ORGANISATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL PALOP (AFRICAN COUNTRIES WITH PORTUGUESE AS AN OFFICIAL LANGUAGE) (ODOAP) Annual Report and Financial Statements 29/04/2024 to 28/04/2025
Year Ending 28/04/2025
Section 1
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
The trustees are appointed in accordance with the terms and conditions contained in the charity’s memorandum and articles of association.
Trustees who served during the year and up to the date of this report are:
Person entitled to appoint trustees Mr Alfa Umaro Djalo Balde Ms Ajala Carvalho Ms Aissato Djalo Mrs Alcidia Brito Ms Natalia Gomes
Address Registered office 147 UPPER CLAPTON ROAD LONDON E5 9DB
Charity registration number 1188849
Section 2
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT ODOAP
TYPE OF GOVERNING DOCUMENTS
ODOAP was registered as a charity incorporated organisation (CIO) on 01 April 2020
ODOAP Trustees Annual Report Charity registration 1188849
Classification - Public
The Board meets monthly, and Trustees are all familiar with the practical work of the Charity and their responsibilities as Trustees. The Company Secretary distributes relevant information from the Charity Commission to the Trustees, as appropriate. The management affairs are conducted monthly by all trustees under the direction of the secretary and Chair. Risk management, The Board of Trustees has reviewed the major risks to which The Charity is exposed. The Board is satisfied that the procedures in place are adequate to manage such risks appropriately. The major risk which The Charity faces is that its income is entirely derived from donations, which depend on successful grant applications and public donations.
Section 3
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
The Charity’s objects, as laid out in the governing documents, are to promote social inclusion for the public benefit amongst migrants of African countries with Portuguese as an official language, also known as Paises africanos de língua oficial portuguesa, (Palop), who are socially excluded on the grounds of their ethnic origin, relieving the needs of those people who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society, in particular but not exclusively by: a) providing a local network group that encourages and enables such people to participate more effectively with the wider community; b) increasing, or co-ordinating, opportunities for such people to engage with service providers, to enable those providers to adapt services to better meet the needs of such people; and c) the provision of education and training, including English language skills, and advice and support on matters such as health, housing and employment and such other support designed to enable them to integrate and adapt to the local community. 2) to advance in life and help young people who are Palop migrants by providing mentorship, employment support and other such support which develops their skills, capacities and capabilities to enable them to participate in society as mature and responsible individuals.
Section 4
ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE
IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY
WHAT THE CHARITY DID DURING THE YEAR :
Throughout the year, our charity focused on addressing critical community issues such as unemployment, benefits, and homelessness. We dedicated our efforts to delivering comprehensive support services in these areas, despite the clear lack of resources, both in capital and human resources. Additionally, recognising the importance of mental well-being, we collaborated with local partners to provide mental health support through referrals to esteemed organisations like The Mind and Haringey Adult Social Services. These partnerships enabled us to extend our reach and offer holistic assistance to those in need within our community.
WHAT OUR ACHIEVEMENTS ARE:
OUR ACHIEVEMENTS ARE:
ODOAP Trustees Annual Report Charity registration 1188849
Classification - Public
Our targeted approach to addressing community needs has yielded humble results due to a lack of financial and human resources. Although we have had some of these difficulties for the past years, we have managed to achieve the following:
Employment Support: Successfully assisted over 4 individuals in securing employment, empowering them to achieve financial independence.
Housing Assistance: Secured temporary housing for 6 individuals facing imminent evictions, ensuring they have a safe and stable place to live during critical times.
Benefits Support: Supported more than 27 people in filing for essential benefits, including Universal Credit (UC), Housing Benefit, and Disability Allowance, thereby enhancing their financial stability and quality of life.
WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES:
The biggest challenge confronting ODOAP this year has been financial sustainability and human resources. A limited financial resource and budget have posed significant constraints on our ability to meet the operational needs of the organisation. This financial limitation has impacted our capacity to expand services and respond to the growing demands of the community effectively.
As a result of this financial difficulty, the board of Trustees are currently considering closing the operations of the only Registered PALOP community encompassing all African-Portuguese existing charities in the UK.
