Indian Futures Annual Report 2024
Charity Reg No. 1173474
Contents
Introduction Who is Indian Futures?
Collaboration Local and global initiatives
Our Mission Our Vision Our Impact
Quality Education and Gender Equality Our Projects Outlets Raising Awareness
Monitoring Visiting our communities Meeting with our partners Creating involvement
Our Funding Sources Distribution Conclusions
Introduction
One more year, we are proud to see that Indian Futures continues to grow. This growth has happened at three different levels: within our Brighton community, with the communities on the ground, and financially. In the UK, we've strengthened ties with local stakeholders by holding 13 events throughout the year, mostly in Whitehawk and Hanover, Brighton. Our base at Robert Lodge in Whitehawk has become a vibrant hub, with locals actively joining fundraisers like curry nights and table-top sales.
This year we also had the opportunity to spend two months on the ground in Tamil Nadu, visiting the projects run by the Laia Foundation and Vallalar Educational Trust.
No experience or knowledge compares to talking to our beneficiaries directly, listening to feedback from parents of students who would not be able to afford their children’s studies without our support, sitting with the tailors, watching them work and discussing plans for development.
Indian Futures is making a real, lasting difference in the communities we care about most.
Anna Amado
Founder of Indian Futures
Who is Indian Futures?
Our Mission
Indian Futures was founded in 2017 with the mission to empower communities in rural South India by providing access to quality education, promoting women's empowerment, and supporting community development projects. We aim to create greater opportunities for all, with a particular focus on reducing gender imbalances and fostering long-term, sustainable change in these communities.
Our Impact
Indian Futures has had a significant impact by driving Grants meaningful change through improved access to education, women's
empowerment, reducing gender imbalance, community development and sustainable change.
Our Vision
The vision is to create a sustainable and inclusive future, where education, gender equality, and community empowerment are the foundation for growth and development. We aim to break down barriers to opportunity, enabling individuals to reach their full potential in a society where equal opportunities and social progress are available to all, regardless of gender or socio-economic background.
Collaboration
Indian Futures’ main focus is community development. We thrive on communities thriving, believing everyone - from
individuals to businesses - shares responsibility to support and help them develop, both in the UK and India.
Funshops
This year saw the introduction of our collaboration with ‘SareeNaSorry’ funshops, founded by Poppy Jaman, a mental health expert and saree enthusiast. Attendees explored identity, and self-expression through the art of saree draping. We also had Kate bring her BollyMoves dancing to the Hanover Community Centre for fundraising events. These have been so much fun and educational, whilst raising money for our projects.
Community Involvement
We have continued to use Manor Road Gym for fundraising events this year, including ‘Inspired by Love’ which saw Alanna read her poetry on love and live music from local singers and musicians. Our ‘Macmillan Coffee Morning’ raised £230 for both Indian Futures and Macmillan who raise funds for cancer support.
Our ‘Creative Fusion’ event saw a range of different art forms coming together. Founders of Creative Lace, Paul and Mandy, came along to help make a colourful masterpiece. Music was playing and a big white cloth laid over tables for attendees to use watercolours to paint whichever way the music inspired them.
Robert Lodge
In April, we held a ‘Table-Top Sale’ at our new venue, Robert Lodge, to meet local residents and speak about the work of Indian Futures. We have since had a delicious ‘Curry Night’ and festive ‘PreChristmas Community Event’ at the space. Events at Robert Lodge have raised over £600 for our projects in India.
Euroaula
Futuraula, a collaboration between Indian Futures and Eurola School of Tourism in Barcelona, has continued to hold regular fundraising events, such as celebrating Sant Jordi. The 2024 graduates have been amazingly resourceful in sourcing raffle prizes, such as hotel stays and afternoon teas.
Local Shops
This year we teamed up with Brighton shop, Jules Emporium, who are now stocking items from the Tailoring Project. We had a stall outside the shop during the Brighton Festival to speak to passersby about the work of Indian Futures and our tailors. Lush’s Brighton store hosted a ‘SareeNaSorry’ funshop which invited locals to immerse themselves in the world of sarees, the history and ways of wearing the beautiful fabrics used. This was made possible by the Lush Charity Pot Fund.
Local Businesses
Our biggest source of income in 2024 came from three local businesses, Your Accounts Team, Cheriton Homecare and Planet India, and an overseas company, Henkel Ibérica. We value building long-term relationships with our corporate donors and keep them involved at every stage, through regular updates and various engagement options, to strengthen these partnerships. We’re grateful for their generosity, which is vital to sustaining and growing our projects.
