Tryll,
We Learn
ETHIOPIA
## **Charity Information**
## **Registered Address**
225-229 Seven Sisters Road London, N4 2DA
## **Trustees**
Nadine Carle-Edgar Ashley England Elsabeth Gezahegn King Holly McKenzie Gabriella Otty _(until October 2023)_ Jack Sharville Matthew Stockdale
## **Chief Executive**
Caroline Walker
## **President**
Helen Pankhurst CBE
## **Banker**
The Co-operative Bank p.l.c. P.O. Box 101, 1 Balloon Street Manchester, M60 4EP
## **Registration**
Registered charity number: 1165953
Charitable Incorporated Organisation, Constitution last amended 8 May 2020
## **Contents**
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Welcome 04
About Us 06
Access to Education 09
Quality of Education 19
Children’s Wellbeing 27
Our Team 32
Special Thanks 34
Our Finances 36
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## **Welcome**
Writing this Annual Report to you, our supporter, gives us the chance to reflect the work we’ve done in partnership with Ethiopian communities and the impact we have had together. While the last 17 months has brought a lot of positive progress, external events have presented new challenges to our delivery, and we have worked hard to adapt to changing circumstances in Ethiopia.
Conflict in Ethiopia has directly affected our Ethiopian office and programme activities. It has endangered communities, disrupted lessons, and made it much more difficult to communicate with our team. We also had to suspend our tours, which are a small but important source of income. A state of emergency was declared in Amhara, the centre of our operations, in August 2023 and is still in place.
Despite these distressing circumstances, our Ethiopian partner organisation and the communities they work with have proved remarkably brave and resilient. Together, we continue to adapt to the situation, to learn and improve our practices, and to deliver our programmes as best we can. We are resolutely focused on building the capacity of our Ethiopian partner in order to be more locally-led in our approach.
For example, in July 2023 Elsa Kebede, the Country Director of Together We Learn-Ethiopia, visited the UK for the first time. Elsa visited four of our link schools where she gained experience of UK school environments, while also helping British students learn about Ethiopian culture. We invited Elsa to participate in a trustee meeting so we could better incorporate the views of our Ethiopian partners into our strategic planning. And we were delighted to hold a supporter event with over 80 guests in London, who had the chance to hear from Elsa directly about the impact of our work in Ethiopia.
You will also see a renewed focus on the voices of children and students that our projects serve in this report. We are keen to ensure that their perspectives inform our approach. We are carrying out more and improved evaluations on our projects to better understand the needs of children in education, and the impact our projects have for them.
We look forward to the future and are committed to delivering our goal to break the cycle of poverty by giving disadvantaged children access to quality education. But, at this time of conflict, our mission and the impact of our work are more important than ever before. Thank you for all you do to support Together We Learn.
Caroline Walker, Chief Executive **◊** Holly McKenzie, Chair of Trustees
**Note on the period** This Annual Review covers an exceptional period of 17 months as we adjust our reporting period to better fit with our programming. As most of our projects run in line with the academic year, we will now report on activities from September to August. This review bridges the gap, including financial and activity information for the period of April 2022 to August 2023.
**4**
## **The Year in Numbers ***
**560 pupils benefitted from new school facilities**
**66 students accessed higher education**
*All numbers in this report relate to the most recent 12 months of activities.
**5 new classrooms in use**
**5**
## **About Us**
Our vision is for all children in Ethiopia to be able to strive for a brighter future through access to quality education.
## **Our Mission**
Our mission is to break the cycle of poverty by giving disadvantaged children access to quality education. We do this by improving the quality of teaching and the quality of facilities within schools and by working with communities to overcome obstacles, enabling children to stay in school.
## **Our Approach**
Our approach to providing access to quality education is holistic, as our experience shows us that there are many areas of need that must be addressed to enable children to make the most of education.
Our work with schools includes school infrastructure - providing safe, local schools - and supporting teachers with training and resources to inspire children to flourish in the classroom.
We also work closely with the children, their families and communities to understand and address the issues they face at home and how these impact their ability to attend and concentrate in school.
## **Access**
We ensure access to education through the construction of school facilities and projects to address barriers to education.
## **Quality**
We improve the quality of education through teacher training and provision of quality educational resources.
## **Wellbeing**
We enable children to flourish through after-school activities and programmes supporting their families at home.
**7**
## **Our Values**
## **Equal**
## **Creating opportunities**
Our work is driven by the knowledge that all children have equal potential regardless of the circumstances they are born into.
## **Respectful**
## **More than a single story**
Ethiopia is a diverse and complex country with a rich history and culture. We promote a positive and rounded image of Ethiopia while supporting its development.
## **Collaborative**
## **Together we can transform**
We support children and families to transform their lives. Engaging with communities at all stages ensures that our projects are meeting actual needs and making a difference.
## **Honest**
## **Accountable to communities**
We are transparent and open in our work. By working closely together, communities are able to hold us to account. This means supporters and funders can be confident that we continue to invest donations where they have most impact.
