2025-09-30-accounts

S E V E N H I L L S F O U N D A T I O N

2 0 2 4 – 2 5 ANNUAL REPORT

IMPACT THROUGH COMMUNITY & PLAY

F O R E W O R D

Dear Friends, Donors, and Partners,

The 2024-25 operating year has been one of consolidation, growth, and meaningful local impact for Seven Hills Foundation. Looking back, we are proud of how far we have come. Not only have we expanded the reach of our work, but we have deepened the everyday presence we hold in the slums of Naguru through our partnership with The Ghetto Film Project (TGFP) in Kampala, Uganda.

We began the operating year by responding to a challenge raised directly by parents in the community: the difficulty of saving enough to afford school supplies ahead of the last term of the academic year. In the first operating quarter, we reshuffled part of the Saturday Programme budget to cover essential supplies for school-enrolled children, enabling them to start the term on time and prepare for end-of-year exams. Given the clear link between starting the academic term on time and school retention, this support was more than a one-off response. It became a pilot for a potential new initiative in the years ahead.

This has also been the first full year of operation of the Resource Centre, and the impact has exceeded our expectations. As the only NGO with a permanent physical office in the slums of Naguru, the Centre has become a trusted point of contact for children, caretakers, school deputies, and Local Council officials alike. Drop-in sessions have steadily grown, the local team has settled into a weekday rhythm of community engagement, and the Centre has established its role as the operational anchor of our work.

This year, we were able to send 26% more funds in direct project support to Kampala compared to the previous year. At the same time, we reduced our SHF operating expenses to just £645 (10% of total spending, down from 12% last year) – in line with our commitment to keep our cost ratio lean since day one.

During the last quarter of this year, we were awarded a grant from the Kent Family Foundation that has allowed us to safely cover operations until the end of 2025. We are also deeply grateful to our individual donors, corporate sponsors, friends, and family, who continue to stand behind our mission.

To everyone who continues to believe in our mission: thank you. We are excited for the journey ahead and the lasting impact we can continue to make together.

With gratitude,

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Gloria Marin Querol Jens Sudmeier
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Co-founders of Seven Hills Foundation

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pages

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05

06 08 09

11 13

Foreword

Who we are

Charity with real & measurable impact Our activities & programmes Spotlight: Celia & the sewing programme Our impact Condensed financial information Charity reserves policy

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W H O A R E W E

About Seven Hills Foundation

Seven Hills Foundation operates in London and has one partner organisation, The Ghetto Film Project, in Kampala, Uganda.

Seven Hills Foundation is a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) under the Charity Commission for England and Wales (Registered Charity Number 1204165), governed by its constitution in line with the CIO Foundation model. The organisation currently consists of two trustees, Gloria Marin Querol and Jens Sudmeier, with no other members holding active roles.

The Ghetto Film Project (TGFP), based in Kampala, Uganda, collaborates closely with Seven Hills Foundation to enrich the lives of children and youth in the slums of Naguru.

The Ghetto Film Project

In Kampala, TGFP delivers impactful after-school programmes and weekday support as part of the Saturday Programme and Resource Centre initiatives. These aim to empower 103 enrolled children and youth providing them with support, community, and opportunities for growth.

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C H A R I T Y W I T H R E A L & M E A S U R A B L E I M P A C T

According to the "2025 Public Trust in Charities" research, donations reaching the end cause and the charity making a real difference are the most important factors for the public to trust a charity

of respondents are more likely to support a charity when a high 72% proportion of funds raised goes to the end cause

Continued growth, while maintaining transparency & real impact

At Seven Hills Foundation (SHF), we strive to meet these expectations by ensuring full transparency and a strong focus on delivering impact. In the 2024–25 operating year, we sent 26% more direct project support to Kampala compared to the previous year, while reducing our SHF operating expenses (admin and fundraising) to just 10% of total spending, improved from 12% last year.

This resulted in 90% of all spending going directly to beneficiaries in Kampala.

