not involve building infrastructure, but sending trained Shine volunteers into communities to improve literacy rates)
- to generate more funding through grants, both in the UK and in Zambia, to allow us to establish programmes in other areas of Zambia
- to further promote and increase awareness of our work and achievements in the community, through local, social, printed and broadcast media, as well as our own website and printed publications
- Longer term: to set up a Community Resource Centre in Rufunsa that will serve as a base for a number of literacy programmes targeting rural communities
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Annual Report 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025
## **FINANCIAL SUMMARY**
## **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Shine**
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 May 2025 which are set out on pages 15 to 19.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
- follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
- state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of independent examiner's report**
My examination was carried out in accordance with the 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 you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a “true and fair view” and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
- **1** which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements:
- to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act
- have not been met; or
- **2** to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Patricia K Kalota Suite 2 Bungano Suites, Lubu Road, Longacres, Lusaka, ZAMBIA 30/03/2026
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Annual Report 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025
## **Income**
Shine (combined UK and Zambian entities) recorded a total income of **£33,817** during the period of this report. This amount was made up of **£24,009** from the UK and **£9,809** from Zambia. The majority of these funds came from donations and grants to Shine (UK).
Some key figures:
- 34% (£11,473) of the total income came from donations from individuals
- 33% (£11,150) of the total income came from grants
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Sources of income
Car park
(combined Shine and Rent/hire of
Bank 7%
Shine Zambia entities) school Other income
interest
premises 1%
(Zambia)
10%
0% \
Grants
Local donations in
33%
Zambia
0%
Rental income from
residential property
11%
Gift Aid
4% Donations - corporate
0%
Donations - personal
34%
**----- End of picture text -----**
**Key figures:**
**Total income (UK and Zambia): £33,817 Income from UK donations: £11,473**
**Income from Gift Aid in UK: £1,386 Income from grants: £11,150**
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Annual Report 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025
## _**Locally-generated income in Zambia**_
The following sources make up the income generated locally by our Zambian entity, Shine Zambia _:_
|**Income type **|**Amount(GBP)**|
|---|---|
|Rental property net income|3,738|
|Hire of School Premises|3,381|
|Bank interest|40|
|Car park net income|2,215|
|Pig farm net income|233|
|Other income|202|
|**Total**|**9,808**|
An additional £832 has been recorded as foreign exchange gain in our Financial Statements due to the change in value over the period of the local currency in Zambia, the Kwacha.
## **Expenditure**
Shine spent a total of **£25,378** during the year in both the UK and Zambia. Our expenditure can be separated into money spent to support the UK charity and money spent in Zambia to run our programmes. The former is represented only by the administration costs shown in (1) below.
Local operating expenditure by Shine Zambia can be categorised as: (2) administration costs for Shine Zambia; (3) operational costs, which includes running costs for our literacy programmes as well as other related activities in furtherance of our objectives. A total of £19,300 was transferred from Shine to Shine Zambia in support of our programmes in Zambia. This is considered an internal group transfer therefore not detailed below as an operational expense. The table below provides a high-level breakdown of our operational expenditure, showing the split between the above categories (excluding internal transfers from Shine to Shine Zambia):
## _**Combined Expenditure – Shine and Shine Zambia**_
|**Type**|**_Amount_**|**_%_**|**Notes**|
|---|---|---|---|
||**_(GBP)_**|||
|1. Shine administration costs|223|1%|Administration costs in UK (bank charges)|
|2. Shine Zambia administration costs|798|3%|Administration costs in Zambia, consisting of bank|
||||charges, money transfer charges and tax payments|
|3. Shine Zambia operational costs|24,358|96%|Total cost of running our literacy programmes in|
||||Zambia and related activities|
||**25,378**|||
## **(1) Shine administrative expenses**
Shine incurred administrative expenses of **£223** during the period. The breakdown of this figure is as follows:
|**Type **|**e**|**_Amount(GBP)_**|**_%_**|**Notes**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Bank charges|Bank charges|223|100%|Bank charges for maintaining the account and transferring
funds to Zambia|
|||**223**|||
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Annual Report 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025
## **(2) Shine Zambia administrative expenses**
Shine Zambia incurred administrative expenses of **£798** during the period, consisting of bank charges for our local bank account in Zambia and accounting fees.
|**Type **|**_Amount(GBP)_**|**_%_**|**Notes**|
|---|---|---|---|
|Bank charges|266|33%|Monthly charges for maintaining our Absa bank account|
|Money transfer charges|5|1%|Charges for sending money to rural areas where we run a
literacy programme|
|Tax payments|193|24%|Tax payments for locally-generated income|
|Accounting fees|333|42%|Accounting and audit fees for Shine Zambia|
||**577**|||
## **(3) Running costs for our Literacy Centre, Shine Zambia Reading Academy, and other programmes**
The total cost of running the Shine Zambia Reading Academy literacy centre plus other literacy and feeding programmes was **£24,358** .
This funds for this amount were sourced from (1) funds transferred from Shine UK, (2) locally-generated income, and (3) funds in the Shine Zambia bank account prior to the start of the period.
