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2021-03-31-accounts

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. Do = eq THE CONGO TREE ‘\ bs P > ANNUAL | « R ; 0 T | . >< p THE be’ is S CONGO TREE

www.thecongotree.org.uk hello@thecongotree.org.uk

THE CONGO TREE

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

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|||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |MESSAGE|FROM|THE|CHAIR|3| |MESSAGE|FROM|THE|DIRECTOR|3| |MESSAGE|FROM|THE|ORC|TEAM|4y| |THE|CONGO|TREE|STAFF|AND|BOARD|5| |WYLO|PROGRAMME|6| |FACILITATORS|10| |MENTORING|11| |ALUMNI|2| |SOCIAL|ACTION|AND|ENTERPRISE|13| |A|GLOBAL|PANDEMIC|15| |EVENTS|AND|ACTIVITIES|1G| |PARTNERSHIPS|17| |FINANCIAL|REPORT|19| |STRATEGIC|REPORT|20| |#BEW|YLO|22| |#BEPARTOFTHES TORY|22|

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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR wa ae ~ Through a year of global and local turmoil, our team has ~ Fm carried on their fantastic work with the young people in the he ° eee Congo. I’m constantly inspired by the creativity and ~ dedication of the team and the young people. In Masisi, ao some inspirational young people started a microfinance project enabling 6 widows to develop small enterprises to support their families — this has now grown to 16 women Sa Who are better able to provide for their families.

One alumni commented on, “...the hope that the Congo Tree has given me..." and another was now able to, “...give hope to others and call them to change’. The writer of the book of Proverbs says this, “Hope delayed makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” My prayer is that The Congo Tree may bea tree of life, and an ever more powerful agent of hope in the years to come. | commend this report to you. It contains so many stories of changed lives, and communities that are changing because of the inspiring and courageous young people that are part of the story. Finally, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, thank you for the part you play in making this happen. MESSAGE FROM THE OIRECTOR It's clear that this year has been unlike any other in our : experience. We've faced challenges, learnt about resilience, and probably felt emotions more keenly than before. We may have developed new skills, connected or reconnected with tie friends, or finally had a chance to explore things we are ) passionate about. Hopefully we have uncovered new ways a to feel joy, peace and hope. Perhaps in some ways, this year = has been like a virtual WYLD programme for us all.

At The Congo Tree, 2020 wasa year of creatively exploring how to do what we do in new ways and how to reach our communities from a social distance. We filmed our training sessions, developed poster campaigns to share health information, and sent thousands of WhatsApp messages to support as many young people as possible. This was no small feat, and | am hugely proud of both our team and the young people we work with. In the midst of lockdowns, our programmes remained active with smaller group meetings and many, many phone calls. Developments in technology allowed our teams to connect regularly to problem-solve ‘face-to-face’ and share messages of hope.

This Annual Report for 2020-2021 is not about the influence of a virus, but about the infectious, empowered, world-changing passion of young leaders for their family, friends and communities.

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MESSAGE FROM THE DRC TEAM =: \ 4 B= It is a great joy for us to be part of the story of so many young people through the WYLD programme in the year 2020-21, a year that has seen many challenges with COVID-19. The months of lockdown encouraged us to be even more creative in our way of doing things, especially to inspire young people to think ahead and persevere to achieve great things. We applied the proverb that says, ‘great evils require greater remedies’.

Several strategies were put in place to ensure that we could continue to mentor young people during COVID-19. During this period, security situation did not improve much in the eastern part of DR Congo, with conflict and violence occurring in Masisi and parts of Rutshuru. Our young people have been peacemakers by passing on messages of peace through their families and this has had a considerable impact. This year, we saw first hand that young people remain the only hope to solve many problems in the community and it is our role to boost them so that they can have the confidence, knowledge and skill to take things in hand.

