2022-12-31-accounts

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LAFI Burkina

ANNUAL REPORT

2022

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1164093

INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Burkina Faso ............................................................................................................................................ 3 Partnerships ............................................................................................................................................ 4 WORKING TOWARDS OUR OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................. 4 Governance ........................................................................................................................................... 17 Our Board of Trustees ........................................................................................................................... 17 General Fundraising .............................................................................................................................. 17 Grants .................................................................................................................................................... 18 Reserves policy ...................................................................................................................................... 18 Declaration ............................................................................................................................................ 18

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INTRODUCTION

Lasting Action for Inclusion in Burkina Faso (LAFI Burkina) was established as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in October 2015 and is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (registered charity number 1164093).

LAFI Burkina’s vision is an inclusive society in Burkina Faso where persons with disabilities have equal rights and opportunities, with access to support to gain employment and alleviation from poverty. Our mission is to strengthen the capacities of our partner organisations in Burkina Faso to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities to live in a fully inclusive society.

Our vision and mission support our core charitable objectives, which are:

To promote the rights of persons with disabilities in Burkina Faso
To promote social inclusion in the Burkinabè community
To relieve poverty amongst persons with disabilities in Burkina Faso

This report outlines LAFI Burkina’s work towards these objectives, covering the period from January 1[st] to December 31[st] 2022.

BURKINA FASO

In 2022, the humanitarian context in Burkina Faso continued to deteriorate, as the number of internally displaced people grew to 1.7 million. With a coup d’état taking place in January 2022, and another in September 2022, political instability and increasing economic uncertainty led to further conflict and insecurity. Increased food insecurity, as a result of violence in agricultural communities, along with an inflation of food prices, led to widespread hunger and malnutrition. Moreover, the effects of climate change, with unprecedented heavy flooding and droughts, exacerbated the ongoing food crisis. The impact of all of this on already fragile livelihoods and strained rudimentary social services has unsurprisingly led to increased poverty and a cost of living crisis, which has impacted all members of society, including members of our partner organisations.

The intensifying conflict therefore sadly continues to result in a progressively more worrying humanitarian situation in Burkina Faso, with ever-increasing humanitarian assistance needs.

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PARTNERSHIPS

Our approach is to work with local organisations who know the local context in Burkina Faso, and who work directly with persons with disabilities. We provide these organisations with financial and technical support to develop projects that improve the lives of children, women and men living with a disability.

In 2022, LAFI Burkina continued its partnership with two local organisations in Burkina Faso: Tigoung Nonma and ODIS (Organisation for Inclusive Development and Solidarity).

Tigoung Nonma is a charity and cooperative of disabled artisans. It provides training and employment opportunities for its members and promotes their work to enable them to earn a sustainable living.

ODIS (Organisation for Inclusive Development and Solidarity) is a nongovernmental organisation that provides appropriate and sustainable solutions to the extreme poverty, exclusion and vulnerability faced by many of the most marginalised groups in Burkina Faso.

In 2023, we will maintain and develop our partnerships with partner organisations in Burkina Faso, with a continued focus on monitoring and evaluating current projects, as well as working with our partners to develop and seek funding for additional projects that promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities in Burkinabè society.

WORKING TOWARDS OUR OBJECTIVES

Impact of insecurity in Burkina Faso

Due to the ongoing insecurity in Burkina Faso, we have continued to experience difficulties in supporting our partners with project delivery, as extreme delays with fund transfers resulted in significant project delays. We are currently exploring other, more reliable, options for fund transfers to Burkina Faso, as advised by other charitable organisations operating in the region.

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TO PROMOTE DISABLED PEOPLE’S RIGHTS IN BURKINA FASO

International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPwD)

To celebrate this year’s IDPwD, we used our social media channels to promote the work of our partner organisations to our supporters, as well as to share relevant messages from other organisations.

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WEBSITE, E-NEWSLETTER & SOCIAL MEDIA

We have continued to use our Website, e-Newsletter and Social Media to promote our work and share information on disability rights, Burkina Faso, and issues related to the inclusion of persons with disabilities. To do this, we developed a social media plan, with the aim of creating relevant content and posting more frequently on social media in order to increase our follower numbers, as well as to enhance engagement with our existing supporters.

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On International Women’s Day, we posted and promoted an interview on our website with the Executive Director of our partner organisation ODIS, who shared her thoughts on the challenges of gender equality faced by women and girls living with a disability in Burkina Faso.