Our approach is built around 3 key principles

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Local-led initiatives: As the only charity having a physical office location in the slums of Naguru, we prioritise local staff and facilitators who understand the community context. Many of the facilitators have been through the Saturday Programme themselves, ensuring culturally-relevant operations without imposing Western frameworks.

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Small charity, big impact: Our trustees contribute volunteer time, and with minimal overhead, approximately 90% of donations go directly to Programme activities. This contrasts with larger charities, where only around 60% typically reaches beneficiaries.

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Real impact tracking: Our smaller size and strong relationship with our Uganda team enable tailored and frequent reporting. Weekly updates ensure donors can see the direct impact of their contributions, building trust and accountability.

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O U R A C T I V I T I E S & P R O G R A M M E S

Saturday Programme

The Saturday Programme is our longest-standing initiative and is the core of our weekly engagement with the children of the slums of Naguru. The Programme is offered to the 103 enrolled children and is held once a week, on Saturday. It consistently runs for four hours with structured activities focused on three key pillars around Vocational Skills, Personal Development, and Creativity & Self Expression.

Programme Structure: the Three Activity Pillars

Vocational Skills gives older children hands-on training in a practical craft. Our sewing workshops cater to a selected group of children at risk of exclusion, giving them an incomegenerating skill and sense for entrepreneurship to become self-sufficient in the future.

Life Skills & Personal Development covers the sessions that help children navigate life beyond the Programme itself. Monthly Safe Space discussions offer a gender-specific setting to talk through life skills, health, and personal safety, while Reflection Hour opens each Saturday by encouraging community values and hope. Younger children receive dedicated support with reading and writing, ensuring children are equipped and ready to start each term.

Creativity & Self Expression rounds out the day through games, sports, arts and film class. Here, children enjoy playing football volleyball, chess and truly enjoy being kids. In our arts and film class, children explore drawing, painting, and film storytelling, taught in part by Nes, the founder of our partner NGO and successful, local filmmaker.

The Saturday Programme is much more than a weekly set of activities.

It is a vital point of consistency for children who often face instability at home, particularly on Saturdays when caretakers are working or absent.

The Programme provides structure and security, while building trusted relationships that help our team uncover and follow up on deeper issues through the Resource Centre.

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O U R A C T I V I T I E S & P R O G R A M M E S

Resource Centre

The Resource Centre serves as the anchor of our weekday operations, offering drop-in sessions for the children, the local community, as well as being a space from where the local team can plan and coordinate initiatives.

October 2024 to September 2025 marked the first full year of operation for the Resource Centre. As the only permanent NGO office located directly in the community, it has become the operational anchor of our work in Kampala and a key differentiator behind the trust and access we hold locally.

The Resource Centre is run by three part-time staff who manage day-to-day operations, coordinate with facilitators, and ensure the space is open and responsive throughout the week. It serves two interconnected purposes:

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Day-to-day base for our local team : Staff and facilitators plan and prepare Saturday Programme activities, hold team meetings, coordinate home visits, align daily schedules, and store Saturday Programme materials.

Open access point for the community : Throughout the week, children, caretakers, and community members drop in to raise concerns, seek guidance, or coordinate their engagement with Saturday activities.

The Resource Centre works hand-in-hand with the Saturday Programme. Through the trusted relationships built on Saturdays, children often share challenges they face at home or in school. The team then follows up midweek at the Resource Centre where they coordinate support with caretakers, engaging with schools, or escalating cases where needed. Together, the two form a continuous cycle of engagement, listening, and response. Being physically embedded in Naguru means we are not just visitors, but part of the community fabric. It is where strategy meets lived reality, and where community voices are not only heard, but drive action.

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S P O T L I G H T : C E L I A & T H E S E W I N G P R O G R A M M E

Celia’s Background

Sewing Workshop Facilitator at The Ghetto Film Project (TGFP)

• Joined TGFP in November 2024 as a volunteer and since March 2025, leads the Sewing Workshop

• Speaks four languages: English, Luganda, Kirundi, and Kinyarwanda

• Has worked with children and families in vulnerable situations through International Rescue Committee programmes

• Former Village Health Team member, supporting community health education and outreach

Introducing Celia

Celia Dushime joined The Ghetto Film Project in November 2024, bringing with her a background in community health and youth work.