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Annual Report 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025
|**Type of Expenditure**
~~a~~|**Amount (GBP)**
~~a~~|**%**
~~a~~|
|---|---|---|
|Shine admin costs
~~a~~|223
~~a~~|1%
~~a~~|
|Shine Zambia admin costs|798|3%|
|**_Literacy Centre:_**
~~a~~|~~a~~|~~a~~|
|Office Resources
~~a~~|115
~~a~~|0%
~~a~~|
|Utilities|331|1%|
|Landscaping
~~a~~
~~a~~|17
~~a~~|0%
~~a~~|
|Transport
~~a~~|349|1%|
|Miscellaneous
~~a~~
~~a~~|65|0%|
|Staff allowances
~~a~~
~~a~~|16,122|64%|
|Teaching and learning aids
~~a~~
~~a~~
~~a~~|199|1%|
|Maintenance
~~a~~
~~a~~
~~a~~|203
|1%
|
|Hygiene and sanitation
~~a~~
~~a~~|207
|1%
|
|Staff meals
~~aa~~|1,698
~~a~~|7%
~~a~~|
|Phone
~~a~~|118
~~a~~|0%
~~a~~|
|Subscriptions & fees
~~a~~|65
~~a~~|0%
~~a~~|
|Pupil sponsorship
~~a~~|49
~~a~~|0%
~~a~~|
|Christmas meal for pupils
~~a~~|90
~~a~~|~~a~~|
|Insurance|129|1%|
|Security|12|0%|
|Internet|7|0%|
|Staff medical allowance
~~a~~|218
~~a~~|1%
~~a~~|
|Printing & photocopying|186|1%|
|**_Pupil feeding programme:_**|||
|Pupil feeding programme, Shine Zambia Reading Academy|3,568||
|**_Other literacy programmes:_**
~~a~~|~~a~~|~~a~~|
|Rural reading programme, Rufunsa|607||
|**Total**
~~a~~|**25,378**
~~a~~|~~a~~|
## **Reserves policy**
Shine’s policy on reserves targets a general reserves amount that is sufficient to cover at least three months net running costs for the school in Zambia (less locally-generated income), which is around £6,500.
## **Restricted and unrestricted funds**
Unrestricted funds are funds that are not designated to be used for a specific purpose and may be used at the discretion of the Board of Trustees for any purpose that is in furtherance of Shine’s constitutional objectives. Restricted funds are those that are tied to a particular purpose, as specified by a donor or as identified at the time of a particular appeal. At the end of the period Shine had no restricted funds.
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Annual Report 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **Consolidated statement of financial activities**
All amounts are in pounds sterling.
||**Notes**|**Shine**|**Shine Zambia**|**Group**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Income**|2|**24,009**|**9,808**|**33,817**|
|_Income received by Shine_||24,009|-|24,009|
|_Income received by Shine Zambia_||-|9,808|9,808|
|**Operating Expenses**||**(223)**|**(24,323)**|**(24,546)**|
|Operating Expenses - Zambia|3|-|(25,155)|(25,155)|
|Operating Expenses - UK|4|(223)|-|(223)|
|**Other gains/losses**|||||
|_Foreign exchange gain/(loss)_||_-_|832|832|
|**Depreciation**||**_-_**|(3,050)|(3,050)|
|_Land_||_-_|-|-|
|_Buildings_||_-_|(2,860)|(2,860)|
|_Furniture_||_-_|(191)|(191)|
|**Transfers**|||||
|_UK funds transferred to Zambia –_||(19,300)|19,300||
|_recognised as income for Shine Zambia_||||**-**|
|**Net Income**||4,486|1,734|6,220|
The notes included below form part of these accounts.
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Annual Report 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025
## **Balance sheet**
|**Balance sheet**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Notes**|**Shine**|**Shine Zambia**|**TOTAL**|
|**Fixed Assets**|5||||
|_Land_||_0_|_6,042_|_6,042_|
|_Furniture_||_0_|_1,715_|_1,715_|
|_Buildings - school_||_0_|_76,278_|_76,278_|
|_Buildings - pig farm_||_0_|_15,348_|_15,348_|
|_Buildings - residential property_||_0_|_48,506_|_48,506_|
|**Total Fixed Assets**||**0**|**147,888**|**147,888**|
|**Current Assets**|||||
|_Cash at bank and in hand_||_6,219_|_2,477_|_8,696_|
|_Debtors/loans receivable_|6|_0_|_1,101_|_1,101_|
|**Total Current Assets**||**6,219**|**3,578**|**9,797**|
|**Current Liabilities**|||||
|Creditors falling due within one year||0|0|0|
|Creditors falling due after more|||||
|than one year|||||
|_Long-term liability - loan payable for_|||||
|_purchase of residential property_||_0_|_26,303_|_26,303_|
|**Total Current Liabilities**||**0**|**26,303**|**26,303**|
|**Total Assets Less Current Liabilities**||**6,219**|**125,163**|**131,382**|
|**Funds of the Charity**|||||
|_Unrestricted funds_||_6,219_|_125,163_|_131,382_|
|_Restricted income funds_|||_0_|_0_|
|**Total Charity Funds**||**6,219**|**125,163**|**131,382**|
**Approved by the Board of Trustees on 30[th] March 2026 and signed on its behalf by:**
## Plage
Vineet Bhatnagar
Chair & Founder
30 March 2026
The notes included below form part of these accounts.
