# **2023** ## **YAKUM ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS** ## **YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023** CONTENTS PAGE |Chairman’s Report|1| |---|---| |Trustees’ Annual Report|2| |Independent Examiner’s Report|5| |Financial Review|6| |Statement of Financial Activities|7| |Balance Sheet|8| |Notes on the Financial Statements|9| ## CHAIRMAN’S ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 ## CHAIRMAN’S REPORT In 2023 global temperatures broke records, Chat GPT and other AI tools revolutionized the workplace and conflicts in Palestine and Ukraine caused uproar across the world. Meanwhile in Ecuador, 2023 began with the assassination of Eduardo Mendua, the leader of the A´I Kofán nation, whilst he harvested plantain in his forest garden– a demonstration that global corporate interests pose a very real threat to indigenous sovereignty and forest conservation. Later, the Siekopai won a legal case to regain their ancestral homelands at the Peruvian border, which they left during the Peru-Ecuador border conflict and was given to the Kichwa when the conflict settled down. This is a huge victory for all Indigenous nations, to show that they can win their land back. YAKUM has been travelling to these Siekopai ancestral homelands now since 2022 to collect lost heirloom fruit tree seeds not found in Ecuador and has planted thousands of trees of these important cultural foods in their Ecuadorian territory. We have built a payment system and stakeholder group which will support an eco-cultural credits initiative to create conservation & culture-based income for the Siekopai in 2024, in coordination with their national government. We are carrying out interviews with elders, in the Siekopai, Kofán and Kichwa areas, to understand the food culture there and organise our tree planting work so that the plantations grow back foods and medicines lost in the past and have organized events and workshops to celebrate and share traditional foods and process them to develop new products. Our team retreats have different Indigenous nations together to discuss culture, forest conservation, traditional food and how YAKUM can support these initiatives in Ecuador. YAKUM consolidated its work in 2023 more than ever before. We have a talented, diverse, and committed team in Ecuador, including 3 consolidated project teams managing different projects. Our team have planted almost 80,000 trees to date over 150 hectares, with 250 Indigenous families benefitting from new fruit trees on their land. Our team received groups from Cornell and IKIAM university, who completed their internships here and generated important research for YAKUM. We now have our own office in Tena, and the search has begun for land for YAKUM to develop its own model Food Forest and Seed Bank, where we will plant the highestpriority Amazonian food producing and medicinal trees. This will grow seeds on-site for YAKUM´s projects, house our office and nursery, and provide a place where we can experiment with techniques to increase productivity and develop products to stimulate local income. We now have a dedicated project in the Kofán area, a flagship project with Bos+ to reforest an area on the edge of Siekopai territory deforested by land grabbers, and projects begin in 2024 to document traditional Amazonian foods and recipes with tree-based products from our projects. With new digital tools we can carry out data-driven work too – we have an app with which to inventory tree planting plots in the field, an interactive map showing all planting areas, an interface to analyse tree planting data, an accounting report system and databases of Amazonian trees and nutritional properties of Amazonian food plants. Outside Ecuador, our board has been building a community of supporters through presentations and events at Wang´s restaurant in Bristol, the Peace & Love Festival in Kidderminster, the Kew Society in London, and the Explorers Club in New York. Our Director Nick Ovenden´s award as EC50 “50 People Changing the World which the World Needs to Know About” is testimony to the growing reputation of our work and the community forming around it in the US and the UK. 1 TRUSTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 ## **Objects and Activities** Summary of objects of the charity set out in its governing document. The mission and objectives of the CIO are: - Our Mission - Regenerating Amazonian rainforests, foods and cultures with indigenous communities. - Community initiatives - Identifying and supporting