2023-12-31-accounts

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Annual Report 2023

Disability Africa - www.disability africa.org

Albany House, 6-8 Woodbridge Meadows, Guildford, GU1 1BA, UK Registered Charity Number 1172163

Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

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Contents

Disability Africa Annual Report 2023 ............................................................................................................................. 3 Reference and administrative details ............................................................................................................................ 3 Structure, governance and management...................................................................................................................... 3 Objectives and Activities ................................................................................................................................................ 4 Our Mission ...................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Our Vision......................................................................................................................................................................... 5 The Disability Africa Model ............................................................................................................................................. 5 Kenya:The Malanga Inclusion Project ......................................................................................................................... 11 The Gunjur Inclusion Project, The Gambia ................................................................................................................. 12 Sierra Leone Inclusion Project ..................................................................................................................................... 13 Kawama Inclusion Project, Zambia .............................................................................................................................. 14 Thank you to our supporters ........................................................................................................................................ 15 Financial Review for the Year ended 31 December 2023 .......................................................................................... 16 Independent Examiner's Report on The Accounts Year Ended 31st December 2023 ............................................ 17 Statement of Financial Activities at 31 December 2023 ............................................................................................ 18 Balance Sheet at 31 December 2023 ........................................................................................................................... 19 Notes to the Financial Statements year ended 31 Dec 2023 ..................................................................................... 20

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Pa WWW.DISABILITY ge 2 of 24 -AFRICA.ORG UK registered charity number 1172163 WWW.DISABILITY-AFRICA.ORG UK registered charity number 1172163

Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

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Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the period from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in Notes to the Financial Statements (p 26) comply with the charity’s governing document, the Charities Act 2011 and 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 2019).

Reference and administrative details

Registered Charity number 1172163 Principal address: Albany House, 6-8 Woodbridge Meadows, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 1BA

Trustees

Mr. Ric Law (Chair) Mr. Adrian Abbott (Hon Treasurer) Mr. Andrew Nowak (Assistant Chair) Mr. Adam Edwards Dr. Penny Gibson Mrs. Sue Haworth-Edwards

Patrons

Mr. Christopher Brewer MBE Mr. Damon Hill OBE Mr. Ken Tyrrell

Hon Independent Accounts Examiner

Mr. Samuel Spriggs

Structure, governance and management

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a charitable incorporated organisation.

Risk management

The trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the charity is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error.

Employees

The charity employed one full time (4-day week) paid member of staff in the UK in 2023 to monitor charity delivery and finance and raise income. They report to the Chair of trustees.

Project Partnerships

The charity establishes working partnerships with independent community organisations in Africa who recruit and employ local staff to deliver services to disabled children in their communities in accordance with the Disability Africa Model (see p 5). These partnerships are described by Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to deliver projects and promote the Disability Africa model.

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Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

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Objectives and Activities

The charitable objects as set out in the Trust Deed are:

1. To advance education and promote and protect health among people living in Africa, in particular children and young people with disabilities, through the provision of grants, items and services and by such other means as the trustees may determine.

2. To provide or assist in the provision of facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social circumstances with the object of improving their conditions of life.

Statement of trustees’ responsibilities

The trustees are responsible for preparing the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.

Charity law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the trustees have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law.) The financial statements are required by law to give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the surplus or deficit of the charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to:

• Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently.

• Observe the methods and principles in the Charity SORP.

• Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.

• 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 proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the Trust Deed. 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 corporate and financial information included on the charity’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of the financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

The trustees are content that the activities of the charity during the reporting period comply with the requirement for those activities to be of public benefit.

Trustees are recruited in accordance with Charity Commission guidelines laid out in document CC30. As vacancies arise, new trustees are sought and recruited with regard to skills and experience and the appropriate vetting and interview procedures are applied. All new trustees will be given a full induction prior to assuming their duties.

Ric Law ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Date: 19/09/2024

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Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

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Our Mission

To work with communities to explore causes which exclude disabled young people. To challenge conventional attitudes and practice, to inform, inspire and deliver change because we believe that an approach that includes disabled children will be better for all children.