## **Caring**
## **Taking time to look closer**
We care about the individual lives of the children and families we serve, even if it makes things more complicated. We recognise that effective solutions aren’t 'one size fits all' and that each family is made up of individuals with varied circumstances and concerns of their own.
## **Impact driven**
## **Never too big to learn**
We have over 25 years’ experience but we have never stopped learning. Each project or activity is an opportunity for us to become more effective. We are not afraid to innovate, but don’t feel the need to reinvent the wheel if an approach is effective. We aim to have a significant and lasting impact.
**8**
## **Access to Education**
Together We Learn ensures access to education through the construction of school facilities and projects to address barriers to education.
## **Girls' Education**
Educating girls is vital for social and economic development. Enabling girls to achieve at school has a ripple effect of positive change across communities and through generations. Our girls’ education projects help girls overcome obstacles to staying in school so they can achieve their full potential.
## **Future Girls Raising awareness to improve girls’ education**
August 2023 marked the end of the pilot phase of our Future Girls project, which aims to engage all school stakeholders to improve awareness of issues girls face in education, and thereby create a female-friendly school environment.
The pilot ran for 18 months over two academic years and we worked with six schools across the Amhara and Oromia regions. Girls Clubs exist at most state schools as part of the national objective to improve girls’ access to education. Unfortunately, with little resource or motivation to support them, these clubs are generally inactive. We worked with Girls Club leaders, teachers and directors to increase awareness of issues such as gender roles, social norms, puberty, menstruation and bullying, and how these can affect girls in their education. We ran training so that Girls Club facilitators could run engaging, participatory sessions on these topics with both male and female students. 201 students were directly engaged at the six schools in over 90 discussion sessions. Students would share what they learnt in their discussions with other students at school assemblies and flag ceremonies.
**“The Future Girls sessions brought lots of change in the attitudes of school girls and boys. Previously, girls were very shy to share or discuss some sensitive topics but now they are relaxed and free to talk not only to their friends and teachers but also to speak out to the whole school community at the flag ceremony. And girls are supported by boys when they have their period.”**
— Zenanesh ◊ Girls Club Leader
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15
school staff trained on
girls’ education concerns
201
boys and girls attended sessions
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**10**
The project also included a small grant to make practical improvements at schools, advised by the students. These were used to repair toilet locks and doors, provide menstrual pads, and improve spaces for girls to access when unwell.
90 female students received reusable period packs to manage their menstrual health and hygiene. A whole-school celebration day was held at each school on Menstrual Hygiene Day to alleviate the taboo of speaking about periods. Students spoke about their learning and raised awareness among other students of what periods are, how they can affect girls at school and why it’s important to stop bullying related to periods.
The teachers and staff involved described seeing ‘different girls’ at the end of the project. Girls that spoke openly and with confidence both generally, and on topics that would have been taboo before.
A greater awareness among male students was noted, related to their behaviour in the home, with students taking a more active role in supporting with household chores that had previously fallen to mothers or sisters only.
**5,460 pupils attended Menstrual Hygiene Day assemblies**
**“Before I participated in the girls club sessions, I didn’t support my mother and my younger sister. I usually leave my food plate for my younger sister to wash. But after participating in the sessions, I started supporting them more. Now my sister is able to get enough time to play and study. Previously, she was spending most of her after school time on house chores.”**
— Muluken **◊** Boy, Grade 8
**11**
## **Student Sponsorship**
Our sponsorship programme enables children from low income families to go to school. Our sponsorship model is designed to directly meet the needs of families in a way that most effectively enables children to stay in education.
The sponsorship team conduct home visits with sponsored students and their families throughout the year. These in-person visits allow the team to observe first-hand the impact of the programme, monitor the academic progress and wellbeing of sponsored students, and respond to any concerns.
In September 2022 we supported students ahead of the new academic year by collecting school report cards, confirming enrolment, and distributing educational materials. Ahead of distribution, we also asked students for feedback on what materials would be the most useful for them. Based on this feedback, we carefully reviewed the package of materials, which included school bags, uniforms, exercise books, pens, coloured pencils, sharpeners and other stationery, and adjusted according to students needs. We also allocated a fund for students joining higher education to cover their transport costs to reach university or college and to purchase suitcases and bedding.
In October we held Family Forums in the Amhara and Oromia regions which brought sponsored families together, gave our staff a platform to share updates about the programme, and provided an opportunity for sponsored families to share their feedback. Students from the Together We Learn Kindu Klub programme also performed a play for all attendees at the Gondar forum, and we held award ceremonies to celebrate sponsored students who had done exceptionally well at school.
**12**
**445 students received sponsorship support 153 families received medical support 11 students moved from primary to secondary education**
**students participated in life skills sessions 186**
**21 students graduated from university or training courses**
**13**
In December, we held our first-ever life skills training sessions for sponsored students. This training is a result of feedback from students at our last forum, and is an opportunity to support students beyond the strictly academic side of education and promote their overall wellbeing. The two day-long sessions were led by specialist social workers and explored subjects such as self-confidence, good study habits, avoiding early marriage, and unplanned pregnancies. The trainings were interactive, and students of all ages were involved and encouraged to share their ideas.