informed community-led initiatives. - Tree Planting - Selecting & planting the most useful, nutritious or medicinal tree species and varieties with community partners. - Growing food forests - Establishing, caring for and monitoring trees to maturity. - Food sovereignty - Celebrating, harvesting, processing and selling Amazon superfoods. Summary of the main activities in relation to these objectives - Reforestation of indigenous territories with important trees producing important medicines, foods and materials, which benefit the community directly through ecosystem services, improved access to food, improved nutrition and health, reinforcing cultural knowledge and identity, and providing livelihood. - Mapping territories improves forest management and provides communities with insight into economic, educational and cultural opportunities which contribute to conservation. - Workshops based around soil improvement, to improve food production and sequester carbon. - Workshops and follow-up on processing food provides a way for Amazonians to conserve their foods out of their short fruit seasons (Amazonian climate makes food rot incredibly fast and outside of fruit season there is little access to important vitamins) and provides alternative livelihoods. The trustees confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity’s aims and objectives and in planning future activities. Policy on Social Investment. We do not make cash investments, although we consider our field work to be a considerable investment in community development and forest conservation. ## Contribution made by volunteers. Volunteers in Ecuador attending work “minga” days to help bagging up saplings and planting trees in Napo province. Volunteers in Indigenous communities helping to conduct and monitor reforestation in their territory, support from them to accommodate our staff during visits. Volunteer support in communications and artwork from UK and Spanish friends. Some in-person medium-term volunteers have participated in diverse activities. 2 TRUSTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charityname|YAKUM| |---|---| |Registered charitynumber|1186064| |Charity’s principal address|2 BARKER CLOSE
RICHMOND
TW9 4ET| |Bank|The Co-operative Bank
6th Floor,
1 Balloon Street,
Manchester M60 4EP| |Independent Examiner|Best4Business
44-45 Beaufort Court
Admirals Way
London
E14 9XL| ## **Trustees** Alexander McFarlane-Watts Georgina White Zygmunt de Goris Jedrzejowski ## **Corporate trustees** Director name: Nicholas Ovenden ## **Structure, Governance and Management** Description of charity’s trusts: Foundation Charitable Incorporated Organisation (“CIO”) Type of governing document: Constitution of a Charitable Incorporated Organisation who’s only voting members are its Charity Trustees Charity constitution: CIO Trustee selection methods: Personal search and recommendation ## **Trustee selection policies and procedures.** - Apart from the first Charity Trustees, every Trustee must be appointed by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the Charity Trustees. - In selecting individuals for appointment as Charity Trustees, the Charity Trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO. 3 TRUSTEE’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 ## **Risk Management** The Trustees updated the risk assessment during the year and continue to monitor identified risks and seek appropriate mitigations. The Trustees believe that systems are in place to mitigate the most significant risks. ## **Policy for Induction and Training of Trustees** New Trustees are taken through an induction process by the Chairman or another Trustee. Information for new Trustees is contained in an Induction Pack containing relevant policy documents. Trustees have access to courses and seminars relevant to their positions and have peer support through regular meetings. ## **Trustees’ Responsibilities in Relation to the Financial Statements** The charity Trustees are responsible for preparing a Trustees' annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards. Company law requires the charity Trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to: - select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently. - observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP. - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent. - state whether applicable UK accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements. - prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business. The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. Statement