| Trustees' Annual Report | Trustees' Annual Report | Trustees' Annual Report | Trustees' Annual Report | Trustees' Annual Report | for theperiod | for theperiod | for theperiod | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | Period start date | To | Period end date | |||||
| 3 | Jul | 2023 | 15 | Dec | 2024 |
Section A Reference and administration details
Charity name Education Bridge for Afghanistan
Other names charity is known by
Registered charity number (if any) 1203820
Charity's principal address
124 Kensington Road Portsmouth Postcode PO2 0QY
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Shakardokht Jafari |
Chairperson | Trustees | ||
| Zohreh Nazari | FundraisingDirector | Trustees | ||
| Dr Saffron Grandage |
Treasurer | Trustees | ||
| Dr Homira May Rezai |
CEO | Appointed on 10/10/24 | Trustees | |
| Najma Najwa | CEO | 3/7/23 – 21/5/24 | Trustees |
Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
| Name | Dates acted if not for whole year |
|---|---|
| N/A | |
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
| Type of adviser | Name Address |
Name Address |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | ||
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
1
Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Type of governing document
Constitution
- (eg. trust deed, constitution)
How the charity is constituted
CIO
- (eg. trust, association, company)
Trustee selection methods
- (eg. appointed by, elected by)
Additional governance issues (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:
-
policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
-
the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
-
relationship with any related parties;
-
trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
Section C Objectives and activities
Objects:
For the public benefit to provide education of women and girls in Afghanistan (or in the Afghan diaspora) in such ways as the charity trustees think fit, including by:
-
Establishing an educational programme based on international standards
-
Providing educational resources
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document
-
Building national and international partnerships for effective resource mobilisation
-
Providing a learning platform for students to link with international opportunities, knowledge resources and further education
Summary:
Education Bridge for Afghanistan (EBA) helps individuals and organisations provide education/training for Afghan children, specifically for girls. EBA raises funds for this purpose through different activities like conducting online courses in the UK, launching fundraising events, and community partnerships.
3
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)
Introduction
EBA was set up in 2021 in response to the Taliban closing girls’ schools in Afghanistan, without any plan for reopening. We work with volunteers and partner organisations In Afghanistan and around the world to ensure that girls in Afghanistan can continue their secondary education and potentially go on to higher education.
Flying Wings Online School
Starting in 2021, EBA has worked closely with our operating partner Development Bridge of Afghanistan (DBOA), which is a registered organisation in Kabul, to establish an online school, which is now known as Flying Wings online school (FWOS). EBA has worked closely with FWOS for over 3 years in monitoring and evaluating the courses and curriculum, helping the school to meet global standards and to prepare students for higher education opportunities. Teacher training is also provided to equip educators to teach in the new environment. The pilot phase of the school focussed primarily on online lesson delivery, aiming to provide Afghan girls with accessible education despite the challenging environment. The challenges included, limited internet access, limited digital literacy and low student motivation due to uncertainty about the prospects of higher education and job opportunities. In responding to these challenges, pre-recorded lessons were introduced, which allow students to learn at their own pace, and a blended-learning model was developed to combine live classes with online. This has led to increased engagement and avoided internet connectivity issues. Other learning methods, counselling and mentoring were introduced to encourage students in personal development and active learning. FWOS has, so far, been run mainly by volunteers, supported by personal contributions from donors. Online education was provided for 650 Afghan girls during this period. Some FWOS graduates have been admitted to medical institutes within Afghanistan. Fifty students have discreetly begun pursuing higher education at a private university. One student secured a UWC scholarship and is now studying in Thailand. Others have been accepted into the People’s Online University, and a few have gained admission to the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF).
Pre-recorded lessons
Because of students working online during the COVID-19 pandemic some pre-recorded lessons were already available, but this did not include all the curriculum. EBA were able to provide funding and support to produce pre-recorded video lessons for FWOS .
Afghan Girls Access to Education (AGATE) programme EBA, together with DBOA and another partner, Kaaj Education, based in the US has developed a programme to continue and advance the work of Flying Wings Online School for the coming two academic years 2025-27. The partnership has been awarded a grant of $UDS250,000 for the programme. DBOA leads teacher training and supports on-ground implementation and the day-to-day running of FWOS. Kaaj provides mentorship and skill-building and EBA is working on an accreditation system to enable Afghan girls to earn globally recognised qualifications. The programme will build on the existing structure of FWOS, but will enable the school to grow. In the 2025 academic year the aim is to admit 1,000 students in grades 7-12, increasing to up to 2,000 students in 2026.
Accreditation
4
Despite the restrictive policy on girls’ education in Afghanistan DBOA has been able to run Flying Wings without any intervention. Similarly, other NGOs are also continuing to implement educational projects for girls. One of the challenges that exists for all these organisations is how to assess the students’ knowledge, understanding and skills, particularly at the end of the secondary education. For girls to go on to further study, it would be a huge advantage to be able to access nationally and internationally recognised qualifications.
