Gulu Mission Initiative Annual Report 2020/2021
Bethel Primary and Secondary Schools
Senior 4 students began their national exams on 26[th] February 2021, which ended on 6[th] April. On 1[st] March Primary 6 and Senior 3 students were able to return to school.
Sadly, in June, after just 3 months back at school Uganda went back into another lockdown for 42 days. Schools have not been back since, and from an announcement made on Friday 15[th] October it seems unlikely schools will reopen in January 2022.
There has been a lot of disruption for the students at both schools as they have suffered a third lockdown. Students have had to return to home learning, which many are unable to access, as families are struggling to survive and children need to find different resources to feed their families.
GMI has been able to continue to support a skeleton staff at both Bethel primary and secondary schools. The staff do home visits and phone calls where possible and send home learning materials to those that can be reached.
A level block
In March construction started on the new A level block, which will also double up as a registration centre for national exams. This block will accommodate 800 students. This will be so beneficial to our students as it will mean they won’t have to travel a long way to do their national exams, they can be done on site.
We wish to extend our gratitude for the kind donations received from the Souter Trust, Mathews Wrightson, the Tabeel Trust, St. John’s church, Knypersely and personal fundraising we did to help towards this project.
Vocational Training Centre (VTC)
The Vocational Training Centre will be built in Patiko which is about 5 miles from Bethel schools. Patiko is centrally located mid-way between the other 10 sub-counties of the newly formed Gulu district. It had grossly suffered the effects of the war, many people missed the opportunity of a formal education, so skills training would bridge the gap. The community of Patiko have been making an earnest request for a skills training centre. Recent research by one NGO indicated that 4000 girls in Gulu district became pregnant during the first lock down, 500 of these had come from Patiko sub-county, meaning this subcounty was affected most by teen pregnancy. The VTC will bring hope to some of these girls who may not be able to get back to formal education. This new project will start with around 50 students. We intend to create a studentcentred environment with excellent teaching and training standards, counselling and support that will promote the health and wellbeing of these vulnerable young people. The students will be equipped with skills for a wide range of vocations, to encourage them to flourish. This will enable them to realise their potential and earn a living so they can support their families, breaking free from the cycle of poverty for future generations. Young people will have the opportunity to learn skills in construction, carpentry, tailoring, fashion, beauty, hairdressing, bricklaying, welding and mechanics. Alongside vocational trading in their chosen trade, they will also be trained in I.C.T. and business skills to build their businesses.
This will once again contribute to the economy by producing job creators rather than job seekers.
The total cost of the VTC is £15,000
GMI has received donations from Heb Ffin, a charity based in Wales and GMI supporters for the completion of this centre. We are very grateful and thankful for these kind donations to enable us to build this much needed centre.
We have been fortunate to source a large supply of equipment from another charity in the U.K., Tools With A Mission (TWAM) who have kindly provided us with carpentry tools, building equipment, hairdressing equipment and sewing machines. These have made their way from the U.K. in a shipping container and should shortly arrive in Nairobi, Kenya, from where they will make the final part of the journey by road to Gulu.
Feeding the vulnerable
As a charity we have been able to continue feeding the most vulnerable in the Gulu district. During the past year we have supplied a range of rice, maize flour, sugar, and beans to around 8,000 vulnerable people. This equates to around 1,300 families with around 6 people in each family. We have distributed to 20 communities.
This has been gratefully received as many are starving because of the lockdowns and lack of access to food and medicines. Even Covid patients who are receiving home-based care are now having to buy their own medicines, and yet they are unable to afford food, so how do they manage to buy their medicines too? Such difficult times.
Our thanks go to the Tabeel Trust, The Howard of Effingham School, Surrey and others for their kind donations in enabling us to continue this support.
Phoebe’s new appointment to District Chairman of Gulu district
In January 2020 we were praying for Phoebe as she put herself forward a local councillor. She passed with outstanding votes of 2,803, where her second competitor received 300. Phoebe then went onto stand for District speaker which is a much higher role then councillor. This position would mean that she would guide the district in managing overall decisions in the district affairs. Phoebe was successful and in May was sworn into office by a chief magistrate. Simon Peter Wokorach was elected a MP for Gulu district too. Simon is Bethel primary schools vice chairman for the school committee, and a governing board member for Bethel high school. We congratulate both Phoebe and Simon on their new appointments.
Vaccination programme
The Covid vaccination programme started in March with medical workers receiving them first. After that it will be teachers and security personnel, and then those over 50 years old. Only 800,000 vaccines have been supplied, so there is a long way to go before everyone gets a vaccine!
Soul Gospel Centre (SGC)
Soul Gospel centre is the church we minister at when teams from the UK travel to Gulu. Pastor James and Phoebe are church leaders there. During three lockdowns the churches were unable to open, but when the opportunity arises they have been having the following conferences:
In March 2021 a team came from Kampala to train on Church planting and growth, 134 pastors attended.
In October 2021 SGC hosted a marriage conference and will be leading a pastors conference towards the end of October.
