sainted roots 2020 Annual Report ## **Contents** Executive Summary Page 3 Who We Are Page 4 Timeline Page 5-6 Vision, Mission & Values Page 7 The Sainted Roots Model Page 8 - 9 Structure Page 10 Governance & Management Page 11 Impact Since Inception Page 12 Financial Review Page 13-14 Meet The Team Page 15 -16 2 ## **Executive Summary** With a population of nearly 14.9 million (2020, World Bank), Zimbabwe is a country that has suffered through it’s 40+ years of existence. Extreme poor reached 7.9 million in 2020, a staggering 49% of the population. With 90% of those living on less than $1.90 per day residing in rural areas. Why is the situation so dire? Zimbabweans have lived through bush wars that led to its independence from United Kingdom in 1980. Robert Mugabe the first President of the newly risen country, initially ushered in economic success. By the early 90s the once blooming economy began to fail causing unrest and distrust amongst the people. With rising opposition party MDC, pressure grew on Mugabe from war veterans who demanded land reforms to battle the 1930 Land Apportionment Act. This act restricted black men and women’s access to land ownership, forcing them into waged labour. Land was owned mainly by white farmers, decedents of early European settlers who started to arrive in 1830. In 2000 Mugabe seized 50% of white owned farms as part of his land reforms, distributing the land amongst ministers and war veterans. The land was under-utilised due to lack of knowledge, skills or appetite for the industry. This had devastating affects on the economy because agriculture was its key driver. The global economic crash in 2008 sealed Zimbabwe’s future with hyper inflating rates disrupting the lives of its people. Today rural communities are impacted by the wounds of the past, the continuing economic crisis and the onset of climate change. Sainted Roots was built with just one vision, to raise up rural communities using their own steam. There is so much opportunity in agriculture and we hope that we will encourage villagers to negotiate the use of communal land, as a driver of change within their communities. ## **Who We Are** ## **We are champions for rural communities, starting with Zimbabwe** Sainted Roots is a group of individuals who are invested in the vision of helping rural communities to develop themselves. Our light was sparked through the work of our founding fathers Sekuru (Grandad in Shona) Basil and Sekuru Luke. They used all of the resources available to them to support the local community through hard times. Sekuru Basil was a great leader of the St Francis Community in Makoni Zimbabwe, as a successor to his father’s work, Sekuru Francis, he was responsible both for the material and spiritual life of the community. His leadership brought hope to the community and encouraged enthusiastic labour of the sisters and the villagers who undertook enterprise after enterprise. They made bricks, grew crops and tended cattle. They opened multiple stores, creating a model community who welcomed all who were lucky to visit. Tragically Sekuru Basil’s work came to an abrupt end in March1977 when he was killed by unknown men. Sekuru Luke held a prominent role in the community of Gwidza / Chipesa now known as Shenayeguta. He used his land to nurture a beautiful orchard which bore great fruit, encouraging his community to not just eat the fruit, but use the seed to grow their own. He spent 6 years in the UK and was inspired by the health and social systems. He made the decision to use his homestead and land to improve the live of the villagers. Sekuru Luke passed away in December 2000 leaving a legacy that his Daughter Faith was keen to fulfil. After retiring from a career spanning the NHS, financial management and entrepreneurism, Faith decided in Jan 2015 to build on the legacy of these 2 great men. With the support of her 2 daughters they sought to develop the Sainted Roots development model. Focused on the spirit of community self development and individual leadership. Faith initiated the first farming project in Shenayeguta village in Nov 2015, encouraged by her father’s drive to support the community, she used the 5 hectres he left to his family to grow a large maize crop. The experiences of this initial farming project became the catalyst for the Sainted Roots model. The energy of hope and excitement of opportunity flowed through the community with individuals from the village and beyond playing their role during farming days; cooking for the 40+ workers, ploughing the landing, weeding as well as harvesting and bagging. The beautiful synergy of the community was otherworldly, with much needed rains falling unexpectedly, helping to grow a bumper harvest of 5.5 tonnes of Maize. 