Our Vision

Disability Africa is working towards an inclusive global society in which the attitudes of the non-disabled are no longer barriers to the life-chances of those with impairments, where equity of opportunity exists for disabled people and societies recognise the benefits to all of inclusive thinking and action.

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For children to achieve their full potential, they need different facilitators, ranging from good nutrition, protection from harm, opportunities for early learning, and the support of parents and caregivers, to access to timely and good quality health care…[1]

The Disability Africa Model

Why do we do it?

• Disabled children are more vulnerable to harm and exploitation across the world but especially so in low income African communities. Negative attitudes, poverty and lack of information mean that disabled children are often isolated from their community and at risk of harm. Communities do not expect to see disabled children. This invisibility is generally considered to be appropriate and so the stigma is perpetuated. Their exclusion leads to isolation. This means they do not have access to protective and nourishing resources or access to people who might keep them safe, healthy, educated and happy. Their impairment and isolation combined, means they may be powerless and unaware of their rights. In addition to this, the exclusion of a population of disabled children from education means that they will be excluded from contributing as adults to their community and the economy.[2]

Project partners report concerns that many parents simply do not have the services, information or resources to ensure that their disabled child thrives. We also know that disabled children are 4 times more likely to be abused compared to non-disabled children[3] and are 10 times more likely to be out of school.[4]

1 WHO (2022) Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities . Available at:

https://www.who.int/teams/noncommunicable-diseases/sensory-functions-disability-and-rehabilitation/global-report-on-healthequity-for-persons-with-disabilities. (Accessed 2023.)

2 WHO (2023) Addressing health inequities faced by persons with disabilities to advance universal health coverage. Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/addressing-health-inequities-faced-by-persons-with-disabilities-to-advance-universalhealth-coverage. (Accessed 2023.)

3 WHO (2022) Key Facts on Disability . Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/disability-and-health. (Accessed 2023.)

4 United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (2017) Still left behind: Pathways to inclusive education for girls with disabilities . Available at: https://reliefweb.int/report/world/still-left-behind-pathways-inclusive-education-girls-disabilities. (Accessed 2023.)

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WWW.DISABILITY-AFRICA.ORG UK registered charity number 1172163

Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

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One billion people around the world live with disabilities… [and are] being “left behind” in the global community’s work on health. This lack of access not only violates the rights of people with disabilities under international law, but UHC ([Universal Health Care]) and SDG 3 cannot be attained without better health services for… people with disabilities.[5]

Poverty

Disabled young people have poverty imposed on them because they are excluded from so many levels of society – culture, employment, education and health. Until disabled children are included, they will have no chance of thriving. We help to change this by ending the child’s isolation, promoting inclusion and providing real services that children and families can rely on.

Where and what we do

Our model is adopted by project partners in Kenya, The Gambia, Sierra Leone and Zambia with one clear vision – inclusion of disabled children. Our project partners:

Since 2011 we have developed a model and approach that aims to end the exclusion of disabled children in low-income African communities.

We work with local people and organisations in Kenya, The Gambia, Sierra Leone and Zambia – our Project Partners – this way we create sustainable behaviour and attitude change in the heart of communities.

• Engage with and deliver the Disability Africa model.

• Understand and improve the local experience of disabled children.

• Ensure good practice.

• Deliver appropriate local services.

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• Work to dismantle barriers to inclusion.

Challenging negative attitudes and learning

We take practical steps to understand and counter negative attitudes about disabled children. It all happens at a community level and includes:

• Training using the Social Model of Disability, value of play and safeguarding/child protection.

• Simply delivering a playscheme where disabled children and local staff are seen playing together joyfully is an excellent way to challenge how disabled children are perceived.

• Projects deliver training for other local organisations including schools.

• An open management culture that allows project partner staff and Disability Africa to reflect on practice without blame.

In 2023 we delivered 14,610 visits to 399 disabled children at playschemes in 4 countries in Africa.

Disability Africa uses playschemes delivered by local people as an effective – and we think the best way - to end the exclusion of disabled children.

