OpenCharities

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

2025-03-31-accounts

VILLAGE FORCE AFRICA- CEO'S REPORT:_ TAX YEAR April 1st 2024 - March 31 St 2025 OVERVIEW VFA continued to pursue its objectives in its work with village BH29 Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe, managing the Zim team and trustees, engaging both in decision-making and leading the direction of developmentsl work in the village, in agreement with the Village Head man and village council and in accordance with the VFA constitution. The board has met ￿gUlarlY during the year, at a total of 7 board meetings held roughly monthly - six weeks apart depending on Trustee availability and an AGM was held. We engaged a registered chartered accountant to scrutinise and agree our yearly accounts which were submitted within the required period. We retained our current trustees and recruited one rn0￿ trustee whose trusteeship was quickly temiinated. A r8POrt was sent to the Charity Commission, who agreed with the action taken by the Board. This year also saw our registration in Zimbabwe as Village Force Africa Trust MA328612024 after having stsrted the application over a year ago. OUR WORK Following our first Food Aid in March 2024 we subsequently sent a total of 12 more food aid payments which were distributed by our Zim trustees to the most vulnerable in the village and the village orphans, after consultstion with the village Head and the village Council. This process was carefully documented and all food aid packages were signed for by recipients and photographs taken to prove receipt of food aid. This allowed the village to survive a period of extreme hardship when all crops had been lost in a devastats'ng drought and the village had turned to VFA to ask for help. The funding of these monthly food aid payments resulted from staging number of local events, cake baking, an Autumn Harvest Fayre and donations from our local community and trustees. We were able to send a total of £3352.47 for Food Aid, ￿kIning all invoices and receipts as

proof or purchase. Thabani Mnkandla (Happiness), our main Trustee in Zim, organised and distributed the Food Aid with the support of one of our Zim Team, Gilbert Ncube, who also arranged a discount on the supplies we purchased. Through our association with registered charity Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust we were supported with a vehicle and assistance when Thabani's van failed. We have maintained a close association with this charity and we are planning fvture projects with their Community Development Offi￿r who frequently advises on our work in the village. The distribution was assisted by village teams and by Queen Silibaziso Mlotshwa (a ZIM trustee). The village survived the drought with our help although in one instance emergency protein powder had to be purchased to support a baby and mother suffering from malnutrition. Their hospitsl visit was arranged by Thabani and funded by two trustees. Alongside this project we continued to fundraise for our main initial project to construct a solar-powered borehole in the village and were able to drill the borehole in February 2025 following a visit by the CEO and another trustee. Project plans and quotstions for the borehole phase Iwo installats'on were collected from 5 different companies for a Ix)rehole installation. These were then checked with the aid of a local (UK) water engineer with significant experience of working on boreholes and water projects in Africa. From these and with the knowledge of the expert, we chose the best installer, Chombe Drilling, based in Kwekwe, who have proved outstanding in their work, support and advice. The visit to BH29 in JanuarylFebruary 2025 proved invaluable in learning more about the village and its needs, forge links with the main leaders in the village, enable trust to be nUrtU￿d on both sides and to learn what the village wanted for their fvture. We also created new links with the Lions Clubs International in Victoria Falls, meeting its Director Rumbi Hinda and discussing ways in which we could collaborate on future projects. Two new team members were interviewed and accepted onto the team. Both have received further education and hold good positions in the community.