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Annual Report 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025
## **Notes to the accounts**
## _1. Accounting policies_
## **Basis of preparation:**
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, with the exception of investments which are included at market value. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” published in 2005 and applicable accounting standards.
The Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) and Balance Sheet consolidate the financial statements of the charity and its subsidiary undertaking. The results of the subsidiary are consolidated on a line by line basis.
## _2. Income_
## **Income raised by Shine (UK):**
The UK income was received from the following sources:
|**Income Type**|**Description**|**Amount**|**% of UK**|
|---|---|---|---|
|||**(GBP)**|**Total**|
|Donations (personal)|Donations from monthly and adhoc donors|11,473|48%|
|Grants|Grants given for specific purposes|11,150|46%|
|Gift Aid|Amount of tax re-claimed from HMRC|1,386|6%|
|||**24,009**||
## **Income raised by Shine Zambia:**
Shine Zambia income was received from the following sources, excluding the £19,300 provided by Shine (which is considered an internal transfer):
|**Income type **|**Amount(GBP)**|
|---|---|
|Rental property net income|3,738|
|Hire of School Premises|3,381|
|Bank interest|40|
|Car park net income|2,215|
|Pig farm net income|233|
|Other income|202|
|**Total**|**9,809**|
## _3. Operating expenses – Zambia_
The operating costs of £25,155 is categorised as follows:
- Running cost of our literacy school plus other related activities - this includes costs associated with running the Shine Zambia Reading Academy school: allowances for the volunteer or casual staff working at the school, running costs of the feeding program, teaching and learning aids, travel costs, hygiene and sanitation, electricity and water
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Annual Report 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025
- Administrative costs – this comprises the bank charges incurred for the bank account in Zambia as well as money transfer and tax payments
Expenditure can be broken down as follows:
|**Cost type**|**Amount**
**(GBP)**|**%**|
|---|---|---|
|Literacy Centre running costs|20,183|80%|
|Pupil feeding programme|3,568|14%|
|Rural reading programme (Literacy
Hub, Rufunsa)|607|3%|
|Administration|798|3%|
|**Total**|**25,155**||
The Literacy Centre’s running costs are broken down as follows:
||Amount||
|---|---|---|
|School expense categories|(GBP)||
|Office resources, stationery, IT equipment|115|_1%_|
|Utilities (electricity, water)|331|_2%_|
|Landscaping|17|_0%_|
|Travel, transportation|349|_2%_|
|Staff allowances|16,122|_80%_|
|Teaching and learning aids|199|_1%_|
|Maintenance|203|_1%_|
|Hygiene and sanitation|207|_1%_|
|Staff meals|1,698|_8%_|
|Phone|118|_1%_|
|Professional fees, subscriptions|65|_0%_|
|Pupil sponsorship|49|_0%_|
|Insurance|129|_1%_|
|Security|12|_0%_|
|Internet|7|_0%_|
|Other staff costs - medical allowance, training|218|_1%_|
|Printing & photocopying|186|_1%_|
|Christmas meal for pupils|90|_0%_|
|Miscellaneous expenses|65|_0%_|
||**20,183**||
## _4. Operating expenses – UK_
The UK operating expense figure of £234 is broken down as follows:
|**Type **|**Amount(GBP)**|**%**|**Notes**|
|---|---|---|---|
|Bank charges|223|100%|Bank charges for maintaining the account and transferring funds to|
||||Zambia|
||**223**|||
## _5. Fixed assets_
The following is the Charity’s fixed assets for the period of the Report (all located in Zambia):
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Annual Report 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025
|**Description**|**Amount (GBP)**|
|---|---|
|Land in Lusaka, Zambia|6,042|
|School buildingsi|76,278|
|Pig farm buildingii|15,348|
|School furnitureiii|1,715|
|Residential property in Lusaka, Zambiaiv|48,506|
||**147,888**|
## i. The calculation for ‘School buildings’ is last year’s value minus 2% depreciation
ii. Pig farm infrastructure depreciated by 2% and nothing was spent on upgrading/adding to the infrastructure
iii. The existing furniture depreciated by 10% and £204 was spent on furniture for the school during the period
iv. The residential property purchased by Shine Zambia last year depreciated by 2%
The Charity has the following policy regarding depreciation of fixed assets:
|•|Land|0%|
|---|---|---|
|•|Buildings|2%|
|•|Furniture|10%|
## _6. Loans receivable_
A total debt amounting to £1,101 to Shine was recorded at the end of the period. This consists of outstanding shortterm loans to staff at the school.
## _7. Restricted funds_
As at 31 May 2025 there were no restricted funds for the charity.
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Annual Report 01 June 2024 to 31 May 2025