50% of the maize crop was divided amongst the villagers with the rest being sold on to generate income for Sainted Roots. This income was invested back into the children, with Sainted Roots initially funding school fees for 103 primary school places. Over the years we have developed the model so we can apply it to any rural community, this has enabled our work to expand into 2 additional villages in 2020. We are now operating in Shenayeguta, Njanike and Murewa. We continue to define our capacity building activities with the goal of removing these communities reliance on aid, supporting them to lead their own change. 4 ## **Timeline** **----- Start of picture text -----**
2015
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Sainted Roots is Born
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Sainted Roots starts farming project in Shenayeguta using our grandfathers land of 5 hectares (12 acres). Our first farming project produces 5.5 tonnes of maize and creates seasonal employment opportunities impacting 200 people from Shenayeguta and 10 surrounding villages. The synergy created through community cooperation lays the foundations for the development of the Sainted Roots Model. **----- Start of picture text -----**
Sainted Roots Invests Back
Into the Community
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2016
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Sainted Roots Donates 50% of it’s produce from the 2015 farming season to Shenyaeguta and the rest is sold helping to produce an income of $10,000. Sainted Roots funds 103 school places for children aged 5 - 11 from the proceeds made from it’s first farming project (including 35 Aids Orphans) who all attend the local primary school, Chingono. **----- Start of picture text -----**
2017
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**Sainted Roots Turns It’s Focus On Biodiversity And Starts Budding Fruit Trees** Sainted Roots’ payment of school fees for 113 primary school places, impacts 503 children from surrounding villages leading to increased attendance and improved moral of parents. 100 people from 6 villages attend Government field day initiative hosted by Sainted Roots, helping to improve local farming methods and providing inspiration for individuals to support and sustain themselves and their families using the land available to them. 250 fruit trees budded and donated to the local primary school and 1 per household with an aim to get the villagers to start thinking long term. They may not benefit from the fruits, but their children and children’s children will. ## **Sainted Roots Continues To Define It’s Capacity Building Programmes** **----- Start of picture text -----**
2018
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Nearly USD20,000 invested in sustainable farming programmes over the past 3 years, generating an income of USD30,000 from the selling of 30 tonnes of produce farmed and harvested. Proceeds reinvested into the community including the payment of school fees. Farming education initiatives and the work of Sainted Roots inspires villagers leading them to grow their own food to sustain themselves and their families. 40% of villagers surveyed were reported to have access to 3 meals per day & further 54% had access to at least 2 meals per day. Guidance from Sainted Roots leads to the improved overall health of 20 people living with aids. 11 part time roles recruited to support the delivery of Sainted Roots work. Through our Architecture and Infrastructure initiative Sainted Roots inspires community to lead their own household improvements including digging artesian wells, creation of a drainage systems that channel dish washing water to crops, hygienic pit latrines and innovative hand washing stations. 5 2019 ## **Timeline** ## **Sainted Roots makes it official and registers with the UK Charity Commission** Sainted Roots officially registers as a charitable incorporated organisation with the UK Charity Commission; 1184408. Sainted Roots assists in the distribution of seeds donated by the government, ensuring access to the hardest hit families through a needs assessment. Cyclone Idai has a major impact on harvest with many crops washed away during its powerful reign over southeast Africa. Climate change also impacts crops with Soya beans suffering heat damage prior to Cyclone Idai’s arrival. A small harvest of sugar beans, soya beans and maize is saved in storage for distribution to villagers during hard times. 