5 Kuper, H and Heydt, P (2019) The Missing Billion. Available at: https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/centres/international-centreevidence-disability/missing-billion (Accessed: 2024)

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Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

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Playschemes as hubs of inclusion and services that disabled children need

Playwork is inclusive and the best way to get to know any child – especially a disabled child who has been neglected and isolated. A Play Worker engages in the child’s world and can, in turn, assess the best way to meet their needs. This can range from creating friendship groups, supporting relatives to interact with a disabled child in their family ,to treating old wounds or spotting undiagnosed epilepsy – all through play!

When children play, they are exploring their world and building critical skills that bring a lifetime of benefits.[6] Play is one of the ways we learn how to understand our world and our sense of self. Play builds essential and transferable life skills – physical, social, cognitive and emotional – at all ages. Play in a stimulating and supportive environment provides opportunities to learn how to plan, strategise, engage and observe how people react and how objects work.[7]

So we use playschemes

as safe places where disabled children’s health, welfare and happiness is prioritised and because a Playscheme…

• Immediately ends a disabled child’s isolation .

• Can be run easily by local people at low cost.

• Is a naturally child centred way to assess what support disabled children need and build a picture of services needed at a community level.

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• Is a hub to respond to assessed need with the delivery of social, education and medical support – as well as the benefits of play for disabled children.

• Role models behaviour and relationships of equality – an onthe-ground appreciation of the rights of the child.

• Improves the mental health of disabled children.

• Helps parents with psycho-social support and allows time to work or attend education.

• Provides a clean, safe, fun, learning environment – learning though play and accessing Early Childhood Development that disabled children may otherwise miss out on – and part of the SDGs[8] and a right for all children.[9]

6 UNICEF (2022) The Playbox Supercharge your child's learning through the power of play . Available at: https://www.unicef.org/parenting/playbox. (Accessed 2024.)

7 UNICEF (2023) For every child, safe spaces to play, live and learn . Available at: https://www.unicef.org/blog/every-child-safespaces-play-live-and-learn

8 UNICEF (2018) Learning through play . Available at: https://www.unicef.org/sites/default/files/2018-12/UNICEF-Lego-FoundationLearning-through-Play.pdf. (Accessed 2023.)

9 UNICEF (2018) Early childhood development For every child, early moments matter . Available at: https://www.unicef.org/earlychildhood-development. (Accessed 2023.)

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Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

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Essential services delivered while children play

Once disabled children are registered, safe, fed, playing, having fun at the playscheme the Play Team also has the opportunity to provide wider support to the child and their family. Often for the first time there is a team of local people who have the capacity to focus on the assessment of the needs of a disabled child – to look at Using playschemes as a base 1,385 their education, health, nutrition and protection.

Using playschemes as a base 1,385 medical support sessions were delivered in 2023 – costing (on average) £7.78 per contact.

Medical support

There is a lack of affordable, accessible, quality healthcare in most African countries. Playschemes allow staff to assess children’s health and then deliver ‘outreach medical services’. Our model of support has helped many disabled children’s access health services. We routinely refer children to surgery and support the aftercare required, collecting medicines, attending appointments with children and making links with local healthcare professionals, like General Practitioners, Surgeons, and Physiotherapists.

Things like physio sessions, visits to hospitals, family visits, collecting medicines and after care for surgery.

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The model includes employing local people to the team as Medical Support Officers (MSO) who will have oversight of children’s health at the playscheme. They do not need a medical qualification – they only need the engagement and proactivity of a caring, sensible parent, who has the professional curiosity to challenge the barriers to healthcare for disabled children. The MSO will work out of the playscheme providing primary care alongside the Play Team but they will also visit children in their homes – especially if they are not able to attend playscheme.

Food support at playscheme

Every day every child gets a meal. This means that their nutrition is maintained and children have the energy to get the most out of the play day. Project partners are able to report neglect and malnutrition of disabled children. This support is a practical response to the real pressure families face - families are often forced to prioritise the children they will feed well within the family. Malnutrition is a reason for some disabled children not receiving the medical procedures they need.