Charity Name No (if any) Gulu Mission Initiative 1136683 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period Period start date Period end date To from 01/04/2020 31/03/2021
| Section A Receipts and | payments | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 8,068 10,620 1,962 - - 1 - - 20,651 - - - 20,651 15,500 3,500 850 1,300 600 1,200 - - 766 - 23,716 - - - 23,716 - 3,065 - 7,807 4,742 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - - 18,200 1,900 - - - 20,100 - - - 20,100 5,500 4,500 - 5,200 - - - - - - 15,200 - - - 15,200 4,900 - - 4,900 |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Total funds to the nearest £ 8,068 10,620 1,962 18,200 1,900 1 - - 40,751 - - - 40,751 21,000 8,000 850 6,500 600 1,200 - - 766 - 38,916 - - - 38,916 1,835 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|
| Donations - Monthlysponsorship | 8,068 | 8,898 | ||||
| Donations - Other | 10,620 | 5,021 | ||||
| Income Tax Refundable(Gift Aid) | 1,962 | 1,907 | ||||
| Grants | - | 1,000 | ||||
| Income relatingto Africa visits | - | 50 | ||||
| Bank Interest | 1 | 4 | ||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | 20,651 | 16,880 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | - | |||||
| Sub total | - | - | ||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
||||||
| 16,880 | ||||||
| Bethel School Teachers Salaries | 15,500 | 8,800 | ||||
| Bethel High School Build | 3,500 | 7,000 | ||||
| School Equipment / Repairs | 850 | 1,500 | ||||
| Contribution to feeding the vulnerable (HardshipfollowingCovid-19 lockdown) |
1,300 | - | ||||
| Contribution to vocational training centre (Cost of transportingtools) |
600 | - | ||||
| Personal Sponsorship | 1,200 | 600 | ||||
| Travel to & from Uganda | - | 650 | ||||
| Printing, Website etc | - | - | ||||
| Governance Costs | 766 | 283 | ||||
| - | - | |||||
| **Sub total ** | 23,716 | 18,833 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | ||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | ||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
||||||
| 18,833 | ||||||
| - 3,065 | 4,900 | - | 1,835 | - 1,953 | ||
| - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 7,807 | - | - | 7,807 | 9,760 | ||
| 4,742 | 4,900 | - | 9,642 | 7,807 |
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets B5 Liabilities |
Details None Details Current Account (40788732) Deposit Account (73556980) Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) None Details None Details None |
Unrestricted funds to nearest £ 2,665 2,077 - 4,742 OK Unrestricted funds to nearest £ - - Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which liability relates |
Restricted funds to nearest £ 4,900 - - 4,900 OK Restricted funds to nearest £ - - Cost (optional) - - Cost (optional) - - Amount due (optional) - - |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| OK | ||||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| Current value (optional) |
||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| Current value (optional) |
||||
| - | ||||
| - | ||||
| When due (optional) |
||||
| None | - | |||
| - |
Notes to the Accounts
Gift Aid - During 2020/2021 a single Gift Aid claim was made, for £1,962, covering the year 2019/2020. During 2019/2020 a single Gift Aid claim had been made, for £1,907, covering the year 2018/2019. Restricted Funds -
Several grants were received during the year to help the school & community cope with the Covid-19 pandemic. These were £5,500 from the Moondance Foundation, £3,000 from the Tabeel Trust, £1,200 from the Waterloo Foundation and £500 each from Freedom Church and Capital City Church. Two further grants were received towards the High School build: £4,000 from the Souter Foundation & £500 from the Matthew Wrightson Trust. We also received £3,000 from Heb Ffin towards the proposed Vocational Training Centre (not yet sent to Uganda). We are grateful to all these trusts and organisations for their generous support.
Finally, in March 2021, Steve & Helen Lock deposited £1,900 towards the cost of their next trip to Africa. Reserves Policy - The trustees have agreed to keep a minimum of one quarter's committed payment to Bethel school in Uganda, i.e. £2,000, in reserve. This amount is held in the deposit account 73556980.
Audit Exemption - For the year ended 31st March 2021 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. No members have required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the period in question in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.
These financial statements were approved by the Board on 19 October 2021 and were signed on their behalf by Mrs Helen Lock, their chairperson and Mr Anthony John Hornsby, their treasurer:
| A.J. Hornsby Signature Helen Lock |
Print Name Mrs Helen Lock Anthony John Hornsby |
Date of approval |
|---|---|---|
| Helen Lock | Mrs Helen Lock | 19/10/2021 |
| A.J. Hornsby | Anthony John Hornsby | 19/10/2021 |
Independent Examiner report
Report of the Independent Examiner to the Trustees of Gulu Mission Initiative
On the accounts for the year ended March 31[st] 2021
Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner
The Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
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to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commissions (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of Independent Examiner’s statement
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 the 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 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 examiners statement
In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respects:
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accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act or
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the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
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the accounts do 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 come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed by the examiner:
Date: 30/11/2021
Name: Malcolm Nicholas Address: 77 Fulmar Road, Porthcawl CF36 3PW