## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From: 6 April 2023 To: 5 April 2024** **Charity name: Mbedza Projects Support** **Charity registration number: 1162581** ## **1. Objectives and Activities** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|The object of the charity is the prevention
or relief of poverty in Malawi, in particular
but not exclusively by:
•
providing assistance to groups and
individuals suffering from hardship
•
providing resources to support HIV
education, testing and counselling
•
Creating sustainable environments
through tree planting and other
projects.
•
Improving livelihoods through stove
building.
•
Providing more equitable access to
education. Note that this reporting
period saw the merger of the child
sponsorship charity MOSES with
Mbedza.| |Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or
services identified in the
accounts.|Para 1.17 and
1.19|In this reporting period the main activities of
the charity were:
•
Further development of the Songani
Centre and continuation of the HIV
project and its associated youth and
education activities.
•
Continued provision of fuel-efficient
stoves.
•
Planting of new tree saplings and
ongoing monitoring of trees planted
in previous years.
•
Completion of the merger with child
education sponsorship charity
MOSES in September 2023.| 1 |||•
Continued provision of nursery
school provision at Chiyambi,
Monkey Bay.
•
Continued support of the Heart of
Mercy project working with families
of children with special needs.
•
Ongoing financial monitoring of a
maize mill for better understanding
of its operation.
•
Continuation of a small-scale
textiles/sewing project producing
sanitary kits.
•
Media and communications support
in the UK and Malawi.
•
Visit of 30 students from Manor
Academy York in October 2023
•
Visit of two UK gap students
October – December 2023.| |---|---|---| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|The activities outlined contribute to
achieving the purposes of the charity as
summarised above.
In making decisions about the activities the
trustees declare that that they have
complied with their duty to have due regard
to the guidance on public benefit provided
by the Charity Commission.
It is understood that since the aims for the
charity are to prevent or relieve poverty, the
public benefit requirement is met by
satisfying the ‘benefit’ aspect only without
need to separately consider the ‘public’
aspect.| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|MPS is not a grant making organisation.| |Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38|No policy on social investment or
programme related investment.| |Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|UK staff (Director, Deputy Director,
Associate Directors) are volunteers. The
Deputy Director received £250/month from
August 2023 in recognition of the work
involved in managing the finances of the
charity.| 2 |||Volunteers often organise and oversee
fundraising events such as concerts,
meetings, coffee mornings and sales of
textiles.
The charity also benefits from short in-
country activity programmes undertaken by
volunteers (students and others).
Appropriate induction/training is given
which includes safeguarding, orientation
and first aid.| |---|---|---| |Other||N/A| ## **2. Achievements and Performance** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|•
Continued development of the
Songani Centre with the building of
a wall/fence to improve security and
enable better use of the outside
space.
Continued expansion of the
activities at the Centre:
-
HIV testing at the centre: 749
tests (499 last year and 657 the
year before).
-
HIV testing in the community:
2030 tests (1809 last year, 1154
the year before).
-
Numbers of HIV positives
found: 26 (16 last year and 16
the year before).
-
Distribution of 666 sanitary kits
with associated health and sex
education (514 last year and
540 the year before).
-
Distribution of 36,608 condoms
(34,339 last year and 29,609
the year before).