29,220 meals provided for disabled children in 2023 at a cost of £22,075 – or 75p for each meal.

As well as meals at a playscheme we target the most vulnerable children with additional food support in the form of food supplements regularly supplied to the family.

Parent support

Parents of disabled children may also be vulnerable in their communities. Women in particular are left to be the sole care provider and if their child needs constant supervision, she will routinely be denied respite or work or educational opportunities.

There were 921 parent support contacts in 2023 – things like home visits and parent meetings.

Project partners report that it is often the father whose attitude towards their disabled child needs to be understood and challenged so that the welfare of the child is protected, so we

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Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

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work to make sure that parents have companionship, information and support so that they may reconnect with their community. Our parent support includes meetings and social work-style home visits. Information about impairments and available services are shared and, in turn, parents can share experiences, supporting each other. Playschemes also give parents, especially mums and sisters, breaks from caring and time to pursue education or employment.

Education and school support and learning through play

The schools where we work are resource poor – school and parents alike struggle with the material resources needed for a disabled (and non-disabled) child to attend mainstream education. So disabled children are often excluded from school. The playscheme can be an effective and reliable place for disabled children to learn though play so that they do not miss out on essential Early Childhood Development - developing creative, social, physical and communication skills. This is recognised by UNICEF who say ‘the early years of childhood is a time of great opportunity, but also great risk’ and that ’ disabled children are particularly vulnerable to missing out on early development .[10] We are always ready to work with schools using our model to…

• Helping to train teachers to include disabled children in the school environment.

• Providing school materials for disabled children who cannot afford them.

• Demonstrating a replicable model for Inclusive Education.

• Showing how a play-based curriculum may be the way for disabled children to access learning.

• Receiving referrals from schools as a reliable professional local service for disabled children.

Monitoring, evaluation, learning and data

Not enough is known about the experience of disabled children in low-income countries[11] - indeed data invisibility is a form of exclusion. So, alongside the delivery of services to disabled children we collect accurate data to:

• Learn about the children and families registered with projects so we can reflect on the delivery of the model.

• Identify disabled children hidden within the community.

• Follow up concerns – for example post-surgery care, child protection concerns, looking for themes/trends such as malnutrition or malaria that require response.

• Understand when we can take children from waiting lists.

• Maximise capacity - we use data to monitor growth and quality.

• Assess the impact of what we do.

• When appropriate share data to help with local planning.

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10 UNICEF (2022) Early childhood development for every child, early moments matter . Available at: https://www.unicef.org/earlychildhood-development. (Accessed 2023.)

11 UNICEF (2022) Seen, Counted, Included: Using data to shed light on the well-being of children with disabilities . Available at: https://data.unicef.org/resources/children-with-disabilities-report-2021. (Accessed 2023.)

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Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

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What we did In 2023 we delivered 16,940 visits to disabled . children across 4 projects Zambia increased delivery by opening a fourth day every week.

In The Gambia we completed essential works to the playcentre paving the way to deliver at full capacity at a purpose-built play and community centre – a unique asset in The Gambia. Our Kenya team delivered over 9,000 child visits this year.

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Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

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Kenya:The Malanga Inclusion Project

The Malanga Inclusion Project started in 2017 and runs playschemes 5 days a week from 4 local schools in a rural community in northeast Kenya. It is still our busiest project delivering 9,310 visits in 2023 for 121 disabled children. The

The team in Kenya delivered 9,310 visits in 2023 to 121 disabled children.

playschemes are based in 4 local schools creating a highly visible presence for disabled children in the heart of their community – making sure they are seen and heard and part of the daily scene at each school. Without the playschemes, none of these children would access any form of education or social activity.

Medical Support and physio at playscheme

The Medical Support Officer – Grace – is a trained physio and she visits playschemes every day to work with children to increase flexibility and mobility. She also ensures there is first aid at the playscheme, and she supports play staff with the care of conditions like epilepsy, sickle cell anaemia and cerebral palsy. Grace monitors the nutrition of children, does home visits, and organises referrals to local hospitals.