We met with Pathways charity in Vic Falls and organised for an initial group of women from BH29 to engage in paid work with the charity once VFA has organised the provision of 5 sewing machines (hand driven) which were subsequently supplied by Tools With A Mission and will be delivered in the Autumn free of charge. This will also allow the ladies to expand their own private sewing projects, providing an income to support their families during times of need and to pay for daily needs and school fees. A rabbit farming project has been established in the village. This will be a small seeding and passing-on enterprise to provide a dependable income for the young men in the village. The Board has agreed to the funding of this project and its subsequent expansion when funding allows. The borehole siting proved to be excellent, traditionally sited, with a flow rate of 14,500 litres per hour. A quotation for a full installation, using solar panels and feeding into 5000 litre Jojo contsiners, to service the whole village, was received and fvndraising continued. The website was regularly updated to encourage donations and we also received significant individual donations. Our social media sites were also incorporated into our fvndraising campaigns and regularly updated by one of the Trustees. We expanded the reach of our support in the local community and have achieved a good reputation. We intend to continue this expansion into more affluent communities to help fund our future projects. A link has been established with the British Ambassador in Harare who has agreed to join Baroness Fookes, the CEO and one other trustee in the House of Lords in July 2025. Further current research is being undertaken to determine the best diversification projects which will be carefully planned and costed with the help of VFwf and local experts. LESLEY ANN DAWES June 2025

Village Force Africa Annual Accounts for the perlod 1 April 2024 31 March 2025 Ccmtent8: Organisational nlomiation Trustee's Annual R8POrt Rer2ipt$ & Payments account Statement of Assets & Liabilities Notes to the Accounts Independent ExanNnefs rep Hastlngs Voluntary Action Jacks¢)n Hall Pkytland Place Hastings East Sussex TN34 1 QN

Organisational information for Vlllage Force Africa for tho year ondod 31 March 2025 Nam• of ¢harlty: VIM•J8 Force Ath"¢a Charlty Number. 1204440 Legal forni: cio Gov•mlng docum•nt'. ObJ•cts: the reliof of f￿￿¢181 hardstrwp aTrJ relwf of nwJ {WaterI6anitat￿. solar in swally ¢ts)nomically d•pnved nJr81 ComMunrt￿$ w)thlty r)t oxdusNely OFratsng in ￿'mbabw&. Prn%fjthr#J or assistro in Iho crf tr•niry, h8allhwe and SUPF#Yt n8¢essary to gonwa¢o iro)m• and bo s8K. Addr•u: 14 KJKJII Road St Le￿•(d$ on Soa E8sI Sussex TN38 ONT Commltt•• M•fflb•rn L A Dawes AFPri￿tt Barones8 J E Fooki A M Oawes P N Blankson Rav M P TwnLwJM J M c￿nI￿5 T H Mnk￿￿1O S Mlotsfmfa Chalr Tr8asur8r B4nk•rn: Independ•nt examln•r. HVA. Jackson Ho11. PfylarKI Pl8co. Hastsngs. TN34 1QN