Throughout the year, sponsored families received support to access healthcare, to improve their homes, and further support education. Gifts from sponsors ranged from new beds, to schoolbooks, to water taps. Families in need of medical support received coupons to cover the cost of treatment and medication. Over the year, families received further support 260 times, in various ways including 18 gifts to purchase education resources or access further training, five gifts to set up a new business, and 220 food parcel gifts to help families celebrate Christmas, Easter and Ethiopian New Year. These have been particularly appreciated at a time when inflation has caused the price of food to soar by 35 percent.
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## **Student Spotlight**
One of our 21 graduates in 2023 is Samrawit* who graduated from university as a Civil Engineer in July 2023. Samrawit has received sponsorship support for 15 years to enable her to achieve her full academic potential. She is one of four children and her mother is a single parent who earns an income from selling boiled potatoes and baking and selling church bread on Sundays.
Sponsorship meant that the family received direct financial support every month on the condition that Samrawit was in education. This support helped Samrawit’s mother pay for rent, food and other essentials for their household.
At the start of each school year, sponsorship meant Samrawit knew she would have the textbooks, pens and other important materials to make the most of her lessons.
When she gained a university place after her Grade 12 exams, sponsorship became especially important. As often happens, Samrawit was allocated a university place in another region. She had to travel over 15 hours by bus to attend her university course.
Sponsorship meant that the family continued to receive financial support and additional transport costs were covered so she could travel to and from university each year, and buy essentials such as a suitcase and bedding for living at university.
Samrawit studied for five years to secure her degree in Civil Engineering. At the end of her studies, her costs to rent a gown were covered so she could attend her graduation and celebrate this significant educational milestone along with her peers.
We are very proud of Samrawit and all she has achieved through her own hard work and determination. Her story shows the transformative impact of sponsorship and the ways in which it supports students to strive for a brighter future through education.
*Not her real name.
**"My family does not have much capacity. Without this support my family could not support me to go to university.**
**Many of my friends had to drop out from school and I am so happy I got this chance to get an education and to get my degree."**
— Samrawit
**15**
## **School Construction**
Together We Learn ensures access to education through the construction of school facilities that mean more children can stay in school.
Our team works with schools, parents and education offices to identify schools where new facilities will have the biggest impact. This ensures our projects increase the number of children who can go to a local school, reduce their risk of illness, and create safe and comfortable spaces for them to learn, serving generations of children.
## **Walaj Kindergarten Sanitation for the most vulnerable**
Walaj Elementary School reported increased levels of absence in children aged 4 to 6 years old, due to the lack of an appropriate or nearby toilet facility. The only toilets available were on the adjacent elementary school compound. Being far away and designed for older children knocked the children’s confidence to go to the toilet at school which led to higher rates of illness.
We were pleased to be able to respond, with the support of Corvallis Sister Cities Association, to build a concrete block providing six toilets designed for the children, who are now able to attend school in a healthy and hygienic environment.
**60 kindergarten chidren with access to toilets**
**16**
## **Chenna Primary School Rebuilding Classrooms after Conflict**
Chenna Primary School used to serve 725 pupils from Grades 1-8 but the area was occupied by rebel forces during the conflict in northern Ethiopia in 2021. When forces withdrew, five of the eleven classrooms had been destroyed and furniture had been burnt. Children and staff went back to school when they could, but students had to study outside and the little remaining furniture was shared between classrooms. The experience of conflict left students feeling angry, worried, and confused. 270 students didn’t return to school when it re-opened, showing how high levels of trauma and demotivation were.
We ran a fundraising campaign in December 2023 and were able to secure funds to support the reconstruction and refurbishment of five classrooms to restore capacity at the school. In doing so, we have supported students to return to school and begin to recover from the trauma of occupation. Seven out of eight students reported feeling positive about the future and their reported feelings progressed from worry, confusion and anger before the project, to excitement, safety and calm after restoration.
Each of the classrooms provides a safe, inviting, and well equipped learning space for an average of 100 pupils. With five classrooms built, that means 500 pupils benefitted from the restored classrooms in the first year.
**“You came while we were at risk. We were disappointed not only in our learning but just to live. Now, we are happy, as our children’s minds have changed from disappointment to ambitious to learn for their future.”**
— Mekdes ◊ Parent Teacher Association member at Chenna School
**500 students in conflict zones have access to new school classrooms**
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Before
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After
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After construction, children reported now feeling excited, safe and calm at school. Teachers also observed that by repairing the damage and painting the walls in different colours, the environment feels safe and ‘comforting’ for children again with teachers themselves also now feeling excited and proud to return to school.
Of the 275 pupils that didn’t initially return to the school, 182 had returned once the construction was complete - a 66% reduction in dropout.
