## **The Beatrice Project**
## **‘Restoring dignity and opportunity to young women in Zimbabwe’**
**Trustees’ Annual Report for the period 1 November 2020- 31 October 2021**
Registered charity number: 1175299
Principal address: 23, Rockleigh Road, Southampton, SO16 7AQ
## **CONTENTS**
|1|Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 3|Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 3|
|---|---|---|
||1.1|General Overview of the Year ..................................................................................... 3|
||1.2|Background .................................................................................................................. 3|
||1.3|Objectives and activities ............................................................................................. 3|
||1.4|Structure, Governance and Management .................................................................. 4|
|2|Looking Back Over the Last Year ........................................................................................ 4||
||2.1|BP visit to NN ............................................................................................................... 4|
||2.2|Training ........................................................................................................................ 4|
||2.3|Reusable Pads.............................................................................................................. 5|
||2.4|Menstrual Cups ........................................................................................................... 5|
||2.5|Disposable Sanitary Pads............................................................................................. 5|
|3|Looking Forward ................................................................................................................. 5||
|4|Financial review .................................................................................................................. 6||
||4.1|Income and Fund Raising ............................................................................................ 6|
||4.2|Risk Mitigation Reserves ............................................................................................. 6|
||4.3|Receipts and Payments Accounts for the period Nov 20 to Oct 21 ............................ 7|
||4.4|Statement of assets and liabilities at 31 October 2021 .............................................. 8|
|5|The|Impact of NN/BP Pre-Covid ......................................................................................... 9|
## **FIGURES**
Figure 1: Joy delivering to one of the sites ................................................................................ 4 Figure 2: Materials to be transported to one of the sites ......................................................... 5 Figure 3: Signing for a delivery ................................................................................................... 5 Figure 4: Income and Expenditure ............................................................................................. 7 Figure 5: TBP Assets and Liabilities ............................................................................................ 8 Figure 6: The Impact of NN/BP .................................................................................................. 9
## **1 Introduction**
## **1.1 General Overview of the Year**
Despite the pandemic, The Beatrice Project (BP), has continued its fundraising efforts to support the work in Zimbabwe and, against considerable odds, the Ntombi Nto (NN) team continues to deliver with enthusiasm and dedication. It has been another year in which the BP has been subject to UK government restrictions regarding travel and this has meant another year without our visiting Zimbabwe. However, communication has been regular and the NN team has been implementing the programme and progress in some key areas.
The political and economic situation in Zimbabwe continues to bring challenges to NN, and the Covid situation has meant school closures and restrictions on meetings. Despite this, NN is continuing to work with other agencies in Zimbabwe, and is growing both in confidence and in the scope of its work. Since being recognised by the Gwanda District Council, NN has been legally able to access school attendance data, though this has obviously been affected by schools being closed for long periods and is therefore very limited. NN has been approached by several schools for help and the sense of ownership of the project by community elders, both men and women, in the rural settlements, is truly impressive.
Our shared ambition remains to enable underprivileged girls from these rural communities to maximise their potential through completing their education, finding work and contributing to their communities.
## **1.2 Background**
**The Beatrice Project** (BP) is a small UK based charity supporting the work of Ntombi Nto (NN), a Zimbabwean registered trust. Ntombi Nto means ‘a wholesome young woman’. The BP began life when it was formally launched by Mrs Joy Khumalo in Zimbabwe in 2015 in partnership with Susan Hutchinson in the UK. This was in response to the concerns of local community and church leaders in the rural areas south of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, about girls dropping out of school because of a lack of affordable sanitary protection.
The purpose of the report is to provide information on the background to the BP, its current state and its plans for the future.
## **1.3 Objectives and activities**
The objectives of the BP are:
To advance in life, and relieve the needs of, girls and young women by providing help, advice and resources as a means of:
- a) developing their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as independent, mature and responsible individuals;
- b) enabling them to continue in their education;
- c) providing education on reproductive health and psychosocial issues;
- d) supporting locally led child protection measures.