Vol￿ • F¢)rce Afrlca . CEO'• R rll 1st 2024- March 31512025 v•r4lew VFA continued lo wrsue its otyectiv85 in its w￿k ¥ilg BH29 Matabdèland Noth, ZmbatrM6, managing the Zim team and truste88. tM)Ih in d8o'sicTrmakry aTrJ leadmg the th.r￿11￿ of ￿8￿0￿￿ents1 work in the wllage. in agreement wrth the Vill￿e Hgad 4illage couThil and in 8c£ordanc with the VFA con$lituts"on. The board h8s met regularty thg yaar. at a total 017 bowd Tr￿•b.￿ held r¢vJNy mw. 6 woeks apart d8pgndIr￿ on Tnjstse aVal￿till￿ ar#J ￿ AGM was fhJ. We engaged a registered ch¥tw•J act0￿rt￿ to 8w<No w y8¥ly wfM¢h wwe 8utffirtteA ￿th Ihe r￿U•r8d panod. We retained our CU￿8nt Irustoos and roC¥Urtod w m¢ye trustoe wtw trustoe$hp had lo bo tormin8ted. A report was Sent lo tho Chanty Commi￿1)n. W￿ oweod wlh try th• Bowd. Thi$ yeai also Saw wr registralThi in Zimbdme u VINap Forc• Aftru Trust MA3288f2024 after haw'ThJ started the aPF￿1coti￿ over a year ago. Following our first Food Aid in March 2024 we a toial of 12 moro food awj p8yments whlth were distributed by our Zim Iruslees lo the most wJlnwaLle in the wllage the village Wns, after consult8tson wth the Mllage h8•J and tho wmago courol. This kyctess was carofulty t)oJmontod aThJ 41 foc aid packages w8ro ￿'9￿¢y lor by reupionl$ and phXowaFth$ lakon to prove ffj￿pl of fc<J aid. This alltmod the ￿lIage lo $ur¥ivo a pen¢4 of extreme hardshp wtwi 011 (xops had bgen lost in a dovaswng driwhl and the wllage had iumed lo VFA to ask for hdp. The funding of these montNy fc#Jl 8K5 p8yments resulted from slagrvJ a number crf kKal event8, c&ke baking, an Aulurnn Harvest F8yre WKJ donations from ￿￿r local ￿)Mmu￿ty and trusl88s. We were able to Send 8 total 01 £3,352.47 for Food Aid, retainirKJ all inwjtss aThJ rec•'pi$ as prool of purthase. Thabani Mnkandia (Hapwnessl. our main Trusts• in Zim. ¢xg8ni$•d and di$th"bLrtod tho Food $upptyt ol or of olr Zim T•am. Gilb¢rt N¢ub8 who also arr•igod a th"s(x)unt on lh8 wo wrchased. Through our as$¢o¢ialion with r8gi$loro0 thanty V￿toria Falls ￿ldIrt0 Trust we werg suppthtsd wrth a vohKle a$$islance whw Thabarm's f&l8d. We manta"n8d 8 dose wth this carily and we we planning future proje¢t$ wrth thwr Community Developnent Officer who frequonty advises on our in the V711age, The distnbutton w88 88Si8ted by vllage teams arxl by Queen Silibaziso MIrAsI￿a (a tru8tsel. Th8 survived the drought with our help alt1K)U￿ in one instarKe emergency pywd8r h•J lo be purchased lo 8UPPOrt a baby aThJ mother suffering frc•m malntrtritirm. Th•'r Wtal visit was arrarw by Thabani and funded by ts¥o trustees. AJ(￿s1de tl¥'s prcyect we continu8d lo Ilmdraise for w main inib.al prgecl to constNct 8018r-pwered tor8lK>le in Ihe village and were ab18 to thil Ihe txlreho￿ li Fetxuary 2025 foll￿1￿j a wsit by the CEO and arKilher trustee. Project plans and quotations lor the bwefvJe phase h¥0 inslalktr'on were collecl&tt from 5 drfterent companies for a borehje installatK￿. Ttrp5e were Ihen thed(•J with Ihe aid of a locd {UKI waiw errfjww with signfficanl exwence of wothiTrJ on t￿￿)18$ and water projects in Africa. From these and with lh8 knowt8dg8 of the expert, we cho$& the b•sl instaler. cfKffibo tknllry. based in Kweknvo, Wt￿ ha￿ provad Lmtstanding in their work, SUFP)rt arKI advice.

