2024-05-05-accounts

STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE (IROVO)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1170935

TRUSTEE REPORT & ACCOUNTS

6/5/2023 — 5/5/2024

1 of 8

STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE (IROVO)

Legal and Administrative Information

Constitution and Objectives

STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE (IROVO) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) that aims to support the advancement of education in the village of Irovo (Shinyalu), Kakamega County, Kenya by providing and assisting in the provision of a school, facilities for education at the school, scholarships for children unable to afford school fees, teacher training and salaries and by such other means as the Trustees may determine.

Registered address

55 Clifton Drive

Lytham St Annes, FY8 1AL

UK

Founders

Alan Whelan, Olive Carroll

Trustees

Alan Whelan (chair), Olive Carroll, John Entwistle, Steve Sinnott, Sarah Campbell

Bankers

Barclays

38 Fishergate, Preston PR1 2AD

2 of 8

STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE

Trustees’ report and annual accounts 6/5/2023 to 5/5/2024

Structure, governance and management

The board of trustees meets at least twice a year in person, and occasionally by virtual means. Trustees are responsible for the strategic direction and policies of the charity.

The two co-founders visit the project at least once a year to

• assess progress at the school

• provide moral support

• take advice from village elders, parents and neighbours

• hold formal meetings with school director Vitalis Tivis, his staff and parents

• invest charity funds

• plan future development

Trustees give their time freely. No remuneration or reimbursement for travel, accommodation, food, etc., is taken. Strive for Excellence has no paid staff. It is primarily a grant giving charity that purchases education services, infrastructure development and support services to Shalom Academy ECD & Primary School in the village of Irovo, Shinyalu in Kakamega county, Kenya.

Objectives and activities

The object of the charity is to create the first early childhood development/primary school in the village of Irovo. Before our involvement, Shalom Academy was peripatetic in nature due to erratic fee income and insecure tenure.

Our immediate aim is to develop the school by

• providing 8 classrooms for all 8 grades from PP1 to grade 6 (ages 3—11)

• raising registration to 200

• improving academic standards

• training more teachers

• enhancing the aesthetic appearance of the school building & grounds

3 of 8

• investing in educational supplies

Projects Review

AW and OC visited Irovo in October 2023.

Infrastructure improvements to May 2024:

• Two new blocks of latrines have been dug and built for boys and girls

• The playgroound shelter has been extended

• Electricity has been brought to the school – utility poles erected, electrical sockets and lights fitted, Kenya Power commissioned the line

• The school entrance gate and reception was repainted

• More text books were purchased

• Replaced most kitchen equipment

• 20 more benches/desks were built

• Three new full-length blackboards were built

• Kitchen ventilation has been improved

• Ongoing repair to perimeter hedges and fencing

• Repairs to iron sheeted walls/roofs and guttering following heavy rains

Other News

Staff

Current teachers: Vitalis Tivis (trained), deputy headteacher Nobert Molenje (trained), David Luvembe (trained), Joyce Tembula (trained), Cynthia Risley (trained), Cecilia Bulokosi (trained), Edelex Naliaka (trained), Maureen Khakai (untrained).

Caretaker: Post currently vacant.

Cook: Petronella Anota.

Pupil registration is 142, falling just short of our goal for January 2024 of 150.

4 of 8

• Vitalis and other teachers have made a huge effort to encourage new and returning pupils to come to school without the threat of suspension for nonpayment of fees.

• Lower fees for PP1 & PP2 of sh900 per term has encouraged more 4–6-year-olds.

Local Issues

October 2023 saw the second grade 6 cohort take the KPSEA exams (high entrance exam). All seven pupils who sat the exams passed and were accepted at local junior secondary schools.

The school board has appointed a new chairperson, Venceslaus Shilavika.

Food donations to the school lunch programme is still under par. Drought conditions and lack of work has impacted parents’ ability to donate.

Two school field trips for grades 3 & 4 and 5 & 6 on two school field trips to a local beauty spot/mythical attraction and the rainforest were greatly welcomed, and used by teachers as a high quality learning experience. They were also tremendous (loud and colourful) advertisements for the school.

New uniforms were provided for all and plenty of English language story books were brought from the UK.

Every child was assessed according to performance indicators across all subjects. Generally the trend was one of low achievement as tracked on pupil achievement records.

School transport (Honda motorcycle) has been repaired, serviced, taxed and insured for the year ahead.

Vitalis’s old laptop finally gave up the ghost and we bought a newer, reconditioned model locally.

Digital Literacy

Digital access for our pupils remains an unfulfilled ambition. However, we have made significant progress by bringing electricity to the school site.

Fees / Expenses

5 of 8

Parental contributions represent approximately 48% of requested fees. Some parents also contribute some of their harvest/firewood for school lunches, although this is diminishing due to the deteriorating economic situation.

Consequently there is a significant shortfall between school income and operational expenses. Strive for Excellence continues to pay the shortfall.

Projects beyond 2024

Infrastructure

• General repairs

• Maintain ongoing painting programme for benches, school exterior

• Complete the second road track on Education Way

Learning & pupil welfare

• Raise registration to 200 in 8 grades for January 2025 intake

• Build more benches/desks for the growing number of pupils

• Provide more books & stationery to increase the book/pupil ratio

• Continue pupil evaluations

• Continue teacher training

UK activities

Lancashire Schools Support

We have had some contact with our 4 supportive Lancashire schools.

St Gregory’s, Preston April 2024 trustee visit. Shalom Academy sent pen letters in November 2023.

St Augustine’s, Preston Sent a pupil-made video of his school to Shalom Academy.

St Francis, Goosnargh July 2023 trustee visit; September 2023 visit; April 2024 visit to accept pen letters for Shalom Academy.

Mere Brow, Tarleton July 2023 trustee visit. Shalom Academy sent pen letters in November 2023.

6 of 8

Other fundraising activities

Trustees support ring-fenced projects

The Developing World Group from Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Harpenden have agreed to finance infrastructure works during 2024.

Preston Guild Rotary Club has agreed to fund infrastructure projects during 2024.

St Francis and St Augustine pupils have made donations.

Other fundraising comes from new and existing donors (both private and business).

7 of 8

Balance sheet for year ending 5 May 2024

		UK expenditure from Barclays	KENYA expenditure from ABSA	UK BARCLAYS PRESTON	KENYA ABSA KAKAMEGA
BROUGHT FORWARD				£4243.52	£4808 (Ksh 961,000)
INCOME (donations)				7909.91
INCOME (Gift Aid)				475.38
TOTAL INCOME				8385.29 (Barclays, UK)
EXPENSES	Website hosting	192.76
	Uniforms	430
	Freight bags	48.00
	Shortfall top-up	3861.65
	Repairs & renewals (sent from UK)	1576.26
	Kenya on-site building infrastructure, learning materials, kitchen equipment		Ksh1,389,295
	To ABSA Kakamega account	2500			£2500 (Ksh 500,000)
TOTAL		8608.67		12628.81
BALANCE ON HAND				4020.14	Sh 71,705

Alan Whelan, Chair of trustees 16/6/24

8 of 8