Women’s Education Partnership
Annual Report & Accounts 2020
Registered Charity 1151145
Authorised and regulated by the Charity Commission for England & Wales
Contents
Women’s Education Partnership
Registered Charity No. 1151145
TRUSTEES 2020
Director
Peter Hullah (to 30th June)
Other Trustees
Islam Ali Herman Bell (to 7th November) Simon Boyd (Chair) Sue Claydon (from 26[th] July) Bryony Pike Kate Smith (to 31[st] August) Anna Snowdon Abdul Suliman (from 26[th] July)
Trustees, officers and contacts – this page.
PAGE 3. Trustees' Annual Report 2020
PAGE 5. Annual Accounts 2020
Receipts & Payments Account
Statement of Assets & Liabilities
PAGE 6. Notes to the Accounts
Basis of preparation
Analysis of receipts
Analysis of payments
Country Coordinator, Sudan Neimat Hussain Issha
South Sudan partner Silas Jojo
Web & IT services
PAGE 7. Notes to the Accounts, continued
Overheads
Pension provision
Kate Smith
www.womenseducationpartnership.org
Treasurer
Norman Swanney 33 Balmoral Road Trowbridge BA14 0JS United Kingdom
Email: treasurer@ womenseducationpartnership.org
Transfers between funds
Transactions with related parties, trustees' remuneration & benefits
Charitable Incorporated Organisations
BACK PAGE Accounting policy
Independent examiner's report
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he Trustees of Women’s Education TPartnership have approved this report of the charity’s work and activities in 2020.
WEP provides education for girls and women in Sudan and South Sudan – from elementary school and adult literacy through to university scholarships. In the face of the pandemic, we have conserved our resources, increased our income and protected the safety of our local team in Sudan.
The Trustees have complied with the duty in the Charities Act to have proper regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Commission.
A year of challenges
The most important challenge in 2020 has been the Covid-19 pandemic. The Sudan and South Sudan went into lockdown in mid-March, and all our education and support activities had to be put on hold. In Sudan this meant the loss of a year’s study for university scholars (lacking facilities for distance learning); our support for elementary schools for orphan children, for adult literacy and eyecare outreach activities were also closed down for the duration.
The postponement of the new academic year essentially until January 2021 has meant our programmes have not yet really restarted.
In South Sudan, the problem of Covid is compounded destruction of much of the infrastructure supporting education due to war and civil strife. So, our remaining university scholars in Juba and our adult literacy activities were put on hold.
The safety of our staff in Sudan has been our major priority (we have no employees in South Sudan). In March we agreed that the staff should work from home on full pay. We agreed also to the staff taking part in a national Covid awareness campaign , organised by the Sudanese government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC), distributing Covid health awareness materials in the displaced settlements from which many of our learners come – often these people had no prior warning of Covid.
In Sudan inflation has been very high (170% in June). Unprecedented floods have damaged some of the basic elementary schools which we support, leading us to offer funds for flood relief mainly from our Festive Season Appeal.
Raising funds for development has been much more difficult this year due to Covid.
TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT 2020
Our programmes
Despite the civil unrest and political upheavals of 2019 , we began the year with our programmes at the highest level for many years. They include:
a) Providing support to 300 orphan children annually, from displaced communities, at 10 selected community elementary schools on the outskirts of Khartoum. These schools are dependent on organisations like WEP for support.
b) Delivering adult literacy classes to nearly 400 women in 15 literacy circles at 5 localities on the outskirts of Khartoum, mainly for women displaced by war or famine. Literacy teaching emphasises human rights, achieving their personal aims, and community involvement.
c) Sponsoring university scholarships to study at five Sudanese universities, for girls who do not have the means to pay. Over 370 have graduated over the years and 131 are currently studying at five universities in Khartoum. These include: Ahfad University for Women, Khartoum, Bahri, Nileen and Sudan Universities.
d) Supporting 60 eyecare outreach clinics among displaced people around Khartoum, providing eye examinations, corrective lenses, medication, basic surgical interventions through the services of a Sudanese ophthalmologist and health education to over 6,000 patients annually.
In South Sudan, WEP has continued to work with Silas Jojo and the Kimu Integrated Development Organisation to support the building of a new literacy centre in Juba.
Staff, supporters and volunteers
WEP is immensely grateful to its dedicated staff of four in Sudan, who plan and manage the projects. Led by Country Coordinator, Neimat Hussain Issha, the team includes two project administrators, Adila Osman and Amal Almahdi and office manager and accountant, Saudi Musaad. Amal has just left WEP and a replacement is being sought.
