OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2021-05-31-accounts

AVA SA RA FOUNDATI ON

2021 A N N U A L R E P O R T

M ES SAG E FROM TH E TRUSTEES

Dear Donors and Supporters,

As our first year of operation draws to a close, we wanted to write to you and let you know how grateful we are for your contribution to our mission.

Avasara is a charity born out of the idea of empowering everyone with the opportunity to forge their own path. However, in a year like this, the ultimate privilege across the world has been the ability to survive the health and economic crises surrounding us. As such, we are proud to have provided COVID-19 emergency relief to communities across Rwanda, Malawi, and Kenya in their time of need. With the pandemic still causing havoc, we expect the fallout to be long-lasting and we remain committed to supporting in the most appropriate ways. Our Project Selection team are working hard to determine a project pipeline to support the recovery of the communities we work with, particularly in India where the crisis is having a devastating effect.

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Project, Malawi - March 2021

Our journey at Avasara began in 2020 in the midst of an unprecedented global pandemic. If there was ever a time to come together to drive change it was then, and we are proud to have risen to that challenge. We are grateful to all of our family and friends who quickly mobilised to volunteer their time and skills to bring this organisation to life. Time was of the essence and none of Avasara’s projects would have been possible without each and every one of them, as well as our on-the-ground partners. We take pride in our collaborative approach to projects. By partnering with grassroots organisations, we ensure that the voices of the communities we serve are included in every part of the project creation process. It is our priority to ensure that every penny spent is utilised in the most impactful way for our beneficiaries.

There is much work for us to do over the next 12 months and we are so grateful to all of you for supporting and following our work. We are fully committed to continuing this work and building on the network and trust we have established across our communities. The remainder of this report will demonstrate the significant impact your donations have had. We hope you enjoy reading it and will continue to follow and support our work.

Meenal in Rwanda - April 2020

2

A B OUT US

Avasara is a small volunteer-run charity which actively supports a range of projects. Each project is collaboratively constructed alongside local communities, such that Avasara’s project management experience is combined with the community’s lived experience to create the most impactful solutions.

We undertake projects with relatively low financial requirements, but which have scale to produce a significant impact for beneficiaries. By partnering with grassroots organisations, including small charities and schools, we keep costs low so that over 90p of every £1 donated goes to the communities. “ We dream of a world where everyone has an opportunity to forge a better path. ”

Our primary focus is in India, East Africa, and the UK where we take on sustainable projects targeting education, sanitation and financial empowerment. Where necessary, Avasara also stands ready to provide emergency relief.

3

OUR YEA R I N S UM M ARY

5,363 B e n e f i c i a r i e s

3 C o u n t r i e s

£38,374 Raised £28,410 Distributed

74 1 Donors A r t (not including raffle) R a f f l e

97 % O f d o n a t i o n s r e a c h e d b e n e f i c i a r i e s

4

3 C o u n t r i e s

EM ERG ENC Y COV I D - 19 REL I EF

£5,457

o n f a c e m a s k s a n d s a n i t a t i o n

B e n e f i c i a r i e s 4,132

£20,412 S p e n t o n 2 4 0 , 0 0 0 m e a l s f o r 7 m o n t h s

W H Y WA S A I D R E Q U I R E D ?

When the global pandemic hit, the United Nations asserted that the effects of COVID-19 could lead to a doubling of those living with food insecurity to 265 million people, with much of that impact in Africa. In many vulnerable communities, food prices doubled and, as new virus variants spread, curtailing the impact of the virus became an essential act of any charity working in these countries.

As such, we undertook three projects linked to COVID-19:

Local villager, Abraham, receiving the second food aid distribution in Rwanda

5

W H AT D I D W E A C H I E V E ?

F O O D R E L I E F K E N YA M A L AW I RWA N D A • 7 months • 381 people • 14 villages

Provided supplies to vulnerable communities for 3 meals a day

Food aid relief distributions in Rwanda and Malawi

FA C E M A S K S M A L AW I • 1,898 masks • 2 schools • 1 village • 2 distributed S A N I TAT I O N S TAT I O N S M A L AW I • 2 schools • • Sanitiser • 3each class

Taught/provided school children and villagers with cotton masks

Face mask making workshops in Malawi

Set up sanitation stations to stop the virus spread in schools

• 2 schools • 3 months of soap • Sanitiser • Water dispensers for each class • Educational posters

Sanitation equipment distribution in Malawi

6

F O O D R E L I E F 1

Provided supplies to vulnerable communities for 3 meals a day in:

K E N YA

RWA N D A

M A L AW I

Across the world, the most vulnerable people have been feeling the pressure of the COVID-19 crisis like nobody else. In many of these communities, as food prices doubled and people were restricted from earning an income, more people are set to die from starvation than from the virus itself. The cost of inequality has never felt so high.