Many thanks to all the friends of The Congo Tree who have accompanied us to be part of the story of the young people in DR Congo in 2020-21. PAGE 4 i , i

THE CONGO TREE STAFF AND BOARD

DRC TEAM

Medi Muyisa

Sage Dunia

Liz Kitholu

Toussaint Muvuye

UK TEAM

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Philippa Walusimbi

Harmony Ngwamah

Chloe Russell

Anna Galloway

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Steve Bavington

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Heidi Bentley

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Sara Patel
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Jane Searle Hebdavi Kyeya Amy Cummings
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Amy Cummings

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Muhindo Malunga
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THE WYLD PROGRAMME ae ’ % __ The World Youth Leadership Development i == (WYLD) Programme is the core pillar of | +l| Ae The Congo Tree's way of working, enabling — —_ —— us to work towards our vision of inspiring, Meee ideal [Sou ay3 equipping and supporting youth. Through Rela o ale be conte esl activities, challenges and discussions that Sal AL ee @e catalyse peer learning, this programme Bhs a, at helps young people to understand their a - roles in solving problems in the community. i sui os fy| f 'We know that young people are going a. ciliiain ge through many challenges within the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and our role, as an organisation, we are committed to the empowerment of young people, to walking alongside them on their journey and supporting them as they choose the best paths to follow.

This year, The Congo Tree continued with the WYLD Programme in North Kivu, with two cohorts in Goma, and one cohort in both Masisi and Rutshuru. This has allowed us to work with 80 young people, who have actively taken part in the programme and are taking on many of the challenges in the community with visible and considerable impact. In the following pages you will see the results of this year’s evaluation of how our young people got on.

Our young people are fully committed to The Congo Tree, to their WYLD programme, and to each other; mentoring has created a bridge and an informal platform between young people from different ethnic groups and backgrounds, particularly in Rutshuru and Masisi; two areas still coping with active violence and conflict, as well as dealing with their respective histories.

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THE WYLD PROGRAMME

The WYLD programme helps young people develop a variety of recognised transferable life and leadership _ skills including: communication, creativity, problem-solving, entrepreneurial capability and leadership with integrity.

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PAGE 7

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THE WYLD PROGRAMME
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The WYLD Programme helps young people to develop five recognized transferable life and leadership skills: communication, creativity, problemsolving, entrepreneurial capability and leadership with integrity. Each year we ask our young people to evaluate their progress in the aforementioned skills. We have recorded the results below:

0. HOW MUCH OO YOU THINK YOUR TRANSFERABLE SKILLS HAVE IMPROVED THROUGH YOUR TIME WITH THE CONGO TREE?

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THE WYLD PROGRAMME

TREE OF LIFE

The Tree of Life is a narrative and art} ) 7 hee therapy programme aimed at helping) = people deal with past trauma and move on/¢ ~ me) | with a better sense of identity, increased | \ at a 13 resilience and hope. As part of the WYLD| | ven . programme, each cohort goes through aj | 4 Ga Tree of Life session before their start their ai . Histitbaa tts mentoring journey. Tak) oe tet For so many of the young people, the aD: ' Ph nh tain session has been a helpful and important) —_Hil! session in beginning to understand themselves personally, and in getting to know their teammates and mentors. Some of the young people were surprised by other people's stories; to discover how and why others made the decisions or acted in the ways that they did in the situations they faced. They also recognised that life always has its 'storms' and troubles that happen, as well as many moments of celebration and joy.

Through sharing stories with one another, the young people could recognise the challenges that individuals encounter in their communities, to know that they are not alone, nor the only person to experience difficulties.

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Near) [ass i i) Che | Ra et oy
There is more information on The Tree of Life approach at: www.dulwichcentre.com.au/the-tree-of-life/
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PAGE 9

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FACILITATORS
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Our WYLD programme would not be possible without the outstanding dedication of our Facilitation Team. These leaders have all graduated from previous WYLD programmes and have chosen to give their time voluntarily to share what they have learnt with many more young people in our new cohorts. Graduates from WYLD can apply for Facilitator Training. Being a training style distinct from teaching or preaching, facilitation requires training, practice and development. At The Congo Tree, we do this with two days of initial training, followed by six months of practicing and developing the skillset alongside our experienced facilitators, who observe our trainees to share feedback and encouragement. After six months and if they have passed our internal assessment, they will have earned their coveted yellow facilitator t-shirt to become an official part of the team!

In December we organised a training session for our team of facilitators in Masisi. This was an opportunity for us to strengthen our existing team of facilitators and equip three new facilitator trainees.

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MENTORING

100% From April 2020 to March 2021, we had 40 Young © Leaders (YLs) who were mentored by 40 Leader Intend to stay in Mentors (LMs) in Goma, Masisi and Rutshuru. contact with theif | Every participant in our WYLD Programme is put be eta into a mentoring pair, either as a Leader Mentor or one he reacbelten Young Leader (mentee) based on their age, experience and capacities.

