2022-12-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 01 January 2022 To 31 December 2022

Charity name: Brighter Futures Zambia

Charity registration number: 1162851

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	Brighter Futures Zambia’s charitable objects are: 1. Prevention or Relief of Poverty for the Public Benefit The prevention or relief of poverty of orphaned and/or otherwise vulnerable children in Zambia (especially those affected by HIV/AIDS) by providing or assisting in the provision of education and training. 2. Advancement of Education For the public benefit to promote the education (including social and physical training) of orphaned and/or otherwise vulnerable children in Zambia (especially those affected by HIV/AIDS) in such ways as the charity trustees think fit, including by: i. awarding to such persons scholarships, maintenance allowances or grants tenable at any institution of education; and ii. providing education (including social and physical training and pastoral support) to children not yet accessing primary education through assistance to community pre-schools. 3. Relief of Those in Need

		i. To relieve the mental sickness of orphaned and/or otherwise vulnerable children in Zambia (especially those affected by HIV/AIDS) and/or their carers suffering from bereavement or loss, by the provision of counselling and support for such persons. ii. To assist in the provision of education and training and/or relevant support with a view to enabling these children and their carers to generate sustainable incomes.
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	BFZ achieved their charitable objects through the following main programme areas:  School sponsorship (including provision of school fees (where required), uniform and equipment.  Higher Education sponsorship (including provision of university/college fees, equipment and grants towards living costs.  Vocational skills training programme (including course fees and equipment).  Wellbeing programme for children (including weekly sessions and standalone workshops for children).  Pre-school education.  Community building initiatives (including WASH training, skills/knowledge training for caregivers and sustainability training and climate change mitigation).  Income generating programmes for caregivers (including the Good Goat, tailoring and village banking initiatives).
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	BFZ trustees have had regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit as they carried out the work of the charity and provided governance for this work.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

SORP reference

Policy on grant making	Para 1.38
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	BFZ’s UK operations continue to be delivered by volunteers, whose contribution allows us to meet our charitable objectives and ensures our programmes achieve maximum impact.
Other

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	Enabling orphaned and vulnerable children to fully access education remains the core of the charity’s work. BFZ provided school fees (where applicable), equipment and uniform grants enabling 71 children to attend primary or secondary school in 2022. BFZ also delivered a Youth Day in which children prepared presentations and performances, played games, listened to motivational speakers, received prizes and enjoyed a meal. The aim of the day was to encourage and reward the children’s engagement with education. BFZ offered a further 4 young people grants enabling them to attend higher education, including two students at Universities studying medicine and finance and two students at Nursing college. BFZ organised and funded vocational skills training for a period of six months enabling 27 unemployed youths to become skilled and gain experience in either agriculture, tailoring, catering or brick laying. The skills training included classroom-based learning and work placements in industry. BFZ’s Wellbeing programme continued to run across seven community groups. Up to thirteen children in each group attend

weekly wellbeing sessions. Wellbeing sessions are designed to educate children with knowledge on children’s rights, early marriage, and sexual health and to promote resilience and positive coping strategies. Wellbeing sessions provide a space for 1:1 counselling and monitoring by caregivers trained in child counselling. Children are provided with a hot meal at each session and session leaders organise games and activities. Caregivers report that children’s behaviour, attitude and engagement with education increases through regular attendance at the Wellbeing sessions. Furthermore, session leaders have been able to identify additional needs from contact with children at Wellbeing sessions and support children and their families with additional support, signposting or report to relevant authorities as appropriate. BFZ organised and funded training from external trainers who are expert in family planning to deliver a one-day workshop for children in seven community groups. The training educated children on sexual health, healthy relationships, understanding abuse and how to report this and aimed to develop effective communication strategies to support healthy relationships and avoid unhealthy and risky behaviours. Children report feeling empowered and that their knowledge and understanding was greatly enhanced by the workshops. BFZ organised and funded training in human rights and child psychosocial counselling for 14 caregivers to refresh their knowledge and skills, which are required to deliver weekly BFZ Wellbeing sessions. The training was delivered by Senior Legal Advisor from the Danish Institute of Human Rights (Lusaka) and a Ministry of Health nurse facilitator. Caregivers report feeling empowered to continue their work leading Wellbeing sessions and delivering child counselling after attending the training. BFZ organised and funded WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) training for 69 participants across 4 communities. Trainees included caregivers attached to BFZ programmes, but also section leaders /village headmen, community health workers and neighbourhood health