Quality Education and Gender Equality
Indian Futures works towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. We envisage a world where everyone has access to quality education and where there is
gender equality. By focusing our efforts on these goals, we are also creating access to decent work, contributing towards the economic growth of our communities and, most important of all, helping reduce poverty.
Student Sponsorship Programme
This year, we were able to transform the lives of another 14 women through supporting them to enrol in a university degree, by providing funding to cover course fees, transport and educational material needed.
IT Centres
Our 3 IT Centres in the villages of Sendhanadu, Thandarai Pettai and Chitiraikoodam in Tamil Nadu, continue to provide IT access for children in rural areas. Funding goes towards teachers’ salaries, laptops and maintenance, internet connection and school furniture. In July, we had our first Open Day, inviting parents of students to see what their children were learning and to be able to pick up some skills themselves. We also started fundraising for a refurbishment.
In August, we had our annual event to prepare the students in what to expect from the programme. Last year’s students discussed what they can expect for the upcoming year and the support provided. The Accenture Chennai team explained what the Mentoring Scheme involves. The students also had video calls with some of their sponsors to meet them and share their story.
Tailoring Project
Our community development initiative is aimed at empowering women in rural India through vocational training in tailoring. By equipping women with practical skills, the project enables them to pursue selfemployment opportunities, thereby fostering economic independence and social upliftment.
This year our tailors learnt how to make three new items from old sarees to sell - hair scrunchies, bangles and notebook covers.
Raising Awareness
A key part of our work in the UK and Spain is raising awareness of our impact in India. At each event, we explain who we are and why we’re fundraising. We think it’s important that people, and particularly our supporters, are aware of the challenges and realities our beneficiaries live with and how we use the funds raised. In doing so, we demonstrate honesty and transparency, while fostering a closer connection between our audience and the communities we support in India.
Our Outlets
And as our tailors work hard on the ground to produce these beautifully handcrafted items, Indian Futures’ trustees and volunteers do our part by seeking out outlets to sell their creations. In 2024, we worked with Lush in Brighton and Jules Emporium - and the latter continues to be one of our main sellers!
Beyond local shops, we take advantage of every opportunity we have to promote the work of our fantastic tailors, whether at our events or at markets and festivals. We take our tailoring items to all events. Thanks to these efforts, this year we have been able to start paying a monthly salary to our four tailors, and hope the project will continue to evolve and take new shapes in 2025.
Monitoring
Visiting Our Communities
Thanks to funding from Souter CT, Anna (Founder) and Roger (Project Coordinator in Spain) were able to visit our operating areas to monitor and evaluate the quality of the projects on the ground.
While staying in Vedanthangal, they met daily with the Laia Foundation staff, sharing an office with them in order to get real insight into their daily working realities. Every week started with a team meeting in order to discuss the tasks of the week ahead. Part of their jobs was to ensure the coordination of tasks, their implementation and the communication between the
office staff and beneficiaries. Apart from the office meetings, Anna and Roger had several meetings with the IT Teacher, the Sponsorship Programme Coordinator and the four tailors. They also visited the IT centres during teaching hours and collected feedback from the students who attend the centres.
Towards the end of their stay, they traveled to Sendhanadu (about 4 hours away from Vedanthangal) where they met the director of Vallalar Educational Trust and visited his school’s IT centre, also funded by Indian Futures.
Meeting Our Partners
Since late 2021, Indian Futures has been collaborating with a group of volunteers from Accenture plc’s Chennai branch on the development and delivery of the EVOLVE Programme, which offers mentoring and career guidance to our sponsored students as they navigate their further education journey. Every year, between October and March, Accenture volunteers deliver weekly online sessions of Spoken English and Personal Development to our students - key areas that help build confidence and prepare them for both academic and professional environments.
In April and May, the programme shifts to a more personalised format. Each volunteer is
allocated a final-year student to provide careers’ advice, including CV writing, job search, interview skills, etc.
Anna and Roger met with Geetha (EVOLVE’s Coordinator) and a few of the volunteers in Chennai to discuss the progress of the programme and prepare for the new academic year.