The mentoring aspect of our programme is an essential part of each young person's year-long journey, during which Leader Mentors take time to share life with their Young Leader mentees, for at least one hour per month. The majority of mentoring pairs meet beyond one hour per month because of how valuable they found the experience to support them attaining their goals.

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ALUMNI

We are so proud of our alumni and we have close to 1000 alumni since starting our work eight years ago. Our alumni love to stay in touch with us and share their stories of how The Congo Tree has changed their lives and those around them. Here are three stories from this year:

Amos* is a mentee who took part in our programme as a result of our partnership with Heal Africa. Thanks to the social action project challenge run by The Congo Tree, Amos was able to start a small business. They are now making baskets and selling them to support their basic needs.

“For me, the hope that The Congo Tree has given me has allowed my life to have meaning and to discover that, in my weakness, | can still fight hard and become a role model for many people."

4 . Chantal has been gathering young people in her local { - * community to start discussions around personal values and ca = Ao values that are acceptable in the community. She tells us ye > = that she was inspired by the mentoring sessions and Y=“ monthly meetings that she took part in with The Congo WSS = 5 ey (ree to start her own personal project of informing and =3 influencing those close to her - her family and her neighbours. “I try to be a role model to influence them positively, as well as to see them change, especially in their way of thinking. | would like them to understand community and to make changes according to their individual talents.” Javan says that he was inspired by The Congo Tree to start /~ “Wigmes 4 his own business. In October 2019, Javan started with 5 | > a ‘ chicks and at the time of getting in touch with us he had (i...) aaMmnMa more than 50. He is currently supplying his chickens to Wy ft . different hotels and restaurants in the Rutshuru area, which XK - has enabled him to provide for the needs of his family. oa "The challenges we had in the training allowed us to open our eyes and see far into the future because, as leaders, we need to have a vision but also to know how to achieve this!”

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SOCIAL ACTION AND ENTERPRISE

The Congo Tree provides each team of young people on the WYLD programme with $100 for the development and delivery of a social benefit project that they design and run. This 'Be Part of the Story Challenge’ has three main aims:

Marie is a young woman from Rutshuru who is now selling bags of cassava flour. When she spoke to us she was happy to tell us that her bags of flour are the most in demand in her village, because of the quality. She first started with one bag and when she spoke to us she was able to supply five bags. Not only that, she set up a group for 30 young women who want to learn how to better manage their finances so that they can save money for their future plans. 4

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SOCIAL ACTION AND ENTERPRISE

MASISI

Microfinance: One of our other groups in this cohort identified six women who lost their husbands as a result of war and thus became the main providers for their family. Our young people gave each of these women a portion of the money to start their own businesses. With this input, the women have been able to purchase food for the family, pay for health care and schooling. Each month the women reimburse the young leaders and then the young people select other vulnerable women that they can support to start a business. They have encountered some challenges due to insecurity, which meant there was a break in repayments. However with an increase in stability, the projects have been able to continue as planned. At the point of writing they have supported 16 women in total.

GOMA

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Ndazi (donuts) : One of our groups identified that eT i al
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was children dropping out of school due to a lack ff , i a
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and sell donuts commonly known in Goma as fast iy o's
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: _— | - Miel (honey): Another group identified the need to
| ‘Se substitute sugar for honey to improve the diet of the
& eI local population. As a result they created their own
{ z honey and distributed among 20 pilot households,
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PAGE 14 ,
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COViID-19

