2022-07-01-accounts - Hidden Voices Kenya

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Hidden Voices Kenya

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

Trustees Annual Report

for the year ended -1/7/ 2023

A Charitable Incorporated Organisation Number: 1174076

Trustees' Annual Report

For the year ended: 2022/2023

Charity name: HIDDEN VOICES KENYA

Other names the charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1174076

Charity's principal address

℅61 Third Avenue, WF15 8JS

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Trustee Name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for wholeyear	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee(if any)
Dr Christine Kahigi -Chair	Chair	2022-2023	Elected by Members
Peninah Wangari-Jones	Secretary	2022-2023	Elected by Members
Rahma Hassan	Treasurer	2022-2023	Elected by members members
Dr Margaret Wachu Gichuhi	Board member	2022-2023	Elected by members members
Simon Kahigi Muigai	Board Member	2022-2023	Elected by members members
Dr. Jacinta N.Wachira	Board member	2022-2023	Elected by members members
Patrick Mugo	Board Member	2022-2023	Elected by members members
Dr. Alice W.Gikandi	Board Member	2022-2023	Elected by members members
Dan Wanyama	Board Member	2022-2023	Elected by members members
Teresia Kamau	Board Member	2022-2023	Elected by members members

Governing document: Constitution

How the charity is constituted Trustee selection methods Charitable Incorporated Organisation Appointed by members

HVK is governed by its trustees and a chairperson who is responsible for setting the strategic direction and policies of the charity. The trustees carry the ultimate responsibility for the conduct of the charity and for ensuring that the charity satisfies its legal and contractual obligations. The trustees meet as often as they need to and delegate the day-to-day operations of the charity to the Chairperson.

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document

To promote and protect good mental health in Kenya in particular but not exclusively by:

(a) Educating the public about mental health illnesses by raising awareness, and reducing stigma, fear, intolerance, and stereotyping by working directly with people in various settings and in culturally appropriate ways

(b) Providing services and opportunities for people with mental illness, and their carers and families, by working in partnership with people in various settings and in culturally appropriate ways.

(c) Advocating for better support and mental health services by working at the community level and with other service providers to increase the awareness of issues relating to mental illness, amongst politicians and government officials in an objective and persuasive way to help shape government policies and use of resources in the future.

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects

The period has been tough for many Kenyans as the cost of living shot up due to a coincidence of circumstances beyond normal control by those concerned.

Although covid-19 may have ebbed away, the Kenyan education system made changes such as compressing four semesters in one year to recover the year lost during covid. This impacted and stressed on students, teachers and families at large.
Over and above Covid-19 ravages, the country experienced a drought for two years which led to crop failure and loss of over 3 million animals from pastoral communities losing life. This resulted to poverty and rise in crime including cattle rustling causing a lot of stress to majority
There were elections in August 2022 that resulted to ethnic divisions heightened and worsened by politicians during the campaign trails, resulting in fears for ethnic violence like the one of 2007. This kept many people on edge.
The results of the elections has over time created a level of instability with the opposition calling for mob action, worsening an economy fractured by Covid, drought and Russian/Ukrainian war.

All of the above have impacted on the majority of people’s mental health and impacted on Hidden Voices Kenya activities.

That said there was increased demand and requests to HVK for mental health talks. It is believed that the communities were observing and experiencing a higher need for intervention. Reported incidents

of suicide, violent murders then suicides, alcohol abuse, violence, poverty and so forth in the mainstream media heightened this senses.

The main activities include;

Public talks on mental health issues in Njabini centre- South Kinangop.
Public talk about the relationship between mental health and alcoholism and drug abuse

among the youth-in Nyandarua County, Kenya.

3.Therapy sessions for individual cases that knew about the charity through its social media

platforms-twitter, facebook and instagram.

Raising donations to intervene with a family affected by sexual abuse and miscarriage of justice.
Participating in a mental health champions walk in the capital city- Nairobi.
Holding a team building event at Arboretum Park in Nairobi.
Posting content on mental health issues and thematic posters in the HVK website.
Raising donations of sanitary towels to be provided to women and girls.

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

As stated above, the main achievements relate to meeting the charity’s objectives of raising awareness of mental health through public forums, signposting to services and professionals, advocating for better mental health support and services, training and developing own and other capacities to better understand mental health and counter stigma.