10 litre of oil is also produced from sunflower seeds grown and stored. With support from our volunteer Sustainable Tourism Advisor, Sainted Roots trials a series of village engagement activities during a field trip. These activities include interviews with prominent village members, survey of school community members and focus group discussions for young men, women, teenagers and village elders. This visit allows Sainted Roots to develop tools to help us understand the communities we work in better from their pain points to their dreams and vision for where they live. We further our biodiversity ambitions through a partnership with Nyanga Experimental Centre who train our Shenayeguta Farming Project Supervisor in tree grafting. Sainted Roots donates $300 to the research centre who help to graft 500 fruit tree saplings. **Sainted Roots Strengthens It’s Operations, through process development and implementation.** **----- Start of picture text -----**
2020
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Sainted Roots strengthens its operations with the implementation of a more robust financial system underpinned by an investment in an accounting software. Arrival of COVID 19 further impacts Sainted Roots operations. Social distancing measures are introduced during meetings and a contract is awarded to a local seamstress to support with the fulfilment of Sainted Roots’ donation of masks and hand sanitiser to the local community. Implementation of video conferencing system to support with meetings during global lock downs provides opportunity for Sainted Roots to connect with a wider leadership team. This leads to the establishment of UK and Zimbabwe leadership boards made up of 3 trustees, 9 experienced volunteer advisors and 4 employees. Focus on growing and harvesting more nutritious produce leads to a harvest of 24 x 50 kg bags of rapoko (1.2 tonnes). The small grain is a key staple food with a higher nutritional content in comparison to the traditional and popular maize. Income from the harvest is invested into the payment of school fees. An improved harvest of sunflowers produces 100L of cooking oil a year on year increase of 9,900%. Sainted Roots’ work in Shenayeguta over the past 5 years inspires new communities who want to get involved in our work. We expand into 2 villages in the surrounding area, Njanike and Murewa. Njanike is gifted 10 hectares of land by their village headman to start their first farming season with the support of Sainted Roots, Unfortunately we only have enough inputs to farm 2 hectares. Organisation restructure leads to the recruitment of part time Rural Farming Projects Manger who is tasked with supporting all 3 villages through their farming seasons. 6 ## **Vision, Mission & Values** ## **Mission** Supporting Rural Developing Communities to lead change. We’re on a mission to remove rural communities reliance on aid and short-term handouts, helping them to set long term goals for their development. ## **Vision** Raise Up The Living Standards Of Rural Developing Communities. Our vision is to see thriving rural communities around the world sustainably using their resources for the benefit of all. ## **Core Values** Continuing a family legacy - ♥ **‘Uburidom’ The Spirit of Interdependence** - Harness the power of synergy through everyone working together for a collective good. - ♥ **Be Of Service** - Live simply and simply live with a full heart, enriched by honest service, love and sacrifice (St Francis of Assisi). - ♥ **Be Independent** - Help yourself and help others to help themselves as aid can lead to disempowerment and dependency. - ♥ **Think Long Term** - Do not eat the seeds of the fruit, instead plant them and grow your own orchard. - ♥ **Be Good To The Earth** - Protect and nurture natural resources and wildlife. 