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In 2023, we will continue to raise awareness of issues faced by persons with disabilities in Burkina Faso, through our presence at relevant events, using social media, and organising fundraising activities.

TO PROMOTE SOCIAL INCLUSION IN THE BURKINABE COMMUNITY

ODIS Project

This project raises awareness amongst families of the importance of education and early intervention for children with disabilities. It encourages parents to enrol their children with disabilities in school, whilst simultaneously working with schools and vocational colleges to train teachers, create a physically accessible environment, and provide appropriate resources. The project also works with employers to increase access to work opportunities. Alongside this, the project carries out advocacy campaigns on disability rights at both a government and local community level, and targets actors who can influence and create positive attitudinal and behavioural changes to empower persons with disabilities.

The project aims to improve the quality of life and social inclusion of children and adults with disabilities through the provision of inclusive education, and has the following outcomes:

Increased awareness amongst local communities of disability rights;
Identified educational establishments are physically accessible;
Increased enrolment and retention of beneficiaries with disabilities in education or professional training;
Increased sense of belonging/inclusion of people living with a disability within their families and communities;
Improved knowledge of inclusive education approaches amongst teaching staff.

In 2022, we continued our work with ODIS on this Inclusive Education and Training project, and the following results were achieved across 5 regions in Burkina Faso:

22 children with disabilities were enrolled at school and provided with school supplies and mobility equipment when needed. ODIS have also worked with parents to encourage their children to attend school and worked with schools to provide guidance on each individual child’s needs.

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4 adults with disabilities were enrolled in vocational training programmes (tailoring, sustainable design, welding and manufacture of mobility aids, and leatherwork), and ODIS supported these persons with transport costs to be able to attend their training sessions. This training will equip these individuals with the skills to earn a sustainable livelihood.
Adapted tricycles were manufactured and donated to 4 adults with disabilities, enabling them to access activities and work in their local communities.

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11 sessions on inclusion and disability rights were held with parents and families of children and adults with disabilities, as well as 4 sessions with vocational trainers and trainees. These sessions have provided family members and vocational trainers with knowledge of disability rights as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as well as within Burkinabè law. The sessions challenged the attitudinal barriers that hinder the inclusion of persons with disabilities within communities and educational establishments, as well as provided guidance on removing environmental and institutional barriers. In an attempt to create a more positive portrayal of disability and to change the way parents perceive their child’s disability, this project seeks to create an enabling environment where parents can learn how they can encourage their child to achieve their full potential.

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ODIS are continuing to identify persons with disabilities in need of support with education and training, so we will continue this important inclusion work with them in 2023, building on the foundations of the work that has already been undertaken within communities, schools and colleges.

Tigoung Nonma’s Activities

In 2022, the deteriorating security situation in Burkina Faso and the consequent reduction in tourists (traditional customers for crafts) continued to impact the livelihoods of members of our partner organisation Tigoung Nonma (TN), as the TN cooperative’s artisans were unable to undertake the majority of their artisanal activities, with most not generating any income from producing crafts. LAFI Burkina continues to support TN by purchasing crafts that are sold at our events in the UK.

TN also used to receive regular catering orders, to supplement their income from crafts, however, these orders have unfortunately become less frequent. The cooperative is therefore continuously exploring new income-generating activities for its members, such as spinning raw cotton into cotton reels, which is an activity that several female members began piloting in late 2022 in collaboration with the organisation CABES/GIE ( Commerce et Artisanat pour le Bien-Être Social/Groupement d'Intérêt Economique - Economic Interest Grouping/Trade and Crafts for Social Wellbeing).

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In 2023, we will continue to work with TN to identify ways that they can diversify their income through developing an Action Plan that both recognises the national challenges and explores ways to continue to support artisans with disabilities to earn a sustainable livelihood.

Partner Visit

In November 2022, one of our trustees, Hannah Crichton-Smith, was able to meet with our partner organisations whilst on a visit to Burkina Faso.

Meeting with ODIS

Hannah was able to visit ODIS’ office and to meet with ODIS staff, as well as with beneficiaries supported through project grants from LAFI Burkina and its donors. It was a great opportunity to speak with the ODIS team in-person about the Inclusive Education and Training project and to see how this is being implemented. Meeting some project beneficiaries was also invaluable as Hannah was able to see first-hand how they had been supported by ODIS’ project. This included meeting Maurice and his mother (pictured on the front cover of the report). Maurice is aged 34 and is left-side hemiplegic. His mother explained to Hannah how she noticed Maurice was experiencing mobility challenges when he was around 9 months old, and how she thinks this is because of a lack of oxygen during the birth.

