**21 Old Square, Shopping Centre Walsall WS1 1QA Tel: 01902 901270 www.migrantempowermentgroup.co.uk Email: meg_2018@yahoo.com Registered Charity Number: 1183705** ## Reports And Accounts For The Year Ended 31/12/23 # Migrant Empowerment Group (MEG) **MEG Trustees: Alvine Dongmo-Noumey (Chair)** **Dr Femi Obatomi (Secretary)** **Alex Kamgaing Kamguia (Treasurer)** ## **Executive Director:** ## **Dr Alvine Dongmo-Noumey (Project Manager)** The trustees present their annual reports and independently examined financial statements for the year ended 31st December, 2023. The trustees confirm that the reports and the financial statement comply fully with the Charities Act 1993, as amended by the charities act 2006, the Migrant Empowerment Group's constitution and the charities SORP 2005. ## **Key Aim:** The Migrant Empowerment Group was founded by a former asylum seeker in July 2013, in Wolverhampton, in the West Midlands. The Migrant Empowerment Group's constitution is her approved governing document. This document states clearly that the sole aim of our charity is to prevent or relief poverty among migrant in the United Kingdom, especially for those seeking refuge and asylum. Our main focus is to help migrant integrate within their communities in the West Midlands. Our range of services enable migrants to seek better health, education, employment, family life and also to adapt quickly to multicultural life in the United Kingdom. MEG also aims to reduce negative stereotypes and break down barriers within local communities ## **Organizational Structure:** The overall responsibility for the management of the charity rest upon the trustees as a body **.** This group of trustees constitute the board of trustees which is led by the chairman of the board. There is no fixed term of service for a trustees **.** All trustees are appointed and removed at the beginning of the year by the existing trustees at their first meeting for that year based on a majority decision. The chairman or Chairperson of the board of trustees is not appointed by the election of the trustees, but shall serve in an ex officio capacity as the executive director and project manager of the charity. At least half of the number of trustees are required to form a quorum for a valid meeting to be held, however, the chair can waive the requirement for a quorum in order to hold emergency meetings. The project manager who is also, an executive director and chair of the board of trustees is responsible for the day to day running of the charity. She works with a number of trained volunteers to deliver the services to the users. Her roles includes planning, organizing and coordinating the service delivery process. The project manager reports to the board as a group. The charity has three Trustees and Sixty Volunteers. ## **Dr. Alvine Dongmo-Noumey, Project Manager Report** Our service delivery and reach has increased substantially as our budget. So now we’re determined to do more, driven by the needs of the people who require our support. My heart is full when reflecting on the work at Migrant Empowerment Group over the past year. We are truly blessed to have such an extraordinary group of dedicated staff, volunteers, and funder’s supporters. We have seen another extraordinary year, not without challenges and uncertainty along the way, with some remarkable achievements. We are extremely proud of the hard work, enthusiasm & resilience of MEG, staff and volunteers. Notwithstanding the complexity of the challenges, we managed to achieve, deliver a range of existing and innovative projects with more options for people to choose. There is much more to report on our achievements for the past 12 months. We look ahead, gratefully for what has been achieved, open to the challenges and more committed than ever to our mission and fulfilling our full potential to support families at the critical time of life. ## **Achievements and Performance** Throughout the year our activities have been guided by our commitment to fulfill the objective of alleviating poverty among those seeking refuge and asylum. The beneficiaries of our projects constitutes a significant proportion of the BAME group who have been the hard hit financially. This group who are already facing financial difficulties coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic are further hit by the rising cost of living. During the year under review, there was a steady increase in the use of our service throughout Wolverhampton, Walsall and West Midlands in general. Our strength comes from our staff, volunteers, local authority, supporters commitment and donations. The rising number of trained volunteer (Befrienders) has helped us to meet the continuous demand for our services; this year we have seen a marked increase in the number of referrals. During 2023, a total of 35,000 people received a service from Migrant Empowerment Group (MEG). Sewing and African Foodbanks projects remain at the core of our services during the year 2023. The majority of our service users again fall within the 18 – 85 age bracket, all of our service users came from West Midland and around Wolverhampton & Walsall: 52% Black Africans; 15% white British & Caucasian ; 22% Asians & Middle Easterners and 11% Eastern Europeans. As usual, asylum seekers and refugees make up the biggest number, 59% for the year in 2023. 55% of those asked increased their sense of life satisfaction. 30% felt a decrease in the levels of loneliness. 100% of those who answered said they'd gained greater social connection from participation in the online groups. 