Continued development of activities
for the school-age population in the
area: youth club and HIV outreach,
health information programme,
improved library provision and
educational opportunities,
recreational activities, games and
TV.| 3 |•|Stove-building programme.| |---|---| ||-
Completion of 262 Esperanza| ||stoves (591 last year and 402| ||the year before).| ||-
Distribution of 140 Gamba| ||Tinsmith stoves (300 last year).| ||Each stove reduces the cost to a| ||household of buying firewood or the| ||time spent collecting it, as well as| ||providing other economic, health,| ||social and educational benefits.| |•|Large upscale in trees planted:| ||35,544 (5,100 last year and 11,920| ||the year before).| ||Trees are planted in village| ||communities and schools. Tree-| ||planting projects in village| ||communities include training, the| ||establishing of tree nurseries and| ||woodlots, and the distribution of| ||trees to households. In time the| ||project will provide the economic| ||benefit of a sustainable supply of| ||firewood and the environmental| ||benefit of reversed deforestation| ||locally with reduced risk of soil| ||erosion and flood damage. Tree-| ||planting projects in schools provide| ||learning and hands-on experience| ||about raising saplings and caring| ||for trees.| ||Continued monitoring is an| ||essential component of each| ||project:| ||-
the fifth year of a community| ||project in several local villages.| ||-
the fourth year of a school| ||project based in Songani| ||Primary School.| ||-
the third year of a community| ||project (villages Malemusi I and| ||II, Minyanga and Mikulumu).| ||-
the second year of a community| ||project (Katete and| ||Makanganya villages).| ||The 35,544 trees this year were| ||planted across 22 villages, Luwi| ||Primary School and the Mbedza| ||staff themselves.| |•|This year saw the merger of| ||sponsored education charity| ||MOSES with Mbedza. Secondary| ||education was provided for 100| ||students this year (80 last year and| ||the year before). These students| 4 ||have lost one or both parents and| |---|---| ||would be otherwise unable to afford| ||to go to secondary school, forfeiting| ||the benefits it brings. (Currently| ||15% of Malawian children complete| ||Secondary Education overall,| ||though 10% for rural communities| ||and only 2% for the poorest| ||communities. The latter figure is| ||likely to apply for the students we| ||support).| |•|Completion of the second year of| ||improved nursery provision at| ||Chiyambi, Monkey Bay, including| ||the building of a new kitchen on the| ||premises and piloting a garden| ||project to grow vegetables.| ||Education is a key route out of| ||poverty and intervening in early| ||years education is known to have| ||benefits in later years.| |•|Consolidation of the relationship| ||with UK charity Accomplish| ||Children’s Trust providing support| ||for the Heart of Mercy project| ||working with rural families of| ||children with special needs. These| ||families are particularly| ||disadvantaged with the children| ||being neglected in the community,| ||and relatively small interventions| ||can have large impacts.| |•|Staff accommodation built at Jali| ||maize mill to improve the working| ||conditions of staff. Exploration of| ||the reconceptualising of the| ||purpose of the mill as a non-profit| ||enterprise to reduce poverty in the| ||local area.| |•|The small-scale textiles/sewing| ||project is now producing sanitary| ||kits for schoolgirls who often lack| ||suitable provision. (Previously the| ||project produced textiles for sale in| ||the UK, but markets based on| ||supporters’ networks have tended| ||to become saturated.)| |•|Boosted communications support in| ||Malawi to provide stories and| ||images. Information and updates| ||are important to retain the| ||engagement of existing| 5 ||donors/supporters as well as raise| |---|---| ||awareness among others.| |•|The successful visit of 30 students| ||from Manor Academy York in| ||October 2023 provided an| ||unforgettable opportunity for these| ||students to experience life and| ||culture very different from their own.| ||Fundraising for the stove project| ||prior to the visit was an integral| ||part, with ongoing opportunities for| ||financial support to one or more| ||projects after the visit.| |•|The visit of two UK gap students| ||October – December 2023 provided| ||a longer-term opportunity to be| ||immersed in Malawian life and| ||culture. Fund-raising for the| ||Chiyambi nursery prior to the visit| ||was complemented by practical| ||help with various activities during| ||the visit.| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |||| |---|---|---| |Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|The notional income target of £137,000
was exceeded with total income £173,642.| |Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|N/A| |Other||| 6 ## **3. Financial Review** |**3. Financial Review**||| |---|---|---| |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|Brought forward 6/4/2023: £13,504
(£11,744 Mbedza and £1,730 MOSES)
Income during the year: £173,642
(£169,172 Mbedza and £4,470 MOSES)
Expenditure during the year: £168,656
(£162,586 Mbedza and £6,070 MOSES)
Balance at 5/4/2024: £18,491 (£18,361
Mbedza and £130 MOSES)| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|The purpose of the risk reserves and cash
reserves policies is to ensure financial
stability and to have reserves to cover both
expected and unexpected eventualities.| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|Cash reserves: £1,272 (£600 in the UK and
£672 in Malawi) plus staffing reserves to
cover salaries for at least 6 months (over
£7,000, mostly in Malawi).
Risk reserves: £1,023 (£800 in the UK and
£223 in Malawi)| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|N/A| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|N/A| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|N/A| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|Restricted income totalled £150,141
(£145,671 Mbedza and £4,470 MOSES).
Restricted income to Mbedza as follows:
Monthly Donations £29,848
Other Donations £40,175
Fundraising Campaigns £32,588
Grants £24,722
Sales £2,381
Visit Income £15,959
Unrestricted income totalled £23,501
(£23,501 Mbedza, £0 MOSES).
