## **Charity No. 1170717** ## **MASAMBIRO UK** **ANNUAL REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023** 1 ## **LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION** Trustees Ravina Bijlani Anstance Fometu Samuel Greene Jason Strelitz Hannah Weisfeld Mandy Wilkins (Chair) Charity Number 1170717 Principal Address 28 Queens Avenue, London N3 2NP Independent Examiner Angela Wimborne 2 ## **CONTENTS** Page - 4-7 Trustees’ Report - 8 Independent Examiners Report - 9 Receipts and Payments - 10 Statement of Assets and Liabilities 3 ## **ANNUAL REPORT** The trustees present their report and annual accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023. ## **Objectives and Activities** Masambiro UK’s objectives are: The advancement of education for the people of Malawi for the public benefit, including, although not exclusively by: - supporting the building of educational facilities such as classrooms - supporting bursaries to school and university students based on need - supporting teacher training - supporting vocational training for school graduates - supporting adult education - providing educational resources such as text books, science equipment - supporting facilities and staff required for income generation projects for schools The relief of poverty for the people of Malawi for the public benefit including, although not exclusively by: - supporting vocational training for school graduates - the creation of feeding programmes in educational establishments - providing school fees and other resources for those that are otherwise unable to access education as a result of poverty The advancement of health for the people of Malawi for the public benefit, including, although not exclusively by: - supporting health programmes in the local community - supporting health education within educational establishments - providing assistance to individuals in need of life-saving healthcare which is otherwise unavailable to them - raising funds for the provision of medical equipment for local clinics and hospitals ## **Achievements and Performance** We continued to provide Kunyanja Secondary School with our ongoing budgetary support that we have committed to long term, alongside working with the school management to oversee the development new initiatives and projects. 4 ## **General school support** Masambiro UK continued to support Kunyanja Secondary School with core budget support, including paying towards bursaries for students to attend the school and live at the girls dormitory, as well as providing grants to Kunyanja graduates who were successful at obtaining university places. In 2023, due to the success of the fundraising quiz we held at the end of 2022 we were able to commit to funding 160 bursaries at the school for students who are unable to afford school fees. This is a significant percentage of the school pupils. 15 students were accepted to university in 2023 and therefore were entitled to receive support from Masambiro to pursue their studies. During 2023 the school was also able to reopen it’s ‘open school’ which caters for mature students who have not been able to previous complete their secondary school education so they can return to school to study to receive their secondary school qualifications. 145 students were enrolled in the open school by the end of 2023. We received a grant of £6,000 from the George Oliver Foundation of which £3,894 was sent to the school to help restock the science laboratory and library and the remainder has been restricted in our accounts for future needs related to the science lab and library. ## **PhD support for Feston Singoyi** Kunyanja Educational Trust Director Fenston Singoyi made a request to the trustees for Masambiro to fund his PhD studies in education on the basis that it would be beneficial for him to increase his level of qualifications to support the development of the teacher training college that is planned. The trustees agreed to support this with a cost to Masambiro of approximately £3,000 per year. The initial support for the PhD was sent in December 2023. ## **Supporting education in Cape Maclear** We continue to support an additional educational project in Cape McClear. Funds for this project were transferred to Masambiro during 2023 as restricted funds and passed directly onto the project. We continue to receive updates about the work of the project to ensure the funds are being spent in the correct manner. ## **Cyclone Freddy** In March 2023, Malawi was deeply affected by Cyclone Freddy which destroyed many homes and much infrastructure in the south of the country. We were asked by Kunyanja Educational Trust Director, Feston Singoyi, if we would be willing to provide support to Kunyanja Educational Trust so they could, in turn, provide some relief for victims of the cyclone for the purposes of nutritional and health needs. The trustees felt that this was in line with our overall objectives and that we could afford to meet this request. In April we were able to transfer funds to support this disaster relief work. 5 ## **Health clinic** We received significant donations for the building and development of the health clinic in 2023. The funds were raised by a supporter of Masambiro who was able to raise the funds through a fundraising project at his private GP practice in London. Building began on the clinic in December 2023 and was completed in 2024. ## **Teacher training college** The school continues to hold the land for the development of a teacher training college. Although plans continued to be discussed in 2023, the decision was made that any work would begin in 2024, once the health clinic was up and running in order that proper attention could be devoted to the project. ## **Restricted Funds** Below is a summary of the balances on our restricted funds: ||**Bursaries**|**Cape Maclear**|**Teacher Training**
**College **|**Clinic**|**Books & science**
**lab**|**Total**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Balance b/f
01.01.23||£4,714||||**£4,714**| |Income|£8,629|£10,756|£74|£13,429|£6,000|**£38,888**| |Expenditure|£8,629|£9,200||£11,198|£3,894|**£32,921**| |Balance c/f
