OTRA COSA NETWORK ANNUAL REPORT OTRA COSA N E T W O R K
Mission
promote education and social development in our local communities
Contents
01 02 08
10 11 14 15 16
Word from Our Directors
HELP Projects
Global G.L.O.W.
Partners & Partner Projects
STAFF
Marketing
fundraising, donations & grants Finances
Word from the Directors
In 2023, we had almost all our projects back up and running, but didn’t attract as many volunteers as we’d have liked as the political situation in Peru was difficult & turbulent, putting off many potential volunteers.
We continued to develop our partnership with the US NGO Global GLOW in Huanchaco. With a focus on girl empowerment, literacy, entrepreneurship, health, and sex education, we served over 150 girls in 4 community groups through recurring and special events.
We ran our Swim programme with our partners Swim Tayka. Starting in January, 60 kids from Huanchacho and the surrounding areas enrolled in these swimming lessons and environmental awareness classes.
We expanded our partnerships with universities, both in recruiting volunteers, and in offering collaborations in research. We collaborated with a British Council/Sheffield University research project and hosted a small group of Masters students from Sheffield University for an in-person Fieldwork Research tour.
In 2023, we saw some change of staff as previous members finished their contracts and new team members joined the family. Thanks to Ximena & Alejandra who left us in 2023 and Diana who stayed with us into 2024.
Our Finances reflected the reduction in number of volunteers, but grant income increased and we made some necessary cost savings to ‘balance the books’ and protect reserves. We made a small surplus for the year, and ended 2023 with our reserves at a healthy level, looking forward to 2024.
We would like to thank all our staff, teachers, volunteers, donors and partners without whom none of this good work would be possible.
Peter & Juany Murphy, Co-Directors Otra Cosa Network
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HELP Projects HUANCHACO EDUCATION AND LEARNING PROGRAMMES
Otra Cosa Network runs five projects which are all part of the Huanchaco Education and Learning Programme (HELP), namely HELP English, HELP Environment, HELP Literacy, HELP Youth and HELP Women. HELP is dedicated to advancing the education possibilities and resources for lower-income children and adults in Huanchaco and the surrounding areas. The following pages document the achievements and challenges within the projects during the year 2023.
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HELP ENVIRONMENT HELP LITERACY
HELP ENGLISH
HELP WOMEN HELP YOUTH
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HELP English PROVIDING EQUAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH ACCESS TO ENGLISH CLASSES
In 2023, our HELP English project continued to have a significant impact on the community, boasting the highest number of service users among our HELP projects, with 40 enthusiastic children enrolled. One notable achievement was the introduction of monthly evaluations, providing valuable insights into the progress of our service users and allowing us to tailor our approach to their evolving needs.
We initiated a fundamental restructuring of the programme, particularly for children who required essential Spanish literacy skills before delving into English. This strategic decision aimed to equip these children with a strong foundation for language learning. The HELP English project also expanded to encompass two distinct levels of English education, catering to both basic (alphabet, colours, etc.) and intermediate/advanced learners, focusing on daily phrases and grammatics.
We conducted lessons at the REC (Recreation & Education Centre) and Maria del Socorro state school where we delivered English instruction weekly to their students. Furthermore, we diligently developed the curriculum for the REC programme, ensuring a well-structured and comprehensive approach for our students throughout the year. The HELP English project in 2023 was marked by innovation, adaptability, and an unwavering commitment to providing valuable language education to our service users.
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HELP Environment
TEACHING CHILDREN ABOUT LOCAL SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
The HELP Environment project continued to actively engage with the community through monthly beach clean-up initiatives. These events were highly successful, attracting numerous locals and passersby to join in the effort to pick up trash from the beach. These initiatives not only contributed to a cleaner environment but also promoted a sense of community responsibility and environmental stewardship.
A comprehensive curriculum was developed, extending until the end of the year, complemented by monthly evaluations to gauge our students' progress and adapt our teaching methods accordingly.
4
HELP Literacy
LITERACY FOR LIFE: READING, LEARNING, THRIVING
In 2023, our HELP Literacy project achieved significant milestones aimed at enhancing literacy skills among the youngest children in the community. One notable observation was the prevalent issue of children being unable to read or write in Spanish, which posed a fundamental barrier to their educational development. In response, HELP Literacy was launched in the first quarter of 2022, with a primary focus on the younger children, to provide them with essential literacy skills in Spanish.