Everyday physio at playschemes in Kenya Our Medical Support Officer (MSO) – Grace – is a qualified Physiotherapist and she delivered 522 physio sessions in 2023.

Around 7 of the most vulnerable disabled children receive food support and routine check-ups. This mitigates the real risk of malnutrition reported locally where – in Kenya for example – ‘ access to adequate quantities of nutritious food remains a challenge for many’[12] and ‘ children with disabilities are often more at risk of negative health outcomes in food security-related emergencies, with evidence that they are 1.5–2.7 times more likely to be underweight for age’ .[13]

Parent support in Kenya

Florence – the Parent Support Officer – worked with 82 children and their parents in 2023. She reported on the following incident as an example of her work: ‘S’ has been coming to the project for a few years. She has cerebral palsy and difficulty walking and using spoken language. She has a difficult family background – her parents abandoned her and she was ‘rescued’ by her grandparents. The staff team check in on the family home as she has had falls and fractures before. But as well as this she attends playscheme where she plays, sings and dances with other children. Changes staff have reported are that she can now feed herself and walk with help but she still needs to be monitored by

Florence (Parent Support Officer) at a weekly home visit at the Malanga Inclusion Project.

the team and Florence will keep checking in on her at home to encourage attendance at playscheme as she is an extremely vulnerable child living in a rural family home with very few resources.

12 World Food Programme data on Kenya. Available at: https://www.wfp.org/countries/kenya. (Accessed 2024.)

13 WHO (2022) Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities . Available at: https://www.who.int/teams/noncommunicable-diseases/sensory-functions-disability-and-rehabilitation/global-report-on-healthequity-for-persons-with-disabilities. Accessed 2023.

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Inclusive education in action in Kenya – the playscheme functions as the school’s SEN department… The school could not give some children a place but were confident to make a referral to the Kenya team as a realistic choice and service that the children and their parents could rely on. Parents often need convincing to send their disabled children to playscheme because they perceive it as somehow not worth it or there’s no point because it’s just play. Grace (Medical Support Officer) said that it has not been easy to convince mum but that the child has started playscheme so now gets to learn through play, a breakfast and lunch and is in a safe place with adults who care for her.

The Gunjur Inclusion Project, The Gambia

The Gunjur Inclusion Project is the first project Disability Africa started in 2012 and is based at a purpose-built play and community centre open 5

Post-pandemic, the team in The Gambia have delivered 5,278 visits to 216 disabled children.

days/week in the heart of the Gunjur community. The playscheme is delivered by a team of Play Workers, cooks, cleaners and a driver – everyone takes part in the play activities lead by the project Play Leader.

Reopening the playcentre

A combination of COVID and significant works conducted at the playcentre have disrupted delivery over the last 3 years. During this disruption services were sustained by running playschemes at community venues such as local schools. At the end of 2023 works were completed to the centre including to the roof, solar electricity and water supply. The team and a community of 216 disabled children now have their home back. We aim to increase delivery as we go in to 2024.

Playcentre is an asset to the community

The Gunjur Inclusion Centre will be made available to the local community. For example, community meetings and Physiotherapy could be offered to the wider community (but still prioritising disabled children at the playscheme). The purpose-built playcentre is owned by local project partners so it will be a lasting and significant asset to disabled children, their families, staff and the local community – as well as a beacon of inclusion of disabled children.

Disability Africa have agreed an action plan with the team in Gunjur to fully exploit the centre and fill it with busy playschemes for disabled children alongside community use.

The team are well placed to think about their future capacity to sustain and really own the model and it’s delivery – for example the Executive Director has experience fundraising for internation NGOs and the Operations Manager is a qualified SEN Teacher and is completing an MBA in project management.

The team’s presence in the Gunjur community is raising the profile of the project and promoting the rights of disabled young people far beyond

The Gunjur team at the Grand Re-Opening of the playcentre in November

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the Centre itself. Potential partners are coming forward to add quality to the services delivered. A few examples are, a partnership with the local hospital to deliver physiotherapy is in discussions, a partnership with a Dutch charity providing supportive and mobility equipment is working well and a school in Gloucester has offered training and support in alternative communication strategies for children who have limited verbal communication.

