Help 4 Forgotten Allies includes Projects to Support Refugees from Burma
Charity Registration No 1139273
ANNUAL ACCOUNTS & TRUSTEES REPORT
Year ended 31 December 2021
Help 4 Forgotten Allies includes Projects to Support Refugees from Burma
Charity Registration No 1139273
Charity Registration Number:
1139273 (Registered 08 December 2010)
Governing Document:
Trust Deed dated 25 November 2010
Other Names:
The Charity was formerly known as Projects to support Refugees from Burma
Registered Address:
12 Highworth Avenue CAMBRIDGE CB4 2BG
Trustees:
President:
Mrs Sally McLean (Chair) General Sir Alex Harley Mr Peter Mitchell (RCEL Representative) Mr Geoff Holt (Secretary) Mr Andrew Page (Treasurer) Mr Van Cung Lian Mr Andrew Curtis Mr Alex Bescoby Mrs Zoe Rigden (resigned 15[th] July 2021) Mrs Sarah MacDonald (resigned 15[th] July 2021)
Objects:
The object of the charity is to help relieve the suffering of people, including refugees from Burma (Myanmar), who have fled hardship and human rights abuses.
These activities specifically include aid for veterans (and their widows/ dependants) who served in the armed forces raised in Burma during the Second World War.
Website:
www.h4fa.org.uk
H4 FA ANNUAL ACCOUNTS Help 4 Forgotten Allies (H4FA) includes Projects to Support Refugees fn)m Bumia (PSRB) Cl No 1139273 PERIOD." 1 January. 31 December 2021 21120 In¢om• IRe¢eipts Indiwdual Donations & Gifts Ivetewts & Indmdual Donations & Gills {Ethcation & Humanitwian) Redaimed Tax on Gift A RCEL Grant (Note 11 Van Mesdag Fund INde 21 Special Forces Benevdent Fund Cuthbert Hom Trust Other Grants Weterans & V4Trd(NBI Other Grants (Edural & Humanrtarian) (Ncle 2} 11.93 102.C 427T3.38 17169.44 1COXJ. 22293 2092 49323 1rJyJ.crJ s1.17 130C 113593 Éxp•nditur• {Paym•nts) Grants made to Vetera1 & lOw$ IH4FAI {Note 3) Grar¢ts for EducalKJn & Humaniban PuFFA)ses IPSRBI 74370.2 40487. 35145 117151.18 1618ni.74 Current Assets Cash at bank and in hand H4FAAc£t Icoowatsve Bank) PSRB Aixxjunt {cL%)a"ve Bank) 3J/J21X121 199M.07 ¢#OIIOJ/2021 44070.21 3958.62 48028.83 2C13899 57 428.83 161870.74 209899.57 Tslee & Tr8asEw8r N•1 In 2021, RCEL chaw Iheir paymnt fmm payTrntin to paynnt in arr8¥> There. tt)e two paynEnt tr4nGhe5weTE SeFerrknw2021 & klarth 2022. irL5aJ ofWI & lknber 2021. £24,791 was Tred in March 2022. Not•2 b) 2020. thè£10.0 donalm fromthe VaTr Nsda3 Fund wa5 iTrapi¥Juaty tsrrthj, incKl8d n YXh8rGfants'. AtrJrfher£10.fA)O was donated It) 2021 the Tiustees fPe1thatth shoukl tr ite5¢d.
Independent examinerfs report to the trustees of H4FA I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of H4FA for the year ended 31 Dember 2021. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity trustees of H4FA you are resFrf)nsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordan with the Charities Act 2011 (°the Act.). I report in respect of my examination of the accounts of H4FA carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Aci and in carrying OLrt my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Chartty Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. Independent examinefs ststement The charity's gross income exeded £250,000 and l am qualified to undertake the examination being a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below in Section B) which gives me cause to believe that in. any material respect.. The accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act., or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records," or the accounts did not comply wrth the applicable requirements conceming 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 fairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concems 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 aChed. Raymond A Bissex FCA 32 Brooklands Avenue Waterloo Liverpool L22 3XZ Date.. 23 May 2022
Section B Disclosure The accounts for the year ended 31 Drnber 2021 show income in eXsS of £250,000. Consequently, the accounts should have been prepared on the accruals b8sis and not on the Receipts and Payments basis. Therefore, the accounts do not conform with the accounting requirements. During the year the charity received a generous donation and this is unlikely to be repeated. The trustees are of the opinion that income for the year to 31 December 2022 is expected to be under £200,000. In order to save inconvenience and costs. no change has been made to producing accounts on the Receipts and Payments basis. It is unlikely that there would be material changes if the accruals basis were adopted.