WHAT WERE THE BENEFITS TO THE PUBLIC
The impact of our work extends beyond immediate assistance, fostering long-term well-being and resilience within the community. Key benefits include:
Enhanced Mental Well-Being: Approximately 53% of the individuals we supported reported feeling less stressed, depressed, or anxious as a result of the assistance they received from our services. This improvement highlights the significance of our holistic approach to support.
Community Stability: By addressing unemployment, housing instability, and benefits management, we contribute to a more stable and thriving community.
Empowerment and Independence: Our support empowers individuals to achieve self-sufficiency, fostering a sense of empowerment and improving their overall quality of life. These benefits underscore the broader societal impact of our efforts in solving problems and facilitating essential support for vulnerable populations.
This year has been marked by significant achievements in our mission to support the community against unemployment, homelessness, and financial instability. While financial challenges persist, our collaborations with local partners and the resilience of our team have enabled us to make meaningful strides in improving the lives of those we serve. Moving forward, securing additional
ODOAP
Trustees Annual Report Charity registration 1188849
Classification - Public
funding and resources will be crucial in expanding our services and continuing to provide vital support to the community.
WHAT WE PLAN TO DO WITH YOUR DONATIONS: OUR FUTURE PLANS
We plan to continue using the funds we receive to offer face-to-face service delivery. In addition to covering the continuity of our services, we will use our donations to invest in the marketing and training of volunteers and trustees.
4) FINANCIAL REVIEW
| Money received | 55.69 |
|---|---|
| Money Spent | 1543.33 |
ODOAP can only continue to support the community for as long as we receive the funds needed; most of our income comes from Grants. Overall, we ended the year with:
MONEY RECEIVED: SOURCES OF FUNDS
| Public Donatons | 0 |
|---|---|
| Grant | 0 |
| Miscellaneous | 55.69 |
Balance carried forward from previous Tax Year 5318.02
MONEY SPENT: WHAT WE SPENT MONEY ON
| Banking fees |
240.00 |
|---|---|
| Marketng |
498.58 |
| Running Cost including ofce rent |
804.75 |
RESTRICTED INCOME FUNDS
Represent money which can only be used for specified purposes. UNRESTRICTED INCOME FUNDS
Are funds available to be spent within the objects of the charity, which can legally be spent wholly at the discretion of the trustee.
PRESENTATION OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with The Companies Act, The Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations and Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) and the trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
ODOAP
Trustees Annual Report Charity registration 1188849
Classification - Public
Legal requirements of SORP require the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the recommended practice of SORP. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities reported by Charities.
Financial results.
The net result for the year was recognised in accordance with SORP FRS 102, with a net expenditure of £1543.33.
The Trustees consider the position to be satisfactory.
Declaration
In our opinion - the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs as at 28 April 2025 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended; the financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice, the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the SORP FRS 102 and the information given in the Trustees‟ Annual Report is consistent with the financial statements. Under the requirements of Charities
Alcidia Brito (ODOAP Treasurer)
Alfa Djalo (ODOAP Chair)
ODOAP Trustees Annual Report Charity registration 1188849
Classification - Public
ODOAP
Statement of Financial Activities
(including an income and expenditure account) Year end 28 April 2025
Notes Unrestricted Restricted Unrestricted Restricted Total
| Revenue | 2024 2024 2025 2025 |
2024 2024 2025 2025 |
2024 2024 2025 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income from: | £ £ |
£ £ |
|
| Opening balance | 5,318.02 | ||
| Donatons Misc Total income |
0 0 55.69 5373.71 0 |
0 0 0 |
|
| Expenses | |||
| Supportng services General and administratve (including Meetng roon hire Easter egg hunt event expenses) Training Total expenses Total net asset ODOAP Balance sheet For the year ended 28 April 2025 Assets Total Assets Liabilites Accounts Payable Total Liabilites Net Assets |
-1161.27 0 4212.44 0 £ 3830.38 3830.38 0.00 |
0 -382.06 0 -382.06 0 |
|
| Begining of period | 5,318.02 | ||
| End of period Change in Net assets Total net Assets |
5318.02 3830.38 |
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charities subject to the small charities regime. Approved and authorised for issue by the Board of Trustees on ................................................. and signed on its behalf by: ………………………………………… Trustee
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
| Signature | Print Name |
|---|---|
| Alfa U Djalo Balde |
Charity registration number 1188849 Registered office 147 UPPER CLAPTON ROAD