as to disclosure to our Independent Examiners As far as the Trustees are aware at the time of approving our Trustees’ annual report: - there is no relevant information, being information needed by the auditor in connection with preparing their report, of which the company’s external examiner is unaware, and - The Trustees, having made enquiries of fellow Trustees, have each taken all steps that he/she is obliged to take as a Trustee to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the examiner is aware of that information. By Order or the Board of Trustees Alexander McFarlaneWatts Chair Dated 2[nd] April 2024 4 IRdoendeAt Exaymners R¢ortfvr tbejear ended 3 lJt December 2023 To the Tru8tee8 ofYAIaJM I report on the accotststs of the chatitable tDJsi. Y.4KUNI (reg. no.: I186[￿4} Eor the ye8r ended IL Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner .Is tbe chatity $ TtU5teesy FOU ate tespon5iblc for the prcparation of th¢ accounts. You c005id¢r that ¥n audit is not wuired for the vear ended under section 144 of tbe chatities.lct 2011 (tht"Acrf). 2nd that an independtht exatilitiation u needed. Ii is rny r¢sponsibi]iry to.. il examjne the ac£ounts (under section 145 of the Act). Ail to ftsllow the prOCed￿e5 1Aid down in the Genet3] Direttions given by the Charity CommE$sion {und2r settion 14_51I(bl oEthe.Ictl. and iiil to state whether particu]at matters have come to m}, atrent50n. Basis of independent examiner's statement li, exwnin3tion ￿￿$ carried our in ac¢ordgJ)ce ￿￿[h the Charities Act 2011. An exam￿110￿ indude5 of the accounting record$ kept by the chaxiry and a comparison of the *ccounts pre5ent¢dTAryth those cords. It also indudes con¥(krotion of 0Thy UAusuAI items or (hsd05ures in the ￿￿Oll￿t5 *ttd seekmg ]wlions from twstees concernjng any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not PTowde all the evideDce that would be required in xtt audit, 2nd consequentlF no opinion is given As to whether the Accounts piesent 2'true and fait view. 2nd the report ts l￿DIt¢d to those matiers set out in the 5tatemeni below. Independent examinet's statement In the course of My exammation, no matter has corne to IIIY 8tt¢ntion (other tb2A thAt disclosed below).. wkn'ch gives me te250AAble cause to belleve th21 in. any mattn2] respect. the reqwTements'. to keep pwer accounung record5 IA Acwrdsnce with section 130 of the.Ict,' and io prepare accounts V￿Ch accord Hryth the accowi)n8 records 2nd comply with the accounting Icqtix[¢￿cnt5 of the,4ct have not been mer., or ii) to whi&, ia m} opinion. attention should be drawn in to enable * proper undetstandl￿ of the accounts io bc rcached. ,J Ocl, The AssociatiOA of Charrered Certified.4ccountantS On behalf oEBest4bu8xtitts.Itcoutttatxts & Co. Ltd. 4Ui Be2uforr Court Admtyals Way IK)ndon E14 9XL Date.. 21st May 2024 FINANCIAL REVIEW FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 ## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** Another year of incredible progress in 2023. Thanks to our partners we generated over £250,000 to fund our communities through grants and donations, an increase of 66% over the previous year. In 2024 we are looking to maintain the level of fundraising to allow us to maintain our impact. Combined UK and Ecuador income was £255,420. The increase was achieved by the acquisition of reputable major donors who will continue to support Yakum in the future. There were also substantial private donations which contributed so much to Yakum’s survival in previous years and to continued progress in 2023. ## **Income** To avoid double currency conversions and costs donations received in currencies other than GBP are routed directly to Ecuador where possible. Funds transferred directly to Ecuador are not included in Income in the UK accounts. |**Income received in the year**
**UK**
1.UK Income
**Ecuador**
2. Ecuador Income excl. UK transfers
_3. Funds transferred to Ecuador from UK_
_were recognized as_
Total funds in Ecuador
**Total Yakum Income (1 + 2)**|**GBP**
**USD**
**2023**
**2022**
**2023**
**2022**| |---|---| ||**£66,630**
**£28,796**
**$82,881**
**$ 35,597**| ||**£188,790**
**£118,674**
**$234,836**
**$ 146,704**
_£45,244_
_£38,403_
_$55,869_
_$ 47,474_| ||£234,034
£157,077
$290,705
$194,178| ||| ||**£255,420**
