Forward Africa Education Trust
Annual Report 2025
Charity registered in England & Wales No. 1176583
REGISTERED ADDRESS
The Friends Meeting House 150 Church Road Watford WD17 4QB
TRUSTEES
Stephen Kaim-Caudle (Chair) Hilary Robinson Megan Kaim-Caudle Daniel Nteziyaremye Joyeuse Senga (appointed 7th March 2025)
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
Debby Metcalf FCA 22 Trowlock Ave Teddington TW11 9QT
BANKERS
Barclays Bank PLC 32 Bridge St Banbury OX16 5PN
Report of Trustees
The Trustees present their report with the charity's financial statements for the year ending 31 December 2025.
Structure, Governance and Management
The charity was established as a charitable trust and has been registered with the Charity Commission under number 1176583 since January 9, 2018. It has five Trustees who know Rwanda well, having worked and visited there often to oversee the charity's activities. Two Trustees are Rwandan. A main part of the Trustee's role is to guide and help local partners and beneficiaries, including students.
The Trust is overseen by its Chair on a voluntary, unpaid basis. The Trustees are responsible for the charity's policies and operational decisions. They meet regularly, in person or via Zoom, to review the charity's activities. The Trustees are also responsible for setting budgets and making significant decisions. They collaborate with local partners in Rwanda, who carry out delegated responsibilities according to partnership agreements. No staff members are employed.
One Trustee, in their capacity as a director of one of the charity’s implementing partners, received a nominal amount to cover expenses incurred in supporting the charity’s beneficiaries. None of the other Trustees received any form of payment.
The Trustees consider the Charity Commission's public benefit guidance while carrying out their duties.
Objectives and Activities
The charity promotes the education and training of disadvantaged youth in Rwanda. We provide funding and support to help them complete their secondary school education and graduate at Senior 6. We organize life skills workshops and provide mentorship for school leavers.
In recent years we have focused more on girls, and girls with disabilities. To tackle the lack of employment opportunities we have introduced a programme to assist entrepreneurship for young women, with another project assisting women with disabilities in small scale horticultural activities.
In-Country Administration and Field Operations
The charity collaborates closely with the Rwandan Yearly Meeting (RYM/EEAR), the Quakers or more formally referred to as the Religious Society of Friends. They serve as our local partner. We also partner with the Friends Career Center (FCC), and the Organisation of Women with Disabilities Health Development (OWDHD).
The Trustees are confident that the financial stability provided by the charity, along with our ongoing support, enables our students and other beneficiaries to achieve positive educational, training, and income generating outcomes.
Achievements and Performance in 2025
Secondary School Education
In 2025, the charity continued to sponsor disadvantaged secondary school students across Rwanda. Students attended schools in Gisozi, Kicukiro, Gasabo, Kabuga, Rwamagana, Kagitumba, and Cyanika. These schools were selected based on education quality, subject options, and travel logistics. The charity maintained its focus on supporting orphans and children from mother-led families, with particular emphasis on girls' education. New students were welcomed at the start of the academic year in October 2025, with support enabling determined young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to continue their education.
Student Workshops
In April 2025, the charity held its annual workshop at Lake Kivu, attended by current and former students. The workshop, which coincided with commemorations of the 31st anniversary of the genocide (Kwibuka), covered key modules including peace and conflict resolution, self-awareness, mental health awareness, and employability skills. This event, titled 'Building Resilience Workshop 2025', helped students develop confidence, leadership, and teamwork through practical activities that strengthen collaboration and the management of challenges.
Three senior 5 girls, Lake Kivu Workshop
Mentorship Programme
The charity continued its collaboration with the Friends Career Center, providing mentorship and guidance to students as they transition from school to further education or work. The mentorship programme successfully supported students to enrol in university programs and vocational training in fields including hospitality, tourism, biotechnology, nursing, law, business studies, and electrical engineering. A notable success story from 2025 was Fiona. Her nurse training is going well and she is feeling confident about her progress. She has secured an internship placement starting in September in Rulindo District, where she will rotate across different hospitals. She is our seventh ex-student to choose nursing as a career.
SheCreates Initiative (New Programme)
In November 2025, the charity launched SheCreates, an innovative year-long programme supporting 20 young Rwandan women aged 18-30 to develop socially focused business ideas.
The initiative provides practical training, mentorship, and seed funding to help participants build opportunities in tourism, agriculture, health, and digital innovation. The programme officially opened on 23 November 2025 in the Friends Peace Garden, Kigali, offering an engaging mix of workshops, discussions, and collaborative activities designed to build confidence, leadership skills, and core entrepreneurial knowledge. Over the first five months, fellows will take part in sessions to build entrepreneurial foundations, with the remaining seven months focusing on implementation—testing ideas, refining business models, and preparing to launch ventures that respond to real community needs. SheCreates highlights creativity, resilience, and the collective power of women supporting women.
Women with Disabilities – Horticultural Farming (New Programme)
The charity supported women with disabilities in the Nzige Sector, Rwamagana District, through training in small-scale farming and horticulture. This programme, titled 'Breaking Barriers, Building Strength', provides training, essential equipment, and support for developing sustainable entrepreneurial skills. The dedicated women participants are seeking to form a cooperative to strengthen their economic resilience and develop independence through cooperation. Regular training sessions take place with the project aiming to empower these women to build sustainable livelihoods.
Alumni Network
Following the launch of the alumni network in December 2024, the charity has continued to develop this network to maintain connections with former students and create peer support opportunities. The network helps graduates stay connected with one another, fostering a community of support and shared experience.
