2023-03-31-accounts - Sos Africa

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REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR END 31[ST] MAR 2023

SOS AFRICA

Registered Charity No: 1188705

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR END 31[ST] MAR 2023

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Summary of the Purposes of the Charity

Children Sponsored by SOS Africa’s Elgin Education Programme

SOS Africa is a small UK based grassroots child sponsorship organisation which funds the education and care of underprivileged South African children from the poorest regions of South Africa. Since 2003 the charity has provided disadvantaged children, from grades 1 to 12, with a personal education programme or learning support scheme tailored specifically to their needs. This holistic approach enables children to break the cycle of poverty and reach their full potential.

The SOS Africa Children's Charity provides:

A Personal Approach – Originally founded by a family from Somerset in the UK, SOS Africa provides a personal approach to charitable giving. Now in its 20[th] year of operation, the charity is still managed by its original founders under the direction of an experienced panel of passionate trustees.
A Holistic Education Programme – SOS Africa provides each of the children in its care with school tuition, after-school care, learning support, holiday workshops, mentoring, counselling, transport, clothing and stationery. SOS Africa’s Education Programmes are tailored to the needs of the children in the charity’s care.
Regular Progress Reports – SOS Africa maintains strong lines of communication between child, organisation and sponsor by providing regular updates including school reports, photo albums, updates via the SOS Africa Children ’s Blog and correspondence via email. Sponsors also have the option of visiting sponsored children throughout the process.
Minimal Charity Expenses – Prioritising transparency, SOS Africa guarantees that 100% of donations are invested in the education and care of its children; all UK expenses are covered by Gift Aid. This is possible because the charity only employs one full-time staff member in the UK and invests all resources into its education programmes in South Africa.

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Summary of the Charity’s Main Activities

SOS Africa currently operates in two of the poorest regions of South Africa; Mahikeng (NorthWest Province) and Western Cape. The charity provides underprivileged children from these areas with the following support:

A high standard of education and care within Preparatory, Primary and High Schools with a good reputation throughout local communities.
Safe transportation to and from school.
School uniform and stationery to eliminate potential inequalities and barriers to learning.
After-school care at SOS Africa Aftercare Centres where the children receive lunch, homework assistance, tutoring and extra lessons. SOS Africa also provides each child with a mentor, with whom they can consult about any day-to-day problems which they may encounter.
SOS Africa ’s Western Cape Education Centres also provide learning support for students with learning difficulties. This is essential in combating illiteracy among Primary School children (currently 78% of South African Primary School Children between grades 1-4 are unable to read with comprehension).
Extra-curricular activities which include swimming lessons, kung fu and yoga, plus holiday workshops to supplement their education and keep the children safe outside of school hours.

All activities carried out by the SOS Africa Charity fulfil the Charity Commission’s public benefit requirements. The SOS Africa Trustees confirm that all the charity’s operations benefit and empower South African township children through the provision of a high standard of education and care enabling them to break the poverty cycle.

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Summary of the Charity’s 2022/23 Fundraising Achievements

“ At BOF we understand everything we do has an environmental and social impact. SOS Africa Charity gives us the opportunity to contribute directly to the education and support for disadvantaged African Children. The charity aligns with our business initiatives, their determination and vision we can without a doubt say is outstanding .” Jessica Marshall, BOF (SOS Africa Corporate Sponsor)

“After a year of route planning and working out the timeline, it’s all finally come together for us to complete a trip of a lifetime. Most of our crew haven’t been to Africa yet, let alone a 4x4 mission through 6 countries in 21 days. We are so proud to have come across SOS Africa, they work hard to ensure children get the education and care. W e’re really excited to see if we can make an impact with our fundraising efforts alongside this charity." Jaime-Li Roux (SOS Africa Fundraiser)

“The organisation of the event was outstanding, with thoughtful touches to enhance our experience including thank you letters from the children in the bell room and a caring support team to coach and cheer on those of us who were a little bit more anxious. We are delighted to have been able to take part and raise over £2,700 across our two teams. We all applaud the hard work obviously put into arranging such an epic event, so from all of us at Cooper and Tanner we thank you sincerely for this and hope that the event will allow the important work of the charities supported do to continue.”

