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2025-12-31-accounts

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Period start date Period end date 01 01 2025 31 12 2025 From To

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1138096

Children of Choba

Charity's principal address 20, Horseshoe Walk Bath Postcode BA2 6DE

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

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20		 Trustee name Office (if any) Dates acted if not for whole
**year **		 Name of person (or body) entitled
to appoint trustee (ifany)
Valerie McGivern Chair
Stephen Walker
Jemma
Bartholomew
Abraham Temu

Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)

Name Dates acted if not for whole year

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Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of adviser Name Address

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Type of governing document

Trust Deed

How the charity is constituted

Trust

Trustee selection methods

Appointed by existing trustees

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

Children of Choba works very closely with the School Committee of Choba English Medium Primary and Nursery School in Tanzania, of which Valerie McGivern is a member on behalf of the donors. Abraham Temu is also a member (Secretary) in his capacity as Head Teacher.

The above organisation is independent of Children of Choba.

As a foreign organisation in Tanzania, Children of Choba is not able to own Choba English Medium Primary and Nursery School. Children of Choba trustees therefore have no legal responsibility (financial or otherwise) to support the school, although we intend to do so for as long as necessary. Our aim at the outset was for the school to eventually be financially independent and we continue to work towards this. We are making good progress and in 2025 the parents contributed 84% of the school running costs.

Section C Objectives and activities

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document

  1. To advance the education of the children of Choba and nearby villages by constructing, running and providing the highest standards of teaching and facilities at Choba English Medium Primary and Nursery Schools. (Choba is a hamlet of Boza village, Pangani District, Tanga Region, Tanzania, East Africa)

  2. The prevention and relief of poverty in rural Tanzania, particularly Choba.

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  1. We have now completed the essential buildings at Choba Primary School and are making excellent progress at ensuring the sustainability of the schools by asking the parents to contribute to running expenses according to their ability to pay.

  2. However in 2025 we received restricted funding from Kitchen Table Charities’ Trust which has enabled us to add bathrooms and laundry facilities to the boys’ and girls’ hostels.

  3. We continue to make up the shortfall in running expenses of Choba Primary and Nursery School. Expenses include the following :

  4. Salaries (including social security contributions) of 12 primary school teachers, 3 nursery school teachers, 1 office assistant, 3 part time cooks and 4 watchmen

  5. Purchase and repair of bicycles for staff and volunteers

  6. Text books, exercise books, pens and pencils, stationery

  7. • Porridge for an average over the period of 346 children every school day

  8. Breakfast and lunch for all staff

  9. Maintenance of all buildings and assets such as the bore holes and water pumps

  10. Printing and photocopying of monthly test and exam papers

  11. School trips

  12. Water and electricity

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)

In 2025 Children of Choba made a contribution of £5,083 towards the running expenses of Choba Primary and Nursery School. We also made specific contributions of £615 for a school trip to Mkomazi National Park for Class VI, £891 for text books for the new syllabus) and £363 for the annual audit fee of the school accounts in Tanzania. The total contribution of Children of Choba to Choba Primary and Nursery School in 2024 was therefore £6,952.

Children of Choba has funded most of the assets of this school (buildings, desks, books, water pump etc) since the charity was founded in 2010. However, since foreigners and foreign organisations cannot own land (or anything built on it) in Tanzania, Children of Choba does not own the school. We have also funded running expenses - 100% of running expenses to begin with as there were no school fees. It has always been our intention that the school would be self-sustaining one day, and we asked the parents to start contributing towards running expenses in 2014, according to their ability to pay. We have been able to increase these contributions as the parents have started to see the fruits of education, until in 2025 the parents contributed 84% of the cost of running the school. At the beginning of 2023 the trustees agreed that from then on, we would account only for specific donations Children of Choba has made to the school and not include the full expenditure of the school. The school has its own audited accounts according to the law of Tanzania, which are available to any potential donor on request.

  1. In 2025 we paid (or made a contribution towards) the school fees and boarding costs for 33 secondary school students (39 in 2024), 21 college students (17 in 2024) and 8 university students (6 in 2024), totalling £45,813 (2024 £41,627). The total amount of funding received in 2025, all from private individuals for their respective sponsored students, was £51,358 (2024 £44,127), but £20,287 of this was not spent in 2025 as some of the donors pay

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annually in advance. In 2025, 62 students were sponsored, compared to 62 in 2024, but more of the students were at college which is more expensive than school. We also have £39,350 (2024 £42,900) of funding which needs to be spent on the fees of 6 school, 4 college and 1 university students whom we have undertaken to pay for out of unrestricted funds until the completion of their various courses in 1 to 6 years’ time. The trustees therefore need to designate that amount (£39,350). We have also decided to designate £30,000 from our reserves at the end of 2025, to fund the secondary and tertiary education of Choba graduates whose sponsors may not be able to fund them until they complete their education. £30,000 would fund 3 medical students for the 5 year course, £2,000 a year being the minimum necessary top up to the maximum government loan for medical students. We currently have 6 A level students hoping to become doctors, and we need to ensure that no Choba graduate selected for medical school is prevented from taking up their place due to a shortage of funds. At this stage, the sponsors of 2 of the 6 potential doctors have indicated that they may not be able to continue beyond A level, and a third has not committed yet. The maximum paid to sponsor any one student (who is studying Medical Doctor at university) was £2,700 in 2025.

Trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit and consider all the activities we fund in Tanzania to be of public benefit.

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

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You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

The eventual aim is for Choba Primary and Nursery School to be financed completely by parental contributions so that it can continue long after the present Children of Choba trustees. We are working gradually towards this aim, with the parents contributing 84% of the cost of running the school in 2025 compared to nothing when Children of Choba was founded in 2010. This transition is enabling us to spend more of our funding on the secondary and tertiary education of Choba graduates. However, the school will always be of supreme importance as the graduates would not obtain places at private secondary schools or colleges without the foundation they receive at Choba Primary School.

Valerie McGivern, Chair of Trustees, spent all 12 months of the period in Tanzania (2025). Her responsibilities included the following: -

During 2021 Valerie was required to retire as school manager in Tanzania but she is still able to fulfil the above roles as a member of the school committee. During this period she has obtained a small amount of restricted funding towards her living expenses – for details please refer to the accounts.

Section D Achievements and performance

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Section D Achievements and performance

Summary of the main At Choba we are not just building a school, we are trying to give each achievements of the charity child the opportunity to maximise his or her potential. This was our twelfth during the year year as an independent community school after we passed the strict criteria for registration. In our eleventh year of having a Class 7, we have achieved excellent results again. Choba English Medium Primary School performed very well in the National Primary School Leaving Examinations, with a school average over all subjects of 80% - of our 26 students, 12 got an average of A and 14 got B. Again, for the fourth year, NECTA (National Examinations Council of Tanzania) did not publish positions, but we have improved our marks (in 2021 our overall average was 75%) so it would be reasonable to assume that we at least maintained our position in the top 5% of Tanzanian primary schools despite being in one of the most undeveloped areas.

Our seventh intake at Choba Primary School (25 students who graduated in 2021) sat their O levels in 2024. Four Choba graduates (2 of whom were sponsored and 2 of whom were at a government scholarship schools for special talents) did outstandingly well, with one student with 9 As and 1 B, one with 7 As and 3 Bs, one with 6 As and 4 Bs and one with 5 As and 2 Bs . Only the best 7 subjects are counted. Eight further students got Division I (4 of whom were sponsored), making a total of 12, 50% of the Choba class. Seven further students got Division II, 4 Division III and 1 Division IV. No Choba graduates failed. On average, the class got Division I of 16 points, our best ever results. Five students who graduated from Choba Primary School in 2018 sat A levels in May 2025, and 3 got Division I (including one with ABC), 1 got Division II and 1 got Division III. All were given places at university, where 1 is studying Accountancy, 1 Law Enforcement, 1 Computer Networks Engineering,1 Tourism and 1 Human Resources (although he deferred his place as he didn’t get a loan). All other applicants received government loans but none of them got 100%. We continue to support Amina and Zuwena (Medicine) who have a large shortfall, and helped out 6 others from very poor families with smaller amounts. The number of students completing A levels from this Choba class was much smaller than usual (12 in 2024) as more sponsored students chose vocational training at college. In 2025 Children of Choba has also paid for the college education (to diploma level) of 21 Choba graduates who completed their O level studies from 2021 - 2024 but who either were not selected for A levels, or chose vocational training over A levels. They are studying subjects that we hope will make them employable – clinical medicine, animal health and production and accountancy. Three of these students completed their diploma during 2025, one getting First Class and two Upper Second Class. We are very proud to have 3 Choba graduates employed as teachers at Choba Primary School and 1 at Choba Nursery School. So far we have a total of 36 students at university from our first 4 years. Six of these graduated in 2025, 5 of whom were sponsored by Children of Choba and would not have made it past O level without our support. Four of these graduates got upper second class degrees and 2 lower second. Hadija, who got an upper second in Law, is now sponsored at The Law School of Tanzania, where she is studying for a post graduate diploma in legal practice, which will enable her to practice as an advocate or apply to become a magistrate/judge if she passes.

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Section D Achievements and performance

2025 was also a landmark year because the first Choba graduate was employed by the government, which is a job for life. Casiano was sponsored for his college education by Children of Choba and in 2023 received a first class diploma in community development. In February 2025 he was employed as Assistant Community Development Officer in Buchosa District, Mwanza. Most of our sponsored students who have completed their studies are working or volunteering in both government and private sectors to get more experience while they wait to be employed by the government.

We continue to be very encouraged by these achievements, particularly as most of the parents realise the success of the children is due to their foundation at Choba Primary and Nursery School.

