2021-04-05-accounts - Feeding Futures

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“Since 1976, Mukinyai Primary school has never had a single drop of water. Feeding Futures was sent here by God to prepare us for the pandemic we are experiencing right now. Pupils used to fetch water at the river Mau and you can imagine of we didn't have water pupils would be coming with their own water for hand-washing purposes. Now we have enough water not only to cook but for also for hand-washing”- D. Hunja-Previous member of MPS Board of management

ANNUAL REPORT

April 2020 - March 2021

1 Introducing Feeding Futures

2-3

The Opportunities of Imposed Change

4-5 Provision of School Meals 6-7 Agricultural Development 8-10 Community Mobilisation 11 Ending Well and New Beginnings

Introducing

As we mark the end of 2020 financial year, we have some great milestones to look back to.

Peterson Githinji Executive Chair, Kenya

This was the most challenging year caused by the emergency of Covid 19. Our programmes were thrown out of balance by lock downs, which hindered interaction with the community. Our team, having been living in the urban town of Nakuru, faced a very hard time as the Mukinyai rural community who we serve, feared infection from urban visitors, since many of our farmers are older people.

Schools were closed between March and September, so we had a long break in school feeding programme. However, upon resuming of learning in October, there were a lot of demanding changes necessitated by the new ‘normal’, in relation to Covid 19 prevention to both pupils and teachers. We made our contribution by providing nose masks, thermo-guns, hand washing soap and sanitisers. Our team also assisted in training the pupils and members of the community on health protocols followed to keep safe.

During the long break our team worked from home and, alongside the UK team, managed to produce an elaborate Theory of Change (TOC) and annual work plan that we have been using henceforth.

Among the best achievements over this period was excellent transfer of project ownership and sustainability to the local community. Beginning from January 2020, provision of breakfast was handed over from Feeding Futures to the school / parents seamlessly. This was followed by gradual takeover of lunch, which is also going on smoothly. Experience has taught us that needy communities who have benefitted from donor funding in the past often remain dependent and powerless. As a charity we feel good to instill confidence and resource independence to this community, that will be sustained even when leave for another community.

Through our training, parents of Mukinyai primary school are growing maize, beans and sorghum collectively, to feed their children when in school. They have also managed to pay a cook, a financial responsibility that we handed over to them in 2020.

Our main challenge is coping with erratic prices in all commodities. This is a result of heavy taxation, imposed by the government of Kenya, as it tries to manage budget deficit and Covid 19 demands.

We appreciate with gratitude all our supporters who keep encouraging us to move ahead with our project activities towards our ultimate goal.

Peterson Githinji

Executive Chair, Kenya

When in March 2020 the planned work visit by UK Trustees to Kenya was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic, we realised that it might be some time before such a visit might be possible. The plan had been to work with the Kenyan team to plan and make progress with finding and mobilising a new community and primary school. We decided as a UK team to take time out at Ashburnham Place to consider the future and the way forward.

Discussions on a Feeding Futures Theory of Change was initiated and finalised following extensive discussions and input from the team in Kenya.

With the Kenyan team confined to home because of severe travel restrictions we needed to improve communications so they could maintain contact with the parents/farmers. Communication between the UK and Kenya was increasingly important for us to continue with our plans. We decided to use MS Teams which enabled us to have at least weekly management meetings. Another advantage to using MS Teams was the ability to share on screen documents and to maintain a common filing system for important documents.

The Theory of Change (above) was finalised and has been used to develop the Results Framework, the Results Framework Monitoring Matrix and other associated planning and monitoring tools. Please ask for a copy if you’d like to read in detail.

Coronavirus and the Closure of MPS

The closure of the MPS from March to September 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic meant that the school kitchen also had to be closed. The two cooks funded by Feeding Futures were transferred to other duties to assist the agricultural programme when schools were closed.

Furthermore, the closure of the school and subsequent closure of the school kitchen has transferred the responsibility of feeding children to parents at home. One consequence of school closures reported by the government has been a huge rise in teenage pregnancies, with a rising risk of drop out cases. This trend is yet to be assessed for Mukinyai.

establish the impact on the long-term outcomes expected, which are improvement in enrolment, attendance, retention, and the completion of learning outcomes for all school children. However, observations expressed by the Head Teacher at the Project Review meeting on 16 December 2020 provide early indications of the benefits achieved by providing school meals to all the children…

Disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the provision of school meals. The pandemic has been an additional issue outside the direct control of the project which has affected the short- and medium-term outcomes: school enrolment and retention rates, examination results and rate of transition to secondary schools; ‘food security’ and nutrition standards; health and hygiene. At this point in the partnership with the Mukinyai Community, 2020/21 is too early to

This programme increased access, retention and good performance of the pupils in this particular school. This has enabled me to meet the school ’ s objectives since pupils spent 100% of the school hours in school and improving the school grades. The school had always been last in the sub-county, but this year moved two slots up from the last position of the schools in Molo. The school is happy to be 3rd last and hopes that they will one day clinch the first position.