**“Together We Learn didn’t only work on classroom refurbishment, but on making children safe, since they were exposed to the sun when learning outside; on helping students who had dropped out to access education; on quality of education; and your project even created work opportunities for the community during construction.”**
— Ato Mekonnen ◊ Deputy Head of the local Education Office
**18**
## **Quality of Education**
Together We Learn improves the quality of education through teacher training and provision of quality educational resources.
## **Teacher Training**
We work with teachers to help them deliver more effective lessons. In most Ethiopian classrooms, lessons are very traditional with a teacher lecturing to a crowded classroom from the blackboard. In this environment, it is easy for children, especially those with little support at home or with special educational needs, to fall behind. Our teacher training projects help to build the capacity of teachers to make their lessons engaging, impactful and inclusive.
## **Phonics Training for Early Years English**
Our Teacher Training this year has once again focussed on working with Early Years teachers to improve their classroom skills, pupil engagement and English teaching through the Jolly Phonics method.
English language is particularly important during the early years, as by secondary school age all children are expected to learn entirely in English. This is something the majority of students struggle with and it negatively impacts their educational outcomes.
After ten years of using the Jolly Phonics method we are able to evidence the dramatic impact it has on pupils’ reading and writing outcomes. This success led to support from the Regional Educational Bureau in Amhara and a huge scale up of our teacher training. This year we worked with over 400 teachers from 200 schools training them over three days to deliver interactive, multisensory, phonics based lessons. Directors from each school also attended introductory training, to ensure that the programme had support from school leadership.
**45% improvement in literacy skills**
**20**
Teachers then applied the methodology in their lessons and received books and materials for their classrooms, benefitting 40,000 students. 42 local Education Office staff were also trained to monitor lessons and support the teachers throughout the year.
In semester two the teachers attended a further two days of refresher training. This ensured consistent quality and engagement with the programme which was reflected in the outcomes.
Teachers reported finding the training enjoyable and inspirational, having a positive impact on their teaching overall. Jolly Phonics taught students showed significant improvements in their English language abilities, such as sentence reading and word dictation, averaging a 45% improvement in scores across the year. This was in comparison with those who did not receive Jolly Phonics teaching, who showed just 9% improvement over the whole year.
Due to the success of Jolly Phonics in improving children’s education this year, we have new support from the Regional Education Bureau to replicate this in Oromia, as well as roll out further training in the Amhara region over the next year.
## **% of improvement in all English language measures (control schools compared to schools receiving training)**
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Control school Project school
Max
Letter Sounds
Word reading
Sentence reading
Word dictation
0 20 40 60 80 100
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**21**
## **Kindu Klub**
The Kindu Klub is an educational club based in Gondar that provides homework support, access to learning spaces and organised play. It provides a valuable study space for children who attend state schools for only half a day, where they can be in a class of over 50 pupils, and whose parents are often illiterate and unable to help with school work.
This year we supported an average of 46 pupils per week at the club where the dedicated youth worker arranged lessons to support their learning, provided homework support and led games, including weekly football sessions on Fridays. The club also provides access to computers so that children can learn IT skills, and a library where they can borrow fiction and study books.
This year we wanted to put the children and young people of Kindu Klub at the heart of the service. We worked alongside Children’s Voices in Action to design tools that would enable every child to have their say on what they need and want from Together We Learn, to help build a brighter future for them.
To do so, we collaborated with local organisation Meketa, building on our community network of similar services. Staff from both organisations were trained on a child’s right to be heard, the art of listening, and how to engage young people with multi-sensory activities. Based in movement, play and intuitive communication skills, children (and parents of younger children) were empowered to speak about their needs, experiences of the club, and their hopes for the future.
As children worked through the landscape of activities they shared their views using participatory tools such as the trees of life, the ladder climb, the thunderstorm and throwaway river. Each gave us a unique insight in to how to build on the service in coming years, with children’s experiences at the heart of it.
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46
children received
educational support
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**22**
## **The Ladder Climb: What would help you achieve our dreams? y**
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80
What would help you achieve
our dreams?
y
60
40
20
0
Trying hardA good educationKindu KlubA safe homeMy familyPlaying sportsMy teachers School WorkingAccess to moneyMy friendsHelping at homeStaff at club
Percentage
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In February 2023 we welcomed back our first international volunteers since the pandemic. We had two volunteers, who had both previously visited our projects in Gondar and were keen to support further.
As well as assisting with our children’s voices project, they supported training for the girls’ football team and ran specialist art workshops at Kindu Klub. The workshops were designed to be fun and develop the children’s creativity. Through drawing and collages, children were encouraged to express themselves around different themes. The materials were kindly funded by Corvallis Sister Cities Association and the drawings will be used as illustrations in upcoming Amharic books printed in Ethiopia by Open Hearts Big Dreams.
