## Rahela Trust for Afghan Women’s Education A Charitable Incorporated Organisation Charity Number: 1165763 Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements 1[st] April 2020 to 31[st] March 2021 ## Table of Contents |**OUR MISSION AND VALUES**|3| |---|---| |**KEY MESSAGES**|4| |**LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**|6| |**STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE, AND MANAGEMENT**|7| |**ORIGINS, OBJECTIVES, AND ACTIVITIES**|9| |**OUR PERFORMANCE AND ACHIEVEMENTS (SUMMARY)**|10| |**1. SCHOLARSHIPS**|11| |**2. MENTORING**|13| |**3. ENGAGING THE DIASPORA**|14| |**4. STRENGTHENING THE ORGANISATION**|19| |**FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**|21| |**THANK YOU MESSAGE**|27| |**HOW YOU CAN HELP**|28| 2 ## Our Mission and Values The Rahela Trust's mission is to provide university and higher education scholarships, mentorship and access to local and global professional networks to young Afghan women from disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to building a future where women are full participants and leaders in society. By growing a community of educated young women committed to improving the lives of women in Afghanistan, the Rahela Trust envisages a society that respects the rights of women to engage fully in the social, political and economic life of Afghanistan. 3 ## Key Messages This report was drafted before the August 2021 Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. It was subsequently edited to remove identifiable details of individual students and alumni, while retaining general information on their and the Trust’s achievements. Trustees continue to monitor the local situation closely. Meanwhile our work continues - in Afghanistan, within the wider Afghan diaspora and with new refugees . At the time of writing (November 2021), all our partner universities are open, and students are in class. Welcome to the Fifth Annual Report of the newly re-named Rahela Trust. Originally named in honour of Farkhunda Malikzada, an educated young woman brutally slaughtered by a mob in a market, we re-named the Trust at her family’s request. Trustees chose to honour Founder and Director Rahela Sidiqi in renaming the Trust. Rahela’s tireless championing of women’s rights over many decades, high standing within the Afghan community, and personal story as a refugee also make it a privilege for me, as the Trust’s new Chair, to support her. I’m grateful to trustee Althea Maria-Rivas who resigned during the year, and to my wise predecessor, Mel Whitney-Long, who remains on the Board. And am pleased to welcome two new trustees: Sear Sadat and Marika Theros. As Covid shook the world, our scholars stepped up - home-schooling younger girls, distributing food and hygiene packs in their local communities - whilst attempting to study remotely. With universities closed and limited internet access, our mentoring soared. WhatsApp came into its own and we are now supplying all scholars with mobile phones. Income grew again this year, with enormous thanks to the Afghan diaspora community, as well as British, other European, and American allies. A shining highlight of the year for me was seeing ‘A’, our very first alumna, speaking from Kabul alongside the key women’s delegate at the Doha Peace Talks, the venerable Fatima Gailani. This was at our Fourth Annual (and first virtual) Lecture. It brought to life the Trust’s impact in amplifying women’s voices and creating women leaders. 2021 marks the Trust’s fifth anniversary and the future is now very uncertain. It’s an anxious time for women and their rights in Afghanistan. Wider support from allies and donors remains especially vital at this time, as we hold firm and look ahead. ## Samantha Rennie, Chairperson of Rahela Trust 4 ## Key Messages Afghan women continued to suffer disproportionately as conflict further intensified this year. Four decades of war has left over two million women widowed, their freedoms curtailed, their lives and livelihoods lost. Yet faced with brutal conditions, Afghan women are not sitting back, but acting collectively to fight for their survival and the protection of their basic rights. Since the Taliban took over on 15[th] August 2021, the situation has worsened. Restrictions on women’s secondary education, employment and ability to work have increased. There have been many cases of human rights abuses, and women have been beaten. We know that the key factor for sustainable peacebuilding is the education and proactive engagement of women. I believe that Afghan women can and will be great agents of change for sustainable peacebuilding and development. They will do it with the power of education, but they also need resources and support from allies in the national and international community, who must insist that the Taliban observe human rights generally and women’s right to education in particular. One of our newly graduated