committee members to support the dissemination and take up of effective water, sanitation and hygiene practices across communities in which BFZ works. BFZ has monitored communities following the training and note improved hygiene practices and community initiatives (such as new latrines and hand washing facilities). BFZ organised and funded training for caregivers from seven community groups in Village Banking. Village banking is a community saving scheme, which allows members to draw down funds for emergencies, or to kick-start a business. Each community group was supported with the skills to establish and administer the savings schemes. BFZ provided ongoing monitoring and support for the scheme throughout 2022. Every group was in the saving phase by the end of the year and intended to start disbursing small grants to members in 2023. BFZ provided ongoing monitoring and governance of the Good Goat income generation scheme, which continues to provide income and sustenance for lowincome families. BFZ continued to support community caregivers through a handicraft and tailoring programme in which women make and sell handmade star decorations and school uniforms. Women report that funds from these initiatives are critical in helping them meet the basic needs of their families. BFZ organised and funded training in sustainability and climate change mitigation for both members of the Makangala pre-school committee and 23 community households. The training was accompanied by an associated planting programme for the pre-school site and community households, which provided 88 edible plants and trees on the pre-school site and 155 further plants and trees for community households. BFZ’s Makangala pre-school, delivered education for 90 children between the ages of 3 and 7 years old. BFZ provide funding for 3 pre-school teachers, caretakers and night watchmen. BFZ provide educational supplies such as drawing and writing

equipment, books, toys and play equipment. BFZ provide free breakfast and lunch every school day to all pupils. BFZ fenced and gated the school perimeter to support a newly established garden with fruit trees and edible plants. BFZ has enlisted expert external observers to monitor and support the pre-school. They, and external stakeholders (such as the local primary school head teacher) report improved attitudes to education amongst local families, increased enrolment in primary school and better educational and social outcomes in grade 1 children who have previously attended pre-school.

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
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41
Other

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	We started the year with a total balance in our current accounts of £32,626 and ended the year with a balance of £27,668. We had a deficit (in income against spending) of £4,958 over 2022.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	BFZ has a policy of holding reserves which would cover our essential programme running costs for one school term (4 months).
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	£3986.93
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	A deficit (in income against spending) occurred in 2022 as trustees decided to use some of the sitting balance in our accounts to fund some one-off additional training programmes, which support our charitable objects. Trustees will monitor our financial position and ensure that future additional projects are funded in line with our financial position.
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	There are currently no uncertainties about the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern.

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	In 2022 we raised a total of £30,029 through regular and one-off donations, Gift Aid and community fundraising and we were grateful to receive a very generous £15,000 philanthropic bonus from an employee of the Oak Foundation.
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46
Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Trust deed dated 29 July 2012 as amended from time to time.
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	BFZ is a Trust, with individual trustees.
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	Trustees are appointed by a resolution of the existing trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment, the Trustees have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the charity and the Charity Commission requirements on the selection of fit and proper persons as trustees.

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	The BFZ Chairperson conducts a full induction and training for new trustees to make clear their statutory obligations and requirements in the role of trustee and to support their understanding of the mission and work of BFZ and the context and culture within which we work.
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51	BFZ continued to benefit in 2022 from pro- bono services from Travers Smith LLP, who support BFZ on legal and administrative matters and provide office space for our meetings. BFZ also benefitted from support from the Ninety Niners agency, who supported us with brand guidance and marketing. We thank them for their support.
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Brighter Futures Zambia
Other name the charity uses
Registered charitynumber	1162851

Charity’s principal address 21 Hawthorn Gardens, Whitley Bay, NE26 3PQ

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany)
	Katie Lavender	Chairperson
	Jennie Smith	Secretary
	AnthonyHopper
	Christopher Widdison
	Ciara Devlin
	Alice Watson
	Kevin Chadelle
	Kathryn Langham
	Caitriona MacLoughlin
	Thomas Lavender

– 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

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held in this capacity

Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects

Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of	Name	Address
adviser

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

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) Katie Anne Lavender Position (eg Secretary, Chair Chair, etc) Date 27.10.23