**“One morning at football training I had 27 enthusiastic children, ages six to 17, two balls and a sandy bumpy field! I am greeted with the most beautiful smiles all day long. From the children at the Kindu Klub, but also from people on the street."**
— Hanny ◊ International volunteer
**23**
## **School Linking**
This year we facilitated links between 48 schools. The project encourages children to discover more about each other’s cultures and learn together through an annual shared learning activity. The topic for learning activities this year was _My Playground Games_ and the children created artwork to share with their link school friends. Our team have worked hard to re-engage schools after the Covid pandemic, reinvigorate existing links and put pupils back in touch with each other. We saw a huge increase in the number of shared learning activities completed and shared this year and our teachers reported a buzz around school on the day they received their post.
Connecting schools online is a growing part of what we offer. Students from the English club at Edget Feleg Secondary School in Gondar and the Student Voice at Bedford Academy in Bedford took part in a video call. Deputy Head Teacher, Laura Fordham, said afterwards that:
**“the student voice had a highly educational and engaging hour speaking about school life to our partner school students on Zoom! The students from both schools were eager to exchange cultural experiences.”**
## **Examples from the My Playground Games exchange**
**24**
Some of our UK schools also received a visit from Elsa Kebede, our Country Director in Ethiopia, during her visit to the UK in July.
She gave assemblies, talks and held Q & A sessions with pupils. The Year 4 pupils at St Nicholas and St Mary C of E Primary School in Shoreham-by-Sea in Sussex heard first-hand about life in Ethiopia from Elsa as part of a special in-depth project.
Meanwhile, some older students from Backwell School in Bristol were fascinated by the Ethiopian tradition of the coffee ceremony that Elsa was able to show them.
Schools signed up to our programme receive a termly newsletter and set of classroom resources addressing relevant topics such as urbanisation, women’s football, Ethiopian music and Ethiopian history.
These resources go a small way to helping to redress the gap in the national curriculum that has been recently evidenced, showing perspectives of people of African descent are not reflected, and where African countries are studied, it is often in an outdated and stereotypical way. (APPG Africa Education Inquiry Report, 2022)
Our resources encourage children to draw similarities and differences between their country and Ethiopia and challenge teachers to expand their subject knowledge and reflect on culture and values.
**1,080 students participated in shared learning activities**
**25**
## **Developing Reading Centres to Improve Literacy**
Access to reading materials is very important to the lives of the young people we work with. Across Ethiopia, many children do not have books at home. Those that have access to books learn to read earlier, have a better chance of staying in school and therefore access to greater opportunities as adults.
We supported literacy through librarian training and book distribution for 50 educators benefitting 17 schools in Amhara and Oromia. Training was delivered for teachers, directors and librarians, including our own donkey librarians, focussing on how to maintain attractive library and reading spaces and how to encourage pupils to read and engage with books. This was followed by an open discussion among the trainees on how to resolve challenges school libraries face, and how schools with smaller reading spaces can encourage children’s literacy.
More than 2,400 books were distributed, 53% of which were local language, bilingual, colourful children’s books printed locally in Addis Ababa. The other books were Ethiopian subject reference books to support children’s curriculum learning. Our thanks go to Corvallis Sister Cities Association, Open Hearts Big Dreams and the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad, for providing books and supporting the training.
Our Donkey Library project further supported literacy for pupils in rural areas throughout the year running reading sessions and lending books at schools that don’t have a library.
**“The training was so interactive, participatory and fruitful. New techniques and experiences were shared to improve the gaps related to libraries and reading at schools. All the participants agreed to stop using their libraries as book storage, and instead to use them as reading centres.’’**
— Elsa Kebede ◊ Together We Learn-Ethiopia Country Director
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2,400
books distributed
to libraries
educators trained
on reading
engagement
50
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**26**
## **Children's Wellbeing**
Together We Learn enables children to flourish through after-school activities and programmes supporting their families at home.
## **Building Homes Creating Security**
This year we have continued to facilitate home improvement projects amongst sponsored families from home construction, to electricity installation, to water taps.
We were pleased to complete a larger scale construction project, building a block of new homes for eight single-parent families in a community compound in Tikil-Dingay.
For many low-income families, illiteracy, few employment opportunities, and little to no housing security makes it extremely challenging to break the cycle of poverty. Through the construction of homes, each family now owns their own home with no need to pay rent or fear that they will be moved on.
**"It means everything.**
**My children go to school now and I use the money I paid for rent to buy food.”**
— Hanna ◊ mother of two
The compound construction includes four toilets, two water taps and electric meters. The toilet and water facilities not only improve sanitation, but also mean that girls do not have to travel far to fetch water which can be a risk to their safety. The electric meters both ensure children can study at home after dark and enable the mothers to run businesses.
More than half of the families now have much more space per person within their household than before, and two families who had school-age children working no longer do.
The new homes have also had a large emotional impact on families, with almost all saying they had a positive feeling of ownership, a place to call home, reduced stress, and increased happiness.