Creating Involvement Accenture joined Indian Futures for the sponsored students’ Annual Day. The students’ mothers were also invited. Indian Futures and Laia Foundation presented the Sponsorship Programme, Accenture spoke about their support and, at the end of the day, the students had the opportunity to meet their sponsors over a video call.
Indian Futures and Prithiviraj - our IT Teacher - also organised an Open Day for parents to hear about their children’s progress with IT tools. At the end of the session, the students spent some time showing their parents the programmes they were using at the centre and encouraged them to engage with IT systems themselves.
Our Funding
Funding Sources
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Tailoring Language
Project Fundraiser
Gift Aid £481
£288
£1599
Online Corporations
Campaigns £6846
£3116
Grants
£3000 Events
£954
Student Monthly
Sponsors Donations
£1305 £2176
Futuraula
£2205
Merchandise One Off Donations
Sales £4024
£499
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Funding Distribution
IT Community Centres (not including salaries) Reserves 2.6% 10.2%
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Online
Campaigns
28.9%
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Event Costs
Student
0.8%
Sponsorship
Admin Costs
28.5%
3.4%
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Salaries and Educational Activities 20.8%
Tailoring Project 4.8%
Accounts managed by Your Accounts Team Ltd
Conclusions
We are incredibly proud of all that we have accomplished so far. We’ve helped create access to quality education where it was previously out of reach. We’ve made meaningful progress in empowering women, enabling them to take on more prominent roles within their families and communities. 95% of the staff at the Laia Foundation are women - teachers and mothers who are respected in their community for their commitment and the change they drive. Having achieved so much already, we are more motivated than ever to keep growing. Each day reaffirms just how vital our work is and how many more lives we can impact by continuing to move forward.
Our main goals for the coming years are:
-
To continue managing and developing the projects we already have
-
To refurbish the facilities of two of our IT Centres
-
To build toilets, bring running water and run hygiene workshops in two nursery and primary schools
-
To expand the sponsorship programme, providing support to more university students each year
-
To increase the salaries of all our staff in India
Thank you for your ongoing support. To even better Indian Futures!
Profit and Loss
Indian Futures R/C
For the year ended 31 December 2024
| Account | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Income | |
| Charity Boxes | 513 |
| Corporations | 6,846 |
| Donations Regular-EU | 1,110 |
| Donations Regular-ROW | 286 |
| Donations Regular-UK | 780 |
| Events-Art Exhibition etc. | 954 |
| Futuraula | 2,205 |
| Gift Aid-HMRC | 573 |
| Gift Aid-Just Giving | 1,026 |
| Grants | 3,000 |
| Language Fundraiser | 288 |
| Merchandise Sales | 499 |
| One off Donations | 3,342 |
| One off Donations-EU & ROW | 572 |
| Online Campaigns | 110 |
| Sponsors | 1,305 |
| Tailoring Project | 481 |
| VET-Disbursement Received | 3,116 |
| Total Income | 27,007 |
| Cost of Projects | |
|---|---|
| Event Costs | 236 |
| LF-IT Community Centres | 738 |
| LF-Operating Costs | 2 |
| LF-Salaries & Educational Activities | 6,002 |
| LF-Student Sponsorship | 8,244 |
| LF-Tailoring Project Costs | 1,397 |
| VET-Disbursement sent, Salaries & Educ | 8,343 |
| Total Cost of Projects | 24,962 |
| Gross Profit/(Loss) | 2,045 |
Operating Expenses
| Bank Charges | 28 |
|---|---|
| Entertainment, Business Meeting-Food, M | 83 |
| Online Fees & Credit Card Charges | 134 |
| Postage and Courier | 12 |
| Printing, Office Stationery & Expenses | 300 |
| Robert Lodge | 48 |
| Subscriptions | 216 |
| Travel & Subsistence | 132 |
| Website, Hosting, SEO | 16 |
| Total Operating Expenses | 968 |
| Net Profit/(Loss) | 1,077 |
Profit and Loss by Restricted & Unrestricted Funds
Indian Futures R/C
For the year ended 31 December 2024
Indian Futures R/C For the year ended 31 December 2024 |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-VET | |||||||
| Account | R-IT Centres | R-LF Salaries & Educ Activities |
R-LF Sponsorship Program |
R-Tailoring | Disbursements, Salaries & Educ |
U-General | Year to date |
| Activities | |||||||
| Income | |||||||
| Charity Boxes | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 512.54 | 512.54 |
| Corporations | 0.00 | 2,000.00 | 2,100.00 | 0.00 | 2,746.27 | 0.00 | 6,846.27 |
| Donations Regular-EU | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,110.09 | 1,110.09 |
| Donations Regular-ROW | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 286.29 | 286.29 |
| Donations Regular-UK | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 780.00 | 780.00 |
| Events-Art Exhibition etc. | 0.00 | 501.40 | 475.64 | 0.00 | 0.00 | (23.00) | 954.04 |
