Congo Children Trust Annual Report 2024-25
The trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.
During the year 2024-25, the trustees continued to focus on supporting fundraising by groups and individuals as well as applying for grant funding. A large number of churches and individuals continued to give generously and talks and presence at a range of events continued to raise awareness in the UK.
Congo Children Trust once again made both monthly maintenance grants and occasional oneoff grants to the Kimbilio Project for street children in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo and to related projects in DRC.
Income
In 2024-25 income grew by almost 25% in comparison with the previous year while expenditure also grew by almost 17%. Donations continued to be received towards the construction costs of the new Day Centre for the Kimbilio Project and this continues to be a key aim for fundraising from grants and donations.
The trustees continue to owe particular thanks to Ruth Allen for operating the Etsy shop and co-ordinating the volunteer sewers in the UK, along with Gill Venton. Jan McCarthy also crocheted 250 tiny turtles. As in previous years, a great deal of hard work by volunteers and Ian Harvey, the founding Director, went into maintaining personal contact with group and individual supporters as well as applying for grants from funders with the support of Joanne Peters. Jen Appleby is providing one day per week administrative support in the office.
The trustees are deeply grateful to the following trusts, companies, and funds for their generous support:
- Carne Global Finance, IX Metals, IX Metals (South Africa), The C & R Pignatelli Foundation, University of Strathclyde University Muslim Student Association, Wolverhampton Rotary Club, Rotary Charity Auctions, Brian Mercer Trust, Sussex Mineral and Lapidiary Society, Carpe Crystals Ltd, Souter Trust
A substantial body of regular donors continue to support the charity via standing orders, ensuring that regular income is maintained and that funds are available when required for grants for costs of food and utilities and the trustees are deeply grateful to them for their generous commitment.
In addition, the trustees owe particular thanks to the following churches:
- The congregations and church councils of Horwich Evangelical Church, St Andrew, Hadfield; St Michael and All Angels, Cosby; Wesley Methodist Centre, Chester; Central Exeter Parish; St Michael, Helston; St Helen, Wheathampstead; The Church of the
Good Shepherd, Romford; St Andrew, Lowestoft; St James, Woodley; St Margaret, Whalley Range; St Helen, Etwall; All Hallows, Allerton; Holy Trinity, Warrington; Christ Church, Harpurhey; Glenbrook Christian Fellowship; St Mary, Ellenbrook; St Michael, Mytholmroyd; Hillheads Christian Fellowship, Whitley Bay; St Mary, Long Stratton.
Other funding sources of note:
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Once again, various volunteers took part in various fairs and fundraising events in Manchester, Essex, London and Greenbelt Festival, adding to trading income.
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Global Giving continued to be a particularly helpful online fundraising tool in the course of the year, with significant match funding provided, including £28,000 in December 2024.
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Kumi Foundation has been instrumental in linking CCT with some key corporate donors and their support is very much appreciated by the trustees.
Expenditure
Operational expenditure increased once again with pressure from inflation, but funds were again able to cover this and donations continued to be received for the new Day Centre. The bulk of Congo Children Trust’s financial support continues to provide for the day to day running of the Centre Kimbilio and Maison Kimbilio; a day centre for street children as well as associated accommodation and support provision for former street children. The Kimbilio/Mapendo school also received funding for month-to-month expenses.
In the course of the financial year, 6679 meals were provided at the KImbilio Day Centre providing street children with the opportunity to receive medical care, food, entertainment, counselling, and many other activities. The girls undertake sewing training, and the boys play football once a month. 337 children, who would otherwise not be able to attend school, were registered across the KImbilio/Mapendo primary and secondary school and the school also plays a role in helping to integrate the former street children into their local community. A perimeter wall was constructed around the school precinct in the course of the year. 72 children were provided with accommodation in one of the Maison Kimbilio homes, receiving basic education in literacy, mathematics, dance and art. 60 children were reunited with their families by the social work team; 11 of these reunited children were provided with bursaries to attend school in their home towns and villages; 44 mothers of reunited children have graduated from the sewing training project; 6 young mothers have graduated from the young mums hairdressing and beauty training and 6 young people were provided with University education
Through the year 2024-25 the Trust once again continued to have very low UK running costs at under 10% of our income and we continue to be extremely grateful for the generosity of the St Margaret's Centre, Whalley Range, Manchester for giving use of office space free of charge. The Kimbilio Project UK director Ian Harvey worked more than a day per week on a voluntary basis, with some support donated funds specifically for his expenses. His activities involved communicating with supporters and volunteers in the UK, including emails, newsletters and online meetings and a programme of visits to supporter churches. He also
maintained regular contact with the volunteers and staff in DRC and led a visit to Lubumbashi including representatives of donor partner Kumi Consulting in July 2024, which included an exploratory visit to meet with potential funders and partners in Kolwesi.
