# **Women’s Education Partnership** ## **Annual Report & Accounts 2023** **A Charity Registered in England & Wales N[o. ] 1151145** ## **Women’s** ## **Education Partnership** ## **Contents** Trustees, officers and contacts – this page. Registered Charity No. 1151145 ## TRUSTEES 2023 Islam Ali Simon Boyd Sue Claydon Bryony Pike Anna Snowdon Abdul Suliman _(Chair)_ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ Country Coordinator, Sudan Neimat Issha PAGE 3. Trustees' Annual Report 2023 PAGE 5. Annual Accounts 2023 Receipts & Payments Account Statement of Assets & Liabilities PAGE 6. Notes to the Accounts 1. Basis of preparation 2. Receipts Analysis South Sudan partners Gale Emmanuel Silas Jojo Web & IT services Kate Smith www.womenseducationpartnership.org 3. Payments analysis PAGE 7. Notes to the Accounts, continued 4. Aid work – monitoring and support overhead costs 5. Severance pay provision ## Treasurer James Oram 6 Brunswick Terrace Cambridge CB5 8DG United Kingdom Email: 6. Trustees' remuneration, benefits and loans 7. Bank accounts and cash balances 8. The CIO (General) Regulations 2012 ## treasurer@ womenseducationpartnership.org PAGE 8 Independent examiner's report P a g e - 2 - he Trustees of Women’s Education Partnership have approved this report of the charity’s activities in 2023. WEP Tprovides education for girls and women in Sudan and South Sudan - from elementary schools and adult literacy to university scholarships. The Trustees have complied with the duty in the Charity Act to have proper regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Commission. ## **Chair’s Report** First I optimistically declared 2022 to be "the year of confidence." However, 2023 turned out to be chaotic and unpredictable, owing to Sudan’s largest civil war in history. The conflict between two factions of the Sudanese army brought education across the country to an abrupt halt. Schools, universities, and other educational institutions were abandoned as staff and students fled. Universities in the capital cities of Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri were looted, and student records were deliberately destroyed, causing further disruption to civilian life. As a result, many initially fled to more peaceful regions within Sudan, but eventually sought refuge in Egypt, Chad, Libya, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan. For 3 months we lost contact with our students, and our office in Khartoum was ransacked and shut down. In 2020 and 2021, we believed COVID-19 was the most significant challenge to our growth in Sudan—until the civil war erupted. The war shattered our activities, and we were unable to recover in time to resume the academic year. The war began in mid-April 2023, but earlier in January, I had visited Khartoum and met with the Vice Chancellor of Al-Ahfad University to discuss expanding our teacher training programme. The positive feedback from participants encouraged us to plan further growth. I visited three adult literacy circles led by our new staff member, Aisha, under the guidance of our veteran literacy specialist, Adela. Our country coordinator was training a new recruit to manage the university programme and support scholars studying life-changing degrees at various **----- Start of picture text -----**
TRUSTEES’
ANNUAL
REPORT
2023