We know that GIP will always need income from charitable donations but the staff team are enthusiastic to articulate and promote the model – in this way the behaviour and attitude change both within the team and in the wider community is a demonstrably sustainable part of the model that is every bit as important as simple income .

Physio based at the playcentre

As part of the development of the Medical Support Programme we always planned to add a community physiotherapy service based at the centre. So at the end of 2023 we engaged a teaching hospital (Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital and university) to base their outreach physio service in two purpose-built rooms at the playcentre to assess and deliver treatment to disabled children registered to the project.

Once demand and need has been assessed we expect to open the service to the rest of the Gunjur community. This way inclusion is a force for good and the health of all of the community. (And the soft play is great physiotherapy!)

Medical support in action in The Gambia…

‘G’ is a 10 year old girl with a complex impairment known to the playscheme. On a home visit Buba – the Medical Support Officer – found that she was severely malnourished. She was already having food supplements but this time she had deteriorated and had to be admitted to hospital. Her impairment means eating and drinking is difficult and takes a long time and her care is difficult to manage for her mother on her own.

When G was discharged the team increased the home visits – as she was too weak to attend playscheme – and increased delivery of food support to make sure mum has enough food. Buba continued to monitor G’s health and make sure the hospital’s advice was followed – especiallty keeping G hydrated. As well as monitoring the girl’s welfare, the mum needed support and information and not a small amount of encouragement with such a significant task of caring on very few resources. G gained over 10kgs in weight and is thriving now.

Sierra Leone Inclusion Project

The team in Makeni (in the middle of Sierra Leone) delivered 2,544 visits for 123 disabled children registered at a playscheme that is open 5 days/week. Disabled children here are especially vulnerable in a part of the world ranked 182 out of 189 countries in the 2020 Human Development Index[14] . Despite enormous challenges, the project is at an exciting stage since we expect it to complete its transition to running independently of financial support from Disability Africa by June next year.

The Sierra Leone Autistic Society (who have been our partners in Sierra Leone) are planning to add a skills training facility for young disabled adults to their range of projects and the revenue from this is hoped to fund the ongoing play activities.

We are so proud of what they have achieved and wish them well for the future.

14 World Food Programme. Available at: https://www.wfp.org/countries/sierra-leone.

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Medical support programme in Sierra Leone

The team’s Medical Support Officer continues to monitor and provide basic primary care alongside the playteam to a highly vulnerable group of disabled children – themes that the MSO reports on are malnutrition, care of wounds, malaria and clean water.

Elections disrupting play…

Despite the challenges the team in Sierra Leone delivered 2,554 visits to 121 disabled children and 4,356 meals – mitigating the real risk of malnutrition reported locally.

The team in Makeni had to deal with significant disruptions in 2023 when the playscheme had to close in June and July while there was a version of lockdown while national elections took place. But the team still ran home visits and distributed food to families while it was difficult for them to get out of the house and to the shops. The playscheme reopened at the end of July.

Sustainability for project partners

Project partners we work with are partners in our work not simply recipients of aid . The Disability Africa model is that eventually the project partner will take on the delivery of the project independently – from developing good practice through to income generation. We have started this work with partners in Sierra Leone to think critically about how the project would sustain delivery as and when Disability Africa funding reduces. We have chosen this project to have this discussion with because they are well established community organisation based in Freetown and already contribute income to the project. But we anticipate that this will still be a sensitive and difficult one.

The Kawama team in Zambia delivered 2,986 visits in 2023 to 60 disabled children.

Kawama Inclusion Project,

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Zambia

We have been working with project partners in Kawama since 2022 and since then they have grown and grown – starting off opening 3 days/week and in 2023 opened 4 days/week and employed Abigail – the Medical Support Officer. The team plan to open 5 days/week in 2024.

Gregory and Esther – the Play Leader and Deputy – run a playscheme for 60 disabled children in a small building that is their playcentre. It is in the middle of a the Kawama community – which means that non-disabled children often spontaneously join in and play – Inclusion! we just love it!