Through recent visits to Rwanda, Malawi and Kenya, we established relationships and trust with select people on-theground. Using this network, we distributed basic food and hygiene supplies to local communities to help their fight against the risk of starvation. The supplies were selected in a way that allowed families to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. As a grass roots operation, we have no administration costs or bureaucracy meaning that our average turnaround time from the point of identifying the families to supplying food was 4 to 5 days.

Our process was simple: once we identified the families and calculated numbers, we determined a budget for essential goods based on the size of each

household. An invoice was drawn up by the food supplier and payment was made by mobile money directly to the food supplier. This was done only when the onthe-ground contact was with the supplier and ready to collect the goods. The food was then distributed to each household and the cost of transporting goods from the supplier to the villages was also covered through your donations.

Food aid distribution classification

7

FA C E M A S K S 2

Taught/provided school M A L AW I children and villagers with cotton masks in:

Falling behind in their education can lead to significant long–term consequences for children across the world. One of our priorities as an organisation is to help children remain in school during this pandemic, while also ensuring they are safe.

The project had two phases. In phase one, we partnered with a rural primary school in Malawi to teach 703 children how to make cotton reusable face masks. In recent times, most of the children at this school had been staying at home because they did not have a mask. As part of this project, our on-the-ground contractor trained ten teachers and ten mothers how to make the masks. This group then went on to train the students in small groups. Each child left the session with a cotton face mask and the knowledge of how to keep it clean, as well as how to make more. We taught them where to get cheap materials and gave them a guide so that they could remember the steps.

Our ask to the school was to teach another school and empower other children with the skills to make their own masks. When we checked in a few months later, we learnt that the students had visited a neighbouring primary school and successfully taught them how to sew their own masks.

In phase two of the project, we decided to

assist a further 800 students at a different secondary school, as well as 350 people in the local village. However, by this time, the South African variant of COVID-19 had started to spread, meaning that local restrictions on gatherings had changed. To comply with the new restrictions, instead of gathering groups together to teach them how to make the masks themselves, we purchased masks from local suppliers and distributed them using our on-theground support.

Supani Primary School children with their new masks

8

S A N I TAT I O N S TAT I O N S 3

Set up sanitation stations to stop the virus spread in schools in:

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical role good hand hygiene plays in reducing the transmission of disease, yet many people around the world do not have access to clean water or handwashing facilities.

After partnering with two schools on making and distributing reusable face masks, it was identified that more awareness was needed on other precautionary measures for COVID-19. As such, we decided to assist two schools by distributing soap and hand sanitiser, as well as providing water dispensers. Through this, we were able to set up wash stations outside each of the

Supani Primary School teachers receiving sanitation supplies

M A L AW I

Louisa handing materials to school administrators

classrooms to allow the children to regularly wash their hands whilst they were in school.

In addition, we wanted to ensure that the students were educated and informed on how to keep safe during these times. As such, our on-the-ground partner and local health workers conducted talks during school assemblies about COVID-19 and the importance of hand hygiene. We also produced posters to remind the students how to wash their hands properly, as well as reinforcing the key messages of social distancing. These were displayed around the schools as a reminder for everyone.

9

H EL PI NG G I RL S STAY I N S C H OOL

RWA N D A

12 S e s s i o n s o n s e x u a l h e a l t h a n d h y g i e n e

S p e n t p e r 3 S e s s i o n s o n r e u s a b l e p a d s £2 a n d h y g i e n e Safe room refurbished 1

1,229 S c h o o l g i r l s f r o m a g e 9 t o 1 8

W H Y WA S A I D R E Q U I R E D ?

Access to sanitary products, safe and clean spaces to use them, and the right to menstruate without shame or stigma is essential for anyone who menstruates. In addition, the potential health risk of inadequate sanitary products, women and girls’ education, wellbeing and even entire lives can also be affected.

Girls receiving menstrual health education from local health and social workers

1 0

W H AT D I D W E A C H I E V E ?

In December 2020, we partnered with the G.S. Shingiro school, in a rural and low income area of Rwanda, to create better access to sanitary products, as well as improve education about menstruation. The project tackled the issue on multiple fronts through the following activities:

Students making their reusable sanitary pads

I am happy we have learnt to make “ reusable cloth pads, before I would hide and say I was sick because if I went to school or had chores, I would use old newspaper, foam or tissue paper. At least now I am more comfortable with the reusable cloth pads because I can’t afford disposable ones ”

Students preparing the newly renovated safe room at G.S. Shingiro School

BIBIANE YANKURIJE, S6 (18 YEARS OLD)

1 1

A RT FUND RA I S ER

In the first our charity’s year, event was flagship fundraising an artwork raffle, giving supporters a chance to win a one-of-a-kind chalk drawing by artist Mike Pickett.

Using online fundraising platform RallyUp, supporters were able to buy tickets from £10 for 10 tickets, with all raised towards money going Avasara’s projects.

141 people bought raffle tickets and £6,590 was raised in total (including corporate matching).

