REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR END 31[ST] MAR 2024
SOS AFRICA
Registered Charity No: 1188705
FOR THE YEAR END 31[ST] MAR 2024
SOS AFRICA
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
Summary of the Purposes of the Charity
Teacher Sinazo and Enzokhule from SOS Africa Grabouw
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:
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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 21st year of operation, the charity is still managed by its original founders under the direction of an experienced panel of passionate trustees.
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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.
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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.
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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 (North-West Province) and Western Cape. The charity provides underprivileged children from these areas with the following support:
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A high standard of education and care within Preparatory, Primary and High Schools with a good reputation throughout local communities.
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Safe transportation to and from school.
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School uniform and stationery to eliminate potential inequalities and barriers to learning.
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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.
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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 to 4 are unable to read with comprehension).
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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 2023/24 Fundraising Achievements
“My heartfelt gratitude to the entire team for orchestrating this remarkable day. From the warm meet and greet, to Matt's unwavering support as he guided each team to the summit of King Alfred's Tower, and to the caring abseiling team who provided reassurance when my legs were ready to give in. I would like to express my deep appreciation to the generous donors, and last but not least, a heartfelt thank you to all the SOS Africa children who were with us in spirit, inspiring me to conquer my fear of heights.” Clem Cavoli (King Alfred’s Tower Abseil 2023)
“As I say goodbye to Matt at the Gordon's Bay centre and Sive drives me to my hotel in Cape Town, I think back about everything I have seen during the last few days. I am struck especially by two things; firstly, how
happy the children seem to be when they are in the educational centres. I do not doubt they would like to spend more time there. Secondly, I am very impressed by all the staff I have met. They are so friendly and
the enormous dedication they show every day to the children is crucial to the succ ess of SOS Africa.” Ian Swindale (SOS Africa Child Sponsor)
“ With the first graduates that came through the scheme now in university or in full-time employment, SOS Africa is the perfect partner for the K2 Foundation. Their work directly improves both the current lives of children as well as their future prospects through education. This approach and ethos resonate entirely with the aims of the K2 Foundation .” Natasha Wannenburg (Relocation Manager, K2 - SOS Africa
Corporate Sponsor)
"This was my very first Glastonbury - and what a fantastic way to do it! Joining the SOS Africa team was an absolute honour, and a particularly meaningful way to experience the festival. To kick off each morning restoring the Pyramid field to its former glory for the day ahead was so rewarding. Just knowing I'd done my bit. I made some friends for life, and we laughed until we cried and left feeling both exhausted and enriched in equal measure. I'm already looking forward to returning in 2024 to do it all over again!"
Emma Sankey (SOS Africa Glastonbury Festival Litter Picking Team)
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- During the 2023/24 financial year SOS Africa achieved an annual income of £334,574. This represents a £10,000 increase in funds raised from the previous financial year. This can be attributed to an increase in child sponsorship plus offline and individual donations. Throughout these 12 months there was a decline in the amount of funds raised by the SOS Africa Charity Shop due to its relocation and consequent temporary closure as well as an increase in online fundraising and gift aid claims; the latter due to a slight shift from UK based to international sponsorship and donations.
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In September 2023, SOS Africa hosted a charity abseil from the historic King Alfred’s Tower . During the 4-day event, 270 brave fundraisers abseiled from the 200ft folly to raise an incredible £41,000 for SOS Africa and the National Trust. The funds raised for SOS Africa were invested in the purchase of 2 new Grade R classrooms at partnering school HS Grabouw. The Trustees congratulate everyone involved in this fundraiser for another memorable event and fantastic fundraising achievement.
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Exactly 13 years on from the opening of its first charity shop in Shepton Mallet, in September 2023 the trustees officially opened to SOS Africa’s new charity shop at 44 High Street to a fantastic reception from the local community. The shop was officially declared open by long-term SOS Africa supporter and friend Fiona Case and generated £15,000 in profits for SOS Africa from September 2023 to April 2024. The Trustees would like to congratulate Lin and her team for the early successes of the exciting new shop and wish them well for the forthcoming year.
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SOS Africa Child Sponsors Since 2003
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- During the 2023/24 financial year, SOS Africa continued to experience an increase in recruitment of child sponsors from across the globe. SOS Africa’s 290 long-term sponsors generated an annual income of approximately £135,000 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 2023/24 financial year saw a continued increase in independent fundraising events including skydives, Everest climbs and marathon runs, each raising invaluable funds for our cause.