Before joining TGFP, she served as a Village Health Team member and worked with the International Rescue Committee on training and community programmes. These experiences have brought her a structured and formal approach that uses when leading the Sewing Workshop on Saturdays.

Celia came to TGFP with a clear sense of purpose: coming from a humble background herself, she understands that what many young people need is not just a skill, but someone who believes they are capable of learning it.

• For me, working with these children is not just about teaching a skill. It is about encouraging them, listening to them, and helping them believe in themselves.

The moments Celia values most are when a child who started out shy or unsure finishes a session proud of what they have made. That shift, she says, is why she does this work.

She speaks four languages: English, Luganda, Kirundi, and Kinyarwanda. This is a reflection of her international background and is an asset in a programme that draws children from across different communities.

We are incredibly lucky to have Celia as part of the core TGFP team!

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O U R I M P A C T

Saturday Programme Impact

Being operational on 44 Saturdays of the year, in collaboration with The Ghetto Film Project (TGFP), we were able to deliver great impact across three areas:

103 177 children impacted and enrolled total hours of Saturday (average of 72 participants weekly) Programme Sewing Workshops 16x workshops 25 children 46h formal training (catered to a selected group of children at risk of exclusion) Safe Space (topics around life skills, sexual and 7 sessions 56 avg participants reproductive health rights, personal safety) Reflection Hour (first hour of the programme, encouraging 41 sessions 50 avg participants community values and hope) Reading, Writing, & Exam Prep (children under the age of 7 supported with 54 hours 22 avg participants reading/writing sessions) School Supply Distribution (sponsorship and distribution of books for the 2 trimesters 103 participants[1] first and school trimesters) Chess & Games 119 hours played 49 avg participants Sports 94 hours played 43 avg participants Arts & Film 43 hours spent 25 avg participants

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I M P A C T I N P I C T U R E S

Resource Centre Impact

For this 12-month period, the team has attended 120 individuals during their drop-in sessions.

Who is coming in: drop-ins by demographic

Type	Total	Percentage
Caretaker	55	46%
Child	40	33%
Saturday Guest	8	7%
Local Council	6	5%
Community Member	4	3%
School Deputy	4	3%
Organisation	2	2%
Team Member	1	1%
120 100%

In its second year, the Resource Centre has become an essential space for caretakers and children to voice their needs.

Caretakers have sought urgent support with child welfare, school fees, and supplies, while children have dropped in to coordinate schedules, access health support, and share ideas for Saturday Programme activities.

The Centre has also served as a community coordination hub, hosting alumni and guest workshop leaders and local leaders addressing safety and logistics.

What they need: drop-ins by focus area

Type	Total	Percentage
School Fees	41	34%
Saturday Programme	35	29%
School Materials	23	19%
Child safety	9	8%
Menstrual care	4	3%
Other	8	7%
120 100%

Visits to the Resource Centre have mostly centered on educational access by mediating school fee challenges to prevent dropouts and providing essential school supplies.

The space has also served as a safety net for family emergencies, housing instability, and urgent child health concerns, while acting as a coordination point for daily schedules and larger initiatives like the community talent show.

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F I N A N C I A L I N F O R M A T I O N

CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION (1/2)

For the 12-month period ending 30[th] September 2025 (in GBP)

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FUNDRAISED SPENDING INCOME RESERVES
£ 2,846.82
£ 7,825.87 £ 6,296.66 £ 1,529.21
£ 4,376.03
1. HOW OUR WORK IS FUNDED
£2,990 £2,663 £1,288 £885
Individuals Corporate Contributions Trustee Contributions Other & GiftAid
91% 6% 3%
United Kingdom Germany Spain
90% of our spending 10% of our
goes directly to local spending goes to
2. WHERE YOUR GIVING GOES
programmes in Kampala admin & fundraising
£1,208 £4,301 £142 £248 £397
Saturday Programme Resource Centre School Supplies Fundraising Administrative
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Starting Balance Ending Balance

1. HOW OUR WORK IS FUNDED

2. WHERE YOUR GIVING GOES

3. RESERVES

£ 4,376.03 is the ending charity reserves balance as the remaining £1,529.21 went to reserves in line with our Charity Reserves Policy.

