Section A
Trustees' Annual Report for the period
Period start date Period end date Day Month Year Day Month Year 01 01 2024 To 31 12 2024
From
Reference and administration details
Charity name Tusome Africa
Other names charity is known by
Registered charity number (if any) 1176901
Charity's principal address
| 1176901 | 1176901 |
|---|---|
| Harrogate Business Centre, | |
| Hook stone Avenue | |
| Harrogate | |
| Postcode | HG2 8ER |
| N 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not **for whole year ** |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ames of the charity trustees w Bea Simpson |
ho manage the chari Chairperson |
ty | ||
| Patrick Paul Timmis | ActingTreasurer | |||
| Agnes Nakirya | Co - founder | |||
| Stephen John Cutts | Trustee | |||
| Christopher John Thompson | Trustee | |||
| Barbra Achiro Ogwal | Trustee | |||
| MaceyTan | Trustee | |||
| Ros Hancell | Trustee | |||
Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
Name Dates acted if not for whole year
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser Name Address
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Constitution Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) How the charity is constituted (eg. trust, association, company) Recruited by board members. Trustee selection methods
(eg. appointed by, elected by)
Additional governance issues (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:
| Youmay chooseto include additional information, where relevant, about: | Youmay chooseto include additional information, where relevant, about: |
|---|---|
| policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees; |
Tusome Africa has adopted a structured process for the induction and training of new trustees. All trustees receive a comprehensive induction pack that includes our governing documents, key policies (including safeguarding, finance, and conflict of interest policies), Charity Commission guidance on trustee responsibilities, and an overview of our current programmes and operations. New trustees are invited to attend induction sessions with senior staff or existing board members to familiarise themselves with our mission, governance practices, and strategic priorities. Ongoing training and capacity building are encouraged, and trustees are supported to attend relevant sector briefings, conferences, or governance workshops. |
| the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works; |
Tusome Africa is governed by a Board of Trustees responsible for overall strategic direction, financial oversight, and compliance. Day-to-day operations in Uganda are led by a small programme team, supported by volunteers and paraeducators. We operate as a UK-registered charity and collaborate closely with our registered Ugandan counterpart to ensure contextual relevance and operational delivery. We maintain partnerships with local schools, district education offices, and community leaders as well as the government of Uganda through a MoU with the Ministry of Education and also sit on the Basic Education Network within the MoE. We also engage in cross-sector collaboration with other NGOs, funders, and research institutions working on early childhood development and foundational literacy in East Africa. |
| relationship with any related parties; |
Tusome Africa’s operations are governed by clear conflict of interest and related party policies. Where a trustee or team member has a connection to a partner organisation or vendor, this must be declared and recorded in our register of interests. All procurement and partnership decisions are made transparently and in accordance with our financial policies to ensure integrity, value for money, and alignment with our mission. |
| trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them. |
The Board of Trustees takes a proactive approach to risk management. Major risks are reviewed at quarterly board meetings and include operational risks in programme delivery, financial sustainability, safeguarding, and reputational risk. Key systems and procedures are in place to manage these risks, including: • A safeguarding policy and designated safeguarding officer in both the UK and Uganda. • Annual external financial review and internal controls to ensure transparency and mitigate fraud. • Contingency planning and scenario mapping for programme |
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disruptions (e.g., political instability, public health emergencies).
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• Regular trustee reviews of income diversification and funding pipeline.
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Trustees are committed to continuous review and strengthening of governance systems to ensure that Tusome Africa remains accountable, resilient, and impactful in its delivery.