INTRODUCTION
Burma/Myanmar 2021/2022: (Peter Mitchell writes)
This has, and continues to be, a time of great uncertainty, economic hardship, and fear especially for Burma’s people. The situation in Myanmar is dire. This is a direct result of the Myanmar Army’s overthrow of the evolving democratic government of Burma in February 2021. Whilst the Army have gained some degree of control in Yangon and Mandalay and to an extent in some other larger towns, this has only been achieved by the ruthless and violent suppression of any form of civilian dissent. There is no accountable government, nor rule of law, with arbitrary arrests common and numerous cases of atrocities: the burning of towns and village, torture, and abuse. There is widespread resistance and fighting in the extensive ethnic minority states but also now in many other places throughout the country against the army.
In Western Myanmar, for the first time, there is intensive fighting against the army in Chin State and adjacent Myanmar regions. This is resulting in thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and refugees entering the Indian state of Mizoram. Mizoram State is very close to Chin State culturally, ethnically, and through the Christian religion. Mizoram is welcoming refugees unlike other Indian states which are Hindu and do not have the same sense of close identity. The central government of India does not take in refugees elsewhere from Myanmar, due to its complex relationship with the Myanmar army/government.
The atrocious war in Myanmar has been eclipsed by the appallingly brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine; indeed, Russia is supplying arms to the Myanmar Army. This lack of media attention to Myanmar is understandable as the war in Ukraine, in Europe, is much closer to Britain. The effect, however, is that with much less media attention to Burma there is little known in the UK about the Myanmar atrocities and, therefore, less desperately needed support forthcoming. This is sad and deeply regrettable, especially in the context of Britain’s long involvement in Burma, particularly in World War II. We greatly need help for the desperately suffering people of Myanmar, including the surviving old veterans in Burma, their children and grandchildren, who have and continue to pay a huge price throughout their lives from when so many supported Britain at our time of greatest need in WWII.
Political perspective: (Ashley South, political commentator, writes)
In 2021, Burma faced two extraordinary and inter-linked crises: the Covid pandemic and the February 1st coup. This "critical juncture" provides an opportunity to re-imagine the type of country Burma could be. For the first time in generations young people from the towns and cities have been exposed to the full violence of the Tatmadaw. This has led to a renewed solidarity (with the ethnic nationalities) and commitment to ending the Myanmar Army brutal rule. A loose federation based on overlapping ethnicities and common values, with an illegitimate central government, is being created by the junta’s blunders. Ethnic areas are having some success at running their own civil societies. The National Unity Government was formed as the democratic alternative in opposition to the Junta who refer to it as a "terrorist organisation". It enjoys wide support but is still negotiating on a common position on federalism.
As a result of the coup, a collapse in central governance has sparked a multidimensional crisis. The economy is in free-fall; the COVID-19 pandemic is raging virtually unchecked in the absence of a viable health system; food is scarce to nonexistent in many areas; local administrative and service infrastructure is deteriorating under attack by warring forces; lawlessness has emerged in communities as the army orders the police to take repressive actions, negating their law enforcement role; public education has been decimated; and the telecommunications system is collapsing. In February 2022, Myanmar was ranked second least democratic nation in the world, worse than North Korea and only better than Afghanistan - Bloomberg. Aung San Suu Kyi ASSK, former leader, has been in military custody since 1[st] February 2021, and has been charged with corruption and sentenced to five years in prison; already sentenced to six years for incitement against the military she faces more charges.
Under new rules foreign currency now has to be converted into Kyat. Meanwhile Australia is accepting defectors from the Burma Army and the NUG is offering cash for defections. There have been over 3,000 so far and many hundreds of Burma Army soldiers have died. In the face of this situation, junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing called for "peace talks". Ethnic nationalities currently enduring aerial bombardments resulting in 400,000 IDPs nationwide are unwilling to trust that these talks would be genuine. Worst affected has been Karenni, Karen and Chin States. With international NGO's not allowed to access the areas where the IDPs are in hiding there is a serious humanitarian crisis and urgent need for food and shelter. A commentator in the Irrawaddy on 1st March writes on the subject of links between Russia and Myanmar on arms sales: "Both the junta and the Kremlin have underestimated the people they seek to subdue; these avowed friends must not be allowed to succeed and vindicate each other’s actions."