A specific group defined by age and gender (menstruating girls) and geographical area (the Gwanda region, some 100km outside Bulawayo) was selected by local elders, school teachers and church leaders and was based on past school attendance and positive attitude towards education. The girl beneficiaries in the pilot group typically walk 5-10 kilometres to attend health education workshops and to receive support in the provision of menstrual protection whether re-usable pads, menstrual cups or disposable pads.
## **1.4 Structure, Governance and Management**
Trustees: Susan Beatrice Hutchinson
Dr Karen Trewinnard (identified and appointed as Safeguarding Officer) Roger John Snowdon Anthony Andrew Arthur
## **2 Looking Back Over the Last Year**
## **2.1 BP visit to NN**
It has not been possible for the BP team to visit Zimbabwe this year because of the Covid pandemic. However, regular communication, by phone and email, has supported the continued running of the work.
## **2.2 Training**
The UK team appointed Dr Karen Trewinnard as Safeguarding Officer and some Trustee training was undertaken as well as a review of the charity’s Safeguarding policy. Since the team has been unable to visit since 2018, no further training has been delivered by BP this year. Work has, however, continued, under Mrs. Joy Khumalo’s guidance. This has been with the support and backing not only of TARSC (The Training and Resource Support Centre) but of Bonani Medina (local youth leader _**Figure 1: Joy delivering to one of the sites**_ working under the auspices of Solon Foundation) as well as some of the cultural leaders in the communities. When possible, smaller group training sessions have been held.
## **2.3 Reusable Pads**
With funding from BP, NN has been able to set up sewing rooms at the original sites, providing them with manual sewing machines and all the necessary start-up materials. Girls are able to work, under the supervision of qualified adults, to produce high quality re-usable menstrual pad kits. Materials to be transported to one of the sites
## **2.4 Menstrual Cups**
The menstrual cup (now sourced from India) was introduced to the girls and their leaders and adult _**Figure 2: Materials to be transported to**_ carers in August 2018. This remains a relatively _**one of the sites**_ new concept in the rural communities but discussion and education delivered to the girls and their parents/guardians has resulted in an increasing acceptance of this method. With the potential to change radically the girls’ experience of menstruation, and solve the three challenges of affordability, hygiene and disposal, the cup is seen by BP as a very realistic alternative to the current means of sanitary protection.
_**Figure 2: Materials to be transported to one of the sites**_
## **2.5 Disposable Sanitary Pads**
BP has continued to fund the distribution of sanitary pads as needed at the three initial sites plus an additional school site. However, the sites were put on notice by Mrs Khumalo, via the Gwanda District Council, that disposable pads would be phased out as soon as possible in 2022. Against all odds, the pads continue to be available for sale in Harare, the capital, at a reduced price made available to NN. However, free transportation of the pads from Harare is no longer available to us, so they have to be collected from Harare and taken to the sites by Mrs Joy Khumalo (NN).
## **3 Looking Forward**
_**Figure 3: Signing for a delivery**_
Plans for 2022 include a proposed visit to Zimbabwe by the BP team. This will enable thorough reviews and discussion regarding the project to take place and will provide the team with opportunities to meet the school and cultural heads and to gather some much needed data. Boys have begun to be included in the training programme, using the tried and tested Auntie Stella materials (SRH course materials produced in Zimbabwe by The Training and Resource Support Centre), but this may need resourcing and developing. It is also hoped that increasing numbers of girls will have made re-usable pad kits or will have been successful in their use of the cup, and that numbers using disposable pads will gradually diminish. BP will continue to support NN as it responds to requests from schools to set up and establish similar projects.
## **4 Financial review**
## **4.1 Income and Fund Raising**
As a charity, we are very fortunate to be supported by a number of regular donors, on whose committed giving we rely for a known amount each month. Regular newsletters and updates on our website give information on the activities, needs and plans of the Trustees and the charity, and these often prompt generous giving.
We are grateful for the ongoing input and support of Etch, a digital advisory firm specialising in helping businesses grow through the use of digital platforms and marketing. Their support has enabled us to run virtual fundraising events which have boosted our income considerably.
All money received or raised is used by BP to fund the work of NN.