31.12.23|-|£6,270|£74|£2,231|£2,106|**£10,681**| ## **Financial Review** In the year to 31 December 2023, we raised £71,560 from donations, grants and fundraising events. We made transfers to Kunyanja School and other project totalling £72,275 and we were left with reserves of £30,808. We were lucky enough to receive a significant number of large one-off donations and pledges of support in 2023 (some of which were donated to the charity in early 2024) that gave our fundraising efforts a significant uplift, ensuring a good level of financial stability which will help us to be able to support the work of building the Teacher Training College in 2024. Our financial processes remain the same as previous years. The trustees maintain regular contact with the directors of the project and approve a budget at the beginning of each academic year. Funds are transferred to Malawi three times a year on receipt of a report of expenditure and performance for the previous term. 6 The trustees have committed that one trustee will visit Malawi every 12-18 months to meet with project directors face-to-face and review the progress in person against financial and performance reports. This provides additional oversight over delivery of our charitable objectives and helps to maintain our working relationships with the team delivering on the ground in Malawi. In 2023, trustees Anstance Fometu, Mandy Wilkins and Jason Strelitz visited the school to meet with staff and review projects. As these visits were combined with personal holidays, the charity did not have to fund the visits on this occasion. Trustees maintain a policy that we will make a regular commitment to fund a certain number of students to attend school and university on an annual basis, and when additional funds are available, we will work with the project directors in Malawi to ascertain what spending priorities are. Our reserves policy dictates that additional items are not funded unless Masambiro UK is already in receipt of the required funds for the upcoming transfer for our regular commitments to the project, alongside there being a clear idea of how any additional funds will be raised. Trustee Ravina Bijlani, who is a qualified accountant, acts as the Treasurer. ## **Structure, Governance and Management** Masambiro UK is established pursuant to its Trust Deed dated 1 November 2016 and is registered under the Charities Act 2011, charity number 1170717. The charity commenced its activities in January 2017. Trustees that served throughout 2023 were: Ravina Bijlani Anstance Fometu Samuel Greene Jason Strelitz Hannah Weisfeld Mandy Wilkins (Chair) All decisions are taken by the board of trustees as listed above, and Masambiro UK does not pay any staff to administer its activities. The trustees maintain regular contact with the project directors in Malawi and funds are transferred on receipt of regular reports from the trustees and directors in Malawi. Where there is a requirement for new trustees, these would be identified and appointed by the remaining trustees. Mandy Wilkins, the Chair of Trustees, is responsible for the induction of any new trustee which involves awareness of a trustee's responsibilities, the history and the administrative procedures of the charity. The trustees annually review the risks that the charity faces. The best ways to mitigate these risks are then put into place. The trustees are satisfied that the charity faces minimal or no risk in the upcoming year. The trustees report was approved by the Board of Trustees. 7 INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT Charity: Masambiro UK Charity Number: 1170717 Accounting Period: l January 2023 to 31 December 2023 The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 {-the Acff). The chariws trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Act and that an independent examination is needed as the income for the period exceeded £25,000. It is my responsibility to: examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act to follow the applicable Dirertions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145{5)(b) of the Act to state whether particular matters have come to my attention My examination was carried out In accordance with general directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and 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 the 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 fairf view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. In connertion with my examination. no material matters have come to my attention 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 the accounts did not accord with the accounting records the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements Con￿rning 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 fairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concems and have corne across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed: (LJ Name: Angela Wimborne Date: 13/1012024 Address: 47 Coniston Rd London NIO 2BL CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLANO AND WALES Masamblro UK 1170717 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For th• period from 01 January 2023 31 December 2023 To Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds to th• nèarost Restricted fund5 Endowment funds Year erbded 31 Dec 2022 Total funds totho th•ar6$t£ to th6 noar*st £ to tho noar06t £ to the nearest £ Rocel ts Donations and rants Fundraisin events 31.600 1.072 38.888 70.488 1.072 9,280 tota ross Income or Asset and Investment sale8 tota Totslrec8lPts Pa ments 39,354 150 32,921 72,27S 150 55,685 244 Bank char FunLlraisin Trav81 Subscriptions es events Sub total Asset and Investment urcha58s Sub total 72.425 Net of ￿eIptS1(￿aYme￿t$J Transfers b8tween funds Ca8h funds last year end Cash funds thls yearend 30,808 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestricted fund5 tty n¢are$t £ 20,127 Restricted funds Endowment fund5 tty n¢are$t £ Categories Detalls to n¢ar¢$¢ £ 10,681 Cash funds Total cash funds 20,127 10,681 Unre¥trithd fund5 to nearest RestriGted fund5 to nearest £ Endowment fund5 to Olher mon*tsry as50ts Fund to whlch as58t b8lon Cost loptlonall Current value tional In¥oStm¢nt a$$ots Fund to whlch 8$$¢t belon Cost loptlonall Current valu• tional Assets retaln8d for tho charlty's own use Fund to whlch relat88 Amount due tlonal When du lonal Liabilitl85 Signed by one or truste8s on behalf of all Ihe Iruslee5 Signature Print Name Ravina Bijlani Datè of approval 1311012024 10