| Section C | Objectives and activities | Objectives and activities | Objectives and activities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | To prepare children for primary school by developing their | |||
| foundational competencies through increased access to quality | ||||
| Summary of the objectives of the charity set out in its governing document |
2. | foundational learning. Engage communities to participate in the educational activities and learning of their children. |
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| Our | mission is to build a strong educational foundation for pre-primary | |||
| children while supporting systems that measure and improve teaching | ||||
| quality and student learning outcomes. In accordance with our charitable | ||||
| objectives, we undertake activities that are | clearly intended to benefit the | |||
| public, particularly marginalised and underserved children in Uganda. | ||||
| The | trustees confirm that they have had due regard to the Charity | |||
| Commission’s guidance on public benefit in planning and delivering the | ||||
| organisation’s activities. |
| Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit) |
In 2024, our work focused on three main areas: 1. Continued to deliver ECE which provides free, high-quality early learning opportunities for children from low-income and marginalised backgrounds. This work included: a. Training and supporting21 para-educators in child-centred and play-based learning methodologies to ensure a nurturing and developmentally appropriate learning experience. b. Resourcing the teachers and children to promote quality education. 2. Developing Foundational Skills for Lifelong Learning 1. To further strengthen foundational skills, we established inclusive,3 school libraries, now serving as hubs for reading, storytelling, and quiet learning. 2.Literacy and debate clubs, giving children opportunities to build confidence, critical thinking, and language skills. 3. Provision ofeducational games and age-appropriate books, ensuring that children engage in interactive, holistic learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom. |
|---|---|
Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)
| Youmay chooseto include further statements, where relevant, about: policy on grantmaking; policy programme related investment; contribution made by volunteers. |
1. Policy on Grantmaking:Tusome Africa is not a traditional grantmaking organisation, our policy allows for resource allocations to local schools and community organisations that demonstrate alignment with our mission to improve access to quality early childhood education (ECE). 2. Policy on Programme-Related Investment:We prioritise programme-related investments which directly advance our charitable aims, particularly in early learning infrastructure, learning resources, and community capacity development. These investments are made with the understanding that financial return is secondary to social and educational impact. In 2024, we invested in locally produced teaching and learning materials, construction of low-cost libraries, and development of data systems to monitor learning outcomes. All programme-related investments are subject to board approval and are monitored through both financial and programme-level reporting. 3. Contributions Made by Our Committed Volunteers:We were privileged to work with21 young womenwho served as paraeducators in ECE centers. Beyond instructional support, volunteers played a vital role in fostering a safe and inclusive learning environment, modelling positive behaviour, and acting as a bridge between schools and families in marginalised communities. Their contribution significantly expanded the reach of our programme, allowing Tusome Africa to operate at a larger scale. In addition, our volunteers participated in training sessions and reflection workshops, contributing to the iterative improvement of our teaching model and helping to build a growing network of locally rooted ECE champions. We consider their involvement not only an operational asset but a foundational part of our long-term sustainability and community ownership strategy. |
|---|---|
Section D Achievements and performance
| Programme Area |
2024 Goals | Key Achievements in 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| To expand our reach by opening new centers in Wakiso District. |
Successfully opened three centers in three locations in Wakiso District, namely Kapeeka, Bwotansimbi, and Kirimamboga. |
||
| 135 new children enrolled in the |
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year |
Early Childhood Education (ECE) |
community-based centers and 265 in community centers in Iganga district. We enrolled 141 new children in our ECE school-based centers in Iganga district. |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Training and professional Development of both new ECE Teachers and Existing Paraeducators |
Trained 26 paraeducators in child- centred methodologies and play- based learning, enhancing their teaching skills and confidence. |
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| Provide Quality Early Childhood Education (ECE) Centres in Iganga District. |
Enrolled 125 new children in 2024 in 6 centers. |
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| The centers transitioned 135 children into primary school. |
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| Ensure sustainability by incorporating PTAs in the management of the schools |
Held termly parent-teacher association meetings with an average of 120 participants in attendance, promoting a culture of reading and learning. |
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| Foundation skills for learning. (Literacy and Numeracy Development) |
To establish new libraries in Wakiso District and equip them with books. |
Refurbished 3 libraries at St. Paul’s, St. Aloysius and St. Anthony primary schools. |
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| Resource the Libraries with both locally published books as well as books in local languages and English |
Distributed 2000 books, games and puzzles to schools in Iganga and Wakiso districts. |
Section E Financial review
Brief statement of the Our finance policy requires that a reserve amount equivalent to six months operations or an equivalent of the maximum liabilities of the organisation at any charity’s policy on reserves point in time is held in the bank. Details of any funds materially in deficit
The organisation does not have any funds in deficit.
Further financial review details (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:
| the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Tusome Africa’s primary sources of funding in the reporting year included grants from individual donors, philanthropic foundations, and UK-based charitable trusts committed to improving educational equity in sub-Saharan Africa. We continue to rely on a mix of small-to- medium individual donations and restricted project-based grants. In 2024, the majority of our income came from targeted donations to support our early childhood education (ECE) initiatives in Uganda. We also received in-kind contributions from volunteers and community partners, particularly for our community-based ECE centres. We also organised a fundraising ball which can be regarded to be a large-scale public fundraising campaign. We are exploring sustainable approaches to grow unrestricted income through donor engagement, regular giving, and strategic partnerships. |
|---|---|
| how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity; |
Expenditure during the year was directly aligned with the charity’s objectives to provide equitable access to quality early childhood education and foundational learning opportunities. Key areas of spend included: • Programme Delivery: Investments in teaching and learning materials, classroom refurbishment, paraeducator stipends, and child-friendly resources for both school-based and community-based centres. • Capacity Building: Training and coaching for paraeducators and district education staff in child-centred, trauma-informed pedagogy. • Library & Literacy Support: Renovation and reactivation of school libraries, procurement of books and games to support early reading and literacy engagement. • Monitoring and Evaluation: Development of a foundational skills scoreboard and tools to assess children’s learning and teaching quality. Administrative and support costs were kept to a minimum, with most funding directly reaching programme delivery in line with our commitment to transparency, value for money, and impact. |
| investment policy and objectives, including any ethical investment policy adopted |
Tusome Africa currently operates without a formal investment portfolio, and thus no direct investments were made during this financial year. However, we are committed to ethical financial stewardship. As part of our financial governance and fundraising strategy, we are developing an ethical investment policy to guide any future decisions regarding reserve management or surplus fund investment. This policy will ensure alignment with our values of social justice, child rights, and |
environmental sustainability.