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universities in Khartoum. Everything seemed calm at the time, and we even finalized new salary agreements. We were also excited about the upcoming visit of Imogen Thurbon to Khartoum. In South Sudan, our work was progressing as we partnered with reliable collaborators, and a small but effective programme was beginning to take shape. We were reorganizing our activities, moving towards post-COVID recovery. In London, we celebrated receiving a £10,000 grant from The British and Foreign School Society (now known as the Educational Opportunity Foundation) for our teacher training program. Additionally, we raised approximately £12,000 through The Big Give, matched by the Coles-Medlock Foundation. It finally felt as though the dark cloud of COVID19 had lifted. However, despite our progress, overall income remained lower than preCOVID levels, though we were on a recovery path. Then, in April, the war in Sudan broke out, abruptly halting all of our plans. Due to health reasons, we lost our long-serving and highly experienced treasurer, further weakening our fundraising efforts. The trustees were forced to cease operations in Khartoum, where our office had been ransacked. Sadly, we lost contact with most of our students, though by July we had WhatsApp contact with about half of them. The funds for the teacher training programme from BFSS had to be refunded. With the war escalating, our staff fled Khartoum for safety, and the office eventually closed. Severance payments were agreed to staff made redundant. Amid these setbacks, however, our activities in South Sudan matured under the guidance of trustee Sue Claydon. Some South P a g e - 3 - Sudanese scholars began reaching out for support, and others who had sought refuge in Uganda and Kenya during the civil war started returning to cities like Juba, where we were able to provide much-needed assistance. In South Sudan, we continued supporting KIMU Literacy School and study programmes at the Institute of Health Science in Juba, where we sponsor students pursuing Medical and Health Care studies. We are actively expanding our sponsorship for 2023 and expect further growth in 2024. Our local partner meticulously vets candidates, awarding scholarships based on a combination of academic merit and economic need. We are hopeful that the progress made in South Sudan will bring positive news in our 2024 report. ## Supporters and Volunteers WEP trustees are deeply grateful to all our supporters and volunteers in the UK, USA, Spain, and other countries, as well as in Juba and Khartoum. Without their generosity, none of this would have been possible. We are especially thankful to our regular sponsors, whose consistent support has been invaluable over the years. During this challenging time, the trustees acknowledge that communication with our volunteers and regular donors could have been better. The gaps in communication were neither deliberate nor intentional. These issues arose largely due to difficulties obtaining reliable information from Sudan, poor internet connections, the closure of academic institutions, and the scattering of our students across several countries. ## Trustees Our success is a testament to the commitment of our six dedicated trustees, each overseeing a vital aspect of our work. Simon Boyd focuses on teacher training and fundraising; Anna Snowdon manages scholarships and safeguarding; Sue Claydon supervises WEP activities in South Sudan; Islam Ali handles recruitment and induction of new staff; and Bryony Pike provides technical consultation, edits our newsletter, and played a crucial role in supporting our ‘The Big Give’ campaign. We are fortunate to have recruited James Oram, a professional financial adviser, as our new treasurer (not a trustee). ## Financial Information and Policy Our charity’s main bankers are Barclays Bank in the UK and, in Sudan, the Bank of Khartoum and Africa & Gulf Bank. However, due to the ongoing war, accessing banks in Sudan has become increasingly difficult. We have established a subsidiary, Roots for Development, which administers our programme in South Sudan and banks at Ecobank, Juba. In 2023, just under 30% of our income came from generous individual donations, for which we are deeply grateful. The trustees maintain a policy of holding reserves to ensure the continuity of long-term scholarship programmes and provide duty of care for our Sudanese staff. We are actively seeking ways to send severance