7 ## **The Sainted Roots Model** Sainted Roots is a community-led, social enterprise. We generate income from our capacity building programmes driven through agriculture. This income is invested back into the community that generates it. We agree to support the communities who show proactiveness and willingness to put in the effort to get the results desired. Each community is led by their selected village committee, whose role is to represent their views helping to target our support. It’s also the job of the committee to lead and encourage others in their community to get involved in Sainted Roots’ work. The committee sets the objectives for the village within the framework of our programmes. Defining what they would like to achieve as well as ensuring the fair distribution of resources including any income generated through communal activities. The term ‘ubiridom’ coined by JD Masukume; is focused on the creation of an ecosystem where everyone and everything works together in unison for individual fulfilment and for the greater good. This ideology is the key to how we operate, we want to empower our villagers to help themselves and their community to thrive. Using this ideology we have developed a multi year ‘Village Engagement Model’, which aims to grow our villagers through the maturity continuum, from dependence, to independence to interdependence. As inspired by Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Our goal for 2022 is to have a clear theory of change defined to further enhance our work. The Farming Season is not just about growing produce it’s a time where the community comes together. Everyone has a role to play whether its to support the community’s farming effort or tend to their own individual plots. A healthy community is made up of individuals who support each other with ploughing, sowing and harvesting. It’s this spirit that bought Sainted Roots into fruition and it’s this spirit that empowers a community to change. 8 ## **The Sainted Roots Model** Year 2 Year 1 ## **Initial Community Engagement;** ## **Sainted Roots Investment In Shared Community Projects;** Focused on educating the community to understand the new development model that moves away from aid handouts We have identified key communal projects that Sainted Roots will deliver in each rural community. These projects are focused on economic empowerment, improving nutrition and building the future for the next generations. These include; ## **Community Self-Assessment;** Empowering the community to identify what their needs are and how with the support of Sainted Roots they can kick off projects - i. Using communal lands to produce cash & stable ## **Establishing Community Leaders;** food crops In order for projects to be successful we need to engage individuals who are respected & rooted within the community. It’s the Village Committee's role to encourage, lead and drive these community projects forward so they become sustainable and long term. - ii. Growing and planting fruit and indigenous trees - iii. Creating a shared community space for meetings and community - events - iv. Improving community access to clean water for irrigation & household use ## **Committee Defines SMART Goals;** The community defines goals based on what they would like to achieve supported through the framework that our capacity building programmes provide. - v. Ensuring Animal Welfare Year 3 - 4 ## **Encouraging Individual Projects, through Community Champions;** Sainted Roots supports individuals who show ambition by setting up their own projects. We provide specialised support to help increase their capacity. We also encourage empowered individuals to become community champions, sharing knowledge and encouraging others to establish their own projects. ## **Community Based Continuous Improvement;** We provide knowledge & skills to create a culture within the village to assess, monitor and evaluate projects. Highlighting what changes are required to improve upon what has already been achieved. ## Year 5 ## **Village Interdependence;** By year 5, the villagers have gained enough knowledge to be able to independently lead themselves and work together for the greater good of their community. We begin to wind down our capacity building programmes, providing assistance as directed by the community. ## **Exit Strategy Development** Through careful analysis of data retained as the community develops we begin to make plans for our exit strategy. Year 6 -7 ## **Our Exit From The Community** Over this period we support the community through a series of self assessments which will help us to understand how ready they are for independence. The self assessments are also a tool for the community to gage their own independence. ## **The Beginning Of A New Era** We develop a new agreement which includes opportunities for support on major projects in the future to help raise their ambitions. This support however has caveats as we expect the community to continue growing without our support. Year 7+ ## **We Support Specialised Projects** Sainted Roots support is handsfree. With selected support for specialised project to help enable the continued growth of the villager’s ambitions. ## **We Facilitate The Building Of A Network Of Rural Communities.** Interdependence is key for continued growth so we also encourage the villagers to support surrounding areas. Sharing knowledge and skills with their neighbours. Building a network of rural communities working together in synergy will enable long lasting development. Helping to expand the opportunities available to individuals, raising hopes and enlarging dreams. 9 ## **Funding & Resources** ## **Structure** **----- Start of picture text -----**