Our IDP work:
Over the last year, H4FA/PSRB has allocated over £5300 in extra funds to IDP projects. This is a letter of thanks that we received from one mother from Loikaw, the Karenni State capital, who had to leave her home with her family:
“My name is Naw Kue Ku. I'm 42 years old from Loikaw, Nan Nat Taw quarter. I have 5 children. The oldest is 21 years old and the youngest is 8 years old. Now my family, plus my mother-in-law and niece, are gathered together here due to the military attacking and burning down our property: our paddy farm, and house. I don't have a proper job. Daily, I prepare the meal for my family, wash and iron clothes, a housewife's job. My husband was a truck driver and we depended on his monthly payment. Now the situation has changed. My family and my neighbours cannot live in our hometown because of the bombing attacks and gunfire all the time. The military coup took place in our town
and the soldiers took all of the animals including my chickens, ducks, goats and pigs. Now we have left the place where we lived to survive, taking our children. It took 4 days to arrive in Toungoo. When my family decided to leave, we didn't know where to move to next. In a hurry, we could only take the most necessary things along with us to survive. At first, the volunteer from some organization - I don't know the name - took us to PDF (People’s Defence Force). Then the PDF picked us up and took us to Di Maw So. We stayed there for three days in the forest then moved next to See Bu village. When we got a secret contact from the Taungoo Karen Baptist Convention, they came and took us to get shelter. Now we don't know what will come next. I heard about the damage to my house. And all the people as an IDPs here from Loikaw and near that area, we already heard that our houses were burned down. Before it got burned, our property was looted for motorcycles, traditional things such as our traditional ethnic horns by the military. Now the Paku Baptist convention is letting us to stay here, and this is a blessing and so is the donation from the Taungoo Paku Town Church members. You gave us the huge donation through the H4FA organisation. We all thank you for the support and we are happy for such a great helping hand to us. We don't know what will happen next to us and I am afraid about my children's future.
H4FA/PSRB has also been supporting Chin IDPs and refugees in Mizoram State, bordering Chin State, Myanmar. H4FA/PSRB is supporting them with foods, blankets, clean water, and medicines. Our activity can be seen here in YouTube clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkqwnR6LEkc
New trustee introduction:
Bertie Lawson is the CEO of Sampan Travel, a tour operator based in Yangon creating tailor-made tours through Myanmar and India. After graduating from the University of Liverpool with a BA in English Literature in 2013, Bertie moved to Berlin to work in communications. Two years later he arrived in Myanmar and set about building a tour operation that he intended to both offer exceptional, immersive experience to travelers while at the same time have a positive impact on the lives of local communities. This mission remains even more important in the current context.
Bellay Htoo South is Karen from Burma, and a UK citizen. She writes "I fled many places in Burma because of the war, finishing my high school at the Karen National Union Htee Hta High School in Mergui/Tavoy District (Tanintharyi Region). I attended Kaw Thoo Lei Karen Teacher Training College at the old KNU headquarters at Mannerplaw, following which I worked as a volunteer teacher for 4 years - until my village was occupied by the Burma Army in February 1997. In March 1997, after I married the writer Dr (then 'Mr’) Ashley John South, we moved to the UK. We have 2 sons - and for the past 10 years have been living back in Thailand, with occasional visits to Burma. My passion is to help Karen people who are in need of education, health, and religion and to support communities in agriculture and livelihoods. Since 2002 I have also helped our WWII veterans through grant distribution along the border. Since May 2021, I have been working with a small team to make maternity bags for displaced Karen, Karenni women in Burma. The Maternity Bag includes products specifically for women who are pregnant and have young infants. These items will cover hygienic needs and allow women a measure of dignity in the midst of chaos."
Distribution of grants to ex-servicemen and widows update:
Currently we have 156 widows and 46 veterans on our lists within Myanmar and on the Thai Burma border. Each receives around £300 every year from us. Veterans who fought in the Burma Campaign are now extremely old and cared for by family. Widows are generally a little younger. We organize our distributors in areas all over this very large country and despite the fighting, and despite Covid, the distribution of welfare grants has gone ahead in almost all cases. The Royal Commonwealth ExServices League (RCEL), and not H4FA, is responsible for welfare grants in Kachin State, but due to Covid and the political situation they have been unable to get payments through for several years and so we decided to try to help the old soldiers there. As we received a very generous one-off gift, we decided to give a single one-off payment of £417 each to the remaining handful of surviving Kachin veterans and this has been done much to their surprise and delight.