Since its launch, our dedicated team has concentrated on imparting the building blocks of literacy. We introduced children to the alphabet, vowel and consonant sounds, and gradually guided them in sounding out words. Furthermore, the programme offered a unique opportunity for literate service users to choose books from our library and engage in reading during their sessions, fostering a love for literature and expanding their reading horizons. The HELP Literacy project drew enthusiastic participation, with approximately 20 children attending the class. Half of the group dedicated their time to building fundamental literacy skills, while the other half further improved their literary abilities by selecting books they were genuinely interested in from our library. This approach not only instilled a sense of empowerment but also promoted the joy of reading.
The classes encompassed a holistic approach to literacy, covering a diverse range of materials, including novels, poems, songs, and more, allowing the project to evolve and adapt to the expectations and preferences of the students.
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HELP Youth
A SAFE AND INSPIRING ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN TO PLAY, LEARN AND BE CREATIVE
In 2023, our HELP Youth project continued to flourish, offering a diverse array of educational and engaging activities for the young members of the Cerrito de la Virgen community.
At the REC (Recreation & Education Centre) and football court, a wide range of supervised activities and games continued to provide a safe and nurturing environment for the children. The project also celebrated diversity by incorporating various facets of learning and culture, including homework help, sports, science, music, and arts and crafts into the programme. Guest teachers were invited to lead classes, broadening the children's horizons and introducing them to new areas of knowledge.
The HELP Youth project in 2023 continued to provide a well-rounded and nurturing environment for the youth of Cerrito de la Virgen, promoting personal growth, creativity, and a sense of community.
6
HELP Women
PROMOTING WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT IN HUANCHACO
While we initially hoped to restart our HELP Women programme in 2023, we were not able to move forward with fully implementing any specific projects. We have met with local partners and the women we work with to assess what opportunities lie ahead in 2024 and hope to explore a possible venture in small business entrepreneurship.
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Global G.L.O.W.
EQUIPPING GIRLS TO BE STRONG, HEALTHY, AND EDUCATED
Girl boss: Girl boss took place in the sector of Ramón Castilla in the community of Villa Los Ángeles with Carmen Garcia as mentor and Yaquelin Delgado as assistant.
We started with 20 girls and ended with 12 girls, running a total of 12 weeks with 2 hours per week. The girls learnt about saving, entrepreneurship and how to create their own brand. The product chosen by all of them was costume jewellery. Then they made a small fair to sell their products.
Classes: We developed the third year modules where the girls were able to develop their personal skills (physical care, emotional, and ingenuity).
We held a menstrual hygiene summit in May in Cerrito (there was a module on the myths and truths of menstruation, the most common menstrual hygiene products), a science fair in August where each group of girls presented an invention (20 inventions), a girl's day in October (the girls went to lunch for a fellowship lunch, then went to the Casa de Madera where a film was shown) and another summit for Christmas (in the Casa de Madera where they all participated and sang).
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Healthy G.L.O.W. FOCUS ON REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
In 2023, this project started in Valdivia with 10 girls. Then, we moved on to the little school in Las Lomas. We had two shifts: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The morning sessions took place with 6th grade girls between the ages of 12 and 13 years, and in the afternoon with 5th grade of primary school and girls from other schools (11 to 13 years old). Each group was a group of 18 to 20 girls. We worked with this age range as it represents the minimum age at which girls usually start menstruation.
Finally, we held the project in Cerrito de la Virgen with 10 girls, up to the age of 18. We delivered interventions discussing contraceptive methods, menstruation and sessions revolving around the different stages of life including adolescence and puberty.
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Partners & Partner Projects
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS IN AND AROUND HUANCHACO
Global G.L.O.W.
An NGO based in the US, Global G.L.O.W. partners with NGOs around the world to develop and implement programmes designed to equip girls with the resources to be strong, healthy and educated. In addition to GirlSolve and Healthy Clubs, GLOW activities throughout the year focus on different aspects of healthy development, giving girls opportunities to become leaders. Over 150 girls in Huanchaco participate.
SwimTayka
Starting in January 2023, 60 children from Huanchaco and the surrounding areas enrolled in lessons on how to swim and also received education on water safety and environmental issues.
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Teamwork
our staff and volunteers make all the difference
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Staff 2023 saw a good, committed team; both in terms of the field staff in Peru and directors in the UK.