The charity has become popular and the demand for talks has increased with other organisations inviting the members to hold talks. There has been an increase in calls for help by individuals and have had to assist some cases for legal, medical and shelter in certain occasions, which was offered by professional members of the trustees. The charity is still trying to raise funds to make it possible to meet the rising demand for mental health awareness, and so far, one trustee member has been financing trips undertaken.

Activities continued to focus on raising awareness of the charity and of mental health, through a few introductory events led by volunteers. They included planning and starting to carry out awareness raising sessions in Githurai, Nairobi and Kinangop.
Monthly and fortnightly meetings and gatherings by active members of HVK has meant that need is picked up and particularly topics that they would like to be covered or clarity. Ths method of community engagement and listening has been effective and actionable and one they can see results as most who have attended mental health awareness sessions have reported back on usefulness and ease in having these discussions with families and colleagues.
With this training, there are people who approach facilitators or trainers for extra support or deeper knowledge. HVK also gets contacted via social media as are the members when they speak of mental health. There was a particular case of mental health and law injustice that HVK picked up on following a training session. These objectives were met during this third activity.
HVK trustees and ambassadors have continued undertaking mental health related activities and tasks outside of hidden voices in Kenya, raising HVK’s profile. They have continued to build a bank of information from the media and other sources to demonstrate the need for this attention to mental health. Information uploaded onto the website. The 10 week course that was attended by trustees was said to be invaluable and adding to their knowledge and understanding therefore communicable to the rest of society. The beneficiaries of this added knowledge through training will be the communities who are contacting HVK and asking to be served. One trustee is also a dr and a counselling psychologist who has been supporting the organisation and mental health first-aid for those who contact the organisation.
There was no external funding received through the course of the year. Expenses related to the few meetings, training sessions, refreshments for volunteers and attendees was met by HVK individuals.

Two years ago the board of trustees agreed that it would be helpful if work will be carried out by two or three of the HVK ambassadors through monthly donations from a trustee who volunteers to contribute as this would activate and sustain the work. Lack of resources and funds has been one of the biggest barriers in actioning the charity’s objectives. This action was fulfilled and as a result two workers have been doing the grassroots work, one as a mobiliser and organiser of meetings, networking and relationship/engagement with communities around the country. The second worker would concentrate on doing communications, managing social media platforms, publicity, preparing flyers, recording sessions and uploading them. The other members who have skills and knowledge on mental health, will present talks and training. The donations will not pay a salary to the workers but they will help meet expenses incurred in community engagements and also acknowledge their valuable skills.

Discussion by the committee had previously emphasised that post pandemic and when lockdown measures are reduced, planning for the future will continue, with a focus on young people and liaising with schools. This is because it was clear from previous years work that there is a great need for building a better understanding and more open discussion about mental health and how it can affect people and their families. As well as continuing Githurai youth group meetings and inviting guests. However this did not occur as intended due to the issues raised at the beginning of this report.

Overall outcomes

Hidden Voices Kenya continues to be deeply committed to carrying out its objectives but continues to be thwarted by the challenges of finding suitable funding and lack of day to day resources that enable trustees and volunteers to carry out activities. Thanks to the generosity of some, it has been possible to maintain momentum and ambition as the subject of mental health becomes more widely promoted through the media. The pandemic, travel restrictions, overwhelmed students and teachers and also greatly impacted on the plans intended for the year 2021, however this increased significantly in 2021-2022. We were able to conduct and run 8 sessions to youth members, parents, parents of children, survivors of sexual abuse, carers of people with mental health, friends and families of people with alcohol and substance misuse, church audiences. We reached a number of 300 people who attended our training sessions and workshops including online.

HVK opened a Triodos Bank account in 2019 and the total funds in the account are £160. The second financial activity that has occurred has been a bi- monthly donation of £100 to pay two workers to conduct HVK activities and meet activity costs. Other donations to meet project activities i.e transport were from members totalling £200, bringing to a total of £800 as of July 2022 for direct costs.

With minimal financial activity at this stage simple records have been kept.

Law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the charity's financial activities during the year and of its financial position at the end of the year. In preparing financial statements giving a true and fair view, the trustees should follow best practice and:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
state whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.

The trustees are responsible for keeping accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy the financial position of the charity and which enable them to ascertain the financial position of the charity and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act. 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 declare that they have approved the trustees' report above Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees

Signature

Name Dr. Christine Muthoni Kahigi

Position Chair

Date 04.05.2023