## **Chairman’s Annual Report for 2022/2023** 

Now that travel to Tanzania is back to normal following the Pandemic, trustees can be confident that the work of the charity in Tanzania is functioning without any restrictions. The charity continues to make a significant impact in terms of its aims and objectives, and has continued to expand its impact on the Meserani community through the number of students progressing to further and higher education. By the end of 2023 there will have been 272 young people who have been supported throughout various stages of their education. 

We are currently sponsoring: 

12 pupils at secondary school. 

6 students are in their second year of A’ Level studies. 

8 students are studying certificate and diploma courses at higher education establishments. 

26 students are studying degree courses at university. 

We are particularly proud that three of our university students are actually on a five year course at medical school training to be doctors, and one student is on a five year course at medical school training to be a radiologist. 

Of particular note this year has been the ongoing news on the development of the new Meserani Secondary School, now due to open in January 2024. 

Work on compiling information a data base on which of our previously sponsored students were actually in employment is ongoing, although this is a time consuming process, and much work has yet to be done. However, initial findings are very positive and reassuring. 

It is pleasing to report that the charity is still able to function successfully without taking any expenses at all out of money raised, generated or donated, meaning that the charity continues to give true value for money. All decisions made regarding spending the money are still only done following consultation with, and approval of, our indigenous advisors in Tanzania (our ‘committee’), meaning that all funding goes exactly where it is needed most. Throughout the past year there were a number of issues for which the advice of the committee in Tanzania was invaluable. 



The new arrangements for sending money to Tanzania, from the charity bank account in the U.K., via a Revolut Bank account, to the account in Tanzania held by the Meserani Ward Councillor Loth Naparana, has been very successful, and monitoring of this continues to be extremely rigorous. The charity has made significant savings by using the Revolut bank to send money to Tanzania – the bank charges per transaction are fixed at about $3.30 and their foreign exchange rates were significantly better than those used by Barclays Bank. 

The challenge of building the new Meserani Secondary School continues to be a major source of frustration for all those involved in the charity. Many deadlines for completion of the school have passed, and although The Meserani Project has met all its deadlines, the authorities in Tanzania have failed to meet any of theirs. This year the school was due to be open in January, and then again in July, and the latest promise we have been given is that it will open in January next year. We are actually confident that this latest deadline will be met because the government building work has almost been completed, and six teachers and a head teacher have now been appointed. 

The Meserani Project has completed the building and furnishing of the two dormitories, as we promised, and has the funding ready to build and equip the dining/assembly hall and kitchen – but we are reluctant to provide funds to start the building work until we know that the school is open to pupils, and pupils are being educated there. Two trustees are due to visit Tanzania in January next year, and will be able to assess the situation at that time. 

Group trips to Tanzania to support the charity continue to be organised, with the support offered by the Chairman of the charity. A group of 16 employees from Virgin Media spent ten days supporting the charity in January this year, focussing on providing solar power at a primary school and water harvesting for the Meserani Secondary School. A group of 26 from a secondary school in the U.K. spent almost three weeks in July engaging with the work of the charity, and they funded the purchase of bunk beds and stoves for the new Meserani Secondary School. A group of 20 from another secondary school on the U.K. are spending almost three weeks in July next year engaging with the work of the charity, and they have committed to raise funds for furnishing the dining/assembly hall at the new Meserani Secondary School 

## **Statistics** 

We have supported 279 young people throughout various stages of their education. 



272 pupils have attended one of seven secondary schools that we have links with. 

92 students have started their two years of A’ Level studies. 

13 students have started their two year Vocational Training Courses. 28 students have started Certificate and Diploma Courses at College or University. 

65 students have started their three year Degree courses at university. Fourteen classrooms have now been built and furnished for four primary schools. 

Thirty-one 5,000 litre water tanks have now been provided across four schools. 

Funding was provided for completing the building of a new dormitory at Kipok Girls’ Secondary Boarding School, and the provision of 60 beds. Eighty desks and chairs have been provided for Moita Boys’ Secondary Boarding School. 

Bunk beds for 58 pupils have been provided for Moita Boys’ Secondary Boarding School. 

Solar power has been provided for four teachers’ homes, all dormitories, the school office, the staffroom and a new classroom at Kipok Girls’ Secondary Boarding School. 

Solar power has been installed in the staff accommodation block at the Meserani Chini Medical Clinic. 

Four teachers’ homes at Meserani Chini School have been renovated and furnished, and water harvesting systems and full solar power systems have been installed. 

A photocopier, printer, generator and TV/Video player have been provided for three schools. 

Laptops and projectors have been provided for an Adult Learning Centre and a Vocational Training Centre. 

Four whiteboards have been installed at three secondary schools and one Vocational Training Centre. 

More than five hundred trees have been planted in five schools. 

## **Financial situation** 

There was an income of £49,351.04 over the financial year 2022/2023 and expenditure of £95,599.59 There was a balance of £173,122.32 from the previous financial year. The balance at the end of the year 2022/2023 was £126,874.77 

A significant amount of this relatively healthy balance are funds raised specifically for the building project of the new Meserani Secondary 



School – we currently have a commitment to pay for the building of a dining/assembly hall and kitchen, along with the stoves for the kitchen and tables and chairs for the dining/assembly hall. We also need a contingency for any unexpected costs that may arise – this has been a common feature regarding our sponsorship of students, and needs of the three secondary schools and four primary schools that we support. Approximately £2,500.00 is currently in restricted funds to fulfil specific ongoing commitments regarding the sponsorship of secondary school pupils, further education students and higher education students. 

P.G. Swan 20/11/23 



## **The Meserani Project Treasurer’s Report 2022-2023** 

## **Balance 5 April 2022 - £173,123.32** 

|**Deposits 5 April 2022 – 4 April 2023**||
|---|---|
|Secondary School|9582.32|
|Reserve/overpayment of School Fees|800.00|
|Student Sponsorship|28,621.39|
|Donations|1,859.57|
|Gift Aid|7,248.79|
|Sale of Books|1133.97|
|Yarm School|105.00|
|**Total**|**49,351.04**|
|**Withdrawals 5 April 2022 – 4 April 2023**||
|Loth Naparana Bank Charges|266.10|
|Student Fees/New Secondary School Dormitories|72,480.48|
|PG & Swan School Fees/New Secondary School Dormitories|10,040.18|
|Revolut/New Secondary School Dormitories|11,319.86|
|Yarm Christmas Craft Fair|50.00|
|Middlesbrough Erimus Rotary Club, Foundation Grant.|1420.35|
|Press Studs|22.62|
|**Total**|**95,599.59**|



## **Summary** 

|**Summary**||
|---|---|
|**Balance 5 April 2022**|**173,123.32**|
|Deposits 2022-23|49,351.04|
|Withdrawals 2022-23|95,599.59|
|**Balance 4 April 2023**|**126,874.77**|



**Diane Swan Treasurer July 2023**