In addition to exam success, we are proud that our sponsored students are growing up to be hard working, responsible young people with leadership potential. Many are prefects and leaders at their schools and colleges, and at Franciscan Girls’ Secondary School 6 of their head girls have been Choba graduates.

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Section E Financial review

Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves

We aim to keep at 50 – 100% our annual expenditure in unrestricted reserve at all times.

We finished this financial year with a total of £157,973 in hand. £23,317 of this is restricted funding and £69,350 designated by the trustees for secondary and tertiary education of Choba graduates. £65,306 of unrestricted funding remains, which is 92% of our 2025 annual expenditure of £71,193.

Details of any funds materially in deficit

Nil

Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

Grants were received during the year of £6,500 from Kitchen Table Charities’ Trust and £500 from Royal Commonwealth Society Bath Branch. Gift Aid of £6,192 was claimed during the year. Sponsorship of specific children for secondary and tertiary education totalling £51,358 was received during the year. This was entirely from individuals who are friends or contacts of the trustees. None of this was from organisations.

Section F Other optional information

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) McGivern Full name(s) Valerie Position (eg Secretary, Chair, Chair etc) Date 19/3/2026

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CHILDREN OF CHOBA

PERIOD 1/1/2025 TO 31/12/25

18-Mar
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS
EXCHANGE RATE USED 1GBP=TZS 3300 Pr Yr TZS 3100
UK TANZANIA **UNRESTRICTED ** RESTRICTED DESIGNATED TOTAL PRIOR YEAR
FUNDS FUNDS FUNDS 2024
Note 10 Note 7
Notes £
RECEIPTS
DONATIONS FOR SPONSORED STUDENTS 6 47,145 4,213 51,358 51,358 44,127
GENERAL DONATIONS 8,019 258 8,277 8,277 18,691
GRANTS 3 7,000 500 6,500 7,000 0
FUNDING FOR VALERIE McGIVERN COSTS 0 0 0 12,500
BANK INTEREST LESS TAX 4,156 4,156 4,156 2,690
CASH DONATIONS IN TANZANIA 4 1,354 1,354 1,354 0
TRANSFERRED TO TANZANIA -60,000 60,000
TOTAL 2,164 69,981 14,287 57,858 72,145 78,008
PAYMENTS
DONATIONS TO CHOBA PRIMARY AND NURSERY SCHOOL
CONTRIBUTION TO GENERAL SCHOOL RUNNING EXPENSES 5 5,083 5,083 5,083 5,330
SAFARI TO MKOMAZI NATIONAL PARK 615 615 615 629
TEXT BOOKS 891 891 891 1,170
AUDIT FEE 363 363 363 387
6,952 6,952 6,952 7,516
CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS 10 8,499 1,999 6,500 8,499 0
SPONSORED STUDENTS 6 45,813 45,813 45,813 41,627
VOLUNTEERS - FLIGHTS ETC
OFFICE EXPENSES
WEBSITE HOSTING 173 173 173 144
BANK CHARGES 121 165 286 286 326
RESTRICTED FUNDING FOR VALERIE MCGIVERN 11
RESIDENT PERMIT 385 385 385 1,935
ESSENTIAL REPAIRS TO ACCOMMODATION 1,563 1,563 1,563 2,051
CAR EXPENSES 2,950 2,950 2,950 2,010
CONTRIBUTION TO LIVING EXPENSES 2,549 2,549 2,549 4,469
INSTALLATION OF MAINS ELECTRICITY 2,023 2,023 2,023 1,183
FLIGHT TO UK FOR FUNDRAISING 0 0 0 852
9,470 9,470 9,470 12,500
TOTAL PAYMENTS 294 70,899 9,410 61,783 71,193 62,113
NET BALANCE OF RECEIPTS OVER PAYMENTS 1,870 -918 4,877 -3,925 952 15,895
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
CASH FUNDS
HSBC 102,405 12,768 20,287 69,350 102,405 100,535
EXIM BANK TANGA TZS 53,425 50,395 3,030 53,425 55,052
EXIM BANK TANGA GBP 142 142 142 309
CASH IN HAND 2,001 2,001 2,001 1,125
TOTAL 102,405 55,568 65,306 23,317 69,350 157,973 157,021
LIABILITIES
NONE 0 0 0 0

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/
members of
On accounts for the year
ended
Set out on pages
Respective
responsibilities of
trustees and examiner
Basis of independent
examiner’s statement
Independent
examiner's statement
Signed:
Name:
Relevant professional
qualification(s) or body
Address:		 Children of Choba
31stDecember 2025 Charity no
(if any)		 1138096
Accounts Attached – including Notes to the Accounts
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 Charities Act) and that
an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
•
examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
•
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the
Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
•
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
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 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 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.
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 Charities Act; and
•
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and
comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Charities 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.
Date:19/03/2026
19/03/2026
Martin Coles

FCMA, MA(Hons)
14 Dymott Square, Hilperton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire. BA14 7RW