Trustees Annual Report
For the Period: 1st January 2025 to 31st December 2025
Charity Name Gecko on the Move Charity Number 1188327
Objectives and Activities
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| Annual income | 2665 | |
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | To advance the education of school age children throughout the world, particularly, but not exclusively, in the subject of maths, by supporting teachers and by supplying educational resources such as maths manipulatives. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public beneft, in particular, the activities, projects or services identifed in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
During the year, (GOTM) continued to improve the quality of mathematics education for disadvantaged children by providing teacher training, educational resources and classroom support in Tanzania, Kenya and Zambia. A signifcant achievement was the establishment of a new project at Naserian School in Mto Wa Mbu, Tanzania, where we created a new operational base, trained teachers, recruited and mentored a local GOTM teacher, and expanded outreach to neighbouring Maasai schools. This investment has strengthened the long-term sustainability of our work through ongoing local leadership and professional development. In Kenya, we continued to support Cornerstone School by delivering classroom modelling, training newly appointed teachers in the efective use of maths resources, and reorganising teaching materials following the school's relocation. In Zambia, we returned to the Twende Learning Centre at the University Teaching Hospital, delivering practical mathematics activities for children receiving cancer and sickle cell treatment while providing hands-on training for hospital teachers to ensure the continuation of learning beyond our visits. Across all projects, the charity promoted inclusive, practical and child-centred approaches to mathematics, empowering teachers with sustainable teaching methods and improving educational opportunities for children from disadvantaged and vulnerable communities. |
| Statement confrming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public beneft |
Para 1.18 | All trustees are aware of the public guidance beneft and have read it. |
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| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | Contribution made by volunteers: 5 (not including trustees) on the ground in Tanzania, Kenya and Zambia Celi Harper volunteered at all projects in Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. Celi is the founder of GOTM and the coordinator on the projects. Dianne oversees our project at Cornerstone School in Kenya and serves as our primary contact on the ground. Her ongoing coordination, communication, and local knowledge are essential to the success and continuity of the project. (Dianne is locating back to Australia) Julie volunteered with Gecko on the Move in both Kenya at Cornerstone School and Zambia at the Cancer Hospital. She was instrumental in organising and cataloguing our mathematics resources, ensuring they were easily accessible for teachers and students. Julie also supported the delivery of mathematics lessons, working alongside local teachers to provide engaging, hands-on learning experiences. Russ and Trish, an experienced teaching couple from Australia, made a signifcant contribution during our project at Naserian School in Tanzania. Together, we organised and catalogued mathematics resources, built, painted, and established a dedicated resource storage room and staf room, creating an organised and welcoming learning environment for staf. They also worked alongside teachers to deliver mathematics lessons using practical, hands-on teaching approaches. In July and August, we were delighted to welcome Jenny, an Early Years specialist, back to Tanzania. Jenny's expertise was invaluable as she provided professional development for teachers on the importance of play-based and discovery learning in the Early Years. Her training demonstrated how meaningful play supports children's development not only in mathematics but across all areas of the curriculum. We were also joined by Theo, a teacher from the United Kingdom, who supported the project by assisting with mathematics lessons and our |
popular Friday Fun Day activities. His enthusiasm and commitment helped create engaging learning experiences that encouraged children to develop confidence, teamwork, and a love of learning. Future Volunteering Prospects The recruitment of international volunteers continues to be a growing challenge. Global economic pressures and the rising cost of travel have made it increasingly difficult for many individuals to commit to overseas volunteering opportunities. In response, we have expanded our volunteer recruitment efforts by registering with the Go Overseas Volunteer Network and GoVo . These platforms provide greater visibility to potential volunteers and are an important part of our strategy to reach new audiences. We also continue to promote our opportunities through social media. However, despite being a grassroots charity that offers low-cost volunteering opportunities, applications have remained lower than anticipated. We will continue to explore new partnerships and recruitment channels to ensure we can attract committed volunteers who share our mission and values.
