## **Annual Report** ## Year ending 31[st] December 2024 ## **WHO ARE WE?** ## VISION, VALUES & APPROACH Novō’s vision is to bring freedom to individuals, peace to families, and hope to communities gripped by addiction. How do we do that? By empowering God’s people in developing nations to create transformational communities that offer healing, wholeness, and hope. Five core values shape what we do: integrity, empowerment, respect, excellence, and community. We view addiction as a whole-person (bio-psycho-social-spiritual) problem requiring a whole-person solution. We believe that long-term recovery is achievable, whatever a person’s story or circumstance, and that the best foundation for true freedom is a living relationship with God through Jesus Christ. However, we will never impose our viewpoint upon anyone, recognising freedom of choice in faith, as in other areas. We welcome and value applications from men from all walks of life, backgrounds, ethnicity, culture, and faith. ## **NOVŌ BOLIVIA** ## TRANSFORMED LIVES In November 2016, Novō’s community in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, opened its doors to help men find healing, wholeness, and hope. Today, the work runs effectively under local leadership and has a measurable impact. Quinta Totaices, our home in Santa Cruz, is a sizeable colonial-style property on the edge of the city, the Quinta is an ideal location for delivering our treatment programmes. We have space for up to 20 men. 1 On our 24-week Therapeutic programme, residents address the past and prepare for the future, mostly within the security of the Novō community of staff and residents. Our 12week Transition programme focuses on ‘putting into practice’ learning and growth from the recovery programme and establishing relationships in the community. Both programmes involve 1-1 counselling, recovery groups, opportunities to explore and grow in the Christian faith, vocational work and training, as well as the wider benefits of life in community. In recovery groups, residents share their autobiographies, relapse prevention plans, and other individual projects and explore a whole range of subjects, such as triggers to relapse, communication, and ‘triggers’ to relapse. Having assessed our work against international standards of addiction care, the United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime (UNODC) considers Novō Bolivia to be a centre of excellence and a model programme. **SOCIAL ENTERPRISE** NOVO SERVICES & NOVŌ ADVENTURES Quinta Totaices is also home to two businesses. Both independent social enterprises donate 100% of their profits to Novō Communities and are registered under a limited company in Bolivia. Novō Services is a property and garden maintenance business. The primary focus of the business is the provision of a context for work training, skills formation, and the development of communication skills, character, self-esteem, and positive habits. We also offer our manpower free-of-charge to other charities and social organizations, giving our residents that opportunity to serve the wider community. Novō Adventures is a motorcycle tour company, catering primarily to international customers, which provides a small additional revenue stream for the work of the charity. ## **MULTIPLYING IMPACT** EMPOWERING & EQUIPPING Addiction is a global epidemic. With our work in Bolivia now well established, Novō is actively seeking to empower local teams elsewhere to develop effective and sustainable recovery communities. Rather than start new works under the ownership of Novō, our aim is to come alongside those called to serve those gripped by addiction, supporting them as they pursue their vision 2 with mentoring and training, access to _Beyond Addiction_ , the Novō recovery programme, and a broader sense of community and prayer support. Our long-term goal is to create a community of communities whose heart and approach are a model of compassionate addiction care in the developing world. In this context, Novō’s community in Bolivia will operate as both a rehabilitation centre and a context for equipping recovery workers from elsewhere in the world. As our capacity develops, we hope to be able to make financial grants that will enhance the effectiveness of our partners’ work. ## **REVIEW OF YEAR ENDING 31[st] December 2024** During 2024, Novō’s core recovery work in Bolivia was sustained by a stable, experienced team of staff and volunteers under the leadership of our National Director, David Salazar. During the year our team delivered a holistic recovery programme that included: - 621 hours of counselling and recovery coaching - 275 hours of interactive recovery groups - 52 hours of discipleship groups - Daily practical work/training opportunities - Weekly church attendance - 15,000 nutritious meals - Routine medical care - Daily opportunities for sports and recreation. During the year, we saw 13 men complete our 6-month therapeutic programme and six men complete the 3-month transition programme. Addiction is complex, particularly for those coming from severely disadvantaged backgrounds. It's more than a simple “problem”. Recovery is exceedingly hard. As God’s people, we invest in this work as an expression of God’s sacrificial love and grace, celebrating the results but working, above to all, to glorify by offering healing, wholeness, and hope. In this context, we are pleased to report that 60% of our graduates are drug/alcohol-free today. Equally, we celebrate the profound impact made on many more men who experienced God’s grace, and took steps forward in recovery, because of their time with us. Our work in Bolivia continues to operate from Quinta Totaices, for which we have a secure and reasonable rental contract. Quinta Totaices is a sizeable property located on the edge of 3 the city, meaning our staff can reach it on public transport, our residents can receive visits from family, and our income-generating businesses can operate within the bustling economy of the city. There is an agreement with the owner to purchase the property as soon funds permit. Our International Director, Andy Partington, is now located in Managua, Nicaragua from where Andy continues to oversee the work in Bolivia, connecting with the Novō Communities and Novo