Unrestricted income to Mbedza as follows:
Monthly Donations £1,453
Other Donations £3,312
Gift Aid/GASDS £13,736
Grants £5,000 (Farthing Trust)| |---|---|---| |Investment policy and
objectives including any||No policy on investment/ethical investment.| 7 |social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|| |---|---|---| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|The organisation’s risk register was
reviewed in April 2024 with appropriate
mitigating actions and costs identified. The
largest risks with estimated cost are:
•
Long term sustainability of Mbedza.
The board of trustees need to
create a succession plan for
continuing the work of key UK staff
when they retire. £1,440.
•
Safeguarding. This is a challenge in
Malawi, compounded by cultural
complexities. £700
•
Economic turbulence. National UK
economics (raised interest rates)
and international events (war in
Ukraine) potentially strain donors
and donor sustainability. Large cost
increases in Malawi (especially food
and fertiliser) require continual staff
pay increases to keep pace. £600
•
Extreme weather events eg
cyclones. Malawi appears to be
increasingly prone to severe
weather events which cause
widespread flooding and disruption.
£400.
•
Critical illness of key staff. Despite
new appointments some of our
Malawian staff remain stretched
and their absence eg through
illness creates great strain. £350| |Other||N/A| 8 ## **4. Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|Trust Deed| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|Charitable Trust| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|Appointment. In accordance with the
Charitable Trust Deed 19 May 2015 Par
9(1) “There must be at least 3 trustees.
Apart from the first trustees, every trustee
must be appointed by a resolution of the
trustees passed at a special meeting called
under clause 15 of this deed”.| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements|where relevant about:| |---|---|---| |Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction
and training of trustees|Para 1.51|No policies or procedures at present
specific to induction although ongoing
training for all trustees is sometimes
provided at meetings.| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|Mbedza’s structure in the UK is that of a
voluntary team comprised of a Director,
Deputy Director and several Associate
Directors (one of whom is based in
Brussels).
In Malawi, where overwhelming our funds
are spent (82.6% this year), we have a
salaried Director, Deputy Directors and
team of staff.
Contact is maintained informally with other
charities in the sector, both in the UK and
in Malawi.| |Relationship with any related
parties|Para 1.51|Following a strong relationship to sister
charity MOSES (Malawi Orphan
Sponsored Education Scheme) via a
memorandum of understanding, MOSES
merged with Mbedza in September 2023.
Mbedza also has a memorandum of
understanding with Accomplish Children’s
Trust.| |Other||N/A| 9 ## **5. Reference and Administrative details** |Charity name|Mbedza Projects Support| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|Mbedza| |Registered charity number|1162581| |Charity’s principal address|11 Bayswater Square
Stafford
ST18 0YH| ||| **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body)**
**entitled to appoint trustee**
**(ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Paul Grinstead|||First trustee| ||June Wilson|||First trustee| ||Nicola Davies|||Trustee board| ||Mike Cook|Chair||Trustee board| ||Anthony
Wilson|Previously advisor||Trustee board| ||Catherine
Greenaway|||Trustee board| ||Simon Barber||From September 2022|Trustee board| ||Denise Ellis|Previously MOSES
trustee|From September 2023|Trustee board| – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity **Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year** 10 ## **6. Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** Description of the assets None held in this capacity Name and objects of the N/A charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for N/A safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets ## **Additional information (optional)** ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** |**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**| |---|---|---| |**Type of**
**adviser**
**Name**
**Address**||| |Senior
Consultant
June – Dec
2023|Geoffrey Dennis|| |||| |||| |||| ## **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)** Julian Watson, Director Martin Paisley, Deputy Director Finance Sue Bird, Associate Director Songani Centre Amanda Flashman, Associate Director Tree-Planting Dave & Diane Collett, Associate Directors Chiyambi Nursery Jessica Watson, Associate Director Sponsored Education ## **7. Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details N/A 11 ## **8. Other optional information** ## **9. Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** **Signature(s) Full name(s)** Michael Cook **Position (eg** Chair of Trustees **Secretary, Chair, etc) Date** 22 June 2024 12 ||