payments to our staff, as Barclays Bank has been reluctant to engage with Sudanese banks during the conflict. Despite many challenges, WEP’s charitable aid in 2023 remained consistent and reliable. We provided material support to our scholars in South Sudan, and moral support to dispersed Sudanese students. ## Dr. Abdul Suliman Chair of Trustees 24/02/2025 P a g e - 4 - **Registered charity 1151145** ## **Wom en's Educ at ion Part nership** ## **Financ ial St at em ent s for t he year ended 31st Dec em ber 2023** ## **RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNT** |**Notes**
**Receipts**
Voluntary receipts
Grants
2a
Investment dividends/interest
Other income
Asset & investment sales
Total Receipts
2b
**Payments**
Charitable Activities
3,4
Fund raising & publicity
Governance, assurance, UK costs
Other costs
Currency exchange losses
Asset & investment purchases
Total Payments
**Excess (Deficit) of Receipts over Payments**
Transfers between funds
Bank accounts & cash at 1st January
7
Bank accounts at 31st December
7
**STATEMENT OF ASSETS & LIABILITIES**
**Cash Funds**
Bank accounts & cash
7
Funds on deposit|**Restricted**
**Total**
**Total**
**General**
**Designated**
**Funds**
**2023**
**2022**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
36,895
-
-
**36,895**
57,081
-
-
56,000
**56,000**
86,330
-
-
-
**-**
380
1,513
-
-
**1,513**
1,961
**Unrestricted Funds**| |---|---| ||38,408
-
56,000
**94,408**
145,753
-
-
-
**-**
-| ||38,408
-
56,000
**94,408**
145,753| ||32,276
-
70,361
**102,637**
114,360
-
-
-
**-**
-
560
-
-
**560**
2,795
-
-
-
**-**
-
4,464
-
-
**4,464**
3,640| ||37,301
-
70,361
**107,661**
120,795
-
-
-
**-**
-| ||37,301
-
70,361
**107,661**
120,795| ||1,107
-
(14,361)
**(13,253)**
24,958
-
-
-
**-**
-| ||1,107
-
(14,361)
**(13,253)**
24,958
156,710
3,000
116,121
**275,831**
250,873| ||157,817
3,000
101,760
**262,578**
275,831| ||157,817
3,000
101,760
**262,578**
275,831
-
-
-
**-**
-| ||157,817
3,000
101,760
**262,578**
275,831| The attached **Notes** and **Independent Examiner's certificate** form part of these financial statements Approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by **Abdul Suliman** Chair of Trustees Date: 24/02/2025 **James Oram** Treasurer Date: 24/02/2025 **Page - 5 -** **Registered charity 1151145** ## **Wom en's Educ at ion Part nership** ## **Not es t o t he Ac c ount s for t he year ended 31st Dec em ber 2023** - **Note Basis of preparation** . - **1.** 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 have been no change to the previous year's accounts. |**Receipts analysis**
a.
Grants
Visual Education Ltd, Oxford
- South Sudan tertiary and literacy education
British & Foreign Schools Society
- Teacher Training
British & Foreign Schools Society
- Teacher Training REFUND
Gordon Memorial College Trust Fund
- University Scholarships
Elementary schooling - private donor(s)
All Saints Educational Trust UK
- University Scholarships
Women's literacy - Imogen Thurbon private donor(s)
Women's literacy - Imogen Thurbon private donor(s) REFUND
Eyecare, Khartoum - private donor(s)
Women's literacy -
**Total grant receipts**
b.
Donations
Gift Aided donations
Gift Aid rebate
Other donations and fundraising
**Total donations**
c.
Other income: interest & currency gains (fx)
**Total receipts**
Total donations from individuals as percentage of overall income
**Payments analysis**
a.
Charitable Activities - Education Projects
University scholarships, Khartoum
Teacher Training, Khartoum
Elementary Education, Khartoum
Women's Literacy, Khartoum
Eye Care outreach, Khartoum
Covid-19 awareness outreach
Cost of delivering education support projects
Total education projects - Sudan
b.
Charitable Activities - grantmaking
Higher Education univs: Wordwall grant
Kimu Literacy School: Other grants
Total grant payments - South Sudan
**Total payments for charitable activities**
c.
Governance, assurance, UK costs
d.