CAMPAIGN AGAINST COVIO-19 (CAMPAGNE ANTI-COVID-19) JUNE 2020

In April 2020 we launched the Anti-COVID-19 Campaign. ~ There were two main aims of the campaign. The first was to 4 —_— make people more aware of the necessary hygiene f fam” measures in order to protect themselves and others from [= "my the virus. The second aim was to guard people against the ‘> S) a providingmisinformationthe rightthatinformation was circulatingand myth-busting.in the community by PyJ Several strategies were employed to spread the message in the community. This included sharing images on social media, Google forms, a video message and a message of hope. Our campaign engaged people far outside of Goma and beyond the Democratic Republic of Congo, reaching all the way to organisations in France and the US. Social Media: within three months, more than 7458 people s were reached via our Facebook page, including 723 young fies 26 people who have gone through the WYLD Programme. (ame em We recorded over 6000 views of the social media posts Yass ney detailing the importance of wearing masks, washing hands éSee and respecting social distancing rules. ce Google Form: In May 2020, our team launched a Google form to assess the level of understanding of COVID-19 and to better understand the false information that was being circulated in the community. Over 427 responses were received. There were many messages of gratitude and the team made sure to respond to participants with the correct information. Video Message: In June 2020, the team created different videos illustrating the best personal responses in different social , . \¢ ; scenarios and shared them on social media. Scenarios / MBE AN informed about and highlighted the importance of {|| f ' BY hygiene practices and wearing masks. F i theMessageyoung ofpeople Hope:themselves.These wereThey formedsharedandthem deliveredwith each by \NQ4 | y other and with supporters around the world. PAGE 15

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’ : ‘ wee) ACTS OF KINDNESS
ey 2 V i The= t « »j As we do every year, our Day of Kindness.
a De ie = > 557 with gave our young people the opportunity
4 re ito show love to other people in their
& lea & # community. In 2020, we visited 90
r — = } «vulnerable children to give them clothing,
| { " a] ‘ _ / food and shared a message of hope for a
IE. ) ' s better future. We also played games and
st? @ &eh see 4 saw many smiles!
INDEPENDENCE DAY Book CLUB WORLD YOUTH DAY
30 JUNE 2020 15 JULY 2020 12 AUGUST 2020
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2D MARCH 2021 JULY 2020

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PAGE 16

PARTNERSHIPS BBOXX > / In February, we had the pleasure of meeting with BBOXX. —<=8 > at They are an energy company that has taken on five of our By Pa , ~~ WYLD alumni as staff. Like us, BBOXX work to equip and =e) Wie ~~ inspire young people. We wanted to acknowledge this : te iu amazing work with a certificate. “We find a big positive difference in the way young people era Who have gone through The Congo Tree work: they are _—~——— _ innovative, can work well in teams and above all, know (wai pee=p j a ‘ ‘ ‘ how to discover a problem to which we can find solutions. Their way of communicating with others is unique and this makes them more accepted by their colleagues.” - Mrs Divine Alice Kabolette, Chief Of Culture and People at BBOXX.

Administration of Rutshuru

We have been working in Rutshuru for three | is | years and in that time we have developed a f LX ¥ good reputation, to the extent that the | aN Administrator of the Rutshuru Territory had jay a {if ti some encouraging words to say about us. | fi : . “You are a great organization and you have . - By been doing great things for the community. - <7. - a. All these young people that you are | ee 4 mentoring are useful for the development of our territory. The youth has the strength but also has great visions for considerable change.

Investing in youth is a huge benefit for the country. | am simply asking you to continue to do even more, to reach out to areas of conflict, to talk with youth and inspire their way of seeing things. Any problem in our community is first and foremost an economic one. If you work with young people and they can be creative and solve their economic problems themselves, you will be doing an extraordinary job.”

PAGE 17

PARTNERSHIPS

Butembo-Beni

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In February 2021, the DRC team visited
aVe the towns of Beni and Butembo to do a
~
__ 9 o-oo study and assessment of the areas' needs.
=— = al ed ame The towns of Beni and Butembo have
UNS a been through the Ebola virus crisis which
, | F KA ft led to many deaths in the community with
vs ee at more than 2500 deaths. The crisis put a
“ ee stop to many activities, halted economic
veal ate } growth, in turn affecting the development
aes of the young people in the area.
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We hope that with the programme that we run at The Congo Tree, we can adapt our programme to support the specific needs of the young people in the towns of Beni and Butembo. The visit in February 2021 was the beginning of our conversations with the administrative authorities on the possibilities of organizing the WYLD Programme for the young people of Butembo. We also had a meeting other organisations that work with young people and presented them with certain methods they could implement to encourage the young people that they work with.

RAKI

We were proud to take part in the 2020 RAKI conference in Goma, where we sat on the expert discussion panel and took a number of our young entrepreneurs and their goods to share ideas with and learn from others. Ri P EB | nc ™ . 2 n/ | 5

PAGE 18

FINANCIAL REPORT

INCOME

Total income: £20,216

) Regular giving 66%

Gift Aid 12%

Many thanks to our donors: == CHARITABLE TRUST

Bere) TRAVERS.