Section F
Other optional information
Looking Ahead
Tusome Africa is committed to deepening its impact in ECE and foundational learning. In 2025, our strategic priorities will include:
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Consolidating our community-based ECE centres to reach more underserved children in rural and peri-urban areas.
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Increasing the number of books for our literacy and library programming , including more mobile libraries and literacy clubs to enhance reading culture at home and in schools.
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Strengthening district-level capacity by working closely with local government to integrate our foundational skills scoreboard into broader education quality monitoring systems.
• Diversifying funding sources through new partnerships and increasing unrestricted income to ensure the sustainability of our programmes. Strategic Partnerships We continue to collaborate with schools, local government, and civil society organisations to deliver our mission. Our work is embedded in local structures, with technical input and oversight from district education officers, school leaders, and community stakeholders. These partnerships are vital to ensuring contextual relevance and long-term sustainability. Commitment to Learning and Innovation As a learning organisation, we are dedicated to using data and evidence to inform our programme design and delivery. We continue to pilot and adapt child-centred and inclusive teaching approaches in response to local needs and share our learning through workshops and local knowledge exchanges. Inclusivity and Child Protection Tusome Africa prioritises safeguarding and inclusion in all aspects of our work. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for abuse and have safeguarding and whistleblowing procedures in place, reviewed annually. We are also working to make our programming more inclusive of children with disabilities and those from marginalised communities.
Section G Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’
report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) Full name(s)
Patrick Timmis Bea Simpson Chair Treasurer
Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date
31[st] /10/2024
Reference
Summary of Finances
TUSOME AFRICA INCOME STATEMENT
Year Ended 31 December 2024
| Description | Note | UK (£) | Uganda (£) |
Consolidated (£) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Income and Endowments From: | ||||
| Donations and legacies | 1 | 2,003 | - | 2,003 |
| Charitable activities | 2 | 17,493 | 29,982 | 32,475 |
| Investment income | 3 | 18 | - | 18 |
| Total Income | 19,515 | 29,982 | 34515 | |
| Expenditure | ||||
| Raising funds | 4 | 131 | 47 | 178 |
| Charitable activities | 5 | 21,218 | 26,914 | 33,132 |
| Support and governance costs | 2,063 | 846 | 2,910 | |
| Total Expenditure | 23,412 | 27,808 | 36,221 | |
| Net Income/(Expenditure) | -3,897 | 2,174 | -1,724 | |
| Transfers between funds | -15,000 | 15,000 | - | |
| Other recognized gains/(losses) | - | - | - | |
| Net Movement in Funds | -18,897 | 17,174 | -1,724 |
Notes to the Financial Statement
1. Donations and Legacies
Uganda operations were funded by UK transfers and local/other income as disclosed in the Uganda statutory accounts.
- Charitable Activities
UK: £17,493.29 from grants and contributions (BFSS: £9,709; Farthing Trust: £2,500; Christadelphian Samaritan: £500; auction: £2,454.29; BACS credit: £2,000; other: £330). Uganda: UGX 140,062,591 (£29,982.22) from UK-sourced grants and transfers. Consolidated: £17,493.29 + £29,982.22 – £15,000 = £32,475.51.
3. Investment Income
UK : £18 from bank interest (£2.58 in March, £6.61 in June, £5.70 in September, £3.41 in December). Uganda : No interest income.
Consolidated : £18, reflecting only UK interest.
- Raising Funds
UK : £131, covering bank fees (£50 monthly), cheque fees (£6), and foreign exchange charges (£75).
Uganda : UGX 221,655 (£47.45) for finance-related costs.
Consolidated : £178, combining UK (£131.00) and Uganda (£47.45) costs.
- Charitable Activities Expenditure
UK : £21,218, including £6,218.12 for program costs (paid via cheques) and £15,000 transferred to Uganda. Uganda : UGX 125,738,577 (£26,914.23), comprising £21,231 for programs and £5,682 for staff costs.