Juany and Peter continued to direct the objectives of the NGO in their capacity as directors and provide overall managerial guidance to the field staff, via regular meetings and calls.
Community Projects Manager, Ximena Buller
Ximena is Peruvian and has lived in a number of countries. She studied sociology at Colorado College and has a Master's in linguistics from University of Amsterdam. She has experience in teaching, research, and data collection. She joined OCN in May 2022 and left in May 2023..
Marketing and Projects Manager, Diana Garcia
Diana, originally from Spain, joined us in July 2022. She studied Business Management and is currently working on a second degree in Psychology. She has experience as a language teacher and project manager with other NGOs in Spain, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Diana is also a Global GLOW mentor.
Fundraising and Projects Manager, Alejandra Salardi
Alejandra is Peruvian and joined OCN in November 2022 and left in December 2023 to live in the USA . She has worked in community development and social services in New York, Spain and Lima. She studied Political Science at Hofstra University (New York) and holds a Master’s degree in Public Service and Social
Policy from the University of Salamanca (Spain). Alejandra is also a Global GLOW mentor.
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Global GLOW Team
Yaqueline Delgado Mentor
Lia Delgado Mentor
Alexandra Terrones Mentor
Ana Cristina Guevara Mentor
13
Marketing USING STATE-OF-THE-ART MARKETING TOOLS TO ENGAGE WITH OUR ONLINE COMMUNITY
Website Performance
There were nearly 20,000 views of our website through 2023, averaging nearly 55 every single day. We will look to keep fresh and engaging content present on the site through 2024, to encourage even more visitors to engage with us.
Social Media Engagement
OCN has continued to see significant engagement across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We have over 5,000 followers on Facebook and over 1,500 on Instagram. Our local Peru team and volunteers post to the accounts multiple times per week, showcasing daily life and volunteer work in Huanchaco, which serves as a tool to inform the local community about our events and activities and connect with past and future volunteers.
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Fundraising, Donations & Grants
We would like to acknowledge and offer special thanks to our generous partners & donors who contributed to help our charity and our various projects in 2023. Without the support of these donors, we would be unable to continue our projects and help our range of service users. Thank you all.
Grants
Total grant income was up from £43,416 in 2022 to £52,262 in 2023, representing a vital 65% of our total income. Our major grant donors were:
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Global GLOW £31,364 for the GLOW girls literacy & development programme
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British Council/Sheffield University £13,223 for a new research programme Warwickshire County Council £3,661 for Latinas in Warwickshire
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Swim Tayka £3,661 for the Peru Swimming & drowning prevention programme
Fundraising
Fundraising was well up on 2022 with £4,649 raised in total including £1,580 in Quarter 1 and £1,753 in Quarter 4 into the UK accounts together with a useful £1,316 from local fundraising events in Peru.
Other Donations
Other donations were down year on year at £880, but still provided a useful contribution. Special thanks to our regular monthly donors who provide an income we can rely on.
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FinaThc FACTS FIGURES OTRA COSA
Finances
FINANCIAL COMMENTARY
These 2023 accounts have been prepared using the UK Charity Commission’s Receipts and Payments accounting conventions, so OCN funds received and payments made between 1 st January 2023 and 31 st December 2023 are included.
Income
Total receipts were £80,889 in 2023, down by £26,275 against 2022. Volunteer payments were down by £24,712 and Housing income by £9,259 reflecting substantially lower levels of volunteer arrivals. Donations and other income were also down by £1,488 and £4,028 respectively. However, partially offsetting this, grant income was up by £8,846, fundraising income by £3,507 and group travel income by £858. Overall income was down by almost 25% requiring some significant cost savings in order to protect reserves.
Payments
Total expenditure was reduced by 25% from £105,224 in 2022 to £78,871 in 2023. Project expense, by far our biggest single expenditure, accounting for over half our spend in 2023, was protected relative to other costs but still reduced by 10% from £48,252 to £43,312. Overall salaries and benefits were reduced by 14% from £19,770 to £17,019 including a reduction in the size of the full-time Peru team.
Housing, accommodation and food costs were reduced by £6,719 to £13,110 with less volunteer activity, but fixed costs of our Volunteer house remained. We made substantial savings on IT expenses, professional fees, office supplies, transport costs, group travel expenses and other expenses, in total contributing £ 12,634 to our overall year over year cost savings. Overall, the substantial reduction in expenditure by £26,373 almost exactly balanced our £26,275 lower income, enabling us to stay cash positive and broadly match 2022’s small net surplus.