The SR Model Execute,
Define, Review monitor &
Sainted Roots & Improve Feedback
Community-Led System Zimbabwe
UK Registration
Past, Present & Future Registration: TBD
CIO: 1184408
Income Streams
SR Global Board Village Committee Zimbabwe Board
Donations
Trustees & Advisors Representatives from the village Advisors & Committee
Members
Localise, prioritise
and Feedback
SR Rural Team Selling
Part Time Employees Produce
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Support rural communities to generate Sustainable Farming income, feed themselves and store excess for hard times (Matura amambo) Prevent desertification whilst preserving Biodiversity local flora through education and planting of fruit and indigenous trees. Personal Unleash individual & community power Growth through lifelong education. Lobby, facilitate and encourage the Architecture building and maintenance of & Infrastructure community assets Preserve oral and local history. Culture Find viable markets for creative crafts. Introduce the concept of sustainable Tourism Introduce the concept of sustainable tourism to viable communities. 10 ## **Governance & Management** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Define, Review &
Sainted Roots Improve
Global
Reg CIO: 1184408
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Trustee & SR Agreements **SR Board** 3 x Trustees and 4 x Volunteer Advisors. - Oversee the development and execution of the model ensuring any changes made align with SR’s founding core values. - Oversee the spiritual and financial growth of Sainted Roots as a global organisation. - Ensure SR’s core values are embedded throughout the organisation’s systems and operations. - Drive forward SR’s Vision and mission - Oversee the safeguarding of employees, volunteers and beneficiaries ## Trustee’s Legal Obligation - Act in your charity’s best interests. - Manage charity resources responsibly. - Act with reasonable care and skill. **----- Start of picture text -----**
The SR Model
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Execute, monitor & Feedback **Sainted Roots Zimbabwe Registration: TBD** Community-Led System Past, Present & Future - **SR Board** - 5 x Volunteer Advisors & 4 x - Members (From Rural Team) Localise, prioritise and Feedback ## **SR Rural Team** - **Village Committee** - 3 x Village Committee - representing the views of their village. Village MOU & Individual Agreements 8 x Employees - Oversee the execution of the model ensuring it aligns with SR’s core values. - Localise the model respecting SR’s core values. - Ensure compliance of both organisational and legal requirements. - Oversee programme prioritisation and planning (including objective setting). - Oversee effective management of resources ensuring the financial health of country operations. - Oversee effective management of shared resources, including; - ⁻ Funding - Closely manage unintended consequences of local adoption. - ⁻ Communal resources & income - ⁻ Natural resources - Drive forward SR’s vision and mission. - Communicate and closely manage unintended consequences of local adoption. - Oversee the safeguarding of employees, volunteers and beneficiaries. - Drive forward SR’s vision and mission. - Oversee the safeguarding of the most vulnerable in the community. SR Agreements 11 ## **Impact Since Inception** School Fees Funded For 113 Children (including 35 orphans), supporting the education provision of 503 children from surrounding villages Improvement in health of 20 adults living with HIV 3 Villages immersed in the Sainted Roots development model $20,000 income generated and invested back into the community 40% of villagers surveyed were reported to have access to 3 meals per day & further 54% had access to at least 2 meals per day 15 Hectares of communal land donated to support our work 300+ Adults impacted through our work $30,000 Donated to SR programmes and invested in rural communities 11 part time jobs created to support our work 35 Tonnes of produce grown 750 Trees budded & grafted 12 ## **Finance Review** ## **Charity Commission Report** ## Sainted Roots - 1184408 Statement Of Financial Activities For The Period 15 July 2019 To 31 December 2020 |||**Currency GBP**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted Funds**