Risk Statement
The Trustees have assessed the challenges encountered by a small charity functioning in a developing nation. These risks include:
| Risk | Mitigation | Level |
| Financial loss/fraud | We review bank receipts for school fees and other approved expenditures against the budget and examine bank statements from dedicated bank accounts |
Medium |
| Safeguarding issues | We have developed a safeguarding policy, which is available on our website |
Low |
| Data Protection breach | Adherence to our data protection policy | Low |
Procedures are established to regularly identify, monitor, and review risks.
Financial Review
Donations of £49,881 were received in the year (2024: £32,027), and there was interest income of £542 (2024: £514).
Expenditure in the year totalled £45,289 (2024: £22,547) including £22,606 spent supporting secondary school students, aiding ex-students, and funding our annual student workshop (2024: £21,502). A further £21,740 was spent on our new SheCreates and Women with Disabilities programmes (2024: £nil).
Reserves at the end of the year totalled £54,997 (2024: £49,862) of which £19,605 was restricted for specific purposes (2024: £73). Total reserves were all held as cash, of which £44,132 was held in a deposit account (2024: £40,790).
Reserves Policy
The Trustees have a policy to ensure that there are sufficient funds for current students to complete their education or mentorship. Our reserves policy reflects this commitment. The increased reserves at year-end provide enhanced security for the completion of current students' education and support the expansion into new programme areas including SheCreates and the Women with Disabilities initiative.
Investment Policy
The charity does not plan to make long-term investments. Funds not immediately needed for program activities are placed in bank savings accounts to generate modest interest income while maintaining accessibility for programme requirements.
Plans for Future Periods
The charity intends to maintain its current student sponsorships and continue to grow its programme reach. The Trustees will continue to monitor the effectiveness of our local partners and provide ongoing support to partners, students, and all benefices.
We intend to continue our annual workshop for students, continuing to cover essential topics including peace and conflict resolution, employability skills, mental health awareness, and selfawareness. These workshops have proven highly effective in building resilience, confidence, and practical life skills.
We will continue our mentorship programme, delivered in collaboration with Friends Career Center, providing crucial support during this transition phase.
The SheCreates initiative will continue through 2026, with the first cohort of 20 young women completing their year-long programme. Participants will test their business ideas, refine business models, and prepare to launch ventures that respond to real community needs. The Trustees will evaluate the success of this pilot programme to consider expansion in future years.
The alumni network launched in December 2024 will continue to develop, maintaining connections with former students and creating peer support opportunities. This network strengthens the long-term impact of our work and creates a community of mutual support.
The Trustees intend to continue to seek external funding to support programme expansion and ensure the sustainability of all initiatives. We will explore grant opportunities and continue to develop our donor base to support our growing range of activities.
Public Benefit
The Trustees confirm that they have had regard to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit. The charity's activities directly benefit disadvantaged young people in Rwanda by providing access to secondary education, vocational training, life skills development, and entrepreneurship support. These activities help break the cycle of poverty and create opportunities for participants to build better futures for themselves and their communities. The charity's work contributes to the educational and economic development of Rwanda, with a particular focus on supporting girls and women, and people with disabilities.
The Trustees declare that they have approved the trustee's report above.
Signed on behalf of the Charity's Trustees by
Steve Kaim-Caudle
Chair Date approved: 03/08/2026
Forward Africa Education Trust: Receipts & Payments account
| Donations Interest received Total receipts Programme costs: Student school fees & associated costs Student mentorship programme Student workshops Women with Disabilities project SheCreates Project management in Rwanda UK costs: Website Transaction fees on donations received Bank charges Total payments Net (payments)/receipts Cash funds at start of year Cash funds at end of year |
2025 2024 Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total funds Total funds £ £ £ £ 8,484 41,397 49,881 32,027 542 - 542 514 |
|---|---|
| 9,026 41,397 50,423 32,541 |
|
| 13,276 - 13,276 13,749 3,914 - 3,914 2,480 3,669 110 3,779 3,460 - 6,985 6,985 - - 14,755 14,755 - 1,637 - 1,637 1,813 560 - 560 260 181 - 181 694 187 15 202 91 |
|
| 23,424 21,865 45,289 22,547 |
|
| (14,398) 19,532 5,134 9,994 49,790 73 49,863 39,868 |
|
| 35,392 19,605 54,997 49,862 |
Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period:
| Analysis of cash funds: Current account Deposit account Other monetary assets: Gift Aid due |
2025 2024 Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total funds Total funds £ £ £ £ 760 10,105 10,865 9,072 34,632 9,500 44,132 40,790 |
|---|---|
| 35,392 19,605 54,997 49,862 |
|
| 106 - 106 160 |
This will be included as income in the Receipts & Payments account when received.
| Acting as Agent: Acting as Agent receipts Acting as Agent payments |
2025 2024 £ £ 47,459 - (47,459) - |
|---|---|
| - - |
During the year the charity acted as agent for the collection and onward transmission of donations totalling £47,459 from the Bronwen and Brian Mills Education Trust to partner projects in Rwanda and Ethiopia supporting disadvantaged young women (2024: £nil). As the charity acted purely as agent and did not exercise discretion over the application of these funds, the amounts are not included within the charity’s income and expenditure but are disclosed here as a note to the accounts.
The Trustees declare that they have approved the Receipts & Payments account and Statement of Assets and Liabilities above.
Signed on behalf of the Charity’s trustees by
Steve Kaim-Caudle Chair
Date approved: 03/08/2026
Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Forward Africa Education Trust
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Forward Africa Education Trust (‘the Trust)’ for the year ended 31 December 2025.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the 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 giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
-
the accounts do not accord with those records.
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:
Date: 06 August 2026
Debby Metcalf FCA 22 Trowlock Ave Teddington TW11 9QT