92% of those who answered felt their sense of belonging and their skills and knowledge (generally) increase 80% of those who answered felt an increase in self-confidence. This year our befriending sewing project has continued to offer a free and culturally sensitive listening ear, support, friendship and understanding at a time when most women are vulnerable and isolated across Wolverhampton and Walsall. During the year 2023 MEG distributed 1000 Tablets and 1500 Laptops, 150 desktops and free WiFi for a duration of six months to help our participants. Access to food and basic necessities was one of the main issues that our service users faced during these unprecedented times. MEG's African Food banks project provided African food parcels to families facing food shortages in and around Walsall and Wolverhampton. A significant proportion of our service users who lost their jobs during the pandemic had to rely on our African food parcel to survive. COOKERY SESSIONS- These sessions enable the women and girls to practice their cookery skills, promote the impact that healthy eating can have on improving the quality of people’s lives and help enhance their confidence skills. During the year 2023 MEG distributed over 45,000 African food parcels. This project is ongoing and we hope to make a permanent feature of our services. During 2023, MEG improved and enhanced its therapeutic service to provide a holistic outlook on the wellbeing of people who are experiencing the devastating and damaging consequences of domestic violence and abuse, mental health, etc. We worked hard to ensure a seamless transition to ongoing support within the organization, especially for women who are suffering isolation without knowing who to turn to, or how and where to seek help. ## **MEG Impact 2022/2023** Community Support & Outreach of 10000 hours, IT Equipment 6890 hours, Befriending Support 9067 hours, Counselling Support 2129 hours, Food Distribution 4874 hours, Telephone Helpline Support 2654 hours, Volunteers 50, Workshop Support 976, Crisis Intervention over 656, Children & Young People Supported 1456, Women & Men Attended Groups 2756. ## **CHRISTMAS GIFTS** We provided gifts for 2000 families, reaching a total of 1624 children. The reality is that many of the families who we have worked with throughout the year often don’t have enough money to support their families day-to-day, never mind having enough money to indulge at Christmas. The aim of our Christmas party is not just to provide some fun and normality for a child but it’s about dignity and comfort at a time that’s extremely difficult financially to so many parents. Each gift bag was donated with love, thanks to the generous donations received especially from Interfaith & Minority Ethnic Council Wolverhampton. The party successfully achieved its aim of each family feeling loved and supported by the community at a time when so many people feel very isolated and lonely. ## **Financial Review** During the year under consideration, our charity received a total of £86,175.00 a representing donations from individual members, volunteers and the general public. We also received some support from taking in our charity shop, as well as grants from some external organizations. Activities were mainly funded by contributions from individuals There was a strong desire to be there for one another and to share with those in need. For the year under review we recorded an excess of expenditure over income of £10,980.00 and a closing bank /cash balance of £14,942.00. There was no significant financial risk associated with running the charity. However, all risk have been assessed and policies have been put in place to mitigate and avert all risk. ## **PHOTOS** MIGRANT E￿p0v￿R￿ENT knili Ttr.#iJ$3ID651 THE I I I:.I,,, illi ALZEC FOUNDATION CAMEROUN We motlvate women to become Independent. Good news stories MEG We need your support_ To continue the good work MEG IGRANIT MPOWEF¢MENT GROUP OLA¥AGE. ment.Gr ## **Conclusion:** The year under review was quite challenging for all sectors of the economy and public life, given the rising cost of living that followed immediately after the COVID pandemic. The charity sector was hit harder and most charities had to fold. For us at MEG it offered both opprtunities and challenges. We hard the opportunity to learn new skills to be able to be more effective in our service delivery and to better prepare for such eventualities. The key bottlenecks that we faced during the year were dwindling resources in the face of mounting needs and overstreched volunteers. Notwithstanding, our committment to be a helpline for the needy in Wolverhampton, Sandwell, City of Bgham and Walsall was intact and unwavering year. We want to thank our trustees, local autority, volunteers, donors, members, other benefactors, beneficiaries and the public at at large for their excellent support and goodwill towards MEG. Without you we could not have achieved anything this year 2023. We did it together and hopefully next year we shall do better. Dr Alvine Dongmo-Noumey (Chair) 28 Holman Close Wolverhampton WV13 3BN ## **MIGRANT EMPOWERMENT GROUP CHARITY NUMBER 1183705 RECEIPTS AND PAYMENT ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023** |**DETAILS**||**AMOUNT**|**AMOUNT**| |---|---|---|---| |||31/12/23|**31/12/22**| |**Receipts:**|||| |Grants|Notes 1|8175.00|48,815.00| |Membership Fees & Charity Shop||29,000.00|6,413.00| |Donations|Notes 2|32,000.00|30,186.00| |Fundraising