| Futuraula | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,205.39 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,205.39 |
| Gift Aid-HMRC | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 573.38 | 573.38 |
| Gift Aid-Just Giving | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 460.00 | 0.00 | 566.27 | 1,026.27 |
| Grants | 3,000.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3,000.00 |
| Language Fundraiser | 0.00 | 0.00 | 160.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 128.00 | 288.00 |
| Merchandise Sales | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 498.52 | 498.52 |
| One off Donations | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,887.82 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,453.93 | 3,341.75 |
| One off Donations-EU & ROW | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 572.23 | 572.23 |
| Online Campaigns | 0.00 | 0.00 | 110.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 110.00 |
| Sponsors | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,304.78 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,304.78 |
| Tailoring Project | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 481.38 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 481.38 |
| VET-Disbursement Received | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3,116.35 | 0.00 | 3,116.35 |
| Total Income | 3,000.00 | 2,501.40 | 8,243.63 | 941.38 | 5,862.62 | 6,458.25 | 27,007.28 |
| Cost of Projects | |||||||
| LF-IT Community Centres | 738.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 738.33 |
| LF-Operating Costs | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.57 | 1.57 |
| LF-Salaries & Educational Activities | 2,261.67 | 2,501.40 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,238.97 | 6,002.04 |
| LF-Student Sponsorship | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8,243.63 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8,243.63 |
| LF-Tailoring Project Costs | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 941.38 | 0.00 | 455.82 | 1,397.20 |
| VET-Disbursement sent, Salaries & Educational Activities | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 5,862.62 | 2,480.62 | 8,343.24 |
| Event Costs | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 235.93 | 235.93 |
| Total Cost of Projects | 3,000.00 | 2,501.40 | 8,243.63 | 941.38 | 5,862.62 | 4,412.91 | 24,961.94 |
| Gross Profit/(Loss) | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,045.34 | 2,045.34 |
| Administrative Costs | |||||||
| Bank Charges | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 28.29 | 28.29 |
| Entertainment, Business Meeting-Food, Meals | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 82.50 | 82.50 |
| Online Fees & Credit Card Charges | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 134.02 | 134.02 |
| Postage and Courier | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 12.00 | 12.00 |
| Printing, Office Stationery & Expenses | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 299.57 | 299.57 |
| Robert Lodge | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 47.85 | 47.85 |
| Subscriptions | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 216.00 | 216.00 |
| Travel & Subsistence | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 131.87 | 131.87 |
| Website, Hosting, SEO | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 15.99 | 15.99 |
| Total Administrative Costs | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 968.09 | 968.09 |
| Net Profit/(Loss) | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,077.25 | 1,077.25 |
Balance Sheet Indian Futures R/C As at 31 December 2024
| Account | Account | 31 Dec 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Assets | ||
| Bank | ||
| Co-Op Business Bank Account | 4,324 | |
| GBP PayPal | 15 | |
| 4,339 | ||
| 4,339 | ||
| Current Liabilities | ||
| Prepaid-Funds Received but not yet spent | (647) | |
Suspense |
0 | |
| Total Current Liabilities Non-current Liabilities |
(647) | |
| Anna-Trustee Account | 2,040 | |
| 2,040 | ||
| 1,393 | ||
| Net Assets | 2,946 | |
| Current Year Earnings | 1,077 | |
| 1,868 | ||
| 2,946 |
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees
Charity Name INDIAN FUTURES
On accounts for the year 31[ST] DECEMBER 2024 Charity no 1173474 ended (if any) Set out on pages 2 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/12/2024.
Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’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 I have completed my examination.
examiner's statement
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 in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: Sushma Clark Name: Sushma Clark Relevant professional CIMA/FCMA qualification(s) or body (if any):
Date: 17/06/2025
Address: 10 Sudeley Place, Brighton, BN2 1HF
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
1
Oct 2018
IER
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
N/A
2
Oct 2018
IER
IER Oct 2018