**Charity Name**

**Mbedza Projects Support**|
**Charity Name**

**Mbedza Projects Support**|
**Charity Name**

**Mbedza Projects Support**|**No (if any)**
**1162581**|**No (if any)**
**1162581**|**CC16a**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||**For the period**
**from**|Period start date
**06-Apr-23**|**To**|Period end date
**05-Apr-24**||| |||||||| |**Section A Receipts and payments**||||||| |**A1 Receipts**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**4,765**
**13,736**
**5,000**
**23,501**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**23,501**
**9,450**
**5,771**
**8,245**
**1,495**
**24,961**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**24,961**
**- 1,460**
**-**
**3,632**
**2,172**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**70,022**
**32,588**
**-**
**24,722**
**2,381**
**15,959**
**145,671**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**145,671**
**124,785**
**-**
**8,960**
**3,879**
**137,624**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**137,624**
**8,047**
**-**
**8,142**
**16,189**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**|**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**74,787**
**32,588**
**13,736**
**29,722**
**2,381**
**15,959**
**169,172**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**169,172**
**134,235**
**5,771**
**17,205**
**3,879**
**1,495**
**162,586**
**-**
**-**
**-**||**Last year**
**to the nearest £**| |**Donations**|**4,765**||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**74,787**||**58,129**| |**Fundraising Campaigns**||||**32,588**||**4,154**| |**Gift Aid/GASDS**|**13,736**|||**13,736**||**12,423**| |**Grants**|**5,000**|||**29,722**||**15,350**| |**Sales**||||**2,381**||**2,172**| |**Income for Malawi Group Visit**||||**15,959**||**12,176**| |**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for AR)_|**23,501**|||**169,172**||**104,404**| |||||||| |**A2 Asset and investment sales, (see**
**table).**||||||| ||**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**||| ||**-**|||**-**||**-**| |**_Sub total_**|**-**|||**-**||**-**| |**_Total receipts_**
**A3 Payments**||||||| ||||**-**|**169,172**||**104,404**| |||||||| |
**Malawi Costs(Projects and Group Visit)**|**9,450**||**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**134,235**||**92,073**| |**UK Core Costs**|**5,771**|||**5,771**||**4,173**| |**UK Consultancy**|**8,245**|||**17,205**||**8,056**| |**UK Costs for Group Visit**||||**3,879**||**3,941**| |**UK Costs for Director's Visit**|**1,495**|||**1,495**||| |**_Sub total_ **|**24,961**|||**162,586**||**108,243**| |||||||| |**A4 Asset and investment purchases,**
**(see table)**||||||| ||**-**||**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**||| ||**-**|||**-**||| |**_Sub total_ **|**-**|||**-**||**-**| |**_Total payments_**
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**A6 Cash funds last year end**
**_Cash funds this year end_**||||||| ||||**-**|**162,586**||**108,243**| |||||**6,587**||| ||**- 1,460**|**8,047**|**-**|**6,587**||**- 3,839**| ||**-**|**-**|**-**
**-**|**-**||**-**| ||**3,632**|**8,142**||**11,774**||**-**| ||**2,172**|**16,189**|**-**|**18,361**||**- 3,839**| ## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** |**Categories**
**B1 Cash funds**|**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**16,189**
**-**
**-**
**16,189**
OK|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**| |---|---|---|---|---| |||**2,172**
**-**
**-**|**16,189**|**-**| ||||**-**|**-**| ||||**-**|**-**| |||**2,172**|**16,189**|**-**| |||OK||OK| CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 08/10/2024 1 |Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of
all the trustees
**B5 Liabilities**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**|**Details**
Ring making machine
Songani Centre Building
Songani Centre Equipment
**Details**
Chiyambi Building
Chiyambi Equipment
**Details**
**Details**
Signature|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
6,000
103,000
30,000
24,000
7,000
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Print Name
Michael Cook|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**| |---|---|---|---| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**Current value**
**(optional)**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**-**| ||||**When due**
**(optional)**| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||| ||||Date of
approval| |||Michael Cook|22-Jun-24| ||||| CCXX R2 accounts (SS) 08/10/2024 2 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of Mbedza Projects Support On accounts for the year ended 5 AprÈl 2024 Charity no (if any) 1162581 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above Charity {Xhe Trust") for the year ended L•) -lo*lSoty Responsibilities and As the charÈty trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordan￿ with the requiremerrts of the Charities Act 2011 (Ihe A￿). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5){b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confim) that no material matters have come to my attention { ") in connection wrth the examinats'on which gtves me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. accounts.ng records were not kept in accordan￿ with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examinerfs statement I have no COn￿M$ and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete the s in the brackets rfthey do not apply. Signed: Date: Name: RelevaTrt professional .Jsso c I kj-i Oh/ o I l fil qualification(sl or body (rfany): 16cltMicIIMg 6.mAA T) Address: IER October 2018