Freya Webb, Cooper and Tanner (Wells Cathedral Abseil Team)

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During the 2022/23 financial year SOS Africa achieved an income of £324290. Although this represents a drop from the £334043 (excluding corporate donations) raised during the previous financial year, this can be attributed to the record-breaking Livestream Minecraft Online Fundraising Event which took place in May 2021 raising an astonishing £1 11,000 for SOS Africa’s Gordon’s Bay Education Centre Development Project. Excluding this contribution, SOS Africa’s annual income actually increased in 2022/23. During this period, only 21 % of SOS Africa’s income funded the charity’s UK running costs , all of which was covered by Gift Aid and the Charity Shop.

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In June 2022, SOS Africa hosted a charity abseil from Wells Cathedral in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. During the 4 -day event, 320 brave fundraisers abseiled from the 124ft North-West Tower to raise an incredible £53,750 for SOS Africa, Wells Cathedral and RUH Bath. Shortly after, SOS Africa received the exciting news that our organisation has been voted ‘Charity of the Year’ by teacher recruitment compan y Teacher Horizons. The company also agreed to sponsor tutoring for SOS Africa Charity students in the Western Cape.
During the 2022/23 financial year, SOS Africa continued to experience an increase in recruitment of child sponsors from across the globe. By the end of the financial year, SOS Africa’s 270 long-term sponsors generated an annual income of approximately £130,000 for our organisation. This sustainable sponsorship enables SOS Africa to safeguard the long-term education and care of the SOS Africa Children.

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The 2022/23 financial year saw a continued increase in takings by the SOS Africa Charity Shop in Shepton Mallet. Towards the end of the year the SOS Africa staff, trustees and customers celebrated the shop’s 10[th] anniversary by funding an IT laboratory which will give computer access to hundreds of children across Grabouw. Huge congratulations to everyone who has been part of this life-changing initiative over the past decade ; the impact of SOS Africa’s Shepton Mallet Charity Sho p will be felt for generations.

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The trustees would also like to give special mention to SOS Africa’s Glastonbury Festival Litter Picking Team. After the cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 festivals, the charity recruited a team of 120 litter picking volunteers ready for Glastonbury 2022. After the final can was recycled and piece of litter collected at the very end of the festival, the team had raised an event record of £20,000 for the SOS Africa Children!
The 2022/23 financial year also saw an increase in independent fundraising as the threat of COVID-19 dissipated. Philanthropists from around the world contacted our organisation and organised their own events to raise invaluable funds for our cause.

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Of all the events organised, 2 of the best had to be a 4x4 adventure across Southern Africa which raised over £3000 and a successful climb to the base camp of Mount Kilimanjaro raising £500 for the SOS Africa Children. Congratulations to Jamie, Glenn and all our supports for their incredible fundraising feats over the past 12 months!

Throughout the 2022/23 financial year, preparations were also being made for SOS Africa’s next annual fundraising event. The Trustees were delighted to announce the granting of permission to host a 160ft charity abseil from the iconic King Alfred’s Tower in Somerset. By the end the financial year, with 4 months to go, the event had been launched, over £2000 raised and 150 abseilers already recruited.

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During the 2022/23 financial year, SOS Africa also received sad news of the passing of long-term child sponsor Jane Dornan. Jane began supporting SOS Africa's Kabelo back in 2014 during his early years of Primary School and proudly followed his progress ever since. She was often in touch with words of encouragement which Kabelo greatly appreciated. Thanks to her support, Kabelo is now in Grade 11 and less than 2 years away from graduation.

We know that Jane will be dearly missed by her family and friends; the SOS Africa Trustees, staff and children are thinking of them all during this difficult time. They also want to say a heartfelt thank you to them for collecting funds at Jane's funeral, all of which will help support Kabelo through his remaining years of schooling.

Lastly, following on from the fundraising successes of the 2021/22 financial year, the SOS Africa Trustees were able to claim Gift Aid equating to £52,790, a charity record. This income is vital as it covers UK expenses and guarantees that 100% of all initial funds raised/donated are invested in the charity’s education projects in South Africa.