**28**
**"We were living in the rented house before and it was difficult for me to read after dark as the owner didn’t want to use power at night, but now I can read without any trouble. In addition the new house is near to my school and it is inside the town.**
**I am very glad to get this chance, so I will try my best to get a good result in my education”**
— Fasika ◊ girl, Grade 10
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12
families received beds
or bedding
10
new homes built
5
received funds to set up a business
12
families had taps
or electricity
installed
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**29**
## **Playgroup**
Our daily playgroup is attached to Kindu Klub and provides a space for pre-school aged children and their carers to meet, receive support and engage in development opportunities. Playgroup supports the families’ self-identified areas of greatest need by meeting children’s basic health needs. It does this with access to sanitation facilities for washing, and a nutritious and balanced hot meal available daily.
This year we wanted to put the children of Playgroup at the heart of the service. We worked alongside Children’s Voices in Action to design tools that would enable every child to have their say on what they need and want from Together We Learn, to help build a brighter future for them. Staff were trained on a child’s right to be heard, the art of listening, and how to engage young people with multi-sensory activities. Based in movement, play and intuitive communication skills, children and their parents were empowered to speak about their needs, experiences of the playgroup, and their hopes for the future.
Children and parents both value the opportunity for play and development, by accessing toys, books and a safe space to be active. They find great comfort in the social support playgroup offers, headed up by our caring, and community orientated leader running coffee ceremonies and the chance to talk for parents and carers.
## **Reasons parents come to Playgroup:**
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Learning for my child 100%
Access to resources 83%
Community for my child 67%
Access to food 67%
25
Sponsorship income 50% children received hot
meals at Playgroup
Access to facilities 33% each week
Community for me 17%
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**30**
## **Football Teams**
Together We Learn runs football projects in both Gondar and Bishoftu. The teams offer children the opportunity to build confidence, improve their fitness and develop new skills outside of the classroom. Access to football training is especially important for girls, who are often excluded from such sports activities due to a higher burden of household chores and fears for their safety.
This year 20 girls and 40 boys aged 15-21 years old benefitted from the service. As well as training, the girls’ team have access to showers, soap and towels as well as a nutritious snack each week. They received full sports kit whilst members of both teams received training resources and weekly coaching sessions.
In Bishoftu the boys team were able to compete in a local tournament building confidence and social capital for the young people involved. A tournament was sadly not possible for our girls team in Amhara due to conflict.
In addition to the teams, an average of 24 children a week participated in Friday football sessions organised at the Kindu Klub.
Children consistently report that the opportunity to participate in sport has a positive impact on their wellbeing. During our child-centred evaluations in 2023, 78% of students told us sport was an important part of their future.
**24 children participated in Friday sport sessions**
**31**
## **Our Team**
Together We Learn has been working in Ethiopia to achieve our shared mission for over 25 years. We work with our partner, Together We LearnEthiopia, a locally registered Ethiopian NGO.
## **Ethiopia Team**
**Elsa Kebede Tatek Ezezew Binalfew Alemu** Country Director Amhara General Amhara Accountant Manager and Administrator
## **Project Teams**
**Dawit Zemene Fikiraddis Wubetu Chekula Megerssa Mersha Tarekegn Addisu Gebre-** Oromia Amhara Projects & Kindu Klub **Egzabhier** Projects Projects Sponsorship Youth Worker Playgroup Manager Manager Assistant _(from Oct ‘22)_ Youth Worker _(from Oct ‘22)_
## **Sponsorship Teams**
**Marta Bekele Aster Molla Lensa Abera Sitotaw Asfaw** Sponsorship Sponsorship Oromia **Ambachew Admas** Manager Coordinator Accountant & Sponsorship Sponsorship Coordinator Coordinator Coordinator _(until Jun ‘22) (from Jun ‘22)_
## **Supporting Staff**
**Selamawit Askalech Melat Getu Abebech Enanye Abebe Astatkie** Cook **Mequanent Tadele** Cashier and Cook Cleaner Cleaner and Purchaser Messenger
**Abate Taye** Guard
**Tigabu Bera Wagnew Abebe Dinku** Guard **Shumeye** Gardener Guard
## **UK Team**
**Caroline Walker** Chief Executive
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from Sep 2022 from Apr 2023
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**Elle Harris** Sponsorship Coordinator
**Hannah Dillon** School Links Coordinator
**Eleanor Seaver** Projects Coordinator
**33**
Special
Thanks