EXPENDITURE

Carried into 2021-22: £2,140

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Total Expenditure: £23,825
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PAGE 14

STRATEGIC REPORT

In May 2019, we established a new three-year Strategic Plan for the sustainable development and expansion of The Congo Tree in DRC.

Our Aims 2020-21

Aim #1: Growing the WYLD Programme

Aim #2: Supporting our Alumni

= A good response from our alumni to out Ant+}COVID-19 Campaign.

— We continue to see good engagement from a number of our alumni who have returned to join our Facilitation Team.

Aim #4: Supporting our teams: staff and volunteers

= The UK and DRC teams increased their use of Zoom meetings to get to know each other better, strengthen the teams and instigate more shared working. We also undertook virtual training together.

PAGE 20

STRATEGIC REPORT

Aim #5: Programme Development

Aim #6: Creative Enterprise and Social Action

=

Aim #7: Partnerships

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= Relationships with existing partners such as HEAL Africa have been
solidified following the success of the joint WYLD programme, whilst new
relationships have established with a number of other youth development
organisations - both local and international.
= A new partnership was established in Butembo in order to prepare for
our pilot programme.
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PAGE 21

#BEWYLO

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Come and be WYLD with us and support a place on a WYLD programme for only £100 / $120 or £8 / $10 per month! We have cohorts of young leaders in Goma, Masisi and Rutshuru. We need supporters like you to give these leaders of tomorrowa life-changing experience.

#BEPARTOFTHESTORY

We couldn't do any of what we have reported on without the amazing financial support of generous people - thank you to everyone who has given to us in 2020-21!

If you would like to start giving, or even increase your support, you can find all the information you need at:

www.thecongotree.org.uk/donate

If you're interested in finding out more, please contact us at: hello@thecongotree.org.uk

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR PARTNERS:

yV/ whe \TAY a \ bh e' NEW LIFEINA African Youth NEW GENERATION Fer qualityArchiteducation and entr e puencurshipcts “UN ESPOIR AU LIEU DU DESESPOIR ; LEBDUGATION ' CIVIQUE Health + Education + Action + Leadership W_ Beveiopment emer i HATD for RAI!~P2%-

Global Network of Women Peacebuilders

www.savoirplusblog.art.blog

PAGE 23

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THE CONGO TREE

UK OFFICE DRC OFFICE THE CONGO TREE, THE CONGO TREE, FLOOR 8, ONE COLMORE THE TREEHOUSE, QUARTIER ROW, BIRMINGHAM, B3 2BJ HIMBI, GOMA, NORTH KIVU, DRC

Report published by The Congo Tree © November 2021

Registered Charity Number 1152557 www.thecongotree.co.uk | hello@thecongotree.org.uk

Charity Registration No 1152557

Contents

Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021

The Congo Tree

Trustees’ Report 1-6

Independent Examiner’s report 7

Statement of Financial Activities

8

Balance Sheet 9

Notes to Financial Statements

10-15

The Congo Tree Trustees’ Report For the year ended 31 March 2021

The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2021. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the charity’s trust deed, the Charities Act 2011 and Accounting and the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (second edition) and Financial Reporting Standard FRS 102.

The Congo Tree is a youth development charity based in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the UK, working with young people, particularly those who have grown up in situations of conflict, and training them as the next generation of leaders, so that they can be the ones to change their world. Through our World Youth Leadership Development (WYLD) Programme we aim to inspire, equip and support young people: to inspire young people to see themselves as leaders, to equip young people with transferable life and leadership skills, and to support young people through mentoring, as they step out and get involved creatively in their communities: to ‘be part of the story’.

Our approaches are governed by our values and a Christian ethos, valuing the energy and vibrancy of youth, working creatively, sustainably and with integrity, and upholding the principles of togetherness by welcoming all young people — those who share the Christian faith and those who do not, male and female, young people from all backgrounds, tribes and situations. The Congo Tree works both independently and in partnership with local community organisations who have similar or complimentary visions and goals.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives

Vision: to inspire, equip and support Young Leaders in the DRC and the UK.