scholars, who secured a manager’s job at the Ministry of Interior, told us: "What I learned from the Rahela Trust was not to go to any interview unless you are well prepared. I was confident, and I got the job. Now it is my moral duty to provide sincere and result-oriented services”. Today, she is in hiding in the provinces of Afghanistan. Another one of our other newly graduated scholars in Business Administration established her own restaurant and wanted to recruit other RT year-four scholars for an internship program. But her restaurant is closed, and she is at home. All of our present and graduated scholars face enormous challenges as Afghanistan changes, and we must continue to support them. ## Rahela Sidiqi, Founding Director of Rahela Trust 5 ## Legal & Administrative Details ## Trustees: - Samantha Rennie (Chairperson from 3[rd] December 2020) - Mel Whitney-Long (Chairperson till 3[rd] December 2020) - Kamini Paul - Liz Mermin - Marika Theros (Appointed 3[rd] December 2020) - Dr Althea Maria-Rivas (resigned 3rd December 2020) - Sear Sadat (Treasurer, appointed May 2020) ## Director: Rahela Sidiqi ## Charity number: 1165763 ## Registered Address: 28, Burns Close Welling DA16 3NJ ## Bankers: HSBC 275 Greenwich High Road, Greenwich SE10 8NF ## Independent Examiner Sarah Watling Monksilver GP Accounts The Old Schoolhouse Monksilver Taunton Somerset TA4 4HY 6 ## Structure, Governance & Core Values The Rahela Trust trustees are pleased to present their annual report and unaudited financial statements for the charity in the years 2020-21 (starting from 01/04/20 and ending on 31/03/21). Reference and administrative details set out on page 6 form part of this report. The report and financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the charity’s governing document, and the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: SORP applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS102. The Trust was established as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and registered as a UK Charity on the 25th of February 2016. ## Structure The Trustees are responsible for governance of the Rahela Trust and carry out their duties following the requirements of the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Our trustees bring a range of skills and expertise to support the Trust’s work, including Afghan field experience, peacebuilding, media, charity governance, management, and fundraising. Trustees make all major decisions regarding strategy, policies and finance. Meetings of the Board are convened every three months to address strategic issues and review finance and operational activities. The trustees consider other issues by email communication as they arise. ## Management Day-to-day activities of the Trust are delegated to the Director. The Director is supported by the trustees and an Executive Advisory Committee. The Trust is currently heavily reliant on volunteers to manage and deliver its work. There are five volunteers in UK and seven volunteers in Afghanistan, including two Kabul-based coordinators, one in Kandahar and one in Helmand. The coordinators receive salaries currently paid for by the Trust’s institutional partners or their affiliated partners. In addition, they receive voluntary expenses from the Rahela Trust to reimburse their communication and transport costs. ## Core Values - A commitment to delivering a quality service - The efficient and effective mobilisation of resources - Transparency - Results-based achievement 7 ## Structure, Governance & Core Values Names of volunteers in Afghanistan have been redacted to protect their identities 8 ## Origins, Objectives & Activities Afghan women’s rights activist Rahela H. Sidiqi founded the Rahela Trust to improve the situation of women in Afghanistan, after observing systematic discrimination of women at the familial and societal level. Particular disparity exists regarding access to higher education, and so the Rahela Trust aims to open a pathway for Afghan women to attend university. The Rahela Trust was set up in response to the many attacks on girls and young women seeking an education across Afghanistan. Based on consultations with her family, the trust was originally named in honour of Farkhunda Malikzada, killed by a mob for standing up for her rights. Recently, however, the family has had a change of heart, and sought this year to claim exclusive use of Farkhunda’s name. The trustees received advice which indicated that there were no legal grounds for this claim. However, out of respect for the family, we have removed references to Farkhunda Malikzada's story from our website and publications. As such, as of this year, the trust’s name has been changed to Rahela Trust. Systematic discrimination restricts women’s access to education in Afghanistan. The Rahela Trust aims to create safe spaces for Afghan women to pursue their education. The selection criteria for