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During the 2023/24 financial year, SOS Africa’s Glastonbury Festival Litter Picking Volunteers also hit another significant milestone, raising over £100,000 for the SOS Africa children. Each year, 120 SOS Africa volunteers attend the festival and keep the festival’s Pyramid Stage Field free of litter to help protect the local environment and raise invaluable funds for our cause. The trustees would like to congratulate them for their dedication and wish them well for the 2024 festival.
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The 2023/24 financial year also saw an increase in individual donations including extremely generous donations from long-term SOS Africa sponsor Ian Swindale who sponsored both the salaries of 2 new SOS Africa Charity Staff and funded a new 7-seater vehicle to transport the SOS Africa children between education centres and to important appointments.
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Lastly, following on from the fundraising successes of the 2022/23 financial year, the SOS Africa Trustees were able to claim Gift Aid equating to £51,000. 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.
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2023/24 Achievements in South Africa
Children and young adults supported by SOS Africa throughout 2023/24:
| Scholarship Scheme |
Learning Support | Graduated/Left | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mahikeng | 8 | N/A | 14 |
| Grabouw | 33 | N/A | 6 |
| Somerset West | 0 | 70 | 0 |
| Gordon’s Bay | 19 | 0 | 5 |
| Elgin | 18 | 55 | 3 |
| Care Worker Training |
6 | N/A | 37 |
| TOTAL | 84 | 125 | 65 |
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:
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School tuition at a school partnered with SOS Africa.
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Transport to and from school each day.
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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:
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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.
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Homework support – including the introduction of reading and maths apps to further support the children who continue to struggle.
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Student mentoring – one-on-one support.
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Access to an SOS Africa Library and other learning resources.
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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 .
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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.
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Guest speakers – Police / Heroes in the community.
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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.
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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 five years SOS Africa has developed the Learning Support Programme offered to the Foundation Phase (Grades 1 to 3) children of our partnering schools. Our staff received excellent basic training and assessment tools through the WORDWORKS “Ready, Steady , Read, Write” 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 6 or 8 children per 30-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:
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Reading the new story.
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Having discussions about the story highlighting new sounds and words.
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Writing or drawing something based on the story.
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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 Grade 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 Gordon’s Bay
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SOS Africa St Michael’s Elgin
SOS Africa Mahikeng
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2023/24 Education Programme Highlights :
SOS Africa Completes Build and Launches Rejuvenated Gordon’s Bay Education Centre
It was a poignant milestone and an unforgettable moment 3 years in the waiting, when the SOS Africa children moved into the fully renovated Gordon’s Bay Education Centre in March 2024. But as Project Architect Claudia showed them around their new home, it’s fair to say that their awestruck expressions and contagious excitement made the whole process worthwhile!
The SOS Africa Trustees purchased 18 Blue Gum Avenue, Gordon’s Bay in early 2021 thanks to a generous corporate donation and a remarkable Minecraft Livestream fundraising effort; the latter providing us with the funding required to transform the house into a fully operational education centre. However, due to a prolonged planning application process, the refurbishment and launch date for the new facility was repeatedly delayed until the Mayor of Cape Town gave the project the green light in May last year.
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Wasting no further time, within a few weeks the builders finally broke ground and the transformation was underway. The full-scale renovations which followed were made possible by the collective efforts of builders and artisans from across the region, skilfully led by Grant from Dunkley Construction. Their unrelenting dedication to the project was truly inspiring; many of the crew members live in the same communities as our children and understand the incredible opportunities the new centre will provide.
Now complete, the charity’s 5[th] education centre and headquarters in the region will facilitate supplementary education and holistic aftercare activities each weekday afternoon for children residing in local disadvantaged communities. In addition to the many indoor and outdoor study spaces which will host homework support and tutoring, the exciting new facility will also provide gardening, art, carpentry, cookery, swimming, music lessons and much more. The Trustees are delighted with the completion of the charity’s flagship education centre which is a product of 21 years of experience and evolution and look forward to its official opening ceremony in November 2024.
