Mayak Foundation
Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Trustees’ Annual Report
for the year ending 31 October 2024
Registered charity number 1154294
The Board of Trustees presents its report for the year ended 31 October 2024
Reference and Administrative Information
Charity name: Mayak Foundation Charity Registration Number: 1154294 Registered Office Address: International House 36-38 Cornhill, London EC3V 3NG
Date of Constitution (last amended): 17.10.2013
Trustee appointments
In accordance with the Constitution, every new trustee must be appointed by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.
Board of Trustees
Roxanna Hastings (Chair) Annette Glaw Penny Grenfell
(names withheld on public copy in accordance with Charity Commission dispensation)
No new trustees were appointed during the reporting period.
Financial Statement
According to the CIO’s Financial Reserves Policy, sufficient funds are protected to cover three months of salaries and running costs.
No funds were materially in deficit at the end of the financial year.
Our Aims and Objectives
Purposes and Aims
Our charity’s purposes as set out in the objects contained in the constitution are:
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The relief of those in need who have been or are in danger of becoming the victims of human trafficking and exploitation in the United Kingdom, Ukraine and Russia by such means as the Trustees may determine.
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For the public benefit the advancement of education to raise awareness of the problem of human trafficking and exploitation.
The aims of our charity are to reduce the number of people affected by human trafficking and exploitation in Russia, and to increase the level of awareness among the broader public in Russia and UK of the problems of human trafficking and exploitation. Our aims fully reflect the purposes that the charity was set up to further.
In view of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in March 2022, the Charity has suspended financial support directly to Russia and Ukraine
Ensuring our work meets our aims and the public benefit
Each year we review our aims and objectives, and assess our activities in light of those aims and objectives. We review the effectiveness of our activities in meeting the needs of our beneficiaries, and in so doing we refer to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. An assessment of public benefit is key both to our evaluation of past work and to our planning for future activities.
Objectives and strategies
Our main objectives for the year were the prevention of human trafficking and exploitation and the provision of support, assistance and restorative care to those affected by human trafficking and exploitation and to women in the sex industry. Since 2016 we have sought to advance these objectives in Ukraine and Russia and for Ukrainian and Russian women trafficked to the UK, Europe and Caucasus nations. Many of our beneficiaries in Russia are Ukrainian or from neighbouring ex-soviet and Caucasus countries . The strategies we used to meet these objectives were as follows:
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raising awareness of HIV/AIDS and sexually-transmitted infections and offering free condoms, tests and medical advice/counselling to women in the sex industry and victims of trafficking;
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supporting survivors of human trafficking and exploitation who wished to escape, especially from situations of sex trafficking; and providing assistance to any women seeking a way out of the sex trade.
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working with partners to ensure that those who escaped were supported wherever possible with a comprehensive programme of rehabilitation and transition to help them build a new life;
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training and empowering young people at highest risk of trafficking, so that they can develop the skills and confidence to build successful independent adult lives free from the risks of exploitation and slavery; and
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educating the wider public in Russia, Ukraine and neighbouring countries and the UK about the risks of trafficking and exploitation.
Achievements and performance
Our achievements are detailed below, categorised by the object they relate to:
1. The relief of those in need who have been or are in danger of becoming the victims of human trafficking and exploitation in the United Kingdom, Russia and Ukraine by such means as the Trustees may determine.
Survivor assistance
Between 01 November 2023 and 31 October 2024 we provided assistance to women, children and young men in their situations of trafficking and exploitation through our partners working on the ground in Russia. All were exploited in the sex industry. We were able to support outreach work in Moscow and the surrounding area giving support and awareness education and training to 150-200 women and recruiting new volunteers for outreach work.
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine we were unable to send financial support directly to Russia but continued to offer advice and support to our partners working with trafficked women. We have been able to fund this work through cash couriers meeting in bordering countries outside of Russia.
Since Mayak’s establishment we have helped over 125 women and three men to escape from situations of trafficking and exploitation. We have provided repatriation support to over 100 women (including some who were referred to us after their escape) and to all three men.
Outreach
Each year we work with hundreds of women still in the sex industry – independently or under traffickers - providing practical and medical assistance and sexual health education.
On outreach trips throughout the year, we made visits to individual street ‘spots’ – locations where women are offered for prostitution. The number of outreach teams has increased over this period due to an increased number of volunteers joining in with the work. Our partners also work with other charities and have formed a base in Moscow. The work level has increased in the last year with a notable increase in trafficked people from other countries outside of Russia and the exploitation of vulnerable people from within Russia.
We distributed condoms and other health and welfare items to women we met, ranging from sandwiches, hygiene products and handwarmers to flowers on chocolates on special occasions. Through clinic visits and hospital visits, we provided medical assistance and follow-up support to several women. We supported women with small children offering food packages and medical support in Moscow.
Prevention
We have been providing prevention workshops to at risk young people in Donbass, Ukraine since 2016. However, since 2017, tightening political control and increasing instability have prevented us from providing these workshops in schools. Our team in Donbass moved to
Southern Russia in 2020. However, they maintain links with volunteers and partners in Donbass and their work assisting survivors and prevention continues through this network.
We worked with local partners to provide workshops and seminars in Moscow and the surrounding area and in South Western Russia.
In the UK we continued to work with partners with similar aims and values in order to support anti trafficking and exploitation work.
Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the trustees.
Signature: Signed on behalf of the trustees (signature withheld on public copy in accordance with Charity Commission dispensation) Full name: RH Position: Chair of Trustees Date: 10/08/24
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BUDGET EXPENDITURE 2022-23
2023 2023 2024 2024 2024 2024 2024 2024 2024 2024 2024 2024
Line item Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Total
Project Allowance MOSCOW 173.53 275.47 1307.96 1756.96
Moscow shelter
Donation to RBO 6000 0 6000
Project Allowance ROSTOV
Donation to Safe House
Donation to Pathfinders
Victim assistance regular
Victim assistance discretionary 576.39 576.39 triation flight cost
Prevention
CEO Salary
Insurance
Travel/health insurance
Russia travel/visas
Transaction fees
Registered address 386.38 396 782.38ard from 2022-23
Website and email accounts 260.25 260.25 exp paid 290825
TRAVEL
Publicity materials
Office/admin
HR/Finance
Events UK
Events/meetings Russia
Conferences/trips
Total 9375.98
Cumulative total
Protected reserves
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Project Allowance 750
Donation to RBO 1500
Victim Assistance regular 500
Office/ web expense 200
Transaction fees 90
Total 2950
BANK BALANCE 01/11/23 Starling 1163.51
BANK BALANCE 01/11/23 VIRGIN 19526.36 total 20689.87
WISE 0
BANK BALANCE 31/10/24 Starling 2059.12 total 13829.57
BANK BALANCE 31/10/24 VIRGIN 11743.98
WISE 26.47
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BUDGET INCOME 2022-23
2023 2023 2024 2024 2024 2024 2024 2024 2024 2024 2024 2024
Line item Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Total
CHURCH LCF 200.00 200.00 200.00 200.00 200.00 200.00 200.00 200.00 200.00 200.00 200.00 200.00 2400.00
Donor F 20.00 20.00 40.00
One-off gifts
Fundraisers
PayPal
Bank Interest 0.47 5.48 1.29 1.17 1.15 1.18 1.15 1.19 1.19 1.19 15.46
Gift aid reclaim
Grants
TOTAL 220.00 220.00 200.47 205.48 201.29 201.17 201.15 201.18 201.15 201.19 201.19 201.19 2,455.46
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