Net cash surplus and reserves
In 2023, we made a cash surplus of £2,018 compared with £1,920 in 2022. This was only achieved by applying some substantial cost savings to offset our lower income. We ended the year with £9,753 in General Reserves (unrestricted funds). Compared with our Unrestricted spend of £35,607 this is 3.3 months cover, against our General Reserves target of at least 3 months. This is considered sufficient to allow for any short-term financial issues, but we need to maintain income levels and continue to control costs in 2024.
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Finances
2023 ACCOUNTS
2023 FINANCIAL STATEMENT
| 2023 | 2022 | better/(worse) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income | (£) | (£) | (£) |
| Volunteer payments | 9,347 | 34,059 | -24,712 |
| Housing income | 8,564 | 17,823 | -9,259 |
| Fundraising | 4,649 | 1,142 | 3,507 |
| Grants | 52,262 | 43,416 | 8,846 |
| Donations | 880 | 2,368 | -1,488 |
| Group travel income | 3,930 | 3,072 | 858 |
| Other/Sundry income | 1,256 | 5,284 | -4,028 |
| Total Income | 80,889 | 107,164 | -26,275 |
| Payments | |||
| Project Expenditure - Revenue | 43,312 | 48,252 | 4,940 |
| Salaries & benefits | 17,019 | 19,271 | 2,252 |
| Housing/accommodation/ food expenses | 13,110 | 19,829 | 6,719 |
| Promotion & fundraising | 989 | 318 | -671 |
| IT expenses | 316 | 830 | 514 |
| Telecommunications | 0* | 416 | 416 |
| Legal/accounting expenses & professional fees | 488 | 1,556 | 1,068 |
| Office supplies | 21 | 2,640 | 2,619 |
| Capital Expenditures - buildings | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transport | 931 | 2,075 | 1,144 |
| Group Travel Expenses | 141 | 1,197 | 1,056 |
| Other expenses (incl. ex rate losses & revaluations) | 2,543 | 8,360 | 5,817 |
| Total Payments | 78,871 | 105,244 | 26,373 |
| Net cash Surplus/(deficit) | 2,018 | 1,920 | 98 |
*Telecoms now included under IT expenses as a unified package
Note: These accounts include all transactions from 1st January 2023 to 31st December 2023.
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Finance Appendix SUMMARY OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE
Income 2023
| Volunteer Contributions | 9,347 |
|---|---|
| Housing income | 8,564 |
| Fundraising | 4,649 |
| Grants | 52,262 |
| Donations | 880 |
| Group Travel Income | 3,930 |
| Other income | 1,256 |
| Total Income | 80,889 |
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Finance Appendix SUMMARY OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE
Expenses 2023
| Project expenditure - Revenue | 43,312 |
|---|---|
| Salaries & benefits | 17,019 |
| Housing/accommodation & food expenses | 13,110 |
| Promotion & fundraising expenses | 989 |
| IT expenses | 316 |
| Telecomminications | 0 |
| Legal/accounting expenses & professional fees | 488 |
| Office supplies | 21 |
| Captal expenditure - buildings | 0 |
| Transport | 931 |
| Group Travel Expenses | 141 |
| Other expenses (includes ex rate losses & | 2,543 |
| revaluations) | |
| Total Receipts | 78,771 |
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Otra Cosa Network
Peruvian Charity Registration Number 11126841 UK Charity Registration Number 1133680
info@otracosa.org
| Otra Cosa Network | Otra Cosa Network | Otra Cosa Network | Otra Cosa Network | Otra Cosa Network | 1133680 | 1133680 | 1133680 | CC16a | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For the period from |
01/01/23 | To | 31/12/2023 | ||||||
| Section A Receipts and payments | |||||||||
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ |
Last year to the nearest £ |
||||
| Volunteer payments | 9,347 | - | - | 9,347 | 34,059 | ||||
| Housing income | 8,564 | - | - | 8,564 | 17,823 | ||||
| Fundraising | 3,802 | 847 | 4,649 | 1,142 | |||||
| Grants | - | 52,262 | - | 52,262 | 43,416 | ||||
| Donations | 715 | 165 | - | 880 | 2,368 | ||||
| Group travel income | 3,930 | - | - | 3,930 | 3,072 | ||||
| Other/Sundry income | 1,256 | - | - | 1,256 | 5,284 | ||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | |||||||||
| 27,615 | 53,274 | - | 80,889 | 107,164 | |||||
A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). - - - - - - - - - - Sub total - - - - - Total receipts 27,615 53,274 - 80,889 107,164 A3 Payments Project expenditure - Revenue 371 42,941 - 43,312 48,252 |
|||||||||
| Project expenditure - Revenue | 371 | 48,252 |
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A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 27,615 53,274 - 80,889 107,164
A3 Payments
Project expenditure - Revenue 371 42,941 - 43,312 48,252
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CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