Events|Notes 3|17,000.00|2,234.00| |Total Receipts For The Period||**86,175.00 **|**87,648.00**| |**Payments:**|||| |Alowances|Notes 4|15,330.00|9,700.00| |Travelling & Transport||1,440.00|700.00| |Training & Development|Notes 5|3,750.00|2,400.00| |Equipment|Notes 6|19,400.00|15,600.00| |Repairs||3,100.00|800.00| |Refreshments||1,670.00|1,200.00| |Foodbank|Notes 7|15,300.00|11,900.00| |Publicity||1,230.00|800.00| |Utilities||4,000.00|2,040.00| |Rent||5,400.00|2,600.00| |Workshops|Notes 8|2,975.00|1,911.00| |Donations||2,600.00|1,000.00| |Lodging & Hotels||1,560.00|394.00| |Furniture & Fittings||3,000.00|1,200.00| |Printing & Stationery||2,800.00|1,120.00| |Audio Visual Expenses|Notes 9|4,200.00|2,400.00| |Decorations||1,600.00|1,300.00| |Miscellaneous||2,200.00|2,110.00| |Fabric materials||5,600.00|3,990.00| |**Total Payments For The Period**||97,155.00|63,165.00| |**Excess of Receipts Over Payments**||-10,980.00|24,483.00| |**Opening Cash Balance As At 1st January, 2023**||25,922.00|1,439.00| |**Closing Cash Balance As At 31st December, 2023**||14,942.00|25,922.00| This account have been approved by The Migrant Empowerment Group board of trustees on the 14 August 2024 Miss Alvine Dongmo-Noumey ( Board Chair) ## **MIGRANT EMPOWERMENT GROUP CHARITY NUMBER 1183705 STATEMENT OF ASSET AND LIABILITY AS 31/12/2023** ## **Details** |Cash & Bank Balances|14,942.00| |---|---| |Equipment For Distribution( Sewing Machine, tablets, etc)|20,450.00| |Furniture & Fittings|3,600.00| |Audio Visual Equipment|5,100.00| This account have been approved by The Migrant Empowerment Group board of trustees on the 14 August 2024 Miss Alvine Dongmo-Noumey ( Board Chair) ## **MIGRANT EMPOWERMENT GROUP CHARITY NUMBER 1183705 NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31/12/2023** **Notes 1** : The total grants comprises amounts received from the Wolverhampton City Council, Arnolt Clark, Ethnic Minority Council, Alzec Vision , Interfaith etc **Notes 2** : The Donations represents contribution from private individuals in the community both in cash and kind. A significant proportion went into suppoting people who had been hard hit financially by the cost of living crisis **Notes 3** : Our fundraising events yielded the sum reported for the year under review. Our cultural and fashion shows received attracted a significant audience in and out of the local community. **Notes 4** : This represnts mainly payments made to volunteers who run the various projects we carry out in support of the vulnerable people. **Notes 5** : This amount consist of the cost of carrying out regular training for our volunteers and also induction for new volunteers who join our charity **Notes 6** : This represents the cost of sewing machines, kids sewing kits, tablets, laptops etc which we puchased and distributed as part of our on going projects **Notes 7:** We had a foodbank programme to support people during the pandemic. This has been extended to support people who have been hard hit by the cost of living crisis. The amount represents food parcel and other supplies distributed during the period. **Notes 8:** During the year under review we had workshops for volunteers and trustees to enable them understand their role in a rapidly changing envirenment. The amount consist of payments to external experts who conducted the workshop. **Notes 9:** The cost invested in equipments use in house for meetings, seminars, workshops, conferences etc This account have been approved by The Migrant Empowerment Group board of trustees on the 14 August 2024 Miss Alvine Dongmo-Noumey ( Board Chair) ## **THE INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE MIGRANT EMPOWERMENT GROUP.** I report on the financial Statements and the accompanying notes of the charity for the year ended 31st December 2023 ## **THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEES AND EXAMINER** The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements. The charity’s trustee considers that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to: 1. Examine the financial statements under section 145 of the 2011 Act; 2. Follow the procedures laid down in the general directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and 3. State whether particular matters have come to my attention This report, including my statement, has been prepared for and only for the charity's trustee as a body. My work has been undertaken so that I might state to the charity's trustee those matters I am required to state to them in an independent examiner's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity's trustee as a body for my examination work, for this report, or for the statements I have made. ## **BASIS OF INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT** My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison with the financial statements presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements and seeking explanation from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the financial statements presents a "true and fair view" and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S STATEMENT** In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention: 1. Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements To keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and To prepare financial statements which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met; or To which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached. Kenneth Mensah (MSc) 1 Dulverton Grove, LS11 0LD, Leeds. 22 August 2024