On behalf of the SOS Africa Staff and Children, the CEO and Trustees would like to say a big thank you to all SOS Africa Sponsors, fundraisers and donors for your incredible support and generosity over the past 12 months:

“ After a troubling few years, the past 12 months have re-energised the charity sector! With lock-down rules eased, staff, volunteers and fundraisers alike have had the freedom to join together and support their favourite causes. We have been moved by the support and generosity of both new and returning fundraisers. As our income graph demonstrates, we have seen a healthy increase in fundraising events and child sponsors enabling us to expand the scope of our support in South Africa. We greatly appreciate the efforts of everyone involved in making the vital work of our organisation possible.” Dr Matt Crowcombe (CEO, SOS Africa)

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2022/23 Achievements in South Africa

Children and young adults supported by SOS Africa throughout 2022/23:

	Scholarship Scheme	Learning Support	Graduated/Left
Mahikeng	10	N/A	12
Grabouw	24	60	4
Somerset West	20	70	4
Elgin	20	40	3
Care Worker Training	7	N/A	17
TOTAL	81	130	40

SOS Africa Education Programme Formats:

SOS Africa Scholarship Schemes

The SOS Africa Charity Scholarship Scheme funds the holistic education and care of underprivileged children from the townships of South Africa, providing each child with the following support:

School tuition at a school partnered with SOS Africa.
Transport to and from school each day.
School clothing, stationery and equipment .

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Attendance at an SOS Africa Education Centre (1.30pm – 4pm each afternoon). The SOS Africa Aftercare Programme provides each child with the following:
Nutrition – home cooked food funded by SOS provided and cooked by staff members. This ensures that the children are receiving a healthy balanced meal every day.
Homework support – including the introduction of reading and maths apps to further support the children who continue to struggle.
Student mentoring – one-on-one support.
Access to an SOS Africa Library and other learning resources.
Life skills tools and education – Brain Gym / Yoga sessions / Mindfully me (meditation tools) / Occupational Therapy / workshops led by our Educational Psychologist on matters such as ‘personal safety’, bullying etc .
Individual support / therapy given to children in each Education Centre who we consider to be ‘at risk’ or not coping in school or at home.
Guest speakers – Police / Heroes in the community.
Holiday programmes aimed at bringing everyone together (staff and children) having some creative fun time outside school. This year we visited the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town.
Provision of a safe space for parents and teachers to meet and discuss progress or intervention plans for children at risk. We have had to facilitate meetings with the school and parents where plans need to be put into place to best support the children.

Children sponsored by SOS Africa ’s Scholarship Scheme in Grabouw

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– SOS Africa Learning Support Scheme (8.30am 12.30pm each day):

Impact of SOS Africa Education Programmes:

Over the last four years SOS Africa has developed the Learning Support Programme offered to the Foundation Phase (grades 1-3) children of our partnering schools. Our staff received excellent basic training and assessment tools through the WORDWORKS “Ready, Steady , Read, Wri te” Programme which has been adapted to ensure we meet the needs of each partnering school.

For the most part, each of our tutors work with 2 or 3 children per 40-minute session. These children attend Learning Support four days a week. Every week we follow the same programme of activities but with a new story.

After our 5-minute warm up of Brain Gym; a series of exercises designed to engage learning through movement; the children are relaxed and ready to absorb new lessons.

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With each new story the lessons then follow these four predetermined steps:

Reading the new story.
Having discussions about the story highlighting new sounds and words.
Writing or drawing something based on the story.
Playing letter and sound games.

These include playdough (and other tangible materials) to physically shape letters. We also have “Letter Boxes” filled with a random assortment of items; the aim is for the child to pick out the item that begins with the letter on the box. These and many other games are developed to help the child learn through a process of playing and therefore greater understanding.

At the start and end of each term we test the children to assess their progress. Each child needs to progress through three levels of reading proficiency and comprehension before leaving our programme and returning to their classroom having caught up to the level of their fellow classmates. Our staff provide regular progress updates to the teachers and we all work together for the betterment of each child’s development.

Ultimately, the aim is not only to teach the children to simply read or write but also to comprehend, to question the story and form their own opinions. In grades 1-3 you learn to read but from grades 4 onwards you have to read in order to learn. If children are not properly prepared in the foundation of their education, with these fundamental yet basic skills, then the rest of the educational development is thwarted.

