Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 01/07/2024 Period start date To 30/06/2025 Period end date
Charity name: REFEO (Refugee Education For Equal Employment Opportunities)
Charity registration number: 1182800
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | REFEO aims to improve refugees’ and asylum seekers’ integration within British society and support their financial independence. To achieve this change, REFEO: ●Give access to online accredited courses and mentoring to Refugees and Asylum seekers ●Contribute to university costs of refugees and asylum seekers ●Give used laptops, tablets and smartphones that are in good working condition to refugees and asylum seekers to help them with their educational and employment needs. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
Tech for Good:Closing the digital divide is at the heart of our work. We provide used laptops in good working conditions to UK Refugees and Asylum seekers (R/A) to ensure the lack of access to a laptop does not prevent them from benefitting from the online accredited courses and mentoring services we provide. Providing a laptop has increased inclusivity, however, when we realised that the lack of access to internet meant that accessing online courses was still a challenge for some R/A we launched our project “All Connected”. Education and mentoring:We match service users (clients) with courses which are relevant to anyexperience theyhave had in their home |
| country, or to courses that support their current professional plans, to help them transfer or update qualifications for their chosen employability choices. Our online accredited courses are accessible 24/7, with mentor supporting mentees weekly through the courses to maximise their chances of receiving accreditation and a certificate to support their CV readiness and journey towards employment. Each client is given a target at their initial assessment to work towards when they jointly develop their work plan with their mentors. Mentors are kept in regular contact to ensure the clients remain on track, ensuring we achieve our success rate of 90% of those completing an accredited course. We also contribute to university fees of those who cannot afford to pay them. This vital activity which advances education of R/A is bringing them one step closer to employment and therefore empowering them to break the cycle of poverty. Accessing services through peer-to-peer support:The online forum on our website facilitates R/A access to local services and peer to peer support. Some services include access to higher education, vocational training, professional training, and work placement. Peer to peer support is a central element of the forum as members share opportunities and information on how to access local services on the platform. |
||
|---|---|---|
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | The trustees confirm that they have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit. |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
SORP reference N/A Para 1.38 Policy on grant making N/A Para 1.38
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
||
|---|---|---|
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | We have 8 volunteers who are involved in all the areas of our work: Casework, Fundraising, partnership, IT, communications, mentoring, Human resources. Their input is huge and means that we have increased capacity to service our client group. |
| Other |
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | REFEO contributed to closing the digital gap for refugees and asylum seekers by donating laptops to 162 refugees and asylum seekers (R/A) nationwide who used them to study online, obtained their diploma which brought them one step closer to employment. They also used the laptops to prepare their CV, cover letters and applied for jobs. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | |
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | |
| Para 1.41 |
Investment performance against objectives Other
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | £3061 |
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | Holding reserves enables REFEO to continue operating when funding is scarce. |
Amount of reserves held |
Para 1.22 | Trustees are in the process of deciding the amount of reserves that should be held in the reserves. |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | REFEO recognises the importance of holding reserves. As such we will set a specific amount based on the size of our charity. |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | None |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | We have a strong fundraising plan to continue to grow the charity and scale up our services. |
| Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
||
The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 |
Fundraising from Trusts and Foundations |
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | |
| Other |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | REFEO’s governing document is a Constitution of a Charitable Incorporated Organisation whose only voting members are its charity trustees-Foundation |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | REFEO has been constituted as a CIO. |
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | Selection method for the new trustee was conducted in line with the governing document, indicating that any new individual appointment will be according to their skills, knowledge and experience and how they fit with what is needed for an effective administration of the CIO. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Policies and procedures adopted for the induction Para 1.51 and training of trustees The charity’s organisational structure and any wider Para 1.51 network with which the charity works Relationship with any related Para 1.51 parties Other
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | REFEO (Refugee Education For Equal Employment Opportunities) |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | |
| Registered charity number | 1182800 |
| Charity’s principal address | 83 St Paul's Way E34AJ, London |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year Nam e of pers on (or bod y) entit led to app oint trust ee (if any) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mariam Diakite | |||
| Natalia Equihua | |||
| Mohamed Fagiri | |||
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved
Director name
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
| Description of the assets held in this capacity |
N/A |
|---|---|
| Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects |
N/A |
| Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets |
N/A |
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
| Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type of adviser Name Address |
|||
| Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information) | |||
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s)
Natalia Equihua Full name(s) Mariam Diakite Position (eg Secretary, Chair Co-chair Chair, etc) Date 30.04.2026
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