Achievements and Performance
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| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the diference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its benefciaries and any wider benefts to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | Achievements and Performance The charity has achieved remarkable progress in advancing education and improving the circumstances of its benefciaries across Zambia, Tanzania, and Kenya. Below is an overview of its main accomplishments and the diference its eforts have made: Tanzania ●Established a new GOTM project and operational base at Naserian School in Mto Wa Mbu, supporting predominantly Maasai children. ●Delivered whole-school maths training for teachers, with ongoing mentoring provided for newly appointed staf. ●Recruited and trained a local GOTM teacher, Peter, ensuring year-round sustainability through fortnightly outreach, weekly professional development at SCIS International Scool, and classroom support. ●Expanded outreach to Maasai Boma School and continued support for Majengo Orphanage, with plans to extend to additional Maasai schools. |
● Improved the learning environment by creating a dedicated resource store, staffroom and organised maths resource system, making teaching materials easily accessible. ● Secured funding for essential school improvements, including handwashing facilities, classroom shelving, bag racks and staffroom furniture. ● Introduced hands-on, resource-based maths teaching, replacing traditional rote learning and improving children's engagement and conceptual understanding. ● Began developing a whole-school maths curriculum map and strengthened teachers' confidence through ongoing coaching and classroom modelling. ● Successfully completed a second follow-up visit within the year, providing continued professional development and reinforcing sustainable teaching practices. Kenya ● Continued support for Cornerstone School, delivering maths lessons from PP1 to Grade 4. ● Provided induction training for three newly appointed teachers to ensure effective use of maths resources. ● Reorganised, labelled and established accessible storage systems following the school's move to larger premises. ● Introduced differentiated group work and practical maths activities despite continued space limitations. ● Identified the need for stronger accountability around the use and maintenance of donated resources, with plans to introduce a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen future partnership expectations. Zambia ● Returned to Twende Learning Centre at the University Teaching Hospital after two years, delivering daily maths sessions in both the Cancer and Sickle Cell Units. ● Reached children of varying ages and abilities through small-group and one-to-one teaching, including bedside learning for children unable to leave their wards. ● Provided practical, on-the-job training for teachers, including newly appointed staff, ensuring continued use of hands-on maths teaching after the project ended. ● Equipped teachers and children with portable maths kits that supported learning in classrooms, isolation wards and hospital beds. ● Enabled children undergoing treatment to experience engaging educational activities that promoted confidence, enjoyment and a sense of normality during their hospital stay. ● Strengthened collaboration with hospital staff, teachers and caregivers to ensure educational support complemented each child's health and wellbeing.
Wider Benefits
The charity's work this year has:
● Expanded access to quality mathematics education by establishing a new project at Naserian School in Tanzania, increasing our reach to underserved Maasai communities. ● Strengthened the long-term sustainability of our programmes by recruiting and training a local GOTM teacher who will continue delivering classroom support, teacher mentoring and outreach throughout the year. ● Improved teaching practice through ongoing professional development, classroom coaching and the promotion of hands-on, child-centred approaches to mathematics. ● Increased access to quality learning resources by developing organised resource hubs and improving classroom environments, enabling teachers to use practical maths materials more effectively. ● Continued to support vulnerable children in hospitals in Zambia by providing engaging educational opportunities that promote confidence, wellbeing and a sense of normality during treatment. ● Built stronger partnerships with schools, local educators and community leaders, creating greater local ownership and increasing the capacity of schools to sustain improvements independently. ● Extended our impact beyond individual schools through outreach programmes, sharing effective teaching practices with neighbouring schools and communities. By investing in local teachers, strengthening educational partnerships and promoting sustainable, practical approaches to mathematics teaching, the charity continues to improve educational opportunities for disadvantaged children while building lasting capacity within the communities we serve.
| Financial Review | Financial Review | Financial Review |
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| SORP reference |
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| Review of the charity’s fnancial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | Financial Summary – 2025 Opening Balance ●Balance at the start of the 2025 fnancial year: £7,096.98 Income |
Total Income: £2,665.38
Donation Breakdown
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New Zealand: £2,516.00
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Australia: £44.00
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France: £105.38
Income by Category
Category Amount (£) Donations 2,665.38 Charitable Activities 0.00 Other Trading Activities 0.00 Investments 0.00 Other Income 0.00 Total Income 2,665.38
Expenditure
Total Expenditure: £4,577.00 On-the-Ground Project Costs – East Africa
Country Amount (£) Kenya 716.00 Tanzania 2,384.00 Zambia 614.00 Total East Africa Project Costs 3,714.00 * Tanzania expenditure includes £1,188* for the teacher's salary and transport costs.
UK Operational Costs
- United Kingdom: £843.00
Closing Balance
- Balance at the end of December 2025: £5,205.00
Payments to Tanzania
The salary for our teacher in Tanzania is paid via Remitly, which is linked directly to the charity's UK bank account.