## **4.2 Risk Mitigation Reserves**
As principal funders of the work undertaken by NN in Zimbabwe, TBP recognises the need to be able to provide the quarterly support grants on a regular and timely basis. Whilst the trustees wish to see all funds raised by TBP to be transferred to Zimbabwe within as short a time scale as possible, they recognise the need to hold some funds as a reserve to ensure continuity of support.
With quarterly support grants currently around £2,500 the trustees consider that a reserve of £1000 is appropriate at the present time.
## **4.3 Receipts and Payments Accounts for the period Nov 20 to Oct 21**
|**Receipts**
Donations
Gift Aid
Grants Received
Fund Raising
**Sub Total**
**Assets/Investment sales**
**Sub Total**
**Total Receipts**
**Payments**
Grants Made
SanitaryProtection Supplies
Cost of Fundraising
Administration
Bank Charges
**Sub Total**
**Asset/Investment Purchases**
Loan to Ntombi Nto
**Sub Total**
**Total Payments**
**Net Receipts/Payments**
Transfers between Funds
Cash Funds last year end
**Cash Funds this year end**|Unrestriced
Funds
10601.95
1296.64
0.00
1694.55
**13593.14**
-
-|Unrestriced
Funds
10601.95
1296.64
0.00
1694.55
**13593.14**
-
-|Restricted
Funds
1,500.00
0.00
**1,500.00**
-
-|Restricted
Funds
1,500.00
0.00
**1,500.00**
-
-|Total
Funds
12101.95
1296.64
0.00
1694.55
15093.14
-
-
**15093.14**
16992.83
1008.85
0.00
319.53
310.94
18632.15
-
**-**
**18632.15**
**-3539.01**
7089.23
**3550.22**|Last
Year|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||12359.46
820.70
18000.00
966.60|
|||||||**32146.76**|
||||||||
|||||||-
-|
||||||||
||**13593.14**||**1,500.00**||**15093.14**|**32146.76**|
||14003.82
1008.85
0.00
319.53
310.94
**15643.14**
-
**-**
**15643.14**||2,989.01
-
-
-
-
**2,989.01**
-
**-**
**2989.01**
**-1,489.01**
0
3,163.02
**1,674.01**||||
|||||||27113.98
1415.42
0.00
117.60
184.53|
|||||||**28831.53**|
||||||||
|||||||-|
|||||||**-**|
||||||||
|||||||**28831.53**|
||||||||
||**-2050.00**||**-1,489.01**|||**3315.23**|
||0.00
3926.21
**1876.21**||||||
||0.00
3926.21||0
3,163.02||7089.23|-
3774.00|
||**1876.21**||**1,674.01**||**3550.22**|**7089.23**|
_**Figure 4: Income and Expenditure**_
## **4.4 Statement of assets and liabilities at 31 October 2021**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Unrestriced Restricted Total
Funds Funds Funds
Cash Funds
Bank Accounts 1,876.21 1,674.01 3,550.22
Total Cash Funds 1,876.21 1,674.01 3,550.22
Other Assets
-
Loan to Ntombi Nto 402 402
- - -
-
Total Other Assets 402 402
Liabilities
- - -
- - -
Total Liabilities
Signed by Two Trustees
Date of Approval
**----- End of picture text -----**
_**Figure 5: TBP Assets and Liabilities**_
## **5 The Impact of NN/BP Pre-Covid**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Average attendances across 3 schools
100%
90% 2014
80% 2015
70% 2016
60% 2017
50%
2018
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
0 day off 1 day of 2 days off 3 days off 4 days off 5 days off
**----- End of picture text -----**
_**Figure 6: The Impact of NN/BP**_
This exciting graph indicates the provisional records of attendances across the schools for the years 2014-2018. The attendance figures for girls have improved very dramatically. It has not been possible, largely because of protracted school closures, to gather comparable data for the years affected by the Covid pandemic.
_____________________________________
Declaration:
The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ Report.
Signed: S.B Hutchinson ……………………………………………………………………
Signed: K.R.Trewinnard ……………………………………………………………………