scholarships target academically-talented girls who have struggled with violence or have financial difficulties. ## Objectives The aim of the Trust is to advance women’s education in Afghanistan through the provision of financial aid and mentoring to young women from disadvantaged backgrounds, making it possible for them to attend and graduate from university. The Trust provides other forms of support as trustees deem appropriate. ## Partner Universities - Gawharshad University, Kabul - Dunya University, Kabul - Benawa University, Kandahar - Bost University, Helmand / OSED (Organisation for Socio Economic Development) ## Activities - Providing scholarships to disadvantaged young women in Afghanistan - Supporting scholars through mentorship and networking - Raising awareness and engaging the Afghan diaspora in the development of Afghanistan - Strengthening and growing the Rahela Trust to increase our impact 9 ## Our Achievements & Performance (Summary) ## 1. Scholarships By March of 2021, the Trust had the following achievements: - 34 scholars recruited since 2016 - 16 new scholars recruited in 2020 - 15 scholars graduated as of this year All of the scholars’ grades average above 70%, with a large proportion achieving over 80%. The scholars have also become increasingly involved and active members of their local communities, despite many personal hardships. Some scholars were involved in raising public awareness on social issues surrounding women’s rights, some in highlighting the importance of women’s participation in the peace process and others in commencing life skills training for over 450 community members. Notably, some scholars committed to their graduate study alongside employment, with several offering peer study support at their university. ## 2. Mentoring All universities were closed in the autumn term of 2020 due to government regulations regarding Covid. Therefore, the Director conducted quarterly online one-to-one mentoring through WhatsApp and other chatrooms, speaking to graduated scholars about how they can make the most of the opportunities available to them. Spring-quarter mentoring was conducted with new, current, and graduated scholars. The induction was focused on RT policy and the roles and responsibilities of scholars. The presence of current and graduated scholars was highly useful, for they acted as role models to the new scholars and offered help based on their personal journeys with RT. We conducted an evaluation of National Coordinators and University Mentors’ coaching and mentoring work. It had come to our attention that scholars required additional mentoring support this year. As a result, this year scholars built closer relationships with their mentors by extending mentoring sessions outside of Zoom to instant messaging chatrooms, allowing them to share their concerns and progress more easily. The director also emphasised to the coordinators, mentors, and scholars the importance of working with and for women to enhance their knowledge, equip them with skills, and raise their awareness regarding their rights. External mentoring this year was a success, allowing coordinators, mentor and scholars to build their leadership and community-engagement skills. ## 3. Engaging the Diaspora A crucial component of the Rahela Trust's work is to raise awareness and build community relationships, network with individuals, groups and organizations, and mobilise volunteers among the diaspora. This year’s Annual Lecture was held over Zoom, with a focus on the impact of the ongoing peace talks on women’s education. Additionally, the Trust took part in the Mother and Daughter education campaign in partnership with Make Mothers Matter (MMM), alongside high-profile speakers with influence in governance and policymaking. And we worked with around 40 UK-based Afghan charities to raise funds to support Afghan families with food and sanitation during the Covid crisis. The RT participated on condition that at least 40% of aid recipients had to be women. ## 4. Strengthening the Organisation This year the Trust recruited a volunteer bookkeeper, Mel Bradley, to work alongside our treasurer and help us put in place stronger financial procedures and systems. We settled a historical Gift Aid claim, which appears in the accounts. We also reviewed our partnership agreements with Afghan Universities. We signed a single partnership agreement with Gharwarshad University in Kabul as the lead University, managing our other university partnerships. Ghawarshad is our longest standing partner and have developed a speciality in women’s education. To reduce finance fees and delays Ghawarshad is now receiving all RT funds from the UK and distributing them to other university partners, as transfers between Islamic banks are smoother and less costly than transfers from banks abroad. 