Parent support

At the end of 2023 there was an outbreak of cholera in Zambia. Groups like schools and churches could not meet – including the

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Kawama playscheme. So while the playscheme was closed, the team visited all the children – checking in on families, offering support (and soap!). Ndola area was not badly affected and all the children and staff are well.

Parent support in action…

Gregory visits parent homes if a child is absent - an example is ‘M’ who was not coming to playscheme. They visited the mother to discuss the playscheme then again with the father who made it clear that he is not interested. Gregory obviously hopes to change dad’s mind in time and not lose touch with M and her parents. This sort of attitude has been reported for Finding reliable, affordable adapted equipment is other families but the team persevere and try to explain the benefits of the playscheme. difficult. So staff source locally manufactured chairs

Finding reliable, affordable adapted equipment is difficult. So staff source locally manufactured chairs and standing frames tailored to fit each individual.

Medical support in Zambia

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Abigail – a trained nurse – joined the team as the project Medical Support Officer at the start of 2023. She immediately reviewed care plans and took time to get to know the children at playscheme. She quickly spotted previously undiagnosed conditions including signs of malnutrition and undiagnosed or poorly managed epilepsy.

Medical support in action – following up on undiagnosed epilepsy

Abigail reported that she met with parents and a local voluntary organisation who will support disabled children who have epilepsy including monitoring their health and free anti epilepsy medication. Before this could be set up Abigail had to arrange appointments and follow up with local hospitals to confirm suspected epilepsy. Once this was done it meant that a group of children had been sign posted to a service that means their epilepsy will be better controlled and monitored. Alongside this work Abigail also had to work with children’s parents who found the diagnosis of epilepsy difficult to accept and understand.

Thank you to our supporters

We are very grateful to Priscilla and Chris Brewer MBE and their family, who continue to support Disability Africa as they have since the charity was registered in 2011. Their remarkable commitment and support for our work means that the vast majority of other donors’ funds are able to be directed to our Africa projects.

Thank you to all the trusts who have generously given or pledged grants in 2023. Your support allows us to plan ahead and develop projects with confidence.

ARCAID, Brian Murtagh Charitable Trust, Christ Church Epsom Mothers' Union, CP Trust, CRH Trust, De La Rue Charitable Trust, Dorfred Trust, Dr Richard Solomons' Charitable Trust, Gilbert Edgar Trust, Gilchrist Educational Trust, Gregory Mills Foundation, Guildford United Reformed Church, Hudson Charitable Trust, James and Grace Anderson Trust, James Tudor Foundation, John and Susan Bowers Fund, Lambury Charitable Trust, Mageni Trust, Manglibai Haridas Khiara (UK) Charitable Trust, Margaret McEwen Trust, Marlborough Brandt Group, MJB Charitable Trust, MPM Charitable Trust, Pat Newman Memorial Trust, Paul Lunn-Rockcliffe Trust, Peter Stebbings Memorial Charity, SMB Charitable Trust, Souter Charitable Trust, Squire Patton Boggs Charitable Trust , Stanley Grundy Foundation, The Allan & Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust, The Bart Caulker Foundation, The Brown Source Trust, The Cauda Trust, The Community of the Presentation Trust, The Gilander Foundation, The Green Room, The Haramead Trust, The Jam Trust, The Paulson-Ellis Charitable Trust, The Rest-Harrow Trust, The Tula Trust, Ward Family Charitable Trust.

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Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

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Financial Review for the Year ended 31 December 2023

As reported elsewhere in the Annual Return, 2023 saw further good progress being made in various areas of our activities. A big development was the completion of the refurbishment of our building in The Gambia. This had been a challenging project to undertake and manage remotely but was aided hugely by generous financial support from some previous and new supporters and a committed Gambian building company.

More generally, it has become increasingly obvious that a significant number of the children are not being adequately fed, due to poverty and/or neglect. As a result, providing a mid-day meal is now a feature of children’s visits. In addition, regular assessment by qualified nurses is carried out at each centre to identify children requiring medical attention which can result in accompanied hospital visits and regular follow-up support.