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SOS Africa Scholarship Schemes

SOS Africa Grabouw

SOS Africa Somerset West

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SOS Africa St Michael’s Elgin

SOS Africa Mahikeng

“ Throughout 2022 our staff put a lot of effort into supporting developmental growth, parental involvement, and the connection between our team and our partnering schools. The key components of our development programmes were to instil our students with computer skills, personal development, and critical thinking. We conducted parenting workshops that gave parents the tools they needed to improve their relationships with their kids. We also conducted a teambuilding workshop for our staff members, which emphasised on relationships, communication, and professional development. If it weren't for the generosity of our incredible sponsors, trustees, and volunteers, none of this would be possible. We are appreciative and fortunate to have such a wonderful support network. ”

Li-andi Claassen (Operations Manager, SOS Africa Western Cape)

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2022/23 Education Programme Highlights :

SOS Africa's First Western Cape Graduate Begins Internship at TFD Manufacturing

In April SOS Africa announced the exciting news that the charity’s first Western Cape graduate Andrew had been accepted onto an internship programme at steel manufacturing company TFD. Over the past 8 months Andrew has really grown into the role and if he continues to progress will be employed full-time by the company in May 2023.

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17 Graduate from SOS Africa’s Care Work Training Scheme

Early in 2022 SOS Africa announced the launch of an ambitious new care worker training programme, aiming to change the devastating effects of the lack of youth and adult education in Sir Lowry’s Pass Village Community in the Western Cape. After the completion of two 3- month courses, we were delighted to announce the graduation of 17 fully qualified care workers ready to begin their new careers.

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SOS Africa’s Holistic Education Programmes Continue to Grow

2022/23 was also a year in which SOS Africa expanded the holistic support it provided the SOS Africa Children. It is the belief of our staff and trustees that it is vital to help the children in our care find a passion outside of the classroom to inspire them and motivation them throughout their education. SOS Africa and our partnering schools now offer a range of extracurricular activities including sports, martial arts, gardening, cookery and much more.

In early 2023 we also received the wonderful news that Jessie-Leigh and Mari-Lee from SOS Africa St Michael’s Primary had been awarded National Colours for Drummies. This is the highest honour in the sport and testament to their commitment and dedication.

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SOS Africa Outings

Throughout the past 12 months SOS Africa also arranged a wide range of outings to broaden the horizons of the SOS Africa Children including trips to local rugby and cricket sporting fixtures and cultural experiences including Cape Town ’s infamous Graffiti Festival.

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Improved Academic Performances throughout 2022

2022/23 was also a year in which SOS Africa invested in experienced tutors to provide additional academic support to our sponsored children. These academic interventions have already borne fruit as academic performance across all our Western Centres has improved throughout the year. Not only have 100% of our Western Cape children passed the year, but many even finished in the Top 5 of their respective grades and received both sporting and academic awards at school prizegiving ceremonies.

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End of Year Parties

And what better way to celebrate the formidable achievements of the staff and children than by treating them to actioned-packed outings? To reward them for their endeavours, the younger children were taken on a trip to Familier Farm where the SOS kids enjoyed a festive feast, met and fed some of the farm animals (including the cutest little bunny rabbits), played sports and games, made Christmas trees and listened to Christmas stories.

Meanwhile, for the High School Christmas Outings SOS Africa partnered with local sailing therapy charity The Little Optimist. This inspirational organisation aims to use sailing as a means to facilitate mental and physical healing for disadvantaged children to enhance their wellbeing and quality of life. Little Optimistic Founder Greg and his team put together an action-packed itinerary which included sailing Little Optimist boats, learning about our oceans, award ceremonies, a festive feast and an exciting trip to the Two Oceans Aquarium for an interactive lesson and tour.

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Holiday and Parental Workshops

School holidays are the times when the SOS Africa Children are most vulnerable, away from the safety of our Education Centres and often alone at home whilst their parents or guardians are at work. Last year the SOS Africa Staff arranged more holiday workshops than ever before, providing vital supplementary support for both our children and their parents.

Whilst IT Training Skills Workshops were organised for SOS Africa’s High School Children; Parent Workshops were also arranged to provide professional advice and guidance to parents struggling to cope with the many challenges of parenting within disadvantaged communities.

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A N ew School Year Begins…

The start of the new school year is exciting for so many reasons and 2023 was by no means an exception. Whilst the staff were thrilled to be reunited with the SOS Africa Children after the long school holidays, the first few days are always filled with the sharing of stories of memorable experiences from the Christmas break. It was also a time for new beginnings as the SOS Africa Children began different grades with new teachers and classmates.

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Among the many highlights of January 2023, the graduation of the first SOS Africa child from St Michael’s Primary to Grabouw High School had to be near the top. There were also many new additions to SOS Africa’s growing family who received a warm welcome by our staff.