The visit to 8H29 in JanUwylFetKU￿ %)25 invalule the vllogo ar#J rt6 nood$, forge links with the main leadws in the wllage. enable trust lo be nwtyr¢d on ty)th sides and to leam what th6 Ilage wanted for I￿r futurg. We also crealod rft4¥ links wrth Ihe Lions Cl￿$ lrrtemab.onal in Victoria Falls . meets'ng its Director RLwnlJ' Hinsa ￿ discaJs%rKJ ways in whth we ccxdd u)Ilatmte ￿ furture woiects. and hokl good po8itp)n8 in tho c¢mmuThty. We m•1 wilh Patrpways thanty in Falts ￿9￿￿Sed for an inibal gmup of women from BH29 to ervjage in paid work wrth the chty orte VFA has orgaThsed the PYOW8K)n of 5 mathines {hand driven) which wer8 subsequently SUFlied by Toc4s with a Mis&on arvj wll be deli¥w•J in ts Aulumn freo of ¢harg8. This will also allow the ladies lo expand their (Mn private swng ￿dTrng an irKomo to support their lamilies during Ibmes of nood and to pay for d8￿Y negds sch(m￿ lee8. A rattil f8miiTrJ prc4e¢t has been 8Stabli8hed in Ihe v7llag8. This will ba a small $88(thiYJ passing on enterpris8 to PrO￿de a dependable inccffle lor thg yOLng men in Ihe vdlage. The Board ha agrwj 10 the funding of this project and it8 sUtW￿nI expansion Wt￿ fixKkng alhxs. The t￿reh￿e 611tng proved lo be excellgrrt. trath'bonally ted. with 8 rnto of 14.5(Kl litre¥ por htyJr. A Quotation for a full Installat￿n. using solar p￿01$ arhy leeding irto S(Ki) Jojo cfM)tainws. to 8ONC& the wf Ilage, was recei￿ and fiJndraising continued. The websilo was ragularty updaled to ono)urag0 and we alw r￿1￿1 wgnrf¢ant indimdual donations. Our 8wial moth8 Wern Al80 ￿(￿pOrated Irrto c4Jr campwm r•arty updat&J by one of the Trustees. Wo expantjod reo¢h of wr Supwt in the k)c41 c(xnmunty have xhi8ved a W repirtati￿. We intend lo Contin￿ this OXWSifffi into more afflu8nl cOmmunit￿S lo help lund future projecls. A Link ha8 boon 8618￿.6fd with 8nti8h AmbaBwlof in Harwe who has Agr•1 to i(Mn Fook88. the CEO 8rKI orn othw Iruslee in the H￿$0 of Lords w) Juty 2025. Further current research Is b￿.1￿j u￿lertaken to delermnfr the beBt wlwch w￿1 bo carefully plarrnd and costed with the hdp (* vpiir I¢￿ oywts. Ledey Ann Dawe8 JwF25

Village Force Afrlca Recelpts & Payment accounts lor the penod 31 March 2025 01 Aprll 2024 Cash CdlectKX Don8lions Fund R&sing Grft Aid TOTAL RECEIPTS 231 1.598 1.592 11,037 15.360 3.421 Food AitJCapitd ProJe(Xs Admin Web*le FuTrJraising Printsng Accourrtancy InsuranG Mix. 7.315 423 75 87 240 754 14 TOTAL PAYMENTS 8.764 1.053 Net surp1￿141￿11 Movement in funds FurKI bolarus bn FurKI 8dancw CIF

Village Force Africa Stat•ment of Assets & L5abilltle8 31 March 2025 2025 2024 Cuffent amets Current AecoLnt Receipts awalung banking 31A)￿S 9.115 9,115 lem Curr•nt IlabllltSes Cr•dilor8". Amounts failing (kn ithth y••r 150 8.965 240 Represontod by: ACCUMULATED FUND thy Surp1￿1￿8f￿rt crf re￿pts ￿YMO￿￿ 6,596 Chirity L•w r•wim th• Tru$t••• to pr•F4rn fin•rK¥al •tat•m•nl• for finanual vthich ¢offWy 4%ilh th• f•gulats"on$ ￿t out in th• Chants"•s Act 1993. Th inJst•M hav• •1￿1¢￿ 10 t•k• •tfvantsg• ofth• that •p&4y lo sm•ll ¢ariti•¥ •nd ha¥• Pr•￿I•d • and Payrr￿lS •¢￿unt and Stst•m•nt olAsJ•ls and Approved by the Tnjskes on and SIW on their behaN by