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WEP is grateful also to its supporters in the Sudan, particularly to Professor Gasim, President of Ahfad University for Women in Omdurman for facilitating the scholarships programme, and to its patrons and donors in the Sudan and further afield. We thank Khartoum International Community School for supporting English language learning by our scholarship girls; and Hassabo and Co for auditing our accounts in Sudan.
We are reliant on the expertise and advice of our volunteers, particularly our treasurer Norman Swanney, and other committed volunteers such as Imogen Thurbon and Kate Smith.
In 2020 we were honoured that Leila Aboulela, a renowned Sudanese author living in Scotland, joined us as our new patron. Leila has been hugely helpful in fronting our Festive Appeal at Christmas.
Trustee Changes
In 2020 two long-serving trustees stood down. Kate Smith retired in November but agreed to continue as webmaster and social media volunteer for WEP and has completely updated our website (formerly managed by LemonAid League). In November, Prof Herman Bell also stood down after many years as a trustee. Prof Bell is expert in the cultures, history and languages of the Sudan and South Sudan, and has special interest in the South Sudan.
Joining WEP as new trustees were Sue Claydon and Dr Abdul Aziz Suliman. Sue Claydon has specialised in adult education and served for two years working on peace education in South Sudan; Abdul Suliman is a distinguished teacher and educationist and is currently head of Science at Southbank International School.
At the start of 2020, Peter Hullah, chair of trustees and voluntary director of WEP announced his retirement with effect from June. Peter served with distinction as WEP’s director for seven crucial years and much of WEP’s success during that period is due to him.
The trustees decided not to appoint a new director and instead to act as a team under a new chair, Simon Boyd. This arrangement has worked well to date.
The trustees now meet approximately monthly by Zoom to receive reports on developments and to take decisions. Trustees now receive a monthly analysis of the financial situation from the treasurer.
We have also met with Neimat Hussain Issah by Skype and by Zoom to discuss important issues, particularly staff remuneration. A team from WEP has met online with representatives from Sight Savers in Kenya and Sudan to discuss possible cooperation on eyecare in the Sudan.
It has not generally been possible for Trustees to visit Sudan, other than brief personal visits.
Financial Information and Policy
The charity’s main bankers are Barclays Bank, Leicester, LE87 2BB in UK and First Abu Dhabi Bank, Khartoum, in Sudan.
In 2020 some 84% of income was generously donated by individuals to whom the trustees wish to express their warmest thanks. They are also most grateful to sponsors who have given generous support for specific projects.
The trustees’ policy is to maintain reserves of £60,000 to guarantee funding continuity for long term scholarship programmes and to ensure their duty of care for their Sudanese staff. This target was achieved in the year under review.
Trustees’ efforts have started to reverse a decline in income from personal donations which have been dependent on the continuing generosity of our crucial long-standing donor base. New online sources are now helping with this endeavour.
Similarly, renewed momentum has been put into exploring grant funding from new sponsors to add to the superb support we have received over many years from committed grant funding organisations. Many funding bodies are being cautious due to Covid but trustees are extremely pleased to welcome the support of the British & Foreign Schools Society to fund a new teacher training project for 2021 in Sudan.
Rampant inflation affected all aspects of our operations in Sudan and South Sudan and trustees were pleased to award our hard-working staff an allowance to combat the increase in living costs. Despite Covid restrictions the amount of charitable aid provided this year was greater than in 2019 without a significant increase in the cost of delivery.