Objectives:

To act as a resource for young people up to the age of 30 living in the DRC and the UK by providing advice and assistance, and organising programmes of informal education, physical activities, mentoring and other activities as a means of:

se

The Congo Tree Trustees’ Report For the year ended 31 March 2021

Significant activities

Our main activities come under the banner of the WYLD programme, working with young people as Leader Mentors (aged 18+) or as Young Leaders (aged 13-19) in the DRC and the UK.

After an initial extensive training programme, participants are paired in a mentoring partnership for one year, during which they also meet monthly with the wider group for additional training and team-building. All participants are encouraged to get involved in group activities and small social action or creative enterprise projects aimed at community development, for example, volunteering as leaders at a children’s summer school tun by a partner organisation or creating small microloan projects for the benefit of vulnerable members of their community.

The majority or our activities take place in the DRC, but we do hold supporter events and run information sessions or parts of the WYLD programme in the UK. The worldwide pandemic due to COVID-19 restricted some of our face-to-face activities during the year. In the DRC, we were able to support mentoring by phone, ran an ‘Anti-COVID-19’ community education campaign via social media, and recorded videos of monthly meeting content which were shared with young people by phone and social media until it became possible to meet in person again. These adaptions and upskilling of our team have also helped to continue our programmes in Masisi and Rutshuru during continued conflict that prevented our young people travelling to meet in person. During the challenges of 2020-21, we stayed in contact with all of our young leaders and leader mentors, with all of our cohorts using their creative problem-solving skills to keep linked in with The Congo Tree family. During 2020-21 we ran all supporter and information events virtually, including online quiz and music events, which also helped to connect supporters around the world.

The Congo Tree continues to be funded in the majority by donations from supporters, both individuals and groups. This year, we also gratefully received donations from the following:

Public benefit

The trustees have referred to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity’s aims and objectives, and in planning future activities.

Volunteers

All participants of our training programme are supported to volunteer with us on other activities following their training: they may become Mentors, Facilitators of the WYLD programme, or apply for an internship. In the UK, the trustees work voluntarily, as do the small support team and the Director.

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The Congo Tree Trustees’ Report For the year ended 31 March 2021

ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE

Charitable activities

Training and mentoring

The Tree of Life was firmly embedded in all WYLD Programmes, as an additional weekend of training for all young people during their 12-month programme.

Community Engagement/Social Action

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The Congo Tree Trustees’ report For the year ended 31 March 2021

ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE (CONTINUED)

Charitable activities (continued)

Additional benefits

Other activities

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The charity received income of £19,937 for the year (2020: £21,280) of which £520 was restricted (2020: £nil). Total expenditure of £24,308 was incurred (2020: £21,161) of which £520 was restricted (2020: £nil). The net movement on funds for the year was a decrease in funds of £4,371 (2020: increase in funds of £119).

RESERVES POLICY

The reserves at 31 March 2021 were £4,197 (2020: £8,568). These reserves are held to be applied in furtherance of the charity’s charitable purpose, and are considered by the trustees to be sufficient to support the short term objectives of the charity.

The charity’s capital may be applied for charitable purposes or retained by the trustees at their discretion.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a charitable incorporated organisation.

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The Congo Tree

Trustees’ report For the year ended 31 March 2021

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED)

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

The trustees have the power to appoint new trustees who may be appointed at any time. The total number of trustees must be between 3 and 10 and there is no restriction on the length of term of service.

Organisational structure

As a small charity, our organisational structure is compact. Our Board of Trustees are the only voting members, and our risk management procedures are set out in our constitution in line with the recommendations from the Charity Commission.

Risk management

The trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the charity is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered charity number 1152557 Principal address Floor 8 One Colmore Row Birmingham West Midlands B3 2BJ Trustees H Bentley, Trustee and Co-Founder A Cummings, Trustee and Co-Founder S Bavington, Trustee and Chairperson J Searle, Trustee and Secretary H Kyeya, Trustee S Patel Z Jakabfi (resigned 24 July 2021) B Bartlett M Malunga (appointed 5 July 2020)

Independent Examiner

Louise Tunley FCA CTA DChA Steve Monico Limited, Chartered Accountants 19 Goldington Road Bedford MK40 3JY

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The Congo Tree

Trustees’ report For the year ended 31 March 2021

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES

The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Approved by the trustees on 30 October 2021 and signed on their behalf by:

J Searle Trustee

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The Congo Tree Independent Examiner’s report to the trustees of The Congo Tree

Independent Examiner’s Report to the trustees of The Congo Tree

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2021 which are set out on pages 8 to 15.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner's statement

Your attention is drawn to the fact that the charity has prepared the accounts in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) in preference to the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice issued on 1 April 2005 which is referred to in the extant regulations but has since been withdrawn. We understand this has been done in order for the accounts to provide a true and fair view in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Practice effective for reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2015.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

Except for the matter referred to above, I have no concerns 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 reached.