10 ## 1. Scholarships ## Partner Universities To provide the best possible support for scholars, build gender awareness and sensitivity within academic institutions and ensure long-term sustainability for the Trust’s work, the Trust operates scholarships in partnership with selected private (non-state) universities and third-level colleges which are accredited by the Afghan Ministry of Education. We have been successful in partnering with institutions outside of the capital Kabul in order to reach young women in the most disadvantaged and rural areas. The Trust negotiates, signs and monitors Memoranda of Agreement (MoAs) with each institution which detail the roles of each partner, the service to be provided and how payments will be made for the named scholars. Gawharshad Institute of Higher Education is our first and key partner. They support the work of several of our programme coordinators and mentors and provide general administrative support. This year we signed an MOA with the Organisation for Social and Economic Development (OSED) to manage five new scholars at Bost University in Helmand Province. ## What Scholarships Cover Each scholarship includes tuition fees, living expenses and travel, the cost of books and materials, as well as a laptop. As the mobile telephone network can be more reliable than local internet connections, we are now supplying scholars with mobile phones. Scholarships are offered for the full duration of each scholar’s course, subject to satisfactory academic results in each year. Rahela Trust Scholarships are distinctive in that they include mentoring, networking and leadership development, aimed at empowering scholars to become future leaders. Indicative costs are as follows: All degree courses are four years, except medicine, which is five years 11 ## Scholarships ## Recruiting New Scholars Scholars are selected through an open competition. Scholarships are advertised through the Rahela Trust & partner universities’ websites, Afghan Women NGOs Network, and direct awareness raising through RT partners’ social and community gatherings. Candidates apply with evidence of academic achievement and are assessed by a panel of internal and external experts against published selection criteria. Successful candidates are offered a scholarship for a full-time four-year degree course (five years for medicine) and sign an agreement with the Rahela Trust to maintain their studies and to contribute to the wider goal of educating girls in Afghanistan. ## Application Process The shortlisting of applicants for the RT is undertaken by the Oversight Committee in Afghanistan, made up of representatives from universities/academia, women’s NGOs, and educational charities/bodies. There are three stages for the selection of the applicants: ## Stage One: For the long-listing stage, university / academia committee members **,** including the RT coordinator, exclude non-eligible applicants. ## Stage Two: The long-list is screened by the full committee and RT Coordinator. The highestscoring candidates are visited at home by a coordinator. Applicants who live in distant provinces have their applications crosschecked by RT in cooperation with other civil society organisations. A shortlist is generated based on these findings. ## Stage Three: In the final stage the Trustees and Director of the RT assess all the shortlisted applicants to ensure the FT criteria and its partner university’s policies have been considered. A final selection is then made and announced. The selected candidates, the parents of the scholars and associated community leaders will sign a joint letter of commitment. 12 ## 2. Mentoring ## Program Content The Director’s aim for this year was to extend RT’s sphere of positive influence, not only by fostering leadership skills in mentors, but also by encouraging them to take an active role in facilitating change in their own communities. All our coordinators are also mentors to the scholars. They are recommended to the RT as advanced students or graduates with exceptional academic achievement. Once selected, they receive three months of remote training from the RT so that they are familiar with our policy, tools and techniques. The national coordinator is trained and coached directly by the RT Director, and she in turn supports university-level coordinators and mentors with an initial three-month training and then continuing on an ongoing basis, including quarterly meetings via WhatsApp or zoom. In universities where we have graduated scholars, we encourage the most high-achieving to become mentors and share what they have learned. Mentors and scholars were praised for their resilience in continuing their community work despite personal hardships. The RT Director advised them to be exemplary role models: sincere, committed, honest, and generous in the transfer of their skills to others. She reminded them to respond to mistakes with patience and kindness, whether to individual mentees or to a group. They should work hard and