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Dubai College Foundation Annual General Meeting Minutes
Date: 3[rd] June 2025 , 3pm
Location: Online
Attendees: Tom Duckling, Lisa Parker, Ben Blackwood, Sally Yip, Anju Madnani, Debra Turpie, Julian Smyth, Rupal Shah, Kieran Dempsey, Peter Hill.
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Announcements:
New roles this year: Tomas Duckling, Chairperson and Leanne Carson, Secretary
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Look back at last year:
Lisa - Dubai branch was closed, license cancelled and announced in the UAE national press in English and Arabic.
Update on the year so far:
Lisa - a very successful partnership with Dubai Cares has developed, 5 events back-toback with permit approvals.
We have still not received any funds from Dubai Cares to UWS – Ministry of Finance regulatory amendments means that money remains with Dubai Cares – we are assured this will be finalised before summer break.
Ongoing – we have not utilised CAF account and it has been deactivated due to no usage.
The last 12 months have seen a very positive relationship with Islamic Affairs.
UWS Jaisithock 2019 – transitioned from annual sponsor to government run in 2024. They have 7 teachers, 400 students and 98% attendance rate. Recently the school was named as the best regional primary school
Shree Jagadishwar Primary School - 123 students, in partnership with Pahar Trust, rebuild of a school which was unsafe in an earthquake zone.
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UWS Bailey 2023 – completed. 80 students, 5 teachers, 90% attendance
UWS Kalika 2025 – expected to be completed and open at the end of June. 140 students expected, on track despite setbacks with floods.
Future commitment – solely UWS Bailey. UWS Kalika – we will build but not be maintaining the school’s yr on yr commitment financially.
UWS Bailey commitment to help and train staff with salaries until 100% government take-over in June 2029. Commitment of 21,490 USD per yr until 2029.
Financial snapshot
It has been complicated this year due to no receipt of cash directly paid. DC has committed to pay money directly for schools that we are financially committed to – DC is therefore owed money.
2023-24 – funds raised through: cash boxes, crowdfunding, cash collection. 107,247. Some unaccounted Parent Funds – put towards paying DC back for outlay.
2024-25 – where we are right now: Still funds coming in. To be closed off end of June. Funds raised through: Cash boxes, online Dubai Cares platform, DC cashier.
Money not in our hands, in CAF: 42,181 AED
Held by Dubai Cares: 194,000 AED
Owed to DC 195,762 AED
Owed to UWS 78,925 AED
Deficit of 39,000 AED
Going forward
Options being explored for new projects for 2025-2026.
We have to remain with UWS Nepal due to local licenses and ease of working. Dubai Cares is doing an MOU for their work with UWS at the moment, which extends beyond DC.
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UWS have put forward two new projects.
- Bandipur, Nepal. under 20% adults read and write, community with no access to education.
Proposed 11 classroom school, 150 students, teacher accommodation for 8 government funded teachers.
Kindergarten to Grade 8, School kit out and furniture. Solar powered.
Commencement Jan 2026 weather dependent.
Cost 1 yr only build and start 209,303 AED.
Only option put forward for Nepal.
- Antananarivo, Madagascar. 1 in 3 children have never attended school. 85% teachers not trained sufficiently. Schools double as cyclone shelters. Proposed school for 400 children growing to 650 in 5yrs with 10 fully trained teachers.
More expensive and need 5 year commitment.
7 classroom school 456,106 AED.
Annual commitment of 5 years 87,561 AED. OR
4 classroom school, initial build coverage also with a 5 yr commitment 65,915 AED.
Floor open for discussion.
Lisa/Ben - Our typical fundraising is 120,000 AED per annum. Plus the Parent Fund = 180-190,000 AED per annum.
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Ben - Dubai College Foundation is registered to work in UAE and Nepal so we would need to change the constitution and undertakings for the charity fi we decided on Madagascar.
Tom – Option 2 is over our current fundraising annual average. Can we realistically raise more funds? Possibly not as the gap is too big.
Kieran - There is lots of work/need in Nepal, does Madagascar make it more complex? As we know Nepal well, should we not just focus there, and not risk introducing an unknown destination.
Julian – Complicated when we start looking at the next school when we are still involved in the previous one – overlapping financials.
Lisa - Option 1: 210,000 AED build costs only.
Rupal - Local government are very supportive, they are keen for us to do the 1 yr projects that they then take over from and do the extra running costs. Suggests Option 1 is therefore a better Option as only committing 1 yr.
Target of 290,000 AED committed to next year with Option 1.
Tom – target of 200AED per child effectively. If every child was to raise this it is achievable.
Ben – with parent fund it is achievable.
New project agreed.
Lisa – The next steps:
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To get the cash transferred out of Dubai Cares directly to Dubai College.
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Create a committee action plan 2025-2026 where we start to put figures against activities to show where we are going.
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We need to submit fundraising permit requests for the trips and events ahead.
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Do we close CAF? Ben explained the process and maintenance of CAF and Emirates NBD sterling account. Kieran expanded on CAF difficulties even for UK based charities – adhere to HMRC regulations on gift aid. NBD account is in name of Dubai College. Julian - we cannot fundraise in the UK for the Foundation and pass the money into DC account must be a new DCF account. Tom – financial due diligence for Sally to close the CAF account. Agreed to close CAF. To note - Kieran will be 6months in France in the near future – do we need to change UK banking rep?
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Rupal – next steps students and parents trips planned for Sept and Oct. In Dec there is a plan to host a brand new medical skilled professional parents and alumni trip to Nepal, Kalika. Another way to engage the community.
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Agreed school No5 will be Option 1 – UWS Nepal.
AOB: none made. Thank you to all attendees.
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