Our regular lists are in Loikaw, Toungoo, Naunglebin, Chin State, Hpa An, on the Thai/Burma border, the Delta area and around, and within Yangon. Our Grant Distribution Manager is in Yangon, formerly Rangoon; he handles three of these lists. Each distributor visits the home of every widow and veteran each year to give their grant money into their hands and check their welfare. This necessitates travel and travel expenses for these distributors, but it is essential to check on each recipient’s welfare. Loikaw remains the only area where it has been impossible sadly, over this last year, to do this, due to Burma Army activity. Loikaw is the capital of Karenni State and has been hit particularly badly by aerial bombardments by junta forces.
Again, this year it has been absolutely remarkable that thanks to the contacts and organisational skills of our trustee Van Cung Lian we were able to complete distribution in Chin State to 12 veterans and 62 widows. This remote and mountainous area has also been seriously attacked by the Burma Army. Whole towns have had to flee as they were torched and looted. But somehow our welfare grants reached the elderly people in remote villages and in great need. The Chin distributors working with Van have been immensely courageous and we owe them a great debt of gratitude. To get an idea of the difficulties they faced travelling the mountain roads, the gratitude they received and some of the stories you can watch videos of the distribution via our website: www.h4fa.org.uk/videos.
Chin State is the poorest part of Myanmar. To highlight one Chin widow's story: her husband was the well-known Captain Tsai Cawn BGM. Her name was Bawng She and she was 97. When the Burma Army came to her village this year the family decided to flee to the Mizoram/Indian border and safety. They had to carry her. Soon after she died there, in exile from her country. Because her husband had been famous, the Army allowed her family to bring her body back for burial.
Rifleman 50564 Tsai Cawn of 4 Burma Rifles (pictured above), who died in 1985, was awarded the Burma Gallantry Medal on 19 July 1945. He was recommended for a BGM by Major Merton G.S.I Z who wrote on the 2nd October 1944: "He has served since August 1942 till the present time in a G.S.I.(Z) patrol for which work he specially volunteered. This has involved long periods of hardship living concealed in close proximity to the enemy, in constant danger and without respite, often short of rations and going long marches in difficult enemy occupied country with heavy loads. In spite of all of this, he has always been cheerful and has shown much courage and initiative in every emergency. He has volunteered again each year for a further patrolling season and has contributed much to the success that has been achieved in providing intelligence regarding enemy movements and dispositions. Area of operations, East of Tiddim up to the Chindwin River." A BGM medal sold in the UK was worth £5,000 in 2016. The family still have the medal. Our trustee Van Cung Lian hopes that one day there will be a museum in Chin State showing the valiant role the Chin played in fighting for freedom against the Japanese and now again against the military Junta.
H4FA makes one last payment when a widow or veteran dies to help with the funeral expenses. Out of 242 payments for 2021, 38 were for funerals. Old age and Covid have sadly shortened our lists, and old soldiers and their wives have ‘gone home’. As described above, our focus is gradually shifting to humanitarian and education work which will honour their descendants and show our gratitude.
PROJECTS SUPPORT REFUGEES FROM BURMA (PART OF H4FA)
Emmanuel School:
This small Anglican primary school in Mae La refugee camp has been supported by PSRB since 2002. The camp is tightly packed with a population of 34,204 (February 22 figure) and is the largest of nine camps strung out along the Thai-Burma border. The school has had to be shut part of the year and partially open with some home schooling for longish periods. This of course was due to Covid which hit the camp badly, though many, if not most, were vaccinated. PSRB paid the teachers and cook furlough payments and, when possible, students came in for meals provided through the generosity of the Tadworth and Walton Overseas Aid Trust. Given the rations cut, this extra food has been a Godsend for them.
There are currently 187 students - 93 boys and 94 girls, plus 12 teachers and a cook at the school. H4FA sends four quarterly payments to pay for teachers’ salaries, school equipment, and stationary, and to make repairs and for any other necessities for the running of the school. We receive regular reports and accounts showing many photos of artwork, gardening projects, and festivities. They are deeply grateful for our ongoing support since 2001. The school was founded when it became crucial to integrating new, often traumatised, arrivals from the war zones on the other side of the border. Now despite the recent and ongoing brutal Burmese military air strikes on Karen civilians just the other side of the border no new inmates are allowed. The strict security has caused dissatisfaction and demonstrations in the camp. Currently an estimated 40,000 Karen are hiding in the mountains, jungles and caves in Karen State; tragically the Thai government has allowed very few to cross to safety. They are urgently in need of humanitarian aid. PSRB is contributing to this and is appealing for your help this year.