**£185,873**
**$317,717**
**$ 229,775**| ## **Reserves** UK reserves at the end of 2023 were £13,154. Additionally, in early 2024 we will receive a gift aid payment of over £2,300 which, when added to reserves, will cover costs for 18 months which the trustees consider to be more than adequate. Ecuador reserves were $88,834 (£69,783) of which $56,474 (£44,363) was allocated to projects(restricted). Ecuador unrestricted reserves were $32,360 (£25,420) which we hope to increase to cover 6 months fixed costs as soon as we can raise core funding. 6 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 ## **Income and expenditure** |**Note**
**Incoming**
**Resources**
Donations
1
**Total income**
**Expenditure**
Donation to Yakum
Ecuador
2
Release of Restricted
funds
3
Cost of charitable activities
Annual report
Professional fees
Travel
Service Fees
Fundraising
4
Insurance
Licenses and Internet
**Total expenditure**
**Net movement in**
**funds for the year**
Funds brought forward
1st January
**Funds carried forward**
**31st December**|**2023**
**2022**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Unrestricted**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**Total**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
62,630
4,000
66,630
14,096
14,700
28,796| |---|---| ||**62,630**
**4,000**
**66,630**
**14,096**
**14,700**
**28,796**| ||41,244
4,000
45,244
13,934
27,831
41,765
- 2,078
2,078
525
525
500
500
598
-
598
480
-
480
1,485
-
1,485
1,387
-
1,387
134
-
134
84
-
84
5,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,568
-
2,568
2,964
-
2,964| ||**49,476**
**6,078**
**55,554**
**19,349**
**27,831**
**47,180**| ||**13,154**
**- 2,078**
**11,076**
**- 5,253**
**- 13,131**
**- 18,384**
- 0
2,078
2,078
5,253
15,209
20,462| ||**13,154**
**- 0**
**13,154**
**- 0**
**2,078**
**2,078**| 7 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 |**Balance Sheet**
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Debtors
Cash at Bank
Total Current Assets
**CURRENT LIABILITIES**
Creditors- amounts falling due within 1 year
Accruals
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**TOTAL NET ASSETS**
Represented by:
**Unrestricted funds**
**Restricted funds**|**Note**
5
6
7
8||**£**
34
14,423|**£**
34
14,423|**2023**
**£**
**13,154**|**2023**
**£**
**13,154**||**£**
0
4,254|**2022**
**£**|
**2,078**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||14,457
253
1,050|||||4,254
1,696
480||| |||||||||||| |||||1,303||||2,176||| |||||||**13,154**||||**2,078**| |||||||**13,154**
0||||2,078| |||||||**13,154**||||**2,078**| ## Z de Goris Jedrzejowski Treasurer 8 NOTES TO STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 1. **Donations received in the year** . **Donor Project Unrestricted Restricted** Drift 44939.12 HMRC Gift Aid 5181.68 Pam & Zygmunt de Goris 6650.00 Andrew Gould Peace and Love 1586.55 Itzhak Beery 1000.00 Jessica Savva Peace and Love 500.00 Lush 4000.00 Other 2772.28 62,629.63 4,000.00 66,629.63 Drift 20% of proceeds of sale of Schema a collaborative and generative NFT digital artwork in collaboration with Jeff Davis Pam & Zygmunt de Goris Personal donations from income to support Core Costs in UK and Ecuador Peace and Love Ticket Receipts and share of Bar takings Peace and Love Festival 2023 Lush Donations Follow up to spring prize 2021 ## **2. Donations Made** Donations were transferred to Fundación Yakum timed to maximize exchange rates where possible. ## **3. Release of Restricted Reserve** The £2,078 balance of restricted funds brought forward from 2022 was in respect of the Lush Spring prize. Cash was allocated in Ecuador such that this activity was funded in full and hence the restriction conditions have been met and the funds have been released in the UK accounts. ## **4. Fund Raising** The Not for Profit Group (NPG) have been commissioned to write proposals and research donors in the UK. Five projects have been submitted to NPG to be prepared and submitted. So far one proposal has been submitted to a donor and it is expected to progress the others in the first quarter of 2024. NPG offer a money back guarantee if donations raised are less than the £5,000 cost. 9 NOTES TO STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 ## **5. Cash at Bank** |**Cash at bank and in hand**
**Currency**
**Bank**
**Currency**
**amount**
Cooperative
GBP
13,393.69
Cashplus
GBP
84.14
Equals
USD
0.00
PayPal
GBP
944.70
**Total Cash at bank and in hand**|**GBP**
**amount**
13,393.69
84.14
0.00
944.70| |---|---| ||**14,422.53**| ## **6. Accruals** |Independent Examiner|550.00| |---|---| |Impact Report 2023|500.00| ## **7. Trustee Remuneration and benefits.** None of the trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from employment with the charity or a related entity. 10