Income

Grant Income, at £150,000, was just over 10% higher than in 2022, with a good proportion being from previous donors, but there were also some very welcome grants from new supporters.

Income from personal donations was also slightly higher resulting in total income increasing from under £150,000 to nearly £170,000.

Expenditure

Grants to projects were nearly £10,000 higher than in the previous year, but staff costs were less than half those in 2022 as paid staff reduced and there were also fewer Field trips. As a result, overall expenditure reduced by nearly £30,000.

Result

The combination of higher income and reduced costs transformed the £40,000 ‘deficit’ made in 2022 to a small surplus of just under £9,000.

Cash Balances

The end of year cash balances for 2023 of just under £100,000, represents over 6 months’ expenditure based on the 2024 Budget. This is close to the target level, but the trustees believe that the charity’s current financial situation, together with the anticipated results from future fundraising activities will maintain the charity’s sustainability.

Reserves Policy

The trustees believe that the current policy of aiming to hold a minimum of 6 months’ expenditure in reserves, is still appropriate for the charity.

Public Benefit Statement

The trustees have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance of public benefit published.

Independent Examination of Trustees Annual Report and Accounts

The trustees are satisfied that the charity meets the requirements for an Independent Examination.

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Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

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Independent Examiner's Report on The Accounts Year Ended 31st December 2023

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Disability Africa for the year ended 31st December 2023 set out on pages 24 to 29 below.

Responsibilities and basis of report

The charity's trustees 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 Charity’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.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination 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 to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed: Date: 11/10/2024 Name: Mr Samuel Spriggs

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Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

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Statement of Financial Activities at 31 December 2023

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Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

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Balance Sheet at 31 December 2023

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Signed: RIC LAW (CHAIR)

Date: 19/09/2024

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Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

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Notes to the Financial Statements year ended 31 Dec 2023

1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Accounting convention

(a ) Basis of preparation and assessment of going concern

The accounts (financial statements) have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014 and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.

The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the Charity’s ability to continue as a going concern.

No material prior year errors have been identified in the reporting period (3.47 FRS 102 SORP).

(b ) Reconciliation with previous Generally Accepted Accounting Practice

In preparing the accounts, the trustees have considered whether in applying the accounting policies required by FRS 102 and the Charities SORP FRS 102 a restatement of comparative items was needed. No restatements were required.

Income and Endowments

Voluntary income, including donations, gifts and legacies are recognised where there is entitlement, certainty of receipt and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability.

Where the charity receives assistance in the form of donated services, such incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities where the benefit to the charity is reasonably quantifiable and measurable. Where donated services are recognised an equivalent amount is included as expenditure in the Statement of Financial Activities.

Income derived from events is recognised as earned (that is, when the event takes place). Amounts received in respect of events which have not taken place are deferred to future periods.

There has been no offsetting of assets and liabilities, or income and expenses.

Gift Aid receivable is included in income when there is a valid declaration from the donor. Any Gift Aid amount recovered on a donation is considered to be part of that gift and is treated as an addition to the same fund as the initial donation unless the donor or the terms of the appeal have specified otherwise.

Investment income is recognised on a receivable basis.

No government grants have been received.

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Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

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Expenditure

Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Grants are made to partner organisations in Africa with the requirement for full accountability of expenditure, the records for which are checked on a monthly or quarterly basis by the charity's staff, and audited during their periodic visits to the projects.

Costs of generating funds are those incurred in attracting voluntary income and incurred in trading activities that raise funds.

Charitable activities costs are those incurred in providing the services to disabled children in Africa.

All Governance requirements were dealt with by trustees on a voluntary basis, with no costs incurred.

The charity has incurred expenditure in respect of support costs which are allocated to activities on the bases set out in the Notes to the Accounts.

Assets and Liabilities

The charity has minimal fixed assets consisting of IT and office equipment and furniture. Items are written down over 3 years.

Taxation

The charity is exempt from tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

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Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

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Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

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Disability Africa Annual Report 2023

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WWW.DISABILITY-AFRICA.ORG UK registered charity number 1172163