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F I N A N C I A L I N F O R M A T I O N

CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION (2/2)

For the 12-month period ending 30[th] September 2025 (in GBP)

TOTAL FUNDRAISED	2024-25	2023-24	% change
TOTALOperating income	7,825.87	£ 7,975.75	(2%)
TOTAL SPENDING	2023-24	2023-24	% change
Project expenses: Resource Centre	£ 4,301.08	£ 3,088.03	39%
Project expenses: Saturday Programme	£ 1,208.38	£ 1,414.34	(15%)
Of which Annual Christmas Party	£ -	£278.36	-
Project expenses: Other - School Supplies	£ 142.20	£ -	-
TOTAL Project expenses	£5,651.66	£4,502.37	26%
SHF: Administrative expenses	£ 396.51	£ 359.41	10%
SHF: Fundraising expenses	£ 248.49	£ 267.14	(7%)
TOTAL SHF expenses	£645.00	£626.55	3%
TOTALOperating expenses	£ 6,296.66	£ 5,128.93	23%
TOTAL INCOME (Operating Income – Operating Expenses)	2023-24	2023-24	% change
TOTALNet Income	£ 1,529.21	£ 2,846.82	(46%)
CHARITY RESERVES	2023-24	2023-24	% change
TOTAL Starting Balance	£ 2,846.82	£ -
TOTAL Starting Balance	£ 4,376.03	£ 2,846.82	54%
Of which receivable¹	£ 458.89	£ 38.02

¹ Reporting period goes from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025. Income is recognised when entitlement is established, which may precede receipt of funds in the Seven Hills Foundation bank account. At the close of the reporting period, £458.89 remained outstanding on the Benevity platform and is included within receivables.

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C H A R I T Y R E S E R V E S P O L I C Y

Planning for stable and sustainable growth: 2025-26 reserves policy

Seven Hills Foundation’s (SHF) charity reserves policy clarifies why we retain a specific amount of unrestricted funds. These funds are part of our commitment to ensuring the ongoing support and development of The Ghetto Film Project (TGFP), our partner NGO in Uganda. The policy serves to outline and inform trustees and stakeholders about the management of our finances, underlining the importance of having sufficient reserves to maintain the charity’s operations and to cope with unforeseen circumstances. It is a required element in our annual report, as stipulated by the Charities SORP, highlighting our financial resilience and planning for future needs.

Reasons for charity reserves due to nature of SHF’s operations

• Recognising the annual and substantial nature of a future rental contract for the space vital to TGFP’s operations (Resource Centre), SHF's policy is to have 100% of the rent amount fundraised and held as reserves at the beginning of each financial year.

• As the principal funder of TGFP, accounting for more than 95% of their funding, SHF acknowledges the significant dependency of TGFP on our quarterly fund disbursements.

• Our operation as a small team, with trustees contributing on a part-time, voluntary basis, highlights the necessity of a considerable buffer in our charity reserves. This approach accounts for the variability in time and resources we can dedicate to fundraising activities and ensures consistent and reliable financial support to TGFP.

• Additionally, we expect going forward that a notable portion of our funding will be sourced from corporate donations tied to one trustee's employment. Therefore, we recognise the potential volatility in this income stream and mitigate this risk by aiming to secure a significant amount of our planned budget at the start of each year.

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Full charity reserves policy
can be found on our website
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THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US IN OUR MISSION TO CREATE IMPACT THROUGH COMMUNITY & PLAY.

410 Seven Sisters Road, N4 2LX, London United Kingdom

[phone] sevenhillsfoundation.co.uk

©2025 Seven Hills Foundation. All rights reserved. No part of this report may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from Seven Hills Foundation. For inquiries, please contact [e-mail]