Charity Name No (if any) Congo Children Trust 1121048
Receipts and payments accounts
4/1/2024 3/31/2025 To
For the period from
CC16a
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 £ | |||||||
| A1 Receipts | ||||||||||||
| Donations | 73 | 73,437 | 73,437 | 98,372 | ||||||||
| Unrestriced Grants | 76 | 76,827 | 76,827 | 40,741 | ||||||||
| Sewing project | 11,304 | 11,304 | ||||||||||
| Trading | 1 | 1,033 | 1,033 | 1,683 | ||||||||
| Bank Account interest | 653 | 653 | 289 | |||||||||
| Donation(food costs) | - | 2,000 | ||||||||||
| Rotary (English teacher and football | lish teacher and football) | 1,600 | 1,600 | |||||||||
| Church Donations | 21,250.24 | 21,250 | 12,762 | |||||||||
| Church Donations(director salary) | 1,022 | 1,022 | 321 | |||||||||
| Donations(daycentre) | - | 20,610 | ||||||||||
| Visits to DRC | - | 1,250 | ||||||||||
| Mireille | - | 140 | ||||||||||
| Church Donation(youngMums) | - | 750 | ||||||||||
| Lilyfor the Congo | - | 2,580 | ||||||||||
| Church Donation Daniella university | 1,485.35 | 1,485 | 1,195 | |||||||||
| Grants (sewing workshop and kitchen extention) |
- | 2,000 | ||||||||||
| Emergencyoperation | - | 210 | ||||||||||
| Global Giving | 59,117 | 59,117 | - | |||||||||
| 173,200 Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
173,200 | 74,528 | - | 247,728 | 184,903 | |||||||
| - - - - - - - - - Sub total - - - - - Total receipts 173,200 74,528 - 247,728 184,903 A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). ~~——————~~ |
||||||||||||
| A3 Payments | ||||||||||||
| Publicityand fundraising | 4 | 4,653 | 4,653 | 4,077 | ||||||||
| Subscriptions/Memberships | 448 | 448 | 399 | |||||||||
| Grants to DR Congo | 118 | 118,162 | 118,162 | 141,729 | ||||||||
| Insurance | 781 | 781 | 722 | |||||||||
| Staff and Office Expenses | 4 | 4,980 | 4,980 | 10,069 | ||||||||
| Bank fees | 435 | 435 | 435 | |||||||||
| Visits to DRC | - | 2,435 | ||||||||||
| Transfer to reserve account | - | |||||||||||
| YoungMums | - | 750 | ||||||||||
| Teacher Salaries | - | |||||||||||
| School Buildingand furnishing | - | |||||||||||
| SewingProject | - | 1,000 | ||||||||||
| Global Giving | 59,117 | 59,117 | - | |||||||||
| Tradingexpenses | 518 | 518 | 46 | |||||||||
| Rotary (English teacher and football | lish teacher and football) | 1,600 | 1,600 | |||||||||
| Girls House | - | 1,000 | ||||||||||
| Lillyfor the Congo | - | 2,580 | ||||||||||
| Food Costs | - | 2,000 | ||||||||||
| Director salary | 1,022 | 1,022 | 321 | |||||||||
| Mirellie | - | 140 | ||||||||||
| Emergencyoperation | - | 210 | ||||||||||
| Daniella Universityfees | fees | 1,485 | 1,485 | 1,195 | ||||||||
| CRM Cost | 9 | 9,346 | 9,346 | - | ||||||||
| **Sub total ** | 139 | 139,324 | 63,224 | - | 202,548 | 169,107 |
A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) - ~~————~~ -
| - | - | - | - | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sub total - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| Total payments 139,324 | 63,224 | - | 202,548 | 169,107 | ||||||
| Net of receipts/(payments) 33,876 | 11,304 | - | 45,180 | 15,796 | ||||||
| A5 | Transfers between funds | - | - | - | ||||||
| A6 | Cash funds last year end 32,739 |
28,188 | 60,927 | 45,131 | ||||||
| Cash funds this year end 66,615 | 39,492 | 106,107 | 60,927 |
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Endowment | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Categories | Details | funds | funds | funds | ||||
| to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | ||||||
| B1 Cash funds | Current Account 66,615 39,492 - Reserve Account - - - - 66,615 39,492 - Total cash funds ~~—=S==~~ |
|||||||
| (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
(agree balances with receipts and payments | OK | OK | OK | ||||
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Endowment | ||||||
| funds | funds | funds | ||||||
| Details | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | |||||
| B2 Other monetary assets | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~~——==~~ |
|||||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
|||||
| B3 Investment assets | - - - - - - - - - - ~~nee~~ |
|||||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
|||||
| B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~~mie~~ |
|||||||
| Fund to which | Amount due | When due |
Details liability relates (optional) (optional) B5 Liabilities - - - - - Signed by one or two trustees on Date of behalf of all the trustees Signature Print Name approval Mark Gant ~~———~~
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A
Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ Charity Name members of Congo Children Trust On accounts for the year 31 March 2025 Charity no 1121048 ended (if any) Set out on pages (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 / 03 / 2024 .
Responsibilities and As the charity trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s 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 section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent
examiner's statement[I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have ] come to my attention (other than that disclosed below *) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect,:
-
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Signed: Date: 24 November 2025 ~~CT~~ Name: Euan Menzies ICAEW Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 24 Balcombe Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex
October 2018
IER
1
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
N/A
October 2018
IER
2