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Staff Training and Support

The SOS Africa Trustees have also prioritised the health and wellbeing of the staff. Last year they provided more team building, staff training and mentoring than ever before and even set up a staff savings scheme to provide them with long-term financial security.

The SOS Africa Trustees are also firm believers in the importance of career development. They know that training and upskilling our staff will ensure that they are able to provide the best possible education and care for the SOS Africa Children. Last year they were delighted to be able to enrol SOS Africa's Juanita and Sharnice onto ECD Level 4 Training Courses hosted by Elgin Community College Grabouw. Completing this course will qualify them to facilitate early childhood development services for children from different cultures and backgrounds. Furthermore, SOS Africa Operations Manager Li-andi has also just begun an online Management Course to provide additional training for her ever-expanding role.

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SOS Africa Launches Alumni News Feature

20 years on from the sponsorship of the very first SOS Africa child, each year the trustees, staff and children celebrate the success stories of more graduates as our sponsored children ‘fly the nest’ and head on to further education or embark on exciting new careers. To celebrate these successes, a new Alumni News Feature was added to the SOS Africa Website.

Among the many alumni success stories, leading the way has to be SOS Africa Mahikeng ’s Olebogeng. In March 2023, Mr Olebogeng Tshele BA officially became the charity’s first university graduate and was awarded a degree in Organisational Psychology from NWU. The SOS Africa Trustees are so proud of this inspirational young lad and wish him all the very best with the start of his exciting new career!

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In Loving Memory of Byron Russell by Claudia Titley

“ In April 2022 it was with very heavy hearts and great sadness that the trustees shared the devastating news of the passing of Byron Russell; Western Cape Charity Trustee, architect, friend and generally one of the most loving humans you could have the pleasure of knowing.

We will never forget the first time we met Byron. Matt and I sat opposite him at a picnic table at St. Michael’s school in Elgin. Our meeting was to discuss the upcoming design and build of the Porta Romana sponsored Education Centre. Within half an hour of speaking to him, Matt and I were overwhelmed by his enthusiastic willingness to help and care for other people. It was at the same meeting that we decided to ask him to become a Western Cape Charity Trustee. Byron accepted with the exuberant joy and honour that he continued to show in every task the charity required of him.

During the past year he visited our family regularly to work on the current design proposal for our Gordon’s Bay Education Centre. Our son Teddy bonded so much with him that we asked him to become Teddy’s godfather, a request he accepted immediately and unconditionally.

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I learnt so much from working so closely with him, not just in terms of architecture but how to be a better human being. Here are three of the most important things I learnt from B. Every time he opened his laptop to start work I’d notice this tiny piece o f paper stuck to the bottom right of the screen, “forgive easily”. Oh boy he did! If anything, life had dealt him too many people who he had had to forgive. I hope everyone has the opportunity in their life to meet someone who shows as much love as Byron did... to EVERYONE. With complete and utter disregard for ANY kind of prejudice, Byron just showed love. Finally, the one that has helped us the most in our grief... “waves and trees”. This was what Byron believed was his life mantra and it’s where he found his grounding and sought his solace, in the waves and the trees. It is now where we find his spirit.

SOS Africa will be holding its own little memorial for our dear friend. We will plant a tree at the Porta Romana Education Centre, outside the box window seat that fell out of budget but that Byron insisted on paying for himself. ”

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Concluding Thoughts

Writing a Trustees Annual Report is always a great opportunity to reflect on the collective journey our trustees, staff, volunteers and children have been on over the previous 12 months. After the often-overwhelming challenges of the previous few years, reflecting on the past 12 months has been extremely encouraging as both the charity’s UK based fundraising activities and education projects in South Africa have not only returned to full strength but broadened their scope of support and impact.

On the fundraising front, it has been great to see the reinvigoration of fundraising activities after the easing of social distancing and lockdown restrictions. As well as marking the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, SOS Africa’s Wells Cathedral Abseil also felt like a celebration of the return to normality as over 300 fearless fundraisers joined together to raise an incredible £53,750 for charitable causes. The trustees have also been greatly inspired by the innovative and adventurous fundraising events organised independently to raise funds for our cause. The trustees would also like to extend their appreciation to the dedicated staff and volunteers who – help run the charity’s Shepton Mallet Charity Shop it is so great to see the shop flourishing once again! The Trustees are also greatly encouraged by the continued increase in child sponsors; their long-term support safeguards our pledge to sponsor the education and care of children from Grade 1 all the way through to high school graduation. The Trustees would also like to wish Matt, Ian and the team all the very best of luck for their upcoming 160ft abseil from – King Alfred’s Tower they are delighted that the early uptake has been so encouraging and look forward to supporting the event in September 2023.