Simon Boyd Chair of Trustees 11 January 2021
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Women's Education Partnership
Registered charity 1151145
Financial Statements for the year ended 31st December 2020
RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNT
| Note 1a Notes Voluntary receipts 2b Grants 2a Investment dividends/interest Other income 2c Receipts |
General Designated £ £ 60,722 - - - 270 - 5,804 - Unrestricted Funds |
£ 4,200 22,355 - - Restricted Funds |
Total 2020 £ 64,922 22,355 270 5,804 |
Total 2019 £ 37,786 17,555 606 4,076 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asset & investment sales | 66,796 0 - - |
26,555 - |
93,351 0 |
60,021 - |
| Total Receipts | 66,796 0 |
26,555 | 93,351 | 60,021 |
| Payments Charitable Activities 3,4 Fund raising & publicity Governance, UK management Other costs 3d |
25,640 11,998 - - 808 - 5,798 - |
42,877 - - - |
80,515 0 808 5,798 |
70,446 - 1,657 5,622 |
| Asset & investment purchases | 32,246 11,998 - - |
42,877 - |
87,121 0 |
77,725 - |
| Total Payments | 32,246 11,998 |
42,877 | 87,121 | 77,725 |
| Excess (Deficit) of Receipts over Payments Transfers between funds 6 |
34,550 (11,998) (23,391) 2,998 |
(16,322) 20,393 |
6,230 0 |
(17,704) - |
| Bank accounts & cash at 1st January | 11,159 (9,000) 128,678 14,000 |
4,070 81,551 |
6,230 224,229 |
(17,704) 241,933 |
| Bank accounts at 31st December | 139,837 5,000 |
85,622 | 230,459 | 224,229 |
| STATEMENT OF ASSETS & LIABILITIES Cash Funds £ £ Bank accounts & cash 122,612 5,000 Funds on deposit 17,225 0 |
£ - 85,622 |
£ 127,612 102,847 |
£ 121,652 102,577 |
|
| 139,837 5,000 |
85,622 | 230,459 | 224,229 | |
| Other Monetary Assets Grants agreed Income tax recoverable 2c |
- - 11,149 - |
- 950 |
0 12,099 |
- 6,231 |
| 11,149 0 |
950 | 12,099 | 6,231 | |
| Investment Assets Funds/shares at market value |
0 0 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
| Assets retained for charity use Office equipment |
690 0 |
0 | 690 | 690 |
| Liabilities(severance pay) 5 |
(18,381) 0 |
0 | (18,381) | 20,051 |
The attached Notes and Independent Examiner's certificate form part of these financial statements
Approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by
Norman Swanney Treasurer
Simon Boyd Chair of Trustees Date: 19th February 2021
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Women's Education Partnership
Registered charity 1151145
Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2020
Note
1.
Basis of preparation .
-
a. Basis of accounting. The Accounts are prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 on a Receipts & Payments basis.
-
b. Funds. Trustees are free to use unrestricted funds to further the charity’s objects. Unrestricted funds include designated funds, where the trustees may create a fund for a specific purpose. Restricted funds are spent as directed by the donor.
-
c. Changes to previous year's accounts. There has been no change to the previous year's accounts.
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||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Note|Unrestricted|Designated|Restricted|
|Receipts analysis|
|2.|Fund|Fund|Fund|2020|2019|
|a.|Grants|£|£|£|£|£|
|Women's literacy - private donors (2)|-|-|7,822|7,822|1,201|
|Gordon Memorial College Trust Fund - UK|-|-|6,291|6,291|14,175|
|Eyecare project Khartoum - private donor|-|-|5,000|5,000|-|
|Orphans' Elementary Education project|-|-|1,142|1,142|579|
|University scholarships - private donors (2)|-|-|1,100|1,100|-|
|Potter Foundation|-|-|1,000|1,000|-|
|Total grants|0|0|22,355|22,355|15,955|
|b.|Donations|
|Gift Aided donations|44,597|-|3,800|48,397|26,525|
|Gift Aid rebate|6,484|-|400|6,884|7,632|
|Other donations|9,641|-|-|9,641|5,228|
|Total donations|60,722|0|4,200|64,922|39,386|
|c.|Other income: interest & currency gains (fx)|6,074|-|-|6,074|4,681|
|Total receipts|66,796|0|26,555|93,351|60,021|
|Total donations from individuals as percentage of overall income|84.5%|61.4%|
|Note|
|Unrestricted|Designated|Restricted|
|3|Payments analysis|
|Fund|Fund|Fund|2020|2019|
|a.|Charitable Activities - Education Projects|£|£|£|£|£|
|University scholarships|-|-|25,673|25,673|20,751|
|Women's Literacy, Khartoum|-|-|565|565|2,765|
|Orphans' Elementary Education project|-|-|498|498|48|
|Cost of delivering education projects|21,510|-|-|21,510|18,542|
|Total Education projects|21,510|0|26,736|48,246|42,106|
|b.|Charitable Activities - Educational Support Projects|
|Eye Care outreach, Khartoum|-|8,232|-|8,232|6,480|
|Covid-19 awareness outreach|-|3,766|-|3,766|-|
|Cost of delivering education support projects|4,130|-|-|4,130|3,355|
|Total Education Support projects|4,130|11,998|0|16,128|9,835|
|c.|Charitable Activities - grantmaking|
|Kimu Integ. Development Orgn. Juba|-|-|16,141|16,141|18,505|
|Total grant payments|0|0|16,141|16,141|18,505|
|Total payments for charitable activities|25,640|11,998|42,877|80,515|70,446|
|d.|Fund-raising, admin, publicity|808|-|-|808|1,657|
|e.|Currency exchange losses (fx)|5,798|-|-|5,798|5,622|
|Total payments|32,246|11,998|42,877|87,121|77,725|
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Women's Education Partnership
Registered charity 1151145
Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31st December 2020
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2020 2019
Note Aid work - monitoring and support overhead costs.