Louise Tunley FCA CTA DChA

Chartered Accountant

Steve Monico Limited 19 Goldington Road Bedford MK40 3JY

Date:

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The Congo Tree

Statement of financial activities For the year ended 31 March 2021

----- Start of picture text -----
|||||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Unrestricted|Restricted|Total|Total| |,|2021|2021|2021|2020| |£|£|£|£| |Notes| |Income|from:| |Donations and|legacies|19,415|520|19,935|15,277| |Investments|2|-|2|3| |Other income|-|-|-|6,000| |Total income|19,417|520|19,937|21,280| |Expenditure|on:| |Raising|funds|2|609|-|609|168| |Charitable|activities| |Social|action|projects|and|grants|651|-|651|$53| |Other|22,528|520|23,048|20,440| |Total expenditure|5,6|23,788|520|24,308|21,161| |Net income/(expenditure) for|the|year|(4,371)|-|(4,371)|119| |Reconciliation|of funds:| |Total|funds brought forward|8,568|-|8,568|8,449| |Total|funds|carried forward|9|4,197|.|4,197|8,568|

----- End of picture text -----

The notes on pages 10 to 15 also form part of these financial statements.

All income and expenditure during the previous year ended 31 March 2020 was unrestricted.

All of the activities are continuing.

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The Congo Tree

Balance sheet As at 31 March 2021

----- Start of picture text -----
||||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Notes|2021|2020| |£|&| |Current|assets| |Debtors|7|1,049|1,422| |Cash|at bank and|in hand|3,928|7,926| |Total current|assets|4,977|9,348| |Liabilities:| |Creditors:|amounts|falling due|within one|year|8|(780)|(780)| |Net current|assets|4,197|8,568| |Total assets less|current|liabilities|4,197|8,568| |Total net assets|4,197|8,568| |The funds of the|charity:| |Unrestricted|funds|4,197|8,568| |Total|charity funds|9|4,197|8,568|

----- End of picture text -----

The notes on pages 10 to 15 also form part of these financial statements.

Approved by the trustees and authorised for issue on 30 October 2021 and signed their behalf by

J Searle Trustee

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The Congo Tree Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 March 2021

1 Accounting policies

1.1 Basis of preparation and assessment of going concern

The financial statements of the charity have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note to these accounts. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the second edition of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.

The charity is a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.

The financial statements have been prepared to give a true and fair view and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a true and fair view. This departure has involved following the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable to the UK and Republic of Ireland issued in October 2019 rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 which has since been withdrawn.

The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the Trust’s ability to continue as a going concern as expenditure can be adjusted according to the level of available funds in each year.

1.2 Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Designated funds, which are also unrestricted funds, represent funds set aside from time to time for specific purposes by the trustees.

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

1.4 Foreign Currencies

Assets and liabilities in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rates of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date. Transactions in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rate of exchange ruling at the date of the transaction. Exchange differences are taken into account in arriving at the operating result.

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The Congo Tree

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 March 2021

1.5 Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to that category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

1.6 Financial instruments

Debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and receivable or payable within one year are recorded at transaction price. Any losses arising from impairment are recognised in the profit and loss account in other administrative expenses.

1.7 Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

2

Expenditure on raising funds

Total Total
2021 2020
£ £
Raising donations Raising donationsand legacies
Support costs 609 168
609 168

3 Trustees remuneration and benefits

There was no trustees’ remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2021 nor for the year ended 31 March 2020.

Trustees’ expenses

Trustees’ expenses paid for the year ended 31 March 2021 amount to £908 in respect of travel costs (2020: £540).