**Endowment**
**Funds**
**Total Funds**|**Currency GBP**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted Funds**
**Endowment**
**Funds**
**Total Funds**| |---|---|---|---| |**Net Income / (Expenditure)**|||| ||**Income**||| |||**Donations & Legacies**|| |||Donations and Gifts
**Charitable Activities**|11,120.12
200.00
0.00
**11,320.12**| |||Sale of Charitable
Goods & Services|338.87
0.00
0.00
338.87| ||**Total Income**||**11,458.99**
**200.00**
**0.00**
**11,658.99**| ||**Expenditure**||| |||**Charitable Activities**|| |||Delivery of
Charitable Goods
and Services|(9,001.92)
0.00
0.00
(9,001.92)| |||Cost of volunteering
Activities|
(668.51)
0.00
0.00
(668.51)| |||Governance Costs|(694.60)
0.00
0.00
(694.60)| |||**Total Charitable**
**Activities**
**Other**|**(10,365.03)**
**0.00**
**0.00**
(10,365.03)| |||IT Software|0.00
(181.58)
0.00
(181.58)| |||Other (S11_100)|(607.00)
0.00
0.00
(607.00)| |||**Total Other**|**(607.00)**
**(181.58)**
**0.00**
(788.58)| ||**Total Expenditure**||**10,972.03**
**181.58**
**0.00**
11,153.61| |**Total Net Income / (Expenditure)**|||**486.96**
**18.42**
**0.00**
**505.38**| 13 **----- Start of picture text -----**
% Spend by Function or Programme
Income by Classification
2%
8% 7%
IT
18%
Operations
Restricted Income Funds People
Unrestricted Income Funds Personal Growth
2%
Sustainable Farming
Tourism
63%
Donations and Gifts Sale of Charitable Goods
& Services
Spend by Function or Programme (£)
£6,655
£1,889
£863
£701
£182 £258
IT Operations People Personal Growth Sustainable Farming Tourism
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## **Finance Review** **----- Start of picture text -----**
£12,000
£10,000
£8,000
£6,000
Restricted Income Funds
Unrestricted Income Funds
£4,000
£2,000
£0
Donations and Gifts Sale of Charitable Goods
& Services
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14 ## **Meet The Team** ## **Trustees** Ms. Faith Nyabadza-St Francis (FNS) Chairperson Overseeing and organising programs on the ground. Developing structure and capacity building programmes Ms Tendy St Francis (TS) Secretary Accounting, Operational procedures, Architecture Program, Governance and Reporting Ms Chi St Francis (CS) ## Treasurer Accounting, Operations & IT, Programme Development, Digital marketing, Fundraising, Governance & Reporting ## **UK Board Advisors** ## **Zimbabwe Board Advisors** Mr Simon Matsvai Sustainable Farming Programme Advisor Ms Rumbidzai Chijiri Personal Growth & Education Programme Advisor ## Mrs. Mercy Hatendi (MH) Safeguarding-training strategies, Operational Procedures and Governance. ## Mr David Nyamurera (DN) Operational procedures, programme development and registration Ms Ruth Tapfumaneyi Entrepreneurism Advisor Ms Christina Adetiba (CA) Operational procedures, Governance and Reporting Mrs. Tsitsi Masukume (TM) Safeguarding advisor. Ms. Tamuka Chitemere (TC) General Guidance Mrs. Annette Mashingaidze (AM) General Guidance 15 ## **Meet The Team** ## **Sainted Roots Rural Team** Mr Stanley Makoni Rural Framing Projects Manager Mr Enoch Chibika Shenayeguta Farming Projects Supervisor Tree Grafting & Budding Mr Enock Marara Tree Projects Manager ## **SR Volunteers and Interns** Ms Alexa Cancio (AC) Volunteer Tourism Advisor Mr Muhamed Ishtiaq (MI) Volunteer Digital Media Coordinator Miss Chantelle Shaw (CAS) Data Analyst Intern ## **SR Support Team** Mr Christopher Ngoshi PA to Chairperson Zimbabwe accounting and admin Mrs Amaria Masukume PA to Chairperson Project support and recording ## **SR Shenayaguta Consultants and Support** Mr Enock Nyabadza Assistant Shenayeguta Farming Project Supervisor Mrs Melodious Gudoricharima Homestead Maintenance and Hospitality Supervisor Mrs Mashaya Agriculture Specialist Mrs Enock Nyabadza Project support - on standby ## **SR Shenayaguta Support** Miss Rumbidzai Nyabadza Homestead Maintenance and Hospitality Assistant Mrs Mery Matindini (Mai Love) Project Care of the elderly, Broadcast and feedback, Community Coordination and Health Secretary Mr Tendayi Odd jobs as needed Mr Bismark Odd Jobs as needed Mrs Chipo Nyabadza (Mai Tapi) Project Care of the elderly, Broadcast and feedback, Community Coordination and Health Secretary 16 God said, “Behold I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food.” Genesis 1:29 17