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Maurice told Hannah that he can do practical things (like washing his own clothes, as pictured), and that he wants a purpose in life and is keen to receive skills training to have a source of income. Through the ODIS project, he has received a hand bicycle, and the project team is searching for training and employment opportunities for him.

Hannah also met with Lucie, aged 7 (pictured below), who talked about how much she enjoyed going to school (the ODIS project has been paying her school fees) and playing with her friends.

Lucie was born with one leg following a complication during pregnancy. Her mother explained to Hannah how getting Lucie to school had become more difficult since Lucie’s grandfather had died, as he used to take her to school. Lucie would therefore benefit from a hand bicycle to help her to move around and get to school more easily, and the ODIS project team would like to support her with this.

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Meeting with Tigoung Nonma

Hannah met with some of the Tigoung Nonma (TN) cooperative’s members at their headquarters. Whilst Hannah was very happy to be back at the cooperative, she was disappointed to see that their crafts shop was largely empty, primarily due to the rising insecurity in the country, meaning that there is very little market for artisanal crafts, so crafts are now only made on request or special order. She was encouraged to see, however, that TN members continue to be in good spirits as they explore new ways of generating income for the cooperative and its members.

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TO RELIEVE POVERTY AMONGST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN BURKINA FASO

Parallel Windsor

LAFI Burkina was invited to participate in Parallel Windsor in June 2022 as a charity partner. Parallel Windsor is an award-winning event featuring a range of challenge events for everybody of all ages, health conditions and abilities.

LAFI Burkina has been involved in this inclusive event since its inception in 2016 (as Parallel London), and it has given us the opportunity to fundraise by encouraging our supporters to raise money to participate in challenge events. We were therefore looking forward to participating again in 2022, particularly as the event did not take place in-person for several years due to the pandemic. Unfortunately, however, Parallel Windsor 2022 had to be cancelled due to national rail strikes coinciding with the date of the event. We now look forward to participating in Parallel Windsor 2023.

STALLS

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In November 2022, we were happy to once again participate in a fundraising stall at Oakdale Junior School Fête in South Woodford, where we sold beautiful crafts that we ordered from our partner organisation Tigoung Nonma.

The artisans who are members of the Tigoung Nonma cooperative benefit from the purchase of their crafts by LAFI Burkina. The cooperative itself also benefits, as it receives 20% from each sale made by its members to ensure that its activities are sustained. As the cooperative seeks to provide sustainable incomes for its members, supporting the cooperative allows us to work towards our objective to relieve poverty amongst persons with disabilities, as well as to promote the inclusion of the cooperative’s members in the socio-economic development of their country.

We therefore run stalls to promote Tigoung Nonma’s work, as well as to raise awareness of the exclusion issues faced by persons with disabilities in Burkina Faso, and what LAFI Burkina is doing to combat this.

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GOVERNANCE

LAFI Burkina is a Foundation Charitable Incorporated Organisation, functioning in line with our Constitution, with all our trustees appointed by existing trustees.

All trustees must follow LAFI Burkina’s policies, including taking into consideration the risks identified in the LAFI Burkina Risk Register and doing their best to mitigate these.

Our volunteers also follow our policies as they support LAFI Burkina with its activities, namely with fundraising and events. When planning and executing our activities, we have abided by the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit.

We continuously review and formulate organisational policies and procedures to guide best practice from our trustees, volunteers and partner organisations, as well as to support our growth and development and help us to meet our objectives in a more effective and efficient manner.

LAFI Burkina has complied with the duty in section 17(5) of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.

OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES

There were no changes to our Board of Trustees in 2022:

Melissa Miller (Chair)
Dana El-Hilu (Vice Chair)
Zarina Douglas-Sori (Treasurer)
Jonathan Fowle (General Trustee)
Hannah Crichton-Smith (General Trustee)
Louise Shaw (General Trustee)

All our trustees give their time voluntarily and have received no remuneration or other benefits.