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New Additions to the SOS Africa Family
In January 2024, the Trustees were delighted to welcome 7 new sponsored children who joined SOS Africa’s Grabouw Education Programme in Grade R. This represented a significant milestone as it was the first time that the school had facilitated Grade R Learning in both English and Afrikaans mediums.
As a consequence, for the first time SOS Africa was able to recruit scholarship scheme children from Grabouw’s Xhosa Speaking communities as they are easily able to adjust to English language teaching. In preparation, SOS Africa also appointed a Xhosa speaking staff member to provide tutoring for the children prior to their enrolment. Having now attended the school for 4 months, the new children have settled in well both at school and aftercare, with very bright futures ahead of them.
The SOS Africa Trustees are delighted that the Western Cape Education Programmes have been able to grow and adapt to promote cultural diversity and inclusivity.
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SOS Africa’s Care Work Training Scheme
By March 2024, SOS Africa and The Village Collaboration’s Care Worker Training Scheme had been in operation for 18 months and has fully trained 37 care workers with another 6 on track to graduate by April 2024. The impact this programme has had on the lives of the young people of Sir Lowry’s Pass Village Community has been profound and the SOS Africa Trustees could not be prouder of its progress.
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An Increase in Partner Schools
The 2023/24 financial year saw SOS Africa’s educational assistance extended to support 12 schools across the Western Cape, including Daniel Academy, Milkwood and Temperance Town in Gordon’s Bay. This assistance ranges from funding the tuition fees of SOS Africa children attending these institutions to funding classrooms, teaching resources and providing teacher training or additional educational support.
The SOS Africa Trustees are extremely proud of the widespread impact made by its education programmes across so many diverse educational institutions. These partnerships play an integral role in making quality education accessible to disadvantaged children from across the region and they look forward to exploring new collaborations in the future.
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Improved Academic Performances
Throughout the course of the 2023/24 financial year, the SOS Africa Trustees were delighted with the improved academic performance of the SOS Africa children across all our education centres. By the close of the 2023 academic year, the majority of our students achieved improved grades, with many also receiving accolades in both academia and sport.
The credit for these sucesses should not only go to the children themselves but also SOS Africa’s Education Centre staff who have worked tirelesly to ensure that they have the support they require to succeed. This involves not only assisting directly but regularly communicating with their teachers, parents and arranging extra lessons and tutoring when necessary. More often than not, academic achievements go hand-in- hand with our children’s health and wellbeing. The emotional support provided by our staff with interventions by our Educational Psycologist when necessary ensure that our children are happy and well both at home and in the classroom.
The SOS Africa Trustees commend all the aforementioned role players for the positive impact they continue to have upon the health, wellbeing and performance of the SOS Africa children.
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Holiday Workshops
Academic achievements have also been bolstered by holiday workshops hosted by the SOS Africa staff during the June and September holidays. To inspire the children to consider life beyond high school graduation, the SOS Africa staff hosted a series of careers workshops including visiting speakers, outings and mock job interviews. The Trustees greatly appreciate the efforts made by both the staff and visiting professionals.
In preparation for the all-important end of year exams, in September 2023, in addition to her twice weekly tutoring sessions, SOS Afric a’s Lelanie Roberts facilitated comprehensive study skills workshops focusing on revision techniques and planning to ensure that the children were able to cope with exam pressure.
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Learning Support Strategies
Another exciting new a ddition to SOS Africa’s holistic education programmes throughout the 2023/24 financial year was the introduction of special needs testing and one-on-one support provided by Learning Support Consultant Almarie Coetzee.
As part of this process, using school reports and feedback from schoolteachers, the SOS Africa staff identified 6 candidates for special needs assessments. Using the comprehensive test results, Learning Support Consultant Almarie developed holistic learning plans and strategies to be implemented with each child under the supervision of Almarie, SOS Africa staff, partnering schools and parents. It is hoped that this collective approach will enable us to break down barriers to learning for children facing these challenges . The SOS Africa Trustees commend this approach and look forward to reading Almarie’s monthly progress reports and updates.
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Sporting Successes
Throughout the past 12 months, many SOS Africa sponsored children have also excelled in the sporting arena. From the netball courts, to the rugby fields and provincial drummies tournaments, sporting colours and medals have been awarded to very proud recipients throughout both Mahikeng and the Western Cape. SOS Africa Elgin’s Henwhill has also been selected to play rugby for the Boland regional side.
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Staff Training
The SOS Africa Trustees strongly believe 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.
Training in Level 2 First Aid and Fire Safety was also provided to all SOS Africa staff by FD Fire Safety Consultants to ensure that they have the knowledge and confidence they require to cope in the event of a fire or injury to an SOS Africa child or colleague.
SOS Africa Operations Manager Li-andi was also enrolled on a Management Training Course. As part of this qualification, she facilitated a comprehensive training workshop for her colleagues.
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Appointment of School Prefects
At the start of the 2024 academic year, SOS Africa’s Ameleo was chosen to be part of the school’s governing body committee for the students. As a consequence, he attended a leadership training camp which includes students from 20 different schools across the Western Cape. He and one other learner were chosen out of all the Grabouw High School prefects to attend this camp.
Congratulations also to SOS Africa’s Olivia, Daniel and David for being appointed as school prefects and to Henwhill who had the honour of being Deputy Head Boy at St Michael’s Primary School.
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Sponsor Visits
Last year, SOS Africa received more visits from more overseas supporters than ever before. In June 2023 we had the honour of hosting staff and students from SOS Africa sponsors The Maynard School, all the way from Exeter in the UK. This philanthropic group have been SOS Africa child sponsors since 2018 and each year organise a range of fundraising activities to support our organisation.
Tours of our Western Cape education centres were also arranged for Alfred’s Tower Abseile r Paul Myles, and UK child sponsors Louise, Kevin, John and Karen.
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SOS AFRICA
In early 2024, SOS Africa Glastonbury Festival Litter Picking Volunteers Matt and Georgina visited our Elgin Education Centre and relished an afternoon of fun and games with the SOS Africa children there.
Lastly, we had the honour of hosting SOS Africa UK Chair of Trustees Matthew Davies and his wife Laura. Whilst Matthew spent time visiting our projects and meeting many of the SOS Africa staff and kids for the very first time, Laura facilitated engaging workshops which explored themes relating to Global Citizenship. As part of these discussions, our older students were asked to consider the challenges faced by their societies and how possible solutions could be found at an individual, community and government level.
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Alumni News
Having just completed his 1-year internship at TFD Manufacturing, the Trustees were delighted to learn that SOS Africa's first Western Cape graduate signed a contract to start a full-time role at the company from 1st June 2023! They would like to congratulate Andrew and thank Ian from TFD for this fantastic opportunity.
With many SOS Africa graduates in their final years at university and 9 current SOS Africa sponsored students graduating this year, The SOS Africa Trustees are very excited to follow their progress throughout the 2024/25 financial year and wish them well with their studies.
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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. As the charity celebrates its 21st year, the Trustees are extremely proud of so many aspects of the organisation’s operations both in the UK and across South Africa.
On the fundraising fron t, they are delighted that the charity’s exciting fundraising challenges continue to attract the support of fearless fundraisers from across the southwest. These events not only provide invaluable funding but also the opportunity to introduce our cause to new and enthusiastic supporters from different parts of the region; SOS Africa’s King Alfred’s Tower Abseil was by no means an exception, recruiting over 200 first-time abseilers and raising over £41,000 for our cause. After a period of enforced closure, the trustees are also delighted that SOS Africa’s Shepton Mallet Charity Shop is back open at its new and vastly improved premises further up the high street. The new shop is a credit to Lin and her team and continues to smash daily taking records and attract more customers and volunteers than ever before. The Trustees would also like to thank our loyal child sponsors who continue to grow in number each year; their unending generosity provides vital sustainable income and stability for our organisation, enabling us to grow at a steady rate without fear of running into financial difficulty.
This steady growth is reflected across all the charity ’s education programmes, both in terms of the numbers of children and young adults supported and the quality of holistic education provided. The completion and launch of SOS Africa’s Gordon’s Bay Education Centre was without doubt the highlight of the 2023/24 financial year. After a long and exhausting planning application battle and the devastating loss of Western Cape Trustee and the project architect Byron Russell, the Trustees are so proud of everyone involved in this life-changing project for their perseverance in the face of adversity. They know that Byron will be extremely proud of what has been achieved and the impact the flagship centre will make upon the lives of so many. The official launch o f ‘ The Byron Russell Education Centre ’ i n November promises to be another memorable milestone in the charity’s 21-year history.
Elsewhere in the Western Cape, the numbers of children supported by the well-established Grabouw and Elgin Education Programmes continues to increase. The funds raised by the King Alfred’s Tower Abseil have enabled our partnering school HS Grabouw to introduce Grade R English language teaching for the very first time providing a solid educational foundation to the disadvantaged communities of Grabouw. The 7 new Xhosa children who joined SOS Africa Grabouw in January 2024 are already benefitting from this new initiative, as will many more for generations to come. Likewise, the new Gordon’s Bay Education Centre will begin recruiting greater numbers of disadvantaged children from local township communities in the immediate future. The SOS Africa Trustees would like to pay tribute to SOS Africa’s Western Cape staff ably led by CEO Matt Crowcombe and Operations Manager Li-andi Claassen for always going the extra mile for the children in their care; it is hardly surprising the SOS Africa children are thriving both in and out of the classroom with the unconditional and unlimited care and support they receive from our staff each afternoon. Special mention also goes to Admin and Finance Manager Rae Morris who tirelessly works away in the background providing invaluable support to those on the frontline.
Likewise, i n Mahikeng, the charity’s inaugural education project continues to empower its beneficiaries with a personal programme tailored to their needs. With Operations Manager Jenny Matthews nearing retirement, the 21-year-old education programme now supports 8 students, 3 of whom will join the 14 already graduated at the end of the 2024 academic year. Jenny and her team will continue to support the remaining scholars until their completion of high school and have the sincere thanks of the SOS Africa Trustees and supporters.
The Trustees are also extremely proud of SOS Africa’s Care Worker Training Programme in partnership with Sir Lowry’s Pass Village Community . As each graduation ceremony is held and new job opportunities
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celebrated, they are truly grateful to be able to empower those who dropped out of South Africa’s often overwhelmed education system and provide them with the second chance which they all truly deserve.
The trustees would like to give their final word to the 9 matric students who will graduate from SOS Africa’s Mahikeng and Western Cape Education Programmes at the end of the 2024 academic year. They are so proud of each of these inspiring individuals for their journeys they have been on and wish them all the very best of luck as they fly the SOS Africa nest. The Trustees cannot wait to follow their progress as they embark on their bright and exciting futures.
SOS Africa CEO Dr Matt Crowcombe with UK Trustees Prof Matthew Davies (Chair), Alex Dyer, Kim Williams and Gavin Thompson
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Financial Review
Review of SOS Africa’s Financial Position
At the close of the 2023/24 financial year, SOS Africa is in a strong financial position after another consistent year of fundraising, and an increase in donors and child sponsors.
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.
Throughout the 2023/24 financial year, SOS Africa has also maintained its pledge of invested 100% of all funds raised and donated in our education projects in Africa; the £54153.15 of UK expenditure was comfortably covered by the £50720.64 claimed in Gift Aid and the £15,000 raised by the SOS Africa Charity Shop.
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 2023/24 financial year, SOS Africa held £155622.89 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. During the current unstable financial climate, it is essential to keep funds in reserve to protect the long-term financial security of the charity.
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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 44 High Street Shepton Mallet Somerset BA4 5AS |
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
33
FOR THE YEAR END 31[ST] MAR 2024
SOS AFRICA
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
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 | 20/06/2024 |
34
| SOS Africa | 1188705 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts andpayments accounts | CC16a | ||||
| For the period from |
1st April2023 | To | 31st March 2024 |
| Section A Receipts and payments | Section A Receipts and payments | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ - - - 2,324 - 50,721 15,000 - 68,045 - - - 68,045 - 2,485 698 9,167 38,893 1,547 1,056 - 307 - 54,153 - - - 54,153 13,891 - 6,096 19,987 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ 120,973 1,230 55,266 - 47,060 - 42,000 266,529 - - - 266,529 213,782 - - - - - - 9,631 - 22,000 245,413 - - - 245,413 21,116 - 114,519 135,635 |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Total funds to the nearest £ 120,973 1,230 55,266 2,324 47,060 50,721 15,000 42,000 334,574 - - - 334,574 213,782 2,485 698 9,167 38,893 1,547 1,056 9,631 307 22,000 299,567 - - - 299,567 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|
| Child Sponsorship | - | 116,434 | ||||
| Offline Fundraising | - | 4,590 | ||||
| Online Fundraising& Donations | - | 61,514 | ||||
| Bank Interest | 2,324 | 761 | ||||
| Donations | - | 29,082 | ||||
| Gift Aid | 50,721 | 52,790 | ||||
| ShopSales | 15,000 | 20,000 | ||||
| GlastonburyLitterpickingDeposits | - | 39,120 | ||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
68,045 | 324,290 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | - | |||||
| Sub total | - | - | ||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
||||||
| 324,290 | ||||||
| Education Programme in South Africa | - | 407,185 | ||||
| Website Fees | 2,485 | 1,549 | ||||
| Bank Charges / Just GivingFees | 698 | 721 | ||||
| Tax / National Insurance Payments | 9,167 | 11,766 | ||||
| Wages / Pension | 38,893 | 37,679 | ||||
| Printing/ Travel | 1,547 | 3,110 | ||||
| Event Expenses | 1,056 | 12,540 | ||||
| Funds Raised for Other Charities | - | 14,772 | ||||
| Accounts / Prof Fees | 307 | 451 | ||||
| GlastonburyLitterpickingDeposits | - | 180 | ||||
| **Sub total ** | 54,153 | 489,953 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | ||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | ||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
||||||
| 489,953 | ||||||
| 13,891 | 21,116 | - | 35,007 | - 165,663 | ||
| - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 6,096 | 114,519 | - | 120,615 | 286,278 | ||
| 19,987 | 135,635 | - | 155,623 | 120,615 |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
24/05/2024
1
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B1 Cash funds |
Details Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) SOS Africa UK HSBC ACCOUNT Details Details Details Signature |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 19,987 135,635 - - - - 19,987 135,635 OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name Matthew Lloyd Davies |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| OK | |||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
|||
| Date of approval |
|||
| Matthew Lloyd Davies | 20/06/2024 | ||
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
24/05/2024
2
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinefs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustsesl members of Sog AfiQici On accounts for the year ended 03- 202Kk Charlty no (If any) I i ?&-kn- Sot out on pages I rert to the trusiees my examination of the acccwnts of the above charrty (Ihe Tru> fc the year ended S I10&/ 202 As the chiiYs Irustees, you are responsible for the of the aCCnIS in accordance with the requirements the Charities Act 2011 fthe Arf). Responsibilities and basls of report I resped (rf my examinatKm of the Trusfs accounts carried oui under sedion 145 of the 2011 Ad and in caryng out my examination. I have folloed all the applrAtle Dire(Xions gi by the Charty Commissi¢ under sedion 145(5){b) LY the Ad. Independent rrhe ch¥itS gross nc(xne exceeded £250,0(M) and l am qualffEd to examinerfs statement undertake Ihe examInatn by beirMJ a qualffEd member of {insert name of applubk list8J body]l. Lte [ ] rfnot aAlicai%e. I have completed my eXaninatn. l o)nfrm that no material matters have come to my attentN)n in connect wtth the examination (other than that disclosed below") gives cause to beiwe that Fn, any material respect: the accounting records rK keo in accord with section 130 of the Charities Ad: or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records", or the ac£ounts did not CCAnply ith the applicable requirements conceming the fom and content of acunt5 set out in the Charities {Atunts and Rerths) Regulatb)ns 2CQ8 other than any requwement that the accounts give a Irue arKI farf view is not a matter consbjered as wt of an indewdent examination. I have no concems and have corrE atxoss no other matters in eJ)nnection vith the examirwtrcfi to VtJith attention should be dravm in this report in i)rder to enabk a urKlerstanding d the ntS to be reached. . Please delete the bDrds in the brdckets rftty not awy. Slgned: 7 -6-IIL Name: KJh7Au Relevant profèsslonal qualMcatlon(s) or l)ody -Th@TrJ-AcMA- IER Oet 2018
(If any): rJT8Nrr Address: (20& /rll S Section 8 Disclosure Onty complete rf the examiner needs to hKJhliglrt material matters of concem (see CC32, Independent exam of charity acc<)unts: diredK)ns and guidance for examiners). Glve here brief detalls of any Items that the examlnerwlshes to dlsclose. IER Oct 2018