30/10/2024
1
| 6,289 | 8,541 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10,730 | 11,229 | ||||||||
| 13,110 | 19,829 | ||||||||
| 989 | 318 | ||||||||
| 316 | 830 | ||||||||
| - | 416 | ||||||||
| 488 | 1,556 | ||||||||
| 21 | 2,640 | ||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| 931 | 2,075 | ||||||||
| 141 | 1,197 | ||||||||
| 2,543 | 8,360 | ||||||||
| Sub total 35,607 A4 Asset and investment |
35,607 | 43,264 | - | 78,871 | 105,244 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment |
|||||||||
| purchases (see table) | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| Sub total - Total payments 35,607 Net of receipts/(payments) -7,992 A5 Transfers between funds 7,972 A6 Cash funds last year end 9,773 Cash funds this year end 9,753 |
- | - | - | - | - | ||||
| 35,607 | 43,264 | - | 78,871 | 105,244 | |||||
| -7,992 | 10,010 | - | 2,018 | 1,920 | |||||
| 7,972 | -7,972 | - | - | - | |||||
| 9,773 | 26,725 | - | 36,498 | ||||||
| 9,753 | 28,763 | - | 38,516 | 36,498 | |||||
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
30/10/2024
2
| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Categories B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets |
Details | Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
Restricted funds to nearest £ |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
| UK bank & PayPal accounts | 9,320 | 27,524 | - | |
| Peru bank account | 301 | 888 | - | |
| Peru cash | 132 | 390 | - | |
| 9,753 | 28,802 | - | ||
| OK Endowment funds to nearest £ |
||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| Current value (optional) |
||||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
CCXX R3 accounts (SS)
30/10/2024
3
| B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of Notes to the accounts: |
Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Land – Cerrito de la Virgen, Peru | Restricted | 6,259 | 6,259 | |
| Buildings – Cerrito de la Virgen, Peru | Restricted | 8,209 | 8,209 | |
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| When due (optional) |
||||
| Date of approval | ||||
| 25/10/2024 | ||||
| 1. These accounts consolidate Otra Cosa Network's activities in the UK & Peru. |
CCXX R4 accounts (SS)
30/10/2024
4
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All spend on maintaining/improving our buildings in Peru has been categorised as revenue spend
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Assets are stated at original cost
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Transfer from Restricted to Unrestricted funds approved at Trustee Board Meeting 21/10/24.
CCXX R5 accounts (SS)
30/10/2024
5
Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examinerfs Report Report to the trustaesl members of Chanty Na r)ir I On accounts for the year ended 31sF 2c)23 Charity no (rf any) 1133&80 Set out on pages cth&2 I report to the truslees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity {Ihe Twsf) for the year erTded 31 12 £oA3 Responslbllltles and basis of report As the charitys trustees. you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance wth the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 llhe ACVI. I report in resp8cI of my examination of the Trusfs 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 14515)(b) of the Act. Independent examinerfs statement Delete I l rf not applicable. I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have come to my attention in connection wth the examination tUttP rnBuwhich gives me cause to beiieve that in. any material respect.. the accounting recorts were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charitses Act.. or the accounts did not accx>rd with the accounting records,. or the accounts did not comply swth the applicable requirements nceming the fomi and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and ReF*Jts) Regulations 2008 other than any quIrnent that the accounts give a llrue and fairf view vthich is not a matter ¢onsidered as part of an indeperKlent examinaticrf). I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to wthich attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a prop8r understanding of the accounts to be reached. ' Pl6ase dèlete the words in the brackets rfthey do not apply. Signed: Dato: Namè: R•l6vant professional qualificationls) or body 51 IER Oct 2018
Irf any): Address: I ITP Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs lo highlight material matters of concern (see CC32. Independent examination of charity attounts: directions arKI guidance for examiners). Glve here bri6f dètalls of any items that the exarniner wishes to disclose. IER Oct 2018