give time to their mentees, working collaboratively. The scholars were also asked to create a plan on how their mentoring could help improve the lives of others. Evidence shows that each scholar can mentor 3 to 5 women at their university or place of work, and provide life skills or raise awareness for 20 to 25 mothers and young women at the community level. A mentoring session was conducted for national and university level mentors on support within the community and work environment to help current students and graduates. Scholars need to learn how to continuously build their own skills and how to support other women in their communities as different issues or obstacles arise, at the national or local level. ## The Rahela Model The mentorship scheme is centred around the Founding Director’s model for creating a rippleeffect in a community of women and young girls, by equipping individual scholars with the capacity and skills not only to achieve their own success but also to make a positive impact on society by relaying their skills and knowledge to others. Each Coordinator is required to stay in daily contact with the scholars, to track their progress and address their immediate concerns. Mentors conduct monthly sessions/’ where they catch up with their scholars and discuss their contributions to their communities, their life at university, and other areas of concern or achievement. On a quarterly basis Mrs Sidiqi conducts catch-up sessions with scholars, wherein she positively reinforces their hard work and achievements and uses discussion-based methods to instil leadership qualities in the scholars. These sessions also boost the scholars’ morale, so that they can have the confidence to pass their skills onto their communities. On a fortnightly basis, our scholars meet their external mentors, who are specialists in their field of study and can offer targeted advice while serving as role-models. 13 ## 3. Engaging the Diaspora Alongside our activities within Afghanistan, Rahela Trust holds a number of events throughout the year to foster diaspora engagement. Through attendance at civil society events and conferences, we have built a robust diaspora network. The Rahela Trust has also expanded its outreach by taking on several partnerships. This year, our Mother and Daughter Education Campaign was held in partnership with Make Mothers Matter (MMM). We actively participated in the ‘Raise a Pen’ Campaign, mobilising young women who want to raise their voices for their right to education. And in January we held our Annual Lecture and General Meeting to discuss topics that affect the scholars and the challenges women face in Afghanistan on their journey to higher education more generally. This year, our focus was around the prospects of women’s education in the light of the Peace Process. Many apprehensions were raised. Beyond our own events, the Founding Director has actively engaged in increasing the Trust’s community presence and building networks by attending events and meetings to give input and share her vision on the future of women in Afghanistan. These include the Women and Peace Partner Joint Effort Meeting, the Women Activists Meeting with Dr Sultan Barakat from Doha University, the UN Global 75 Conference preparation meeting, and the Women Coalition meeting, among many others. Founding Director Mrs Sidiqi in UNG Global 75 Conference preparation meeting (left), and Women’s Coalition meeting (bottom). “The key factor to sustainable peace building is women’s education and proactive engagement.” - Rahela Sidiqi, Founding Director at the UN Global 75 Conference 14 ## Engaging the Diaspora ## Annual Lecture & General Meeting The Rahela Trust annual lecture took place on 21st January 2021 on the theme: The Impact of Peace Talks on Women’s Education. Due to coronavirus, the event was held virtually. This meant that it was possible to have speakers based in Afghanistan participating, including former RT scholars. This year’s lecture gave an overview of how RT is planning to grow in the future and create a strong network of graduates promoting the importance of women’s education, particularly in light of the (then) ongoing peace talks in Afghanistan. It underlined how the people of Afghanistan are hoping the peace process will root out the causes of violence that plague the country and create a foundation for the future. To create a safe and open society for women, it is important that protection from the threat of violence and avoidance of restrictions in their daily lives should be part of any agreement and a condition for the receipt of overseas aid. It is important that the Afghan people should be involved in the process, and in any decisions that are made on the future of the country. Mrs Fatima Galiani , member of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Peace Negotiation Delegation, called for the peace process to be negotiated properly and in