Currency exchange losses (fx)
**Total payments**
**Note**
**3**
**Note**
**2.**|Unrestricted
Fund
Designated
Fund
Restricted
Fund
**2023**
2022
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
£
-
-
50,000
**50,000**
31,659
-
-
10,441
**10,441**
23,384
-
-
(10,441)
**(10,441)**
-
-
-
-
**-**
12,050
-
-
-
**-**
7,000
-
-
-
**-**
6,000
-
-
10,000
**10,000**
3,237
-
-
(4,000)
**(4,000)**
-
-
-
-
**-**
3,000
-
-
-
**-**
-| |---|---| ||-
-
**56,000**
**56,000**
86,330| ||22,470
-
-
**22,470**
32,575
-
-
-
-
9,496
15,938
-
-
**15,938**
15,010| ||**38,408**
-
-
**38,408**
57,081| ||-
-
-
**0**
2,341| ||**38,408**
-
**56,000**
**94,408**
145,753| ||51.3%
48.2%
Unrestricted
Fund
Designated
Fund
Restricted
Fund
**2023**
2022
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
-
-
23,055
23,055
26,516
-
-
-
-
28,824
-
-
-
-
5,321
-
-
-
-
8,914
-
-
-
-
4,839
-
-
-
-
-
32,276
-
-
**32,276**
34,205| ||**32,276**
-
23,055
**55,332**
108,618
-
-
37,075
37,075
1,538
-
-
10,230
10,230
4,203| ||-
-
47,305
47,305
5,742| ||**32,276**
-
70,361
**102,637**
114,360| ||560
-
-
560
2,795
4,464
-
-
**4,464**
3,640| ||**37,301**
-
70,361
**107,661**
120,795| **Page - 6 -** **Registered charity 1151145** ## **Wom en's Educ at ion Part nership** ## **Not es t o t he Ac c ount s for t he year ended 31st Dec em ber 2023** |||||||**2023**|2022| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |**Note**|**Aid work - monitoring and support**|**overhead costs.**|||||| |**4.**|Charitable Activities|||IT &|Transport|**Total**|| |||Staff|Office|comms|& other costs||| ||a. Wages, salaries and benefits|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**| ||Locally-engaged staff, Khartoum|16,408|1,408|621|3,336|**21,773**|34,205| ||Freelance staff in Sudan|6,868|-|-|-|**6,868**|-| ||Other locations|-|-|-|3,636|**3,636**|-| ||Total|**23,276**|**1,408**|**621**|**6,971**|**32,277**|34,205| b. Average number of full time equivalent permanent staff in the year, excluding casual labour, is 2 (There were 4 full time for 6 months then 2 freelance for 6 months) (2022:4) c. Excludes cost of registering WEP in Sudan (Governance) |**Severance pay provision**
Commitments outstanding at 1
stJanuary 2023
New commitments set aside in year
Commitments paid or cancelled during the year
Amount of commitments as at 31
stDecember 2023
**Note**
**5.**
There is no staff pension scheme but funds are set aside
for severance pay awards under Chapter IX of the
Sudan Labour Code 1997|Unrestricted
Restricted
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
16,034
-
**16,034**
-
-
-
-
-
-
**Charitable**
**commitments**| |---|---| ||**16,034**
-
**16,034**| ||| Staff were made redundant in 2023 without any new salary increase in that year. The brought forward commitment was therefore agreed as the final amount due and was paid to staff in October 2024. This commitment should be borne in mind when reading these accounts. ## **Note Trustees' remuneration, benefits and loans 6.** a. Remuneration & benefits: No remuneration or other benefits are paid to trustees. (2022 - Nil). b. Loans: No amounts are owing to or from the charity's trustees at any time. (2022 - Nil). |**Note**|**Bank accounts and cash balances**|**2023**|**2022**| |---|---|---|---| |**7.**|**Location**|**£**|**£**| ||UK|246,477|255,265| ||SUD|16,101|20,565| |||**262,578**|**275,831**| ||Due to the troubles referred to in the Trustee Report, we have||been unable t| ||The figures included in the accounts are based on the last reported balance i||| Due to the troubles referred to in the Trustee Report, we have been unable to obtain updated statements for our bank accounts in Sudan. The figures included in the accounts are based on the last reported balance in April 2023 as adjusted for movements in the exchange rate. ## **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.. **Page - 7-** ## **Independent Examiner's report** ## **To the Trustees of Women's Education Partnership** I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023 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 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 the 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 if 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 statements 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 to 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. ## **l** s Tracey Nicho _Tracey Nicholls FCCA_ _Date:_ 24/02/2025 _for and on behalf of HFL Accountants Limited_ _HFL House, 1 Saxon Way, Melbourn, Cambs, SG8 6DN_ **Page - 8 -**