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The Congo Tree Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 March 2021

4 Staff costs

The average monthly number of employees during the year was 5 (2020: 5) which were categorised as the DRC team and the UK team, including interns. 1 employee is based in the UK (2020: 1) and the remainder in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000 (2020: none).

5 Expenditure on field costs

Costs amounting to £19,169 (2020: £17,083) were incurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Costs incurred in the year are analysed between those incurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo and those incurred in the United Kingdom as follows:

2021 Congo UK Total
£ £ £
Accountancy - 420 420
Independent Examination fees
Social action activities
-
651
360
-
360
651
Activity and accommodation costs 6,381 - 6,381
Travelling 1,236 908 2,144
Telephone 1,250 - 1,250
Website - - -
Office costs, printing, postand stationery 3,903 2 3,905
Equipment 143 - 143
Refreshments and meeting costs 547 - 547
Sundry expenses 97 150 247
Intern stipends 731 - 731
Staffing andHRcosts 4,003 2,204 6,207
Insurance - 468 468
Bankcharges 227 18 245
19,169 4,530 23,699

Of the travel costs during the year ended 31 March 2021, £520 was restricted. The remaining costs were unrestricted.

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The Congo Tree

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 March 2021

Expenditure on field costs (continued)

2020 Congo UK Total
£ £ £
Accountancy
IndependentExamination fees
-
-
420
360
420
360
Social action activities 553 - 553
Activity andaccommodation costs 4,922 - 4,922
; Travelling
Telephone
1,251
961
819
-
2,070
961
Website
Office costs, printing, postand stationery
-
3,180
600
-
600
3,180
Equipment
Refreshmentsandmeeting costs
492
1,191
-
26
492
1,217
Sundryexpenses - 116 116
Internstipends 635 - 635
Staffing andHRcosts 3,653 1,068 4,721
Insurance
Bankcharges
-
245
489
12
489
257
17,083 3,910 20,993
All costs during the yearended 31 March 2020were unrestricted.
6 Further analysis ofexpenditure on field costs
These costs are further analysedby activity category asfollows:
2021 Congo UK Total
£ £ £
WorldYouth Leadership Development Programme:
Leadership development training 8,489 - 8,489
Leadership developmentmentoring 378 - 378
Internshipprogramme 731 - 731
Social action projects 651 - 651
10,249 - 10,249
DRC supportcosts 4,547 - 4,547
Field trips - 908 908
UK supportcosts - 152 152
Events, marketing and visibility 143 - 143
Insurance
Accountancy and IndependentExamination fees
~
-
468
780
468
780
Bankcharges 227 18 245
Staffing andHRcosts 4,003 2,204 6,207
19,169 4,530 23,699

“fT 3=

The Congo Tree

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 March 2021

6 Further analysis of expenditure on field costs (continued)

Of the travel costs during the year ended 31 March 2021, £520 was restricted. The remaining costs were unrestricted,

2020 Congo UK Total
£ £ £
WorldYouth LeadershipDevelopmentProgramme:
Leadership development training 6,580 - 6,580
Leadership development mentoring 652 - 652
Internshipprogramme 635 - 635
Social action projects 553 - 553
8,420 - 8,420
DRC support costs 4,686 - 4,686
Field trips - 802 802
UK support costs - 659 659
Events, marketing and visibility
Insurance
79
-
100
489
179
489
Accountancy andIndependentExamination fees - 780 780
Bank charges 245 12 257
Staffing andHR costs 3,653 1,068 4,721
17,083 3,910 20,993

All costs during the year ended 31 March 2020 were unrestricted.

7 Debtors

2021 2020
£ £
Other debtors 1,049 1,422
1,049 1,422
8 Creditors: amounts fallingduewithinoneyear
2021 2020
£ £
Other creditors 780 780
780 780

ofan

The Congo Tree

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 March 2021

9 Movement in funds

Brought Carried
forward Income Expenditure forward
£ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds:
General fund 8,568 19,417 (23,788) 4,197
Restricted funds:
Field trip travel fund - 520 (520) -
8,568 19,937 (24,308) 4,197

The restricted fund that operated during the year was for the purpose of funding for Trustee travel to the DRC.

10 Related party transactions

Donations from Trustees during the year amounted to £2,820 (2020: £2,420).

There are no other related party transactions for the year ended 31 March 2021 nor for the year ended 31 March 2020.

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