## **Organisations**
Allan and Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust Amhara Regional Education Bureau The Archer Trust Baillie Gifford Foundation Building Futures Ethiopia Children’s Voices in Action Corvallis Sister Cities Association Days for Girls UK Enable-Ed Ethiopiaid UK Eva Reckitt Trust Guernsey Overseas Aid Hosking Charitable Trust Jolly Learning Jolly Futures Meketa Ministry of Education Ethiopia Open Heart Big Dreams Fund Oromia Regional Education Bureau Pears Foundation Q3 Strategy Small International Development Charity Network Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA) Souter Charitable Trust Studiosus Foundation The Sycamore Trust The Tula Trust Tutu’s Fund for the Future The TUUT Charitable Trust UK Literacy Association The Waterloo Foundation Wild Frontiers Foundation Wonfel Aid
## **Link Schools**
All Saints Church of England Primary School, Newark Backwell School, Bristol Bedford Academy, Bedford Bottesford Infant School, Scunthorpe Brocks Hill Primary, Oadby Bryn Offa Church of England Primary School, Owestry Franklin Elementary School, Corvallis, USA Furze Platt Junior School, Maidenhead Holland House Infant School and Nursery, Sutton Coldfield Impington Village College, Cambridge Kenmore Park Infants and Nursery School, Harrow Killinghall Church of England Primary School, Harrogate Letitia Carson Elementary School, Corvallis, USA Longney Church of England Primary Academy, Longney Naseby Church of England Primary School Academy, Naseby Nun Monkton Primary School, Nun Monkton Rhyddings Business and Enterprise School, Oswaldtwistle South Avenue Elementary, New York, USA St John's Church of England Primary School, Walsall St Nicolas and St Mary Church of England Primary School, Shoreham-by-Sea Stanion Church of England Aided Primary School, Stanion Stratton Primary School, Stratton Tannery Drift First School, Royston Unicorn School, Richmond
## **Fundraisers**
Jane Aires - Birthday fundraiser Aida Habte - Birthday fundraiser Eleanor Seaver - Royal Parks Half Marathon Herve Smets - Edinburgh Half Marathon Alice Anderson-Shah - Royal Parks Half Marathon Akhil Shah - Royal Parks Half Marathon Willber Willberforce - Birthday fundraiser
## **Volunteers**
Gracia Akubuike Pete Belfield Nadine Carle-Edgar Tom Edminston Ashley England Elsabeth Gezahegn King Megan Kong Meron Haile Holly McKenzie Gabriella Otty Yana Polikarenko Maab Sunabara Jack Sharville Matthew Stockdale
## **Gifts In Kind**
Rosica Solunova - voluntary services to examine accounts Days for Girls - reusable period packs Dropbox - storage solutions Finsbury Park Trust - discounted office space Mailerlite - mailing service Salesforce - database
**35**
Our Finances
## **Income and Expenditure**
For the period of April 2022 to August 2023 (17 months)
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Gift Aid
6%
Individual donations
20%
Sponsorship
Income 45%
£400,655
Grants
29%
Raising funds
7%
Expenditure
Sponsorship
£367,425
Projects 52%
40%
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**37**
## **Statement of Financial Activities**
Together We Learn has adjusted our financial period in line with the academic year as most of our projects run on this schedule. The finances below represent an exceptional reporting period of 17 months (April 2022 to August 2023). Prior year funds represent the 12 month period prior.
||**Note**|**Note**||**Unrestricted**||**Restricted**||**Total**||**Prior year**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**funds (£)**|**income funds (£)**|||**funds (£)**||**funds (£)**|
|||||||||(17 months)||(12 months)|
|**Incoming resources**|2&3||||||||||
|**Income and endowments from:**|||||||||||
|Donations and legacies||||82,468||130,229||212,697||81,158|
|Charitable activities||||7,769||164,751||172,520||51,419|
|Link Ethiopia & Kindu Trust Transfers||2||15,257||181||15,438||373,593|
|**Total**||||105,494||295,161||400,655||506,170|
|**Resources expended**||4|||||||||
|**Expenditure on:**|||||||||||
|Raising funds||5||25,744||-||25,744||14,200|
|Charitable activities||||4,111||337,569||341,680||193,862|
|**Total**||||29,855||337,569||367,425||208,062|
|**Net income / (expenditure)**||||75,639|-|42,408||33,231||298,108|
|**Transfer between funds**||11|-|39,357||39,357||-||-|
|**Foreign exchange (losses) / gains**||12|-|90||-|-|90|-|419|
||||||||||||
|**Net movement in funds**||||36,192|-|3,051||33,141||297,689|
|**Reconciliation of funds**|||||||||||
|Total funds brought forward||||214,874||93,287||308,161||10,472|
|**Total funds carried forward**||||251,066||90,236||341,302||308,161|
**38**
## **Balance Sheet**
||**Note**|**Total this year (£)**|**Total last year (£)**|
|---|---|---|---|
|**Fixed assets**||||
|||||
|Tangible assets|8|-|-|
|**Total fixed assets**||-|-|
|**Current assets**||||
|||||
|Debtors|9|22,685|9,696|
|Cash at bank and in hand||320,724|324,914|
|**Total current assets**||343,589|334,610|
|Creditors: amounts failing due within one year|10|- 2,287|- 26,450|
|Net current assets / (liabilities)||341,302|308,161|
|Total assets less current liabilities||341,302|308,161|
|**Funds of the charity**||||
|Restricted income funds|11|90,236|93,287|
|Unrestricted funds||251,066|241,874|
|**Total funds**||341,302|308,161|
**39**
## **Notes to the Accounts**
## **Note 1 - Basis of preparation**
The financial statements of the charitable trust, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) ‘Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015)’, and Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include the revaluation of investments. There were no related party transactions for the period.