Our normal, annual visit has again been prevented by travel restrictions due to Covid.
An exciting development has been the Van Mesdag Trust 's provision of funds to build a Middle School enabling the children to go through nursery, primary, and middle school on the same campus. The brightest, with sponsorship, can then go on to Noh Boh Anglican High School situated further along the border. The Middle School is in memory of Rob Van Mesdag. His niece wrote a children's version of his life story for Emmanuel telling of his childhood in WWII in Holland, and how the experience inspired him to dedicate his personal fortune to philanthropy.
This year again all Grade 6 students from Emmanuel passed the exams set by the Karen Refugee Committee Education Department, many of them with distinctions. We can be very proud of the dedication and hard work of the students and teachers.
Three outstanding students from Emmanuel School are currently being sponsored by PSRB/H4FA. Two of the sponsors have done so in memory of someone they loved and admired. A year’s education currently costs £300. Names of sponsors and students are withheld but we are pleased and proud to announce the names of those whose memory is being honoured in this way. The first sponsorship was ‘in memory of Major John Winstanley who received a MC while with the Royal West Kents on the infamous tennis court at Kohima. He regarded the Karen people very highly’. She has now graduated and was given a gift of a keyboard piano. She continues her studies in English and Computer Studies in the camp. A teenage boy is sponsored in memory of William Raleigh Head, also a British officer who served in Burma. If you would like to sponsor a student please get in touch.
There is a need for very simple, elementary children’s stories with illustrations, which may be posted direct to: Jitthamsri, 150, Moo 3, Mae Pa Tai, Mae Pa, Mae Sot, Tak Province 63110, Thailand.
Payments to Emmanuel School, March 2021 to April 2022: £19,257. A teacher is paid around £70 a month and a child's meal costs on average 11p.
New Mizoram Project – ‘PSRB School’:
The military coup in Myanmar has led to many young people taking up arms and fighting the Burma junta's army. Since the coup, Chin State has become a battle ground between the Burma Army and local resistance forces. The fighting and burning of towns and villages has forced more than 40,000 Chin people, and other ethnic minorities, to flee their homes in search of safety. They have crossed the Indian border to Mizoram State, leaving all of their possessions behind. Refugee children from Burma have missed years of schooling and they are in dire need of education. PSRB has initiated an education project at Zokhawthar Refugee Camp which is right at the border between India and Myanmar. This pilot education project started in May 2022 with 75 children from Zokhawthar refugee camp. The aim of the project is to help children to adapt to education while they take refuge in Mizoram state and also prepare them for their eventual return. At present, the Mizoram state government has allowed refugee children to join their state schools; however, they have limited resources. PSRB is funding four teachers to join a state primary school to teach refugee children with the Indian curriculum. In addition, since these children have been missing their education for over a year, they need extra support. For this, PSRB is running an evening school where teachers support them with extra classes and study groups. PSRB also runs school on Saturdays where we teach life skills, English, Burmese, and Chin classes. We hope that PSRB school will run for at least a year and after that we plan to review.
Payments to PSRB school so far £2,000 with an additional £1,500 to Chin refugees since May 2021.
Care Villa:
Care Villa is home to a group of seven male land-mine victims in Mae La refugee camp. The men at Care Villa spend their lives disabled by blindness and immobility and sit under a hot tin roof with little to do. For the most part they are ex Karen soldiers and lost their sight while attempting to defuse land-mines or lost their legs by stepping on one. Most have lived at Care Villa for many years.
PSRB’s donation this year has been used to buy extra food to supplement inadequate camp rations. Our donation also paid for each man’s soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, soap powder, clothes, shoes, and medicines such as painkillers and antibiotics. None of these are paid for by camp authorities.
Care Villa employs two carers who cook and clean for the residents. They are paid the equivalent of £30 a month. Care Villa has no other regular funding.
Singing, listening to and making music is something that the residents of Care Villa take a particular joy in. As a group they sing at Church services in the camp sometimes and have regular choir and music practice.
They listen to the radio a lot and discuss politics and on my last visit said that it seemed to them that the world is so troubled that WWIII must be coming.
Payment to Care Villa is once a year: December 2021 £2,012
Bible College:
PSRB has supported this small Bible College in Ban Mae Surin, Karenni Refugee Camp on the Thai/Burma border since 2001; Completely destroyed by fire in March 2013, when a third of the camp burnt down, fire hit the camp again in March 2015 but this time did not affect the College. With H4FA funds it was rebuilt and reopened. Despite the current strictures of the corona virus, the Bible School begins a new academic year soon. There are 32 students and 12 teaching staff, and the college is a source of comfort and support to the camp population of over 1,933. They were not able to have their closing ceremony in March 2022 due to Covid.