Needy pupils have accessed breakfast and lunch on each school day this year. Parents cannot afford to provide breakfast or lunch at home so having been provided for the last 2 years makes a huge difference. Cases of absenteeism have gradually reduced, and the health of the children has improved since they receive a balanced diet which has been guaranteed. School discipline has improved as previously there were many cases of theft of money at home by the pupils so that they could buy food or steal from a few fortunate children that had brought food to school. The moral values have also improved. The children now wash their plates and cups and are patient in the queue during meal times. Where a class of pupils has been delayed because of a class activity the children wait for them to eat before taking seconds. Through the community partnership and mobilisation, there has been a sense of togetherness, where the community cooperate towards any activity related to this programme.

Mary Njoroge, Head Teacher of Mukinyai Primary School

Provision of school meals (including food, cooking fuel and kitchen staff) took place according to the agreed schedule of responsibilities, during the periods when the school was open. Responsible Board of Management (governors) members collected the food products or cash contributions from parents as agreed. This was in line with the agreed transfer of responsibility timeline for the costs of breakfasts (year 2) and from January 2021 for year 3.

The school cook and volunteers worked together with teachers and Feeding Futures staff to ensure sufficient provisions were available to prepare the meals.

MPS students line up and patiently wait for their school meal provided by Feeding Futures volunteers and the school staff.

The closure of the school kitchen in March 2020 meant that no further costs were incurred for food purchases during the mid-year term (March – July). Residual supplies in the silos were used in the Autumn. As agreed, MPS continues to cover the responsibility for school meals from the following sources:

1) Parental contributions in kind from their own shambas (small farm plots)

Volunteers in the school kitchen ready to provide school meals to the school children.

We were delighted when parents and the school adopted‘ home-grown and user-friendly systems to manage meal production and delivery. This is very much cognisant the type of mechanism recommended by the NSMNS guidelines.

2) Parental contributions in cash
3) Community contributions from the harvests from the 1 acre, the 3 acres and other school “shambas” which are being cultivated by community efforts

7 5

Agriculture Livestock Business

Conservation agriculture (a farming system that promotes minimum soil disturbance, maintenance of a permanent soil cover, and diversification of plant species), improved animal husbandry techniques and business development have and continue to be promoted. The Longer-term outcome expected is increased production and yields of agricultural crops and livestock products.

Throughout 2020/21 our trainers have actively taught and encouraged farmers in all aspects of conservation agriculture and shown comparisons with the conventional farming techniques generally employed in Mukinyai.

We saw farmers increase maize harvest from eleven 90kg bags to twenty bags.

This has positively broken the cycle of subsistence farming in several homesteads that previously used conventional methods and relied on long term cash crops. Now they reap considerable income from the sale of short-term crops which yield harvests two or three times a year. Formerly the single long-term cash crop required land preparation and took 9-10 months to grow to maturity.

Our trainers have advocated better animal husbandry methods where production is being enhanced through improved care and feeding protocols. In the year 2020 a lot of emphasis has been put on record-keeping to track changes in production, inputs required and sales achieved.

In the early years we held group training sessions. Although there have also been group sessions this year, most of the focus was on 1:1 support with advice and monitoring. As travel to Mukinyai for staff was restricted for periods during the year, the trainers maintained telephone contact with some of the ‘implementing farmers’ who also agreed to take on the role of mentor and provide on the ground guidance and support for other farmers to supplement telephone contact from our trainers.

During 2020, 54 farmers were trained in modern farming techniques and specifically on conservation agriculture. To varying degrees full or partial implementation was achieved.

An average of 20 active farmers with livestock have been trained on better animal husbandry techniques to boost production of milk, meat and eggs. An ongoing activity where shamba (farm) consultations both on site and on-call have been going on with an average of 5-8 farmers being visited by the two trainers in a week.

The value for farmers to collect data about costs and yields has been emphasised and many are now recognising the benefits. We have seen improvements in detailed record keeping of input costs, crops planted, harvested and processed. This will help farmers make informed decisions about which crops to plant and how and when to market their produce.

Record-keeping for farm inputs, sales and cost of transport to market is a significant, important business skill for all farmers to be able to make informed decisions on the profitability of different crops. Access to microfinance and value-addition options will be brought into training in the coming months.

The livestock support officer has been present in the community addressing various needs such as dehorning, deworming, vaccination and pregnancy diagnosis among others to support better animal husbandry practices. This has always been an ongoing activity within the community. Links with other veterinary doctors within the community provided by the government is done especially for perennial diseases or suspected cases of outbreaks that are not within the reach of the livestock support officer.