## **Cash Flow**
A cash flow statement has not been prepared as the Trustees have taken advantage of the exemptions afforded by Financial Reporting Standard Number 1 (revised) as the charity is of similar size to a small company.
## **Corporation Tax**
The charity is exempt from taxation in respect of Income and Capital Gains under Section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 and Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.
## **Note 2 - Incoming Resources**
All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.
Together We Learn is formed of the merger of two charities Link Ethiopia & The Kindu Trust. Any legacy donations received by the previous charities are transferred to Together We Learn in accordance with the relevant Deeds of Transfer.
## **Note 3 - Analysis of income**
All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.
||**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Total**|**Prior year**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**funds (£)**|**income funds (£)**|**funds (£)**|**funds (£)**|
|**Donations and legacies**|||||
||||||
|Donations and gifts|56,355|24,979|81,334|39,321|
|Projects|-|105,250|105,250|16,250|
|General grants provided|800|-|800|14,597|
|Git Aid|24,431|-|24,431|10,990|
|Interest|882|-|882|-|
|**Total**|82,468|130,229|212,697|81,158|
|**Charitable activities**|||||
||||||
|Sponsorship|-|164,751|164,751|45,519|
|Global Learning|7,769|-|7,769|5,900|
|**Total**|7,769|164,751|172,520|51,419|
|**Transfers from Link Ethiopia and The Kindu Trust**|||||
||||||
|Transfers from Link Ethiopia|6,946|181|7,127|184,384|
|Transfers from The Kindu Trust|8,311|-|8,311|189,209|
|**Total**|15,257|181|15,438|373,593|
|**Total Income**|105,495|295,161|400,656|506,170|
**40**
## **Note 4 - Resources Expended**
Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes VAT which is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates. Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them. Costs are split between categories based on staff time.
## **Note 5 - Raising funds**
||**Total**|**Prior year**|
|---|---|---|
||**funds (£)**|**funds (£)**|
|**Raising Funds**|||
||||
|Events
Merchandise & other|2,650
465|2,855
1,560|
|Shared operations|390|3,279|
|Staffing|22,239|6,506|
|**Total**|25,744|14,200|
## **Note 6 - Employees**
Average number of full-time equivalent employees in the London office: 2 (2 in 2021-22). Number with annual remuneration of £60,000 or more: 0.
|or more: 0.|||
|---|---|---|
||**Total**
**funds (£)**|**Prior year**
**funds (£)**|
|**Employees**|||
||||
|Wages & salaries|59,433|35,967|
|Social security costs|4,377|2,309|
|Pension Contributions|1,000|619|
|**Total**|64,810|38,895|
## **Note 7 - Trustee Remuneration**
## **Note 8 - Tangible Fixed Assets**
Purchases of under £1,000 in value are written off in the year of purchase.
## **Note 9 - Debtors & prepayments**
Amounts falling due within one year:
|Amounts falling due within one|year:||
|---|---|---|
||**Total**|**Prior year**|
||**funds (£)**|**funds (£)**|
|**Debtors**|||
||||
|Trade debtors|22,865|9,696|
|**Total**|22,865|9,696|
## **Note 10 - Creditors**
Amounts falling due within one year:
||**Total**|**Prior year**|
|---|---|---|
||**funds (£)**|**funds (£)**|
|**Creditors**|||
||||
|Accruals|-|10,000|
|Social security|-|631|
|Deferred income|2,287|15,819|
|**Total**|2,287|26,450|
## **Note 11 - Movement in Funds**
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
The charity maintains detailed restricted funds. There were 15 unexpended restricted funds at the year end.
## **Note 12 - Foreign Exchange Calculation**
Transactions in Euros are translated at rates prevailing when funds are received or expended. Balances denominated in Euros are translated at the rate of exchange prevailing at the year end.
Trustees received no remuneration nor expenses.
## **Declarations**
**The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees.**
## **Signatures**
**Full name** Holly McKenzie **Position** Chair **Date** 31/05/2024
**Full name** Jack Sharville **Position** Treasurer **Date** 31/05/2024
**41**
## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees**
I report on the accounts of Together We Learn for the year ended 31st August 2023, which are set out on pages 38 to 41.
## **Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner**
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
- to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act, and
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of the Independent Examiner’s Report**
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the next statement.
## **Independent Examiner’s Statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
- 1.which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements (i) to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act and (ii) to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met; or
- 2.to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
## **Rosica Solunova FCCA**
31 May 2024
**42**
## **Registered Address**
225-229 Seven Sisters Road, London, N4 2DA
## **Trustees**
Nadine Carle-Edgar Ashley England Elsabeth Gezahegn King Holly McKenzie Gabriella Otty _(until October 2023)_ Jack Sharville Matthew Stockdale
## **Chief Executive**
Caroline Walker
## **President**
Helen Pankhurst CBE
## **Banker**
The Co-operative Bank p.l.c. P.O. Box 101, 1 Balloon Street Manchester, M60 4EP
## **Registration**
Registered charity number: 1165953 Charitable Incorporated Organisation, Constitution last amended 8 May 2020