Curriculum:
The academic year 2022/23 runs from July to March. The degree course is an ambitious attempt to provide a more affordable alternative to study in the bigger cities of Burma/Myanmar. Assistance has been offered, in staff, study materials and curriculum advice, by both Thai and Burmese Theological institutions. The College is non-denominational but has a strong Baptist focus. Currently, EBC works closely with four churches in Mae Surin Refugee Camp, and 55 churches in Karenni State. In addition, EBC has connections with The Karen Christian Convention in Taungoo and Yangon areas.
Whilst courses are currently taught in the Karen language; teachers have mainly been trained at the Insein Baptist Convention in Rangoon. Graduates go on to work as pastors in their communities, and often send back contributions to support the College.
A Light in Ban Surin:
Students carry out invaluable work within the camp among the neediest, caring for the elderly and visiting the sick, educating the children, encouraging the youth. The college compound is run rather like a medieval European monastery was with income generating projects such as weaving, pig rearing, and a fishpond. Despite restrictions on travel their choir is popular locally. Recently our funding provided new keyboards.
Difficulties :
Life has its problems for the camp dwellers; Karenni Camp 2 or Ban Surin is several hours drive from the town of Mae Hong Son, Northern Thailand and in a remote area close to the Thai Burma border. Contact with the outside world is difficult, refugees are not allowed to travel, and to obtain a mobile phone signal involves walking up a nearby mountain. Apart from NGO’s authorised by the Thai government, visitors are forbidden. Since the coup going home is impossible and the Thai authorities are very strict about new arrivals.
Needs and Requests:
We are able to provide the Bible College with enough money to run its diesel-powered generator. There is no mains electricity in the camp, and only those lucky enough to have generators or solar power torches or lamps have proper lighting at night; this is obviously important so that the students can study in the evenings.
Holy Trinity Brussels, the Van Mesdag Trust, and individual donors, have been steadfast in giving through H4FA to the project over the years. Those at the college regularly pray for their donors.
The Bible College has appealed again this year to H4FA to help them with the costs of running the college. Their chief expenses are paying staff and supplementing the students’ food. Rations for registered camp dwellers have been cut back due to ‘donor fatigue’. Other expenses include the cost of books, office costs, events such as the opening and closing ceremonies, Christmas celebrations, and repairs to buildings.
Payments to Bible College: September 2021 £6,111
IDP Teacher project:
Our distributor for this work has done it for many years. He travels within Karenni State taking cash to teachers in small schools in remote areas. He visits the schools and sends photos. Earlier this year 60 teachers received £60 each. This money helps them to be able to afford to teach rather than working the land in order to feed themselves or their families. In some cases they receive a small wage from the state, and in some cases none. Often they receive contributions from the children’s parents but the parents cannot afford to give much. In these remote areas rice is often more expensive due to transport.
Payments to Trustees
No payments (other than approved expenses) were made to Trustees or any persons connected with them during this financial period.
No material transaction took place between the organisation and a Trustee or any person connected with them.
Safeguarding
The Trustees are committed to protecting and safeguarding the welfare of beneficiaries of the Charity, in accordance with established policies and procedures.
GDPR and Data Protection
The Trustees are committed to ensuring that established policies and procedures on GDPR and Data Protection are followed.
Risk Assessment
The Trustees actively review the major risks which the charity faces on a regular basis and believe that maintaining the free reserves stated, combined with the annual review of the controls over key financial systems carried out on an annual basis will provide sufficient resources in the event of adverse conditions. The Trustees have also examined other operational and business risks which they face and confirm that they have established systems to mitigate the significant risks.
Reserves Policy
The Trustees have considered the level of reserves they wish to retain, appropriate to the charity's needs. This is based on the charity's size and the level of financial commitments held. The Trustees aim to ensure the charity will be able to continue to fulfil its charitable objectives even if there is a temporary shortfall in income or unexpected expenditure. The Trustees will endeavour not to set aside funds unnecessarily.
Public Benefit
The charity acknowledges its requirement to demonstrate clearly that it must have charitable purposes or aims that are for the public benefit. Details of how the charity has achieved this are provided in the Trustees report. The Trustees confirm that they have paid due regard to the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit before deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
Sally Mclean Chair of Trustees