GENERAL FUNDRAISING

In 2022, we raised a total of £1,610.61 (2021: £5,919.06) . This amount includes a grant of £500 from Sydney E Franklin Deceased’s New Second Charity, for which we are very grateful. The remaining funds were accumulated primarily through donations and craft sales.

Please see our Financial Report for a full breakdown.

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GRANTS

LAFI Burkina applies to trusts and foundations for funding for specific programmes with our partners, and also raises unrestricted income through fundraising events. These funds allow us to award grants to our partner organisations to support projects that correspond to our objectives.

In line with our Grant-Making Policy, our partners must submit a funding application form in which they present the project for which they require funding, along with a log frame and a budget proposal.

After careful consideration from LAFI Burkina, as well as support on modifications to enhance projects, partners sign a Grant Agreement Form so that a grant may be awarded.

RESERVES POLICY

As at 31 December 2022, LAFI Burkina has restricted reserves of £74.23 (2021: £3,906.23) and unrestricted reserves of £4,827.40 (2021: £4,789.14) . This is in line with our Reserves Policy to retain £2,486.00 per year.

DECLARATION

The trustees declare that they have approved the Annual Report and Financial Report.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees, on 25[th] October 2023

Melissa Miller CHAIR

Dana El-Hilu VICE CHAIR

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Management Report

Lasting Action For Inclusion in Burkina Faso (LAFI Burkina) For the period ended 31 December 2022

Prepared on 29 September 2023

For management use only

Financial Activities...........................................................................................................................................3 Balance Sheet .................................................................................................................................................4

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Lasting Action For Inclusion in Burkina Faso (LAFI Burkina) Financial Activities

January - December 2022

Income Donations Fundraising Amazon Smile Crowdfunding Easyfundraising Events Grants Total Fundraising Sales TN Crafts Total Sales Total Income Total Expenditures Bank charge Financial management costs Fundraising costs Event costs Total Fundraising costs Insurances Office/General Administrative Expenses Project Grants ODIS TN projects Total Project Grants TN craft payments Total Expenditures Net Operating Income Net Income/(Expenditure)		Restricted		Unrestricted
	Jan - Dec 2022 Jan - Dec 2021 (PY) Jan - Dec 2022 Jan - Dec 2021 (PY) 1,275.00 135.25 500.00 3,500.00 £ 500.00 £ 3,635.25 £ 0.00 £ 0.00 98.00 265.00 £ 0.00 £ 0.00 £ 98.00 £ 265.00 £ 500.00 £ 4,910.25 £ 98.00 £ 265.00 £ 500.00 £ 4,910.25 £ 98.00 £ 265.00 £ 0.00 £ 0.00 £ 0.00 £ 0.00 4,430.00 2,703.00 £ 4,430.00 £ 2,703.00 £ 0.00 £ 0.00 £ 4,430.00 £ 2,703.00 £ 0.00 £ 0.00 -£ 3,930.00 £ 2,207.25 £ 98.00 £ 265.00 -£ 3,930.00 £ 2,207.25 £ 98.00 £ 265.00 ODIS Project TN Crafts

Friday, Sep 29, 2023 12:36:57 pm GMT+1 - Cash Basis

Balance Sheet

As of December 31, 2022

Balance Sheet As of December 31, 2022
	Total
FIXED ASSET
Total Fixed Asset
CASH AT BANK AND IN HAND
Business Bank Account	4,901.63
Total Cash at bank and in hand	4,901.63
NET CURRENT ASSETS	4,901.63
NET CURRENT ASSETS(LIABILITIES)	4,901.63
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES	4,901.63
TOTAL NET ASSETS (LIABILITIES)	£4,901.63
CHARITY FUNDS
Retained Earnings	8,695.37
Surplus/(Deficit)	-3,793.74
Total Charity funds	£4,901.63

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Lasting Action For Inclusion in Burkina Faso (LAFI Burkina)

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Charity Name Lasting Action For Inclusion in Burkina Faso (LAFI Burkina)	Charity Name Lasting Action For Inclusion in Burkina Faso (LAFI Burkina)	Charity Name Lasting Action For Inclusion in Burkina Faso (LAFI Burkina)

31/12/2022	Charity no (if any)	1164093

21-22

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/12/2022. Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 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 I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

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.

Signed: Date: 15/10/2022 Name: Lloyd Cross Relevant professional ACA qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 1 Minorca Grove Milton Keynes MK5 7FU

Oct 2018

IER

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of No such matters any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .