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2023-12-31-accounts

Annual Report Period ending 31 December 2023 Charity No: 1198420

Not everyone can just “Google it”

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Internet access is a human right. Yet over 1/3rd of the world's population have no internet.

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OUR VISION No digital poverty

OUR MISSION To connect 1 billion people to the internet by 2030

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The impact

Connectivity enables a way out of poverty for many people through:

o financial inclusion o education o access to healthcare (support with drug rehabilitation, loneliness & mental health) o safety o access to jobs o effective trade o access to benefits, housing, visa applications, drug rehabilitation

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2023 Trustees Report 11 un connecte )1

The trustees are pleased to present their annual directors’ report together with the consolidated financial statements of the charity for the period ending 31 December 2023. The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the trust deed and the Charities SORP (FRS 102) (effective 01 January 2015).

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Reference and Administrative Information

Independent Examiner: Jason Foxwell 39 Enfield Rd Poole BH15 3LJ www.independent-examiner.net

Charity Name Charity Reg. No

The Unconnected Foundation

1198420

Principal Location

Longwood, Pilgrims Way, East Brabourne, Kent, TN25 5LU

Board of Trustees: Bankers: Atul Wahi (Chair) Wise, 56 Shoreditch High St, Carolina Almeida Cruz London, E1 6JJ Steve Logue

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~~Structure, Governance and Management~~

The Unconnected Foundation is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), registered with the charity commission with charity number 1198420 on the 29th of March 2022 and governed by the deed of trust last updated on the 21st of March 2023.

Organisational Structure:

The trustees are responsible and oversee the general management of the charity, the trustees give their time freely and without remuneration or other financial benefits. The trustees meet once a quarter to hear and all major decisions are presented for approval. This includes the strategic direction of the charity, any and all initiatives for the acquiring of funds and the distribution of funds. The financial status of the charity is presented and approved by the trustees.

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~~Structure, Governance and Management~~

Recruitment and appointment of trustees:

Those appointed must act solely in the best interests of the charity and not in the interests of the organisation that appointed them. In selecting individuals for appointment as Trustees, the Trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO. The Trustees may, by and from their number and from time to time, elect such officers (chair, secretary, treasurer) as they see fit.

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~~Structure, Governance and Management~~

Management: The organisation operated with only 4 management and expects to continue to do so. ● CEO - Andrew Atkinson ● COO - Ben Mansell ● CCO - Mea Thompson ● CFO - Silvia Atkinson

No staff are currently paid as the organisation seeks to minimise administrative expenses and maximise the value of donations.

Use of volunteers: Volunteers are an important resource in helping us achieve our goals. Our cause is well understood and easy to articulate, we currently have 30+ volunteers supporting us, some using their core skills in actively progressing the organisations and others performing an advocacy role, all are important to the success of the organisation.

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Objectives & Activities

~~Our aims~~

3 billion people don’t have access to the internet globally. We want to connect 1 billion of them through our ecosystem by 2030. Our organisation believes that internet access is a key component in this digital age for people to have equal access to opportunities in life. Digital skills and tools are critical to lift people out of poverty. We seek to bridge the digital divide and have internet access and skills reach people who need it. In 2023, 65% of work and impact still occurs within the United Kingdom. However our work outside the United Kingdom grew as we expanded internationally and grew presence in Africa, South East Asia and Latin America.

In the UK, our main body of work related to connecting refugees, the homeless and easing the cost of living for people struggling.

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~~Strategies~~

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Plans for future periods

We expect our plans to further develop our work in the developing world to continue to expand. Our volunteer network in Kenya, Malawi, Colombia, Mexico, Indonesia ad Malaysia is particularly strong and we have several project in those countries sponsored already.

Our impact of connecting 2.5m people in 2023 we expect to multiply in 2024. With key collaboration in place with Starlink and the internet Society, we aim to expand our connectED initiative to 5,000 schools. Our mission is to ultimately connect 1 billion people to the internet.

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~~How do our activities deliver public benefit?~~

The trustees acknowledge that they have read, digested and have due regard for the Charity Commissions published guidance on public benefit.

The value of connecting someone to the internet is no longer viewed as a luxury but as a necessity, the equivalent of literacy in the 18th century, enabling people to progress their lives; those who remain unconnected generally make up the lower proportion of the economic pyramid with little chance of advancement.