Despite numerous challenges, several positive outcomes have been noted:

1. Re-modelling of demonstration plots: Since farm visits by the trainers have been reduced, there has been ample time for them to re-model the demonstration plots with the engagement of the school cooks. Since the start of using demonstration plots, in 2020 it was reported that they were almost in perfect condition. However, the availability of farmers to visit the demonstration plots was also affected as they did not all easily have access to information on what was happening in the school that houses the plots. Due to the lack of mobility caused by the closure of the school, monkeys were able to freely roam within the school compound and they greatly affected crop emergence on the demonstration plots.

2. Control of post-harvest losses: Feeding Futures was able to maintain a presence within the community to avoid cases of farmers suffering from post-harvest losses of short-term crops, while they also needed training in better storage methods of the longterm crops ready for harvesting in October and November 2020.

3. Avoidance of locust invasions: As reported internationally, agricultural production was on the verge of being greatly affected negatively with the locusts that had invaded the East African countries and were already in Nakuru County. Thankfully, invasions were not as significant in the areas where we work and crops were not affected as expected.

4. Improvements in harvests due to good rains: Despite Covid-19, there were some good agricultural outcomes for our farmers. The harvest for year 2020 was higher than the other years owing to improved agricultural practices and consistent rainfall since December 2019.

Through the training I have been able to grow tomatoes which gave me enough capital to start a grocery shop, buy a dairy goat and build a new room of the mud house for my son.

Longer term outcomes: Increased self-esteem and independence as individuals and community engage through mobilisation, partnership and mutual respect.

Project Monitoring and Review

A key component of partnership working is good communication in every direction. Regular contact between the staff team, the head teacher and all other local stakeholders was a priority so as to achieve trust and gain insights to improve the work. Representatives of all partners contributed to a Review Meeting in December 2020 to discuss ongoing challenges and receive project updates.

Mobilisation Workshops

"Community Conversations", a tool by Concern Worldwide , is being used to help with community mobilisation. This useful tool initiates discussions that enable trust to be built and gives hope to a community that there are things they can do to aid their own development. It shows what is possible by coming together and by making the most of opportunities presented to them, such as our project. This type of activity with farmers and other families happened as an add-on to school management meetings with parents.

Head Teacher and Parent Meetings

Since starting at Mukinyai there has been a change of head teacher due to retirement. Understandably it is difficult for a new head coming in to a school to capture the enthusiasm of the former head for a project but thankfully this enthusiasm built up over the last year. It was agreed that the Feeding Futures team would be invited to attend school / parent meetings to relay messages related to the project partnership. As an example, the pre-pandemic meeting in 2020 saw over 100 parents of Mukinyai pupils attend.

Clergy/pastors 'Meeting

During 2019, it was noted that community engagement with the project could be improved. Church leaders / pastors were identified as community influencers who, if brought on-board, could use their influence with the community to promote engagement with the project. A two-day meeting was held for these leaders, who then went on to form a cohesive group.

The success of engaging pastors was highlighted at the Project Review meeting held on 16 December 2020. On this occasion, the group shared its ‘ Clergy Committee end-year Report, 2020

Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) Arrangements

An MOU had been signed early in the partnership, with regular reviews as the project developed. Exploratory discussions were held in 2020 to consider the terms of the MOU. The conclusions agreed were that hiring 3 acres as previously done may not be necessary as the community and school would work together on land they already have to produce crops for the kitchen. To meet the timeline agreements for meals, the plan for 2021 was that Feeding Futures and MPS would monthly alternate provisions throughout the year. The BoM (Governors) Chair stated that, “ Through the community partnership and mobilisation, there has been a sense of togetherness, where the community cooperate towards any activity related to this programme. ”

Feedback from Community Members to Feeding Futures

A regular formal feedback mechanism remains to be established. However, during the activities there has been positive feedback from stakeholders e.g., farmers, area local administration officers, county and district education officers, Mukinyai BOM, school children and the County Governor of Nakuru.

In a wonderful ceremony, exemplary farmers who have excelled in adherence and practice of the techniques trained were rewarded with Feeding Futures branded overcoats. Each one of them was dressed ceremoniously by team leaders of various stakeholders. The participants received a Feeding Futures branded 2021 calendar with pictures of the various events in the programme in remembrance of the occasion, sensitisation of our activities, Efforts and achievements of individuals are mobilisation and visibility of the publicly recognised organisation.

The Molo sub-county director of education, Mr. Sylvester Angoye commended Feeding Futures for their plans on the sustainability through farmer empowerment programmes. He said, “When there is enough food in the home and predictable source of income in a family you can be assured of sensible partnership in school feeding programme”. He remarked that this charity’s ’approach of breaking dependency created by donors by encouraging independence in the society was ideal. “There should be unity of purpose which will enhance successful partnership where the community play an active role in the programme, because finally when the charity leaves they will sustain the programme”.