View more of Mike’s work @pencilandpiano

1 2

I NCOM E & EXPED I TURE HI G HL I G HTS

----- Start of picture text -----
£25,936
----- End of picture text -----

D O N AT I O N S

Recurring One-off Fundraisers

£6,590 £5,848

P R O J E C T B R E A K D O W N

£3,788 Covid Food Relief Face Mask £1,669 WASH Sanitary Pad £2,542

£20,412

E X P E N S E S B R E A K D O W N

Project Costs £28,410 97.1%
Transaction Costs £257 0.9%
Wages £434 1.5%
Fundraising Costs £147 0.5%
Total £29,248 100%

1 3

LOOK I NG A H EA D

2021-2022

L A U N C H P R O J E C T S I N O U R R E M A I N I N G TA R G E T C O U N T R I E S

As of June 2021, Avasara Foundation has undertaken projects in three countries: Rwanda, Malawi and Kenya. As the charity grows, we hope to launch projects in our remaining target areas: the UK and India. This will involve us forging new partnerships with grassroots organisations on the ground who can help us to reach vulnerable communities.

I N - P E R S O N F U N D R A I S I N G E V E N T S

COVID-19 restrictions have meant that the charity’s first year of fundraising has been online-based, using social media campaigns, word of mouth through family and friends and an artwork raffle. While this has proven successful, looking ahead to the charity’s second year we hope to hold our first in-person fundraising event. This will not only be an opportunity to engage current supporters and donors, but to attract new ones.

E N G A G E A W I D E R A U D I E N C E I N AVA S A R A’ S W O R K

During the charity’s first year, the social media team have worked to build up Avasara’s following on key channels, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. They have also secured local media coverage for the charity. In the coming year, the team will review the communications strategy, strengthen understanding of key target audiences and continue to raise the profile of the charity’s work, both in traditional and social media.

1 4

AC K NOW L ED G EM ENTS

DA M I E N N K U B A N A Rwanda Project Manager

LO U I S A K WA PATA Malawi Project Manager

F U N D R A I S I N G

A C C O U N T S

Amit Patel Raj Patel

Amit Patel Meenal Patel Hollie Hewitson Michael Pickett Philip Duffy Sarah Bentall

P R O J E C T S

D I G I TA L

Bhavik Patel Sanish Mistry

Hollie Hewitson Meenal Patel Joanna Wilson

R E S E A R C H

Isha Patel

E D I TO R S

Joanna Wilson Meenal Patel Sanish Mistry

S O C I A L M E D I A

Anisha Patel Shriya Mistry Joanna Wilson Vishal Patel

1 5

S TAY U P T O D AT E W I T H O U R L AT E S T W O R K AT AVASARA.ORG.UK

@AVASARAFDN

D O N A T E H E R E avasara.org.uk/donate

Avasara Foundation Avasara Foundation Avasara Foundation Avasara Foundation Avasara Foundation 1189719 1189719 1189719 CC16a
For the period
from		 29/05/2020
Period start date		 To 31/05/2021
Period end date
Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts Unrestricted
funds
to the nearest £		 Restricted funds
to the nearest £		 Endowment
funds
to the nearest £		 Total funds
to the nearest £		 Last year
to the nearest £

Direct donations		 30,015 - - 30,015 -
Facebook donations 278 - - 278 -
Justgivingdonations 1,326 - - 1,326 -
Malawiprevious donations 1,099 - - 1,099 -
Paypal donations 1,571 - - 1,571 -
Amazonsmile donations 37 - - 37 -
Recurringdonations 4,048 - - 4,048 -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total(Gross income for AR) 38,374 - - 38,374 -
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
-
- -
Sub total - -
Total receipts
A3 Payments
-

Fundraisingfees		 149 - - 149 -
Food reliefproject 20,617 - - 20,617 -
Face maskproject 3,971 - - 3,971 -
Washproject 1,735 - - 1,735 -
Sanitary padproject 2,779 - - 2,779 -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
**Sub total ** 29,250 - - 29,250 -
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
-
9,124 -
- -
- -
9,124 -

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

02/09/2021

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
B1 Cash funds
B2 Other monetary assets
B5 Liabilities
B3 Investment assets
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use		 Signature
Details
Cash at Bank
Details
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and payments account(s))
Details
Details
Details		 Unrestricted
funds
to nearest £		 Unrestricted
funds
to nearest £		 Restricted funds
to nearest £		 Restricted funds
to nearest £		 Endowment
funds
to nearest £
9,124 - -
- - -
- - -
9,124 - -
OK
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
When due
(optional)
Date of approval
02/09/2021
02/09/2021

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

02/09/2021

2

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/ Avasara Foundation members of

On accounts for the year 31/05/2021 Charity no 1189719 ended (if any)

Set out on pages 1 and 2 of “Receipts and payments accounts – CC16a"

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 / 05 / 2021 .

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed:

Date: 02/09/2021

Name: Raj Patel

Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):

Address: 7 Wick Lane

Bournemouth, Dorset

BH6 4JT

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

1

October 2018

IER

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

2

October 2018

IER