UK Free SIM Card Distribution:

Through our partnership with mobile operators and some foundations we’ve been able to distribute approximately twelve thousand SIM cards with 6 months of free data, talk and text. This has enabled people to get online to access benefits, search for employment, housing and become a contributing member of society. We work throughout the UK working in conjunction with a number of other NGO’s to maximise the outreach.

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Activities and Achievements

Example projects we ran in 2023

Our projects impacted 2.5m people in 2023

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~~How do our activities deliver public benefit?~~

Device Distribution Through our partnership with device manufacturers we were able to distribute large volumes of smartphones to the refugees and asylum seekers enabling them to keep connected and re-build their lives. Support for UK charities in building their digital capacities unconnected.org supported 120 different charities in 2023, all across the UK. As well as providing SIM cards and devices to these charities unconnected.org provided training and technical support and advice to charities and their beneficiaries. For example, we trained refugee charities and refugee and asylum seekers themselves in how to access food, shelter, medical support, legal services and English lesson online.

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~~How do our activities deliver public benefit?~~

connectED: Connecting schools and students In 2023, unconnected.org connected 86 schools to the internet first the first time as well as building digital learning labs, security and child protection software ad provided teacher training.

The grades of the students see an immediate uplift, as well as school attendance rates. Most importantly the students and teachers are leaning digital skills that will improve their livelihoods.

129,000 students are accessing the internet, mostly for the first time, in Malawi, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Indonesia, Malaysia and Mexico.

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~~How do our activities deliver public benefit?~~

connecSTARS: Keeping talented students in schools Our connectSTARS programme targets marginalised students who may not be able to continue their education unless they are able to do it remotely, using digital tools to do so. That is where we come in. In 2023, nearly 300,000 digital lessons were completed by students in Indonesia, Nigeria, South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya and , Afghanistan by talented students, keeping them in education when their circumstances often mean it is a struggle.

-co r*4 Financial Review

Statement of Trustees responsibilities

The charity trustees are responsible for ensuring that proper accounting records are kept with reasonable accuracy at any time reflects the financial position of the charity and for authorising the annual report and financial statements in accordance to the Charities Act 2011 and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)) and the provisions of the trust deed.

They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity (if any exist) hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The law applicable to Charities in England and Wales requires the charity's trustees to authorise the financial statement each year which gives a fair view of the affairs of the charity and the incoming resources and the application of those resources of the charity for that period.

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In authorising the financial statement the trustees are required to

The trustees for the purpose of the charity law who served during the year and up to the date of this report are set out on page 8.

Approved by the trustees and signed on its behalf by: Atul Wahi (Chairperson) 13/02/2024 Date:

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Independent examiner’s report to the Trustees of the Unconnected Foundation

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the CIO for the period ended 31 December 2023.

Responsibilities and basis of report As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

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

Independent examiner’s statement

Since the charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of both the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the Association of Charitable Independent Examiners (ACIE), both of which are listed bodies.

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Independent examiner’s report (continued)

Independent examiner’s statement (continued)

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

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

Jason Foxwell FCCA FCIE

Independent-examiner.net 39 Enfield Road, Poole, BH15 3LJ

Date: 13 February 2024

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Statement of Financial Activities for the period ended 31 December 2023

All the charity’s activities derive from continuing operations.

The notes on pages 29 to 33 form an integral part of these accounts.

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The notes on pages 29 to 33 form an integral part of these accounts. The accounts were approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by: Atul Wahi Trustee and Chairperson Date: 13/02/2024

Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2023

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Statement of Cash Flows for the period ended 31 December 2023

The notes on pages 29 to 33 form an integral part of these accounts.

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Notes to the accounts for the period ended 31 December 2023

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

1.1. Basis of preparation of the accounts

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)).

The Unconnected Foundation meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.

1.2. Going Concern

The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties abo ut the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern nor any significant areas of uncertainty that affect the carrying value of assets held by the charity.

1.3. Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the Trustees. Unrestricted funds include designated funds where the Trustees, at their discretion, have created a fund for a specific purpose.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the Charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes. Where necessary, a quarterly report is sent to the donor detailing the expenditure.

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Notes to the accounts for the period ended 31 December 2023

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Notes to the accounts for the period ended 31 December 2023

Notes to the accounts for the period ended 31 December 2023

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Notes to the accounts for the period ended 31 December 2023

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Thank you No digital poverty

Contact help@unconnected.org

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