He advised the school management and the community to be sure not to fall into dependency syndrome as the only way to ensure there is sustainability and 100% ownership of the interventions by Feeding Futures and make it as their own project. Donors encouraging independence in the society was ideal.

Participants receive Feeding Futures branded goods

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UK -

Founder and Chair Vanessa Bennett

Trustees

Colin Clark (Treasurer) Jenni Clark Michael Askwith

KENYA - Partner Charity (Lisha Jamii) LJ Founder & Executive Chair Peterson Githinji

LJ Trustees Jemima Kema Andrew Njenga Project Manager Joseph Gatu Agricultural and Community Development Leader Naomi Matey Development Support and Livestock Officer Nderitu Nyaga

Feeding Futures Overnoons, Stane Street Westhampnett PO18 0NT info@feedingfutures.org Registered Charity 1174796

feedingfutures.org

	Feeding Futures	Feeding Futures	Feeding Futures	No(if any)	No(if any)
				1174796
	Receipts andpayments accounts
	For the period from	06.04.2020	To		05.04.2021


Section A Receipts and payments
	Unrestricted funds	Restricted funds	Endowment funds		Total funds
	to the nearest £	to the nearest £	to the nearest £		to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Donations	28,962	150	-		29,112
Gift Aid	6,609	-	-		6,609
Refunds	51	-	-		51
	- 0	-	-		-
	- 0	-	-		-
	- 0	-	-		-
	- 0	-	-		-
	- 0	-	-		-
*Sub total*_(Gross income for AR) _	35,622	150	-		35,772

A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table).
	- 0	- 0	- 0		-
	- 0	- 0	- 0		-
*Sub total*	- 0	- 0	- 0		-

**Total receipts **	35,622	150	- 0		35,772

A3 Payments
Charitable activities	37,850	-	-		37,850
Designated or restricted	- 0	150	-		150
Bank & currency transfer charges	- 0	-	-		-
General	325	-	-		325
Fundraising	69	-	-		69
Governance	- 0	-	-		-
Miscellaneous	- 0	-	-		-
	- 0	-	-		-
	- 0	-	-		-
**Sub total **	38,244	150	-		38,394

A4 Asset and investment purchases,(see table)
	- 0	- 0	- 0		-
	- 0	- 0	- 0		-
**Sub total **	- 0	- 0	- 0		-

**Totalpayments **	38,244	150	- 0		38,394

**Net of receipts/(payments) **	- 2,622	-	-		- 2,622
A5 Transfers between funds	- 0	-	-		-
A6 Cash funds lastyear end	11,828	-	-		11,828
**Cash funds thisyear end **	9,206	-	-		9,206


Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Categories	Details		Unrestricted funds		Restricted funds
			to nearest £		to nearest £
B1 Cash funds			9,206		-
			-		-

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

21/10/2021

		-	-
	*Total cash funds*	9,206	-
	(agree balances with receipts and payments account(s))	OK
		Unrestricted funds	Restricted funds
	Details	to nearest £	to nearest £
B2 Other monetary assets		-	-
		-	-
		-	-
		-	-
		-	-
		-	-

	Details	Fund to which asset belongs	Cost (optional)
B3 Investment assets			-
			-
			-
			-
			-

	Details	Fund to which asset belongs	Cost (optional)
B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-

	Details	Fund to which liability relates	Amount due (optional)
B5 Liabilities			-
			-
			-
			-
			-

Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees	Signature	Print Name
		Colin Clark
		Vanessa Bennett

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

21/10/2021

		CC16a


		Last year
		to the nearest £

		33,260
		7,450
		1,567
		-
		-
		-
		-
		-
		42,277



		- 0
		- 0


		42,277


		37,398
		-
		-
		532
		305
		3,627
		779
		-
		-
		42,641





		- 0


		42,641


	-	364
		-
		12,192
		11,828




		Endowment
		funds
		to nearest £
		-
		-

CCXX R3 accounts (SS)

21/10/2021

- OK Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - - - - - When due (optional)

Date of approval 20.10.2021 20.10.2021

CCXX R4 accounts (SS)

21/10/2021

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/ members of

Feeding Futures

On accounts for the year 5th April 2021 ended

Charity no 1174796 (if any)

Set out on pages 1-2

(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 05/04/2021.

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 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 in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.

Oct 2018

IER

Date: 30th May 2021

Signed: Christine Price

Name:[Christine Price]

Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):

Address:[48 Ferndale Road]

Chichester West Sussex PO19 6QJ

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).

Oct 2018

IER

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

Oct 2018

IER