| Funds are transferred using: ●Direct bank transfers. ●Other approved transfer methods where appropriate to ensure timely and secure delivery of funds. Money sent outside UK other than bank transfer- 1020 GBP |
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| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating **why they are held ** |
Para 1.22 | The charity maintains fnancial reserves to support the long-term sustainability and strategic growth of our programs in Tanzania. These reserves are intended to fund future projects and capacity-building initiatives throughout 2026 and beyond. Key priorities include employing full-time local staf to strengthen the delivery and oversight of our programs and establishing a permanent in-country coordinator. This role will provide leadership and management of all operations in Tanzania, including project implementation, staf supervision, building maintenance, resource management, volunteer coordination, and community partnerships. The reserves will also support the employment of a full-time teacher to enhance the educational outcomes of our programs and assist with the continued development of learning opportunities for local children. In addition, we are exploring the establishment of a dedicated Learning Hub in Tanzania, which would provide a permanent base for education, training, and community development activities. The charity is also considering formally registering as a legal entity in Tanzania. This would strengthen our local presence, improve governance, and support the long-term sustainability and expansion of our work within the country. Maintaining adequate reserves ensures the charity has the fnancial capacity to invest in these strategic initiatives while continuing to deliver high-quality programs and respond to future opportunities as they arise. |
| Amount of reserves held |
**Para 1.22 ** | Amount of reserves held = 5205 |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.24 | N/A |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern Para 1.23 Challenges Faced During the year, the charity encountered a number of operational and logistical challenges across its projects. Establishing the new programme at Naserian School in Tanzania required signifcant investment in both infrastructure and teacher development, as the school had limited resources, unfnished classrooms and a lack of suitable storage and teaching facilities. Class sizes also began to exceed the agreed maximum of 20 pupils per class, making it more dificult to deliver the small-group, hands-on teaching that is central to the charity's approach. The recruitment of new teachers after the initial training programme also meant additional mentoring and support were required. In Kenya, while Cornerstone School had relocated to larger premises, classroom space remained limited and concerns remained about the consistent use and care of previously donated maths resources. Following a review, Bandari School did not meet the charity's partnership expectations and, as a result, no further support was provided during the year. In Zambia, the hospital environment presented unique challenges, including the transient nature of children receiving treatment, limited teaching time and the emotional impact of working with children facing serious illnesses. Lessons and activities had to remain fexible to accommodate changing medical needs. Across all projects, the charity continued to face the wider challenge of recruiting suficient volunteers, with global economic pressures and increasing travel costs afecting volunteer numbers. Despite these challenges, the charity adapted its approach, strengthened local partnerships and invested in building local capacity to ensure the sustainability of its programmes As we highlighted each year, the uncertainty surrounding the availability of volunteers persists due to the rising cost of living worldwide and the political unrest in the world., These economic challenges have not only increased the expense of running our projects but have also led to a decline in donations and a reduced capacity for individuals to volunteer their time and resources. As part of our ongoing strategic review, we have decided to reduce our operational focus on our projects in Kenya and Zambia and concentrate our primary eforts on Tanzania. At present, our projects in Tanzania are operating most efectively and are delivering the strongest outcomes. By focusing our resources and attention where we have the greatest capacity and impact, we can continue to strengthen and grow these programs in a sustainable way. Until we have dedicated, on-the-ground staf in both Kenya and Zambia to oversee operations, support volunteers, and manage project delivery, we do not believe it is appropriate to make these countries a strategic priority. Expanding our focus without suficient |
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local capacity would risk compromising the quality and sustainability of our work.
This does not mean we are withdrawing our support entirely. We remain committed to our partners in Kenya and Zambia and will continue to provide resources, guidance, and training where needed. We will also review our position as our capacity grows and revisit opportunities to expand our operations in these countries when we have the appropriate local infrastructure in place.
By prioritising Tanzania while maintaining support for our other partners, we can ensure our resources are used where they will have the greatest impact while laying the foundations for future growth across the region.
Challenges on the ground
Additional information
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| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 | Private sponsors and donations Edx Education Social media funding |
| A description of the principle risks facing the charity |
Funding - applying for grants Obtaining volunteers and coordinators Increased costs of food, transport and accommodation on projects Potential partnerships Universities Obtaining and training volunteers for the future |
Structure, Governance and Management
Descriptions of Charities Trust SORP Reference
| Type of Governing Document Para 1.25 Constitution How is the charity constituted Para 1.25 CIO- Charitable Incorporated Organisation 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 No new trustress in 2025 Relationship with any other parties Para 1.5 ●Edx Education ●St Constantine's School, Arusha ●Twende Education for All ●Smalls for All ●Naserian Primary and maasai outreach school ●Cornerstone School, Mombasa |
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GOTM Balance Sheet 2026 IN GBPounds Feb March June Jul Oct Nov Receipts Online Fundraiging Fundrasing events Gcn¢ral Donations Shipping kits Total Revenue Fligbis Accommodation Visa Costs Roadl Sea Transport Food Iwalcr PhoneJInternet Shipping I PoslagelExcess baggage ICT 2,516 105 2.516 105 1,126.32 90.00 37.00 109.00 120.00 9.00 416.00 123.00 68.00 83.00 155.00 17.58 66.00 13.00 48.00 108.00 4.00 12.00 60.00 6.00 41.00 69.40 19.00 129.00 Volunteer costs Teacher's Salary, immigratioTh Educalional rcsourccs Professional Development Misc Insuranc¢ Trnstee Costs Other costs Totsl Exp¢ns¢s 1,214.58 60.00 87.00 113.31 95.33 94.00 95.33 95.33 84.00 113.42 117.99 118.00 114.00 40.00 252.00 12.00 60.00 96.00 260.00 191.31 J80.33 94.00 107.33 1,742.65 J94.40 242.42 117.99 Ii&oo 114.00 Proftt and loss Opening Balance Closing ¢a5h balanc¢ 1.214.58 7,096.98 5,882.40 2.256.00 5,882.40 8,138.40 191.31 8,138.40 7,947.09 -180.33 7,947.09 7.766.76 -94.00 -107.33 7,766.76 7.672.76 7,672.76 7.565.43 -1,637.27 7,565.43 5,928.16 -150.40 5,928.16 5.777.76 -242.42 5,777.76 5,535.34 -117.99 5,535.34 5,417.35 -118.00 5.417.35 5,299.35 In Banks -114.00 5,299.35 5,185.35