BALANCE SHEET
Tusome Africa (UK and Uganda Operations) As of 31 December 2024
| Description | UK (£) | Uganda (£) |
Consolidated (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed Assets | |||
| Plant, Property, and Equipment | - | 701 | 701 |
| Current Assets | |||
| Trade and Other Receivables | - | - | - |
| Cash and Bank Balances | 3,216.44 | 5,753 | 8,969 |
| Total Current Assets | 3,216.44 | 5,753 | 8,969 |
| Total Assets | 3,216.44 | 6,455 | 9,670 |
| Funds and Liabilities | |||
| Payables | - | - | - |
| Funders Contributions | - | - | - |
| Accumulated Funds | 3,216.44 | 6,455 | 9,670 |
| Total Funds and Liabilities | 3,216.44 | 6,455 | 9,670 |
Notes
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Fixed Assets : Comprise £701 in plant, property, and equipment, all held in Uganda (UGX 3,279,040). No fixed assets are recorded in the UK.
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Current Assets : Include cash and bank balances of £3,216.44 in the UK and UGX 26,885,055 (£5,753.36) in Uganda, totaling £8,969.80 consolidated. No trade or other receivables are reported in either region.
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Total Assets : Sum to £9,671, combining UK assets (£3,216.44) and Uganda assets (£6,455.19).
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Funds and Liabilities : Consist entirely of accumulated funds, with £3,216.44 in the UK and UGX 30,164,095 (£6,455.19) in Uganda, totaling £9,671 consolidated. No payables or funders' contributions are recorded.
End-
Tusome Africa
Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
Statutory Accounts prepared under Charities SORP (FRS 102)
For the year ended 31 December 2024
Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA)
Funds classification under review: trustees have confirmed that a portion of income is restricted. Final restricted/unrestricted split will be reflected once funder documentation is confirmed. All amounts currently presented as unrestricted on a prudent basis pending allocation.
| Prior year 2023 (£) | 2024 (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Income from: | ||
| Donations and legacies | 2,963 | 2,003 |
| Charitable activities | 14,649 | 32,493 |
| Investment income | 0 | 18 |
| Total income | 17,612 | 34,515 |
| Expenditure on: | ||
| Raising funds | 2,948 | 178 |
| Charitable activities | 1,221 | 33,132 |
| Support & governance costs | 144 | 2,910 |
| Total expenditure | 26,446 | 36,221 |
| Net income/(expenditure) | (8,834) | (1,705) |
| Transfers between funds | 0 | 0 |
| Net movement in funds | (8,834) | (1,705) |
| Reconciliation of funds | ||
| Funds brought forward | 10,674 | 8,969 |
| Funds carried forward | 10,674 | 8,969 |
Note: 2024 figures rounded to whole pounds with totals aligned.
1
Balance Sheet
As at 31 December 2024
| 2024 (£) | |
|---|---|
| Fixed assets | 701 |
| Current assets | 8,969 |
| Creditors falling due < 1yr | 0 |
| Net assets | 9,670 |
| Funds | |
| Unrestricted funds | split TBC |
| Restricted funds | split TBC |
| Total funds | 9,670 |
The trustees declare that they have approved these accounts.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:
| Name | Position | Signature | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bea Simpson | Chair | 13 September 2025 | |
| Patrick Timmis | Treasurer | 13 September 2025 |
Notes to the Accounts
1. Basis of preparation
Prepared under Charities Act 2011 and Charities SORP (FRS 102). Accrual basis.
2. Fund accounting
All funds unrestricted in 2024. Restricted funds may be held in future; accounted for per SORP.
3. Income recognition
Income recognised when entitlement, probability of receipt, and measurement conditions met.
4. Expenditure recognition
Expenditure recognised when obligation exists. Support costs allocated to charitable activities.
2
5. Foreign currency translation
Uganda operations translated at average rate for SoFA items and closing rate for balance sheet.
6. Consolidation and intra-group transactions
UK and Uganda operations consolidated. UK transfers to Uganda eliminated on consolidation.
7. Trustees' remuneration and expenses
No remuneration paid. Chair reimbursed travel expenses included in programme and governance costs.
8. Related party transactions
Ugandan implementing partner is related entity. All transfers disclosed and eliminated on consolidation.
9. Post balance sheet events
None.
Independent Examiner’s Report
Separate IE report attached to final pack
Template reference included in working papers.
Appendix
Supporting workings held externally (exchange rates, fund movements, expense logs).
3
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
jjc
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
| Report to the trustees/ members of On accounts for the year ended Set out on pages |
Charity Name Tusome Africa |
||
| 31/12/2024 | Charity no (if any) |
1176901 | |
| (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) |
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Tusome Africa for the year ended 31/ 12 / 2024.
Responsibilities of As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the Trustees ,Examiners accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 and basis of report (“the Act”). And as independent examiners, I am to examine the accounts, state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
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. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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• 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.
Signed: Date: 31/OCT/2025 Name: NIKHIL VADGAMA Relevant professional CHARTERED FINANCIAL ANALYST qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 10 MALLOW WALK, GOFFS OAK, EN7 6SR
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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).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
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