Village Force Africa Note• to the A¢counts 01.04.2024- 31.03.2023 eneral Inf The charity is a public benefft entsty aThJ a rwJislweAI dwrity in El￿ aThl Wales. The Adthess of the Pn￿1paI office is 14 Knoll Rise, Sl L￿nerdS on Sea. East Sussex. TN38 oKr men Ilan Th8sse fin8ncAal statements have been prepared In comFAaNKe wilh FRS 102, 'the fin￿da1 Repjrtlno Standard applicable in the UK and the Rewblic Irelw¥l, the statement d Recommend8d Pract￿8 applicable lo charits'es preparirvj lh￿'r accounts in accord￿ Vith the FinancAa Rewt Standard applicabl8 in th8 UK and Reput4K of IrelaTrJ {FRS 1021 Ichanb'os SORP {FRS102) and Iho Charibes Act 2011. In Basis of Preparation The finan￿81 slalemenls have been wepared on 8 ca8h ba813. The fineno'al Slalemenls are prepared in Sterfiw, is Iho lUrKo￿ C￿rOr£Y of tho ¢xgani8akn. 4. Goln Concern Therè no malerbd ururtainti88 charW• 8bAty 10 cc¥kn'nu8. Tha average head cwnl of employ88s dunng the penl￿ was Nll No employee received employee benefits ol Ihan £60.CK)J durir¥J the yew. {2024 ..NII. . Trustee Remmun tlon and Ex No remurnralion or othor bon•fils fran oMplo￿￿￿t ch•ity ¢x a relatsd entity wwe roceived by the truste8$ in tho ￿rrent ￿nC¥y.

Independent Ex•mlneffs Report lo the Cofflfflittw of Vlllag• Force Alrfc• I rèport on the accounts of Villag8 F(xce Africa for the tsvelve month end8d 31 klarch 2025 whiL ve set cArt on the w8vi￿S page8. Rospgctlv• f••pon￿bIlItI1 ol ¢ommkn & examln•r The ¢haritls trustees are responsitAe lor th8 prewation of Ihe xcounts. Thg charitl$ trusto0$ ¢on¢Jw that an audit is not required for this year ur)der se(aion 144 of th8 Ch8rffj'e8 Act 2011 Ilh8 ch￿.8$ Act), aTrJ t￿t an independent examinalton is needed. It is my rosrMsits'Ity. to examine the accourrt8 under sectK)n 145 of Ihe Chanties A to fc41ow Ihe ￿￿ethre3 laid dcmn ￿ the Genwd Threct￿$ giNn by Il Charity Commk8sion {uTrJer sectson 14515llbl of the Charits88 Act), aTrJ Basls of Ind•p•nd•nt •xamln•f• v•port My oxamlnatlon w88 C4rMd (yjt wi ￿l¥Xdm rth tho Ggnw•l fKoctsorn ty tho Charity Commi88th. An ex8minalion indudg8 a rewew of thg aCco￿ting re¢Mts kept by tho chty aThJ a o)mparison of th• supporting docJJm8ntats'on presented with records.11 a150 Ind￿ cor6K1oratpJi ol any unusud iloms or disdo8uros In the ￿CoUnts, and seeking explanation8 from the Irusiee5 c￿￿emIng any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evide1￿ that would be Twi￿j in ￿ a￿￿'t, and o)n88qu8nlly no opIn￿n 18 giv as lo whether the accounts we8ent 8 arvj fairf. VWIV aThl th8 repLvt is I'mited to th080 mattarn sot in Iho slalemenl b81cM. In connect'on wth my examin￿. rK> matter has come to my attentiLYI'. 11 which gives me reasonab￿ cause lo believe that in any m8ten.al resi￿ requiremenl8'. to keep aCcoUn￿r0 records in ￿nce sects'on130 of the charit￿S Ac# to preparg accounts wlch &ts)rd tho a¢¢cunting to ¢¢mth 7Mlh t￿ a￿untIng requirements cl the Act havo not boon met,. or 21 to which, in my attention SIKA￿￿ be in lo enable a WKlerstaTrJiw of Ihe accounts to be reacJ)ed. Laura Daw5CrfI Finan¢8 Manag Ha$ling$ Voluntary A¢tion Jackson Hall, Poruand HrKe. Hastiros, TN34 1QN Dated..