a sustainable way. She questioned whether the Taliban are really looking for peace, and if the government’s peace council is speaking with a united voice. She also noted the influence of Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries, and the impact of the narcotics business in the country. She urged them to put their interests aside to find the best outcome for Afghanistan. Mrs Rahela Sidiqi, RT Founding Director, raised her concerns about the importance of an all-inclusive, just, and transparent deal in the way of creating a lasting and sustainable peace. She especially drew attention to the crucial importance of using the Afghan Constitution as a basis of clarity and a voice for the Afghan people. Mrs Sidiqi highlighted that Women’s political, legal, social, economic and educational rights, along with their right to live free from all forms of violence, must be the condition of all international aid. **----- Start of picture text -----**
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## Engaging the Diaspora ## ] Annual Lecture & General Meeting Professor Djawed Sangdel, President of SWISS UMEF University Group, Geneva Switzerland, spoke about the importance of education in building a prosperous future for Afghanistan, and the problems which are faced in Afghanistan. He acknowledged how the main barrier to many women receiving an education is men, and said it is important for men to be taught the benefits of female education. At present, only around a quarter of people in education are female. This issue continues into academia and government, with no policy to rectify this issue. Although the quality of education is improving, there are still problems in the levels of education achieved across the public and private sectors. Palwasha Hassan has been working on promoting girls’ education for over 30 years, focusing at first on supporting Afghan refugees in Pakistan. From her experience she has seen how educating women can transform communities, and with the help of the international community more children than ever are being rolled into schools. However there is still a long way to go, as only 17% of women and 45% of men are literate, and there is a high dropout rate of girls in schools as many get married at a young age. Furthermore, the ongoing conflict is having a significant impact on the ability to access education. As the peace process progresses the Taliban have outlined their plans to follow Sharia law, but it is not clear what interpretation of Sharia they will apply. 16 ## Engaging the Diaspora Mother & Daughter Campaign This year, we commenced our Mother and Daughter Campaign in association with MMM, drawing together global personalities and organisations to support education of women and girls in Afghanistan. Our Founding Director engaged in a high-level panel discussion alongside Ann Claire, Director of MMM and partner of RT, Rangina Hamidi, Minister of Education I.R. of Afghanistan, Stefania Gannini, UNESCO Assistant Director General of Education, and Ambassador Melanne Verveer, Executive Director Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security. A transparent and open conversation took place addressing the calls of mothers the rights of women to education in Afghanistan. The discussion was dynamic and proactive, with members of the audience raising concerns and commenting through chat. “At Rahela Trust, we believe Afghan woman can and will be agents of change for sustainable peace-building and development. They will do it with the power of education.” Rahela Sidiqi, RT Founding Director “What is it about education that makes extremists SO afraid? … There is no better bulwark against conflict than education … raising a pen is critically important. I’m proud to come together with mothers of Afghanistan.” Ambassador Melanne Verveer, Executive Director of Georgetown Institute for Women “Violence against women should be stopped. Afghan women today suffer the potential danger of the possibility of education being taken away from them.” Staffan de Mistura, Former UN Special Envoy to Afghanistan 17 ## Engaging the Diaspora ## General Debate - 46th regular session of the ONHCR Among the many global conferences that our Founding Director attended this year, the General Debate at the UN Human Rights Council, in association with Make Mothers Matter, was particularly significant. Mrs Sidiqi called on the global community to take action and recognize the importance of education for all in sustaining peace and human rights, and she drew attention to the growing threats to women’s education as the peace talks continue in Doha. Founding Director, Mrs Sidiqi, in the General Debate in the 46[th] regular session of the ONHCR. 