Adventures teams virtually and through twice-yearly in-person visits. (Andy and his family are self-supported financially, drawing no salary from Novō Communities.) From Nicaragua, Andy is focused on developed new partnerships through which Novō Communities can multiply its impact. Andy’s book, _Hope in Addiction: Understanding & Helping Those Caught in Its Grip_ (Moody Publishers, 2022) continues to receive a warm reception within the world of Christian addiction treatment, in both the USA and UK, and with developing world readers. During 2024, through a generous gift-in-kind, we were also able to produce a Spanish-language version of _Hope in_ Addiction, giving us an additional resource for Christians in Latin America which we have been able to distribute in Bolivia and Nicaragua. Additionally, during 2024, we were able to: - Equip two rehabilitation centres in Nicaragua, Centro Mahanaim and Campo Gonia, to be able to use the Novō recovery programme, _Beyond Addiction_ , with their residents. - Facilitate immersive training experiences for the Directors of both centres at Novō’s recovery community in Bolivia. - Provide addiction awareness, prevention, and recovery training in schools, churches, and via radio broadcasts, in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. - Speak at the International Substance Abuse & Addiction Coalition (ISAAC) international conference in Kuala Lumpur in September. - Deliver training in addiction and recovery for Life Challenge Nigeria (LCN). - Develop a plan for the establishment of a Novō community in Kaduna, Nigeria, in partnership with LCN. - Distribute subsidised copies of Andy’s book, _Hope in_ Addiction, to recovery workers in the developing world through the ISAAC network. In all the above, we are incredibly grateful to all those individuals, churches, and trusts whose compassion and generosity allowed us to fulfil our mission during 2024. ## **PROPERTY** In Santa Cruz, Bolivia, we continue with a secure and reasonable rental contract for Quinta Totaices, an ideal base for this work. Quinta Totaices is a sizeable property located on the 4 edge of the city, meaning our staff can reach it on public transport, our residents can receive visits from family, and our income-generating businesses can operate within the bustling economy of the city. There is an agreement with the owner to purchase the property as soon funds permit. **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE, MANAGEMENT, ACCOUNTS** UK Novo Communities is formed as a charitable trust. The 4 UK based trustees have met 4 times in the 2024 accounting period and have included Andy Partington, our CEO based in Nicaragua, via video link. Also there have been frequent 1-1 discussions between trustees and Andy Partington. We are so sad that Sharon Klitgaard, a UK trustee since the inception of the work in 2014, has had to resign through serious illness. Sharon has made an amazing contribution over the years, in wisdom and guidance, in leading our prayer ministry with supporters, in compassion and concern for individuals involved. We are thrilled that the monthly update and prayer time via Zoom that Sharon initiated has continued strongly and forms a bedrock of encouragement and support. We are prayerfully seeking a replacement trustee. As previously, main UK trustee activities have been to manage donations, transferring funds to Bolivia, and acting as advisors in major decisions affecting the project.. The local management team in Bolivia continues to be stable, to mature and develop and take new local initiatives. The team have an experienced local lawyer on employment contracts and other staff issues. Novo Communities Bolivia is registered as a ‘Foundation’ under Bolivian Law. The trustees have had regard to the guidance from the Charity Commission on public benefit and confirm that the whole work is directed towards the Object of the charity, currently focussed on Bolivia as the pilot project, but with new partnerships under development elsewhere in S. America and S Africa. Novo Adventures continues to operate separately from the charitable work, and we continue to be grateful for the help and advice from a UK retired experienced commercial banker. ## **Board of Trustees** : Mr Trevor Childs (Chair), Mr Ian Hudell (Treasurer), Mrs Sharon Klitgaard until November 2024 Mr Jonathan Horne ## **Leadership Team Bolivia** Dr Andrew Partington CEO Leadership Team Mr David Salazar Bolivian team leader Andy Partington is funded personally by donations separate to Novo Communities. 5 ## **Finance** During 2024 total income increased by 15%. However at the same time the expansion of the work caused significant expenditure increase, as noted in the report last year. The biggest items were travel associated with the expansion of the work within Nicaragua and elsewhere in South America, and purchase of a vehicle to reach remote rehabilitation centres in Nicaragua. The Designated Growth Fund was depleted for the expansion of the work. **Annual Accounts: NOVO Communities for the year 1st January 2023 to 31st December 2024** (Registered Charity Number 1164421) Opening Balance £342.10 Income for the Year £111,567.46 Add Transfers from Reserves £ NIL Less Transfers to Reserves £ 81.39 Less Expenditure for the year £92,816.19 Closing Balance £19,011.98 INCOME BREAKDOWN -From Regular individual Giving £35,509 -From Corporate Entities £30,332.24 -Through Stewardship £19,750.60 -Through Stripe £24,697.80 -Just Giving £1,196.43 -Credit Interest £81.39 Total £111,567.46 EXPENDITURE BREAKDOWN -Donorfy system £1,587.60 -A Partington operational expenses £19,552.36 -Bank Transfer fees £55 -Funds Transferred to Bolivia £70,196 -Bank Charges in UK £185.15 -Fundraising Fees £800.08 -Cube Creative – Website Design £240 -Drug Kit requisition £200 Total £92,816.19 RESERVES (as at 31/12/24) Designated Property Fund £714.94 Designated Growth Fund £25.92 General Reserve £67.73 6 ## **Administrative Information** Charity Name: Novo Communities Charity Registration Number: 1164421 Registered Office & Operational Address: April House 3 Eastcourt Burbage Wiltshire SN8 3AG ## **Trustees Declaration and Report of the External Examiner** The trustees declare they have approved the above annual trustees report. 7 ## ## ##