As a consequence of this invaluable support, this report has hopefully demonstrated how SOS Africa’s wonderful team of staff and volunteers in South Africa have been able to expand their projects to support more young adults and children than ever before. In Mahikeng, the charity’s inaugural education project continues to empower its beneficiaries with a personal programme tailored to their needs. The impact of the efforts of Jenny and her team are plain to see, as we all celebrate the charity’s first university graduation with a further 3 more SOS Africa Alumni set to complete their university degrees at the end of 2023.

In the Western Cape, the charity’s 3 Education Centres are thriving demonstrated by a 100% pass rate at the end of the 2022 academic year. More important than academic results, the SOS Africa Children are clearly happier than they have ever been thanks to the support provided by our dedicated team of staff. The SOS kids as they are affectionately known, now benefit from a more substantial and varied holistic education programme than ever before including a more diverse timetable of activities, increased tutoring hours and a significant increase in holiday workshops and outings. The SOS Africa staff are also hosting a 3-day careers workshop in June 2023 to inspire our high school children when making career choices.

Furthermore, our charity now provides more training, career development and financial support to our staff than ever before; as a consequence the group is not only closer but their work output unprecedented. The Trustees are also extremely proud of the increased support which has also been provided to our parents to help them cope with the often-overwhelming challenges they face when raising children within disadvantaged communities; to provide an authentic holistic education, a collaboration between charity staff, partnering schools and parents is essential.

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The trustees are also extremely proud that they have been able to expand SOS Africa’s scope of support to assist young adults within the Sir Lowry’s Pass Village Community and are extremely grateful to The Village Collaboration for this impactful partnership. Thanks to this combined effort, 17 young adults are now in gainful employment within the care worker sector, with another 7 students expected to graduate in September 2023.

Furthermore, the trustees are also delighted to share the exciting news that planning permission has now been granted for building work to proceed on our Gordon’s Bay Education Centre, ready for completion and use by the end of 2023! They cannot wait to follow updates on the SOS Africa website as the project progresses.

None of this would be possible without the dedication of CEO Matt Crowcombe, Operations Managers Li-andi and Jenny, and their incredible team of staff and volunteers. Working tirelessly behind the scenes, Admin and Finance Manager Rae also deserves a huge amount of credit for streamlining the organisation ’ s policies and protocols over the past 12 months, making the organisation more efficient and impactful. The trustees would like to congratulate them all for the life-changing difference their efforts make to the lives of so many!

Although the trustees and indeed everyone involved with SOS Africa are still adapting to the devasting loss of Western Cape Trustee Byron Russell, we know that he will be extremely proud of the efforts made by every member of the SOS Africa family ; we wouldn’t be where we are today without his support; our success stories are his legacy.

Lasty, the trustees would like to welcome newly inaugurated Western Cape Trustee Marja Reid. As our consultant Educational Psychologist, Marja has dedicated the past 5 years of her life to providing vital therapy for the SOS Africa Children. We look forward to working her and her fellow trustees, in ensuring that the charity continues its success and growth in delivering holistic learning support to disadvantaged children across South Africa, providing empowerment through education to break the cycle of poverty.

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Financial Review

Review of SOS Africa’s Financial Position

At the close of the 2022/23 financial year, SOS Africa is in a strong financial position. As previously demonstrated, this has resulted from the relaxation of COVID-19 lockdown measures. Consequently, there has been an increase in child sponsors, online and offline fundraising, charity shop revenue and Gift Aid claims.

Whilst investing this income in both new and existing SOS Africa Education Programmes, funding has also been kept in reserve to secure the long-term educational development of the children supported by the charity.

As previously mentioned, only 21% of SOS Africa’s 202 2/23 annual income was required to cover the charity’s UK running costs . These expenses were easily covered by SOS Africa’s Gift Aid claims and charity shop takings.

Policy for Holding Reserves

Each year SOS Africa holds reserves to ensure that the charity can guarantee the long-term education of all the children within its care , in line with the charity’s policy never to remove a child from schooling for financial reasons.

Amount of Reserves Held

Following the close of the 2022/23 financial year, SOS Africa held £120615.49 in reserve. Including funds currently held in SOS Africa savings accounts in South Africa, this is enough funding to safeguard all SOS Africa’s Education Programmes for a further year. If we have learnt anything from COVID-19, it is the importance of keeping funds in reserve to protect the long-term financial security of the charity during timings of political, social and economic instability.

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Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document	Constitution
How is the charity constituted?	Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions	New SOS Africa Trustees are appointed by resolution of the current trustees. For example, if one trustee resigns, the remaining trustees will appoint a replacement.

Reference and Administrative Details

Charity name	SOS Africa
Registered charity number	1188705
Charity’s principal address	SOS Africa 21 High Street Shepton Mallet Somerset BA4 5AA

Names of Charity Trustees who Manage the Charity

Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)
Matthew Davies	Chair of Trustees	N/A	N/A
Gavin Thompson	N/A	N/A	N/A
Kim Williams	N/A	N/A	N/A
Alex Dyer	N/A	N/A	N/A

Names of Chief Executive or Names of Senior Staff Members

SOS Africa CEO: Matthew Crowcombe

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR END 31[ST] MAR 2023

SOS AFRICA

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees ’ Report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity trustees:

Signature
Full Name	Dr Matthew Lloyd Davies
Position	Chair of Trustees, SOS Africa
Date	14/07/2023

CHARITY COMMISSION FQR ENGLAND AND WALEI 1188705 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the poriod from l Aw12022 31s¢ Mwch 2023 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestrict•d funds Restrictsd funds EndoTm•nt funds Total funds Last year •1 n••mlÉ t•th• tyav•sie toth4 n•oF••lÉ A1 Rec•1 chi Sp)D50t5h Offling Fvndra&D 11•.434 4.590 61.514 116.434 4.590 81,514 761 .012 52,790 2D.OQO 39.120 92.769 & Domab)ns 123.742 226 173,849 33.16S 20.OUO 33,600 Bank Intere¥t DDnK)n$ 761 52,790 Shop Sa Gts$ion Lffterpr* Sub total(Gross inGome for ARJ J9.120 73J51 2SD.7J9 3243gD 477.522 A2 Asset and Inveslrnent sal8s. Isog tsblel. Sub lotal 73.551 250,739 324290 477.522 A3 Paym•nts education Progrdmme n South Afrra Wqb$rte FeÈs Bank Charygs l Just C9 Ftts Tax l NabDna1lnwrÈ P•77)ts Wagesi Pen5x)n Pmiillg I I ErnI Ewnses Funds for Othpr Chani Accounts I Pml Fees Glastonbury L4terpKkry Deposis 407.115 07.185 1,549 721 11.766 37,679 3.110 12.540 14.772 451 100 489.953 433.668 J23 79B 9.457 36.164 4.480 1,500 721 11.766 J7,679 3.11 12.$10 1<772 451 3Q7 33.600 520,297 160 4.136 Sub totsl 67A17 A4 A88et and Inve•tment purchases, (S tabl•l Sub total 67,817 422.136 489.953 520.297 Net of re¢dpI(paYrnatsj A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cosh funds last year •nd Cash funds this Near end 171,397 165,663 42.TT 362 285.916 286,278 t20.61 329.053 286278 6.096 114519 CCXX RI ££ts ISSI 18105r2023

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period UnrestrScted funds to 11•4re*t£ Restricted funds to nearestt Endowmtrnt lund$ Categor tv nHr•8t B1 Cash funds Sts Afrra UK HSBC ACCOU14T 6.096 174.519 Total eash lunds 114,519 Unr•strl¢t•d funds ••r••t£ R•s¢tOd fvnd5 noarg•1£ End¢)wment funds lo Mar••l £ Cun•nt v•k t4onal TJAtall cO•t(OFthn} FUDO to wtki¢h CurrgrfvJtyJo B4 Assets retsined f¢x the harlty's own use Fund to abA AmenI due Wh•n du• Ilonal B5 Liabllltlos Suned by one or trwle8S C behav of all truste6S Swjnaiurè Print Nan Date of roval 2ty1or/zs CC%X R2 #EGounts Issi 1&t0512023