18 ## 4. Strengthening the Organisation ## Fundraising The Trust’s income increased significantly this year to £47,681 (from £28,377 the previous year), enabling us to recruit more scholars. Community donations remained stable and we were delighted to receive a second, larger one-year grant from Amanat Foundation. As the UK-based charity Afghan Connection wound down, we were also pleased to receive a spend-out grant from them towards additonal scholarships. We partnered with Make Mothers Matter, who supported the Rahela Trust’s Mother and Daughter project, and our scholars participated in MMM’s #RaiseAPen campaign. Our volunteer bookkeeper, Mel Bradley also co-ordinates a ‘giving circle’ of British allies who donate regularly to support scholars. They have contributed a significant proportion of our income this year, as well as providing a novel model of giving which we hope can inspire others. We are enormously grateful to each member of this community giving circle. This year, trustees developed a Fundraising Strategy to sit alongside the Organisational Strategy adopted in 2020. This plan focusses on growing both grant and community fundraising, as well as increasing the reach of our annual Ramadan Appeal. ## Future Plans Following further successful fundraising, we aim to recruit our first paid employee in 2021/22. The part time Development Officer’s role will involve diaspora community engagement, now including new refugees. A conference planned for 2022 will seek to engage new refugees and the wider diaspora in exploring options for the future of Afghan women’s education. [Following the Taliban takeover in August 2021, trustees agreed to pause the recruitment of new scholars in 2021/22. At the time of writing (November 2021) existing scholars are all still attending their university courses. We are supporting them, and alumni, virtually through 1-2-1 and group mentoring. We are monitoring the political, security and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan closely. ] ## Key Risks: The Trustees regularly monitor the security situation in Afghanistan and its potential impact on staff, volunteers, beneficiaries and the Trust’s activities. COVID-19 has brought new risks to both the scholars' education and to fundraising events. Measures taken to manage these risks include providing support to scholars studying remotely and the increased use of digital platforms. We have also discussed with each scholar the potential risks of publishing their names and photographs. Each has consented enthusiastically, but the policy remains under review as the situation evolves. [Following the Taliban takeover in August 2021, the charity faces an even more volatile risk situation than previously. Our immediate concern has been the safety and security of existing scholars and alumni. As all our partner universisites are private businesses, international sanctions against dealing with the Taliban state do not apply. However, additional risks now incliude the tranfer of funds into Afghanisitan during the shutdown of international banking. Trustees are responding to risk with more frequent meetings and risk-assessments.] 19 ## Strengthening the Organisation ## Reserves and Going Concern: The Trust currently has no investments or policy for reserves. Trustees approved expenditure on the recruitment of scholars and other activities only when sufficient funds were received. ## Public Benefit: The Trustees confirm that they have due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. The Trust provides scholarships and support for vulnerable and disadvantaged young women in Afghanistan, and trustees confirm that all activities conform to the guidance on public benefit. ## Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities: Law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the charity’s financial activities during the period and its financial position at the end of the period. In preparing financial statements giving a true and fair view, the Trustees should follow best practice and: - select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently - observe the methods and principals in the Charities SORP - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent - state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements - prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. There is no statutory requirement for our accounts to be audited. The Trustees have appointed Sarah Watling at Monksilver GP Accounts as a suitably qualified Independent Examiner. The Annual Trustees' Report and Financial Statements were approved by the trustees at their meeting of 29[th] September and signed on their behalf by the Chair. Signed: Samantha Rennie, Chair of the Rahela Trust Date: 6[th] January 2022 20 Financial Ststements Summary (Iruni IriTrin PIAttthtio L17.036 Mibtherrtnd l)4uyhier Pyojeci Afshan (.'ommniiy fjtsnaniions L902 £9.693 £6.y(K> Sources of Funds G￿￿t IromAm•n•t F(￿01th0￿ ¢hantonnecti Mot￿1 Othukntei Proj￿ •Al￿an£￿￿M￿rn1lyD¢fi¥nt￿•1 Mei bGroup Lh)n•ntions GawhaThhlld UniVErNily Il¢nJwo Jnd Il(Ht Univ¢rsiiy ot￿r SL'ol#r%hip C'ibSl> (Xkr DiTrcI Co%ts 15.7IJ £5.03 £756 Breakdown of Costs Gawhar5h?dvniveryity wa and &)Stun￿r$￿V llotherS(darshlpCost5 OtherTro¢t costs otherindite(t Costs 21 ## Financial Statements Independent Examiner Report I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Rahela Trust for the year ended 31/03/21. As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the 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. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below *) 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. 22 ## Financial Statements Statement of Financial Activities 23 ## Financial Statements Balance Sheet **The annual report and financial statements were approved by the trustees at their meeting on 29[th] September 2021 and signed on their behalf by:** ## **Samantha Rennie** Chair of the Board of Trustees 24 Financial Statements Notes to the Accounts 25 ## Financial Statements Notes to the Accounts 26 ## Thank you! Our achievements would not be possible without the huge number of volunteers and well-wishers who support us with their time, expertise, networks and donations. We cannot name them all there, but we thank them all deeply. We are especially grateful our Afghan-British, other British and worldwide community of individual supporters, whose contributions are the backbone of our income, and to our Afghan and British volunteers who help with the management and administration of the charity. Specific thanks go to: - Our Ambassadors who include: Asef Noorzai, Khan Nasiry, Walid Halimi, Ziarmal Gharghasht, Nasrien Youness, Nawesa Sidiqi, Pir Mohammad Bawari, Shoaib Shiwari, Zabia Sadiqi, Mechelle Nomani, Soman Shokori, Hogai Aryoubi, Gulwali Pessarly, Nooria Osmani, Sodaba Kamrawa and Farzana Paigeer. - Our UK volunteers who include Ziarmal Gharghasht (Communications Volunteer and Zoom expert), Safia Nasrat (Admin and Finance Assistant), Mel Bradley (Bookkeeper) and our Executive Committee members. - Emeritus Professor of Ethnomusicology at Goldsmiths John Baily and Safar Sarmad, who together sponsored our scholar from Herat for four years of study. - The Charity Aid Foundation, Vday, and the Tide Foundation, whose donations in previous years supported several scholars in their third year of study, and The Institute for State Effectiveness, who contributed to last year’s Afghan diaspora Annual conference. - The Afghan Connection and the Amanat Foundation, who made grants this year to help support scholars in Kabul and Kandahar. - Great thanks also to our British Community fund who supported this year’s scholars in Helmand and some in Kandahar. 27 ## How You Can Help The work of the Rahela Trust only continues with the support of like-minded individuals and organisations. We are always seeking to grow this community. There are many ways individuals and organisations can get involved! ## VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME We operate primarily with the help of volunteers. If you have the time, passion and expertise, the Rahela Trust and the Afghan women we support could use your help in the areas of administration, mentoring, event organising, translating, social media, IT, media and marketing, fundraising. Please contact us if you have skills and time to offer! ## MAKE A DONATION You can make a one-off gift or a regular donation through PayPal or credit/debit card, by standing order, direct debit or cash in one of our charity boxes. Or issue a cheque in the name of the Rahela Trust. You can donate through the Rahela Trust website: www.rahelatrust.com/donations. You can also join our £1 monthly community donation campaign. - £12 per month could pay for study materials and books for one girl. - £42 per month could cover the costs of mentoring, networking and leadership development for one student. - £460 could provide a laptop and mobile phone for one scholar. ## HOST A FUNDRAISING ACTIVITY Supporting the Rahela Trust can be both fun and social. By hosting a fundraising event, such as a teaparty, dinner or reception, you can help raise much-needed funds for young Afghan women to go to university. Rahela Sidiqi and her team are here to help with support and information. ## BECOME A CORPORATE PARTNER We strive to create opportunities for corporate partners to work with us and invest in talented young Afghan women, in line with our mission and policies. For more information on opportunities to partner with us, please contact Rahela Sidiqi. ## LEAVE A CHARITABLE BEQUEST Through your last will and testament, you can leave a charitable bequest, or a distribution from your estate in the form of property, goods and/or money. This is a simple and effective way to leave a longterm legacy for young Afghan women. **The Rahela Trust** **A Charitable Incorporated Organisation formerly known as The Farkhunda Trust Charity Number: 1165763 Registered Office: 28 Burns Close, Welling, DA16 3NJ, UK General enquiries: info@rahelatrust.org** 28