EBA has been working with The Learning Machine Ltd (TLM), an Ofqualregulated awarding organisation, to build an examination and accreditation system to facilitate the testing and certification for 12thgrade students. This ensures that the education provided through FWOS meets both national and international standards, enabling Afghan girls to earn globally recognised qualifications. These certifications empower students to apply for scholarships and higher education opportunities abroad, enhancing their prospects for further education and employment. Exams will be conducted in the language in which the students have studied, Farsi, Pashto, and Dari, to ensure that students can demonstrate their knowledge without being hindered by language barriers.
Following an assessment by TLM, it was determined that the Grade 12 curriculum of FWOS aligns with the Level 2 Ofqual standard (equivalent to GCSE). To enable students to achieve a Level 3 qualification (A-level) additional classes will be provided for Grade 12 students, allowing them to sit the Level 3 examination at the end of their school studies in addition to standard examinations. Exams are being prepared for Level 1, 2, and 3 of the Ofqual standard, corresponding to students in Grades 10, 11, and 12. As these qualifications are develop it will be possible to offer them to other Afghan girls’ schools enabling them to offer accredited examinations and certifications to their students.
Development of Learning Management System (LMS)
EBA is working with the creator of a Learning Management System (LMS), Mr Vahidi. to develop a platform which streamlines operations, student management, and reporting. It will also be used as part of the examination system. In the long term, the LMS can be offered to schools, NGOs, and educational institutions for a subscription fee, providing them with access to curriculum materials, teacher training resources, and student tracking tools. Proceeds from these efforts would be reinvested into improving the LMS, supporting teachers, and expanding access to education in underserved communities.
Curriculum Development
To bridge the gap between the Afghan national curriculum and international educational standards EBA has been developing curriculum is subjects such as Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geology, and Computer Science. TLM is widening its scope to support these subjects, ensuring alignment with accreditation requirements. For students applying their knowledge within Afghanistan, lessons are tailored to the national framework and current needs. For those seeking higher education abroad, globally aligned content is included to prepare them for academic and professional success.
Guidance on public benefit
The trustees have read the guidance on public benefit issues by the Charity Commission ( Public benefit: the public benefit requirement (PB1)) and discussed it as an agenda item at the trustees meeting on 29[th] March 2025.
Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)
5
You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:
-
policy on grantmaking;
-
policy programme related investment;
-
contribution made by volunteers.
Section D Achievements and performance
Main Achievements
-
Summary of the main - Supporting DBOA to run Flying Wings Online School and
-
achievements of the charity enrolling 650 students
-
during the year
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Developing LMS system and completing initial testing in line with TLM guidance
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Nominated for University of East Anglia Innovation and Impact Award 2023.
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With partner organisations DBOA and Kaaj Education, in 2025 EBA is in the 4[th] round to receive a grant of USD $250,000 for two years funding of the AGATE project.
Section E Financial review
As a new charity EBA currently does not have a reserves policy.
Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves
Details of any funds materially in deficit
N/A
Further financial review details (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:
-
the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
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how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
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investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.
Section F Other optional information
6
Section G Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date
7
Education Bridge for Afghanistan
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|||
|---|---|
|RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT - GENERAL FUND|
|3 Jul 23 - 15 Dec 24|
|Receipts|£|
|Donations 2023|2,413|
|Donations 2024|3,294|
|Total|5,707|
|Payments|
|Expenses in UK|319|
|AGATE DBOA Expenses|2,863|
|AGATE Kaaj Expenses|799|
|Total|3,981|
|Excess of Receipts over Payments|1,726|
|Bank Opening balance on 3 Jul 2023|-|
|Balance Carried Forward 15 Dec 2024|1,726|
|STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES|
|15-Dec-24|
|Cash and Bank Deposits – By Account|£|
|Cheque from Lloyds bank|1,726|
|Total Funds|1,726|
|Cash and Bank Deposits – By Fund|£|
|General Fund (Unrestricted)|1,726|
|Total|1,726|
----- End of picture text -----
----- Start of picture text -----
Charity Name No (if any)
Education Bridge for Afghanistan 1203820
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
For the period Period start date Period end date
To
from 03/07/2023 15/12/2024
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Total funds Last year
funds funds funds
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Donations 5,698 - - 5,698 -
Other income 9 - - 9 -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - 5,707 -
Sub total (Gross income for AR) [ 5,707 ]
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 5,707 - - 5,707 -
A3 Payments
Agate Project 3,662 - - 3,662 -
Administration expenses 319 - - 319 -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total [ 3,981 ] - - 3,981 -
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - -
Total payments 3,981 - - 3,981 -
Net of receipts/(payments) 1,726 - - 1,726 -
A5 Transfers between funds - - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end - - - - -
Cash funds this year end 1,726 - - 1,726 -
----- End of picture text -----
| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | 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 B3 Investment assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities |
(agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Cheque from Lloyds bank Total cash funds Details Details Details Details Signature |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 1,726 - - - - - 1,726 - 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 |
Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - |
| - | |||
| OK | |||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - Current value (optional) - - Current value (optional) - - - - - When due (optional) Date of approval |