4. Charitable Activities IT & Transport
Total
Staff Office comms & other costs
a. Wages, salaries and operational costs £ £ £ £ £ £
Locally-engaged staff, Khartoum 21,439 3,648 (355) 907 25,640 21,897
Other locations - - - - 0 -
Total 21,439 3,648 (355) 907 25,640 21,897
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b. Average number of full time equivalent permanent staff in the year, excluding casual labour, is 4
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Note
Severance pay provision Charitable
5.
There is no staff pension scheme but funds are set aside commitments
for severance pay awards under Chapter IX of the Unrestricted Restricted Total
Sudan Labour Code 1997 £ £ £
Commitments outstanding at 1 [st] January 16,709 - 16,709
New commitments set aside in year 1,672 - 1,672
Commitments paid or cancelled during the year - - 0
Amount of commitments as at 31 [st] December 18,381 0 18,381
Commitments are regularly revalued in line with currency movements
Note Transfers between funds Unrestricted Designated Restricted Total
6. Fund Fund Fund £
£ £ £
Eyecare Khartoum, WEP-funded (3,232) 3,232 - 0
University scholarship sponsors - Gift Aid (400) - 400 0
University scholarship continuity fund (6,500) - 6,500 0
Covid-19 awareness outreach (3,766) 3,766 - 0
Kimu: literacy project grant 2019/20 (5,141) (9,000) 14,141 0
Kimu: literacy teachers' salaries 2020/21 (5,000) 5,000 - 0
Other (e.g. currency fluctuations) 648 - (648) 0
(23,391) 2,998 20,393 0
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| Note 7. |
Transactions with related parties, loans, trustees' remuneration & benefits (2019 - Nil). b.Loans :No amounts are owing to or from the charity's trustees at any time. a.Remuneration & benefits :No remuneration or other benefits are paid to trustees. (2019 - Nil). (2019 - Nil). c.Other transaction/s with trustees or related parties: No transactions have been undertaken by (or on behalf of) the charity in which a trustee or other related party has a material interest. |
|---|---|
Note The Charitable Incorporated Organisations (General) Regulations 2012 8.
The trustees confirm, in accordance with these regulations that, at year end, the charity did not have any outstanding guarantees to third parties nor any debts secured on its assets..
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Women’s Education Partnership ACCOUNTING POLICY
Receipts and Payments Accounting
General funds represent the funds of the charity that are not subject to any restrictions and available for the general purposes of the charity. These include funds designated for a particular purpose by the charity.
The purpose of any restricted funds is noted in the accounts.
The accounts include monetary transactions, assets and liabilities for which the charity can be held responsible.
Receipts and payments include income as received and expenditure when irrevocably paid.
Foreign currency transactions are recognised at the average monthly rate of exchange received or using the best available published data.
All exchange differences are recognised in the receipts and payments account.
The value of any voluntary help received is not included in the accounts but is described in the trustees’ annual report.
Governance costs include the preparation and examination of statutory accounts, the costs of trustee meetings and cost of any legal advice to trustees on governance or constitutional matters
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
The following assets are recognised:
-
Any tangible fixed assets held by the charity.
-
Fixtures, fittings and office equipment where the charity is free to dispose of such assets and where the original cost exceeded £500.
-
Any amounts owing to the charity including tax rebates or insurance claims.
-
Legacies where formal notification and amount has been received at 31 December.
-
Any investments held beneficially by the charity.
-
Closing bank balances as shown in the receipts and payment account.
The following liabilities are recognised:
-
Any loans or overdrafts advanced to the charity.
-
Funds set aside for severance pay liabilities.
-
Creditors for goods or services where the supply has been received and invoiced by 31 December.
Monetary assets and liabilities are translated into sterling at the exchange rate at the end of the financial year, 31 December.
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Women’s Education Partnership
I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 31[st] December 2020, which are set out on the previous pages of this report.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
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 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is required.
It is my responsibility to:
-
examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
-
to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the 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 you as 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 examiner’s statement
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 Act; and
-
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 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.
Address : 20 Halfway Close Trowbridge BA14 7HQ Date : 19[th] February 2021