maru-a-oula luk trust
Trustees Report 1st January to 31st December 2023
Registered Charity Number: 313929
Registered Address:
25 Common Mead Avenue
Gillingham Dorset SP8 4NB
Trustees:
Mr Jeremy Long
Mrs Helen Long
Mr James Gardener
Ms Malebogo Tlhajoane
Megan Ellen Sands
About the work of the Maru a Pula Trust Founded in Botswana in 1972, Maru-a-Pula School was established as a non- profit trust, built on 50 acres of land donated by the Botswana Government. The founding Head launched the school based on multiracial ideals, with community outreach as a core principle. The school aims to nurture students who are deeply committed to helping their communities, both locally and globally. Maru-a-Pula is a co-educational, independent day and boarding secondary. Around 70Yo of students are from Botswana. a significant number of whom are on some form of scholarship or bursary. The UK Maru a Pula Trust was registered with the Charities Commission in 1971, one year before the school was opened. In 2012 a new group of trustees were appointed with a particular focus on raising funds for Maru-a-pula's Orphan and Vulnerable Children Scholarship Fund. The Maru-a-Pula OVC Scholarship Program was established in 2005 to provide opportunities for local children who have been impacted by the effects of HIV/AIDS and poverty. The OVC Programme provides full scholarships to orphans and vulnerable children who demonstrate the academic ability but who cannot afford the costs of a Maru-a-Pula education. OVC Scholars come from minimum wage households therefore the OVC Scholarship is comprehensive and provides for all the child's needs. The scholarship covers tuition, boarding, all meals, uniform and clothing, medical expenses. stationery and other living expenses. Students from all over Botswana have been recipients of the OVC Scholarship and alumni of the scholarship have gone on to study at tertiary level around the world. There are currently 28 students on OVC Scholarships at Maru- a-Pula (January 2024). The UK Maru a Pula Trust has a bank account with Barclays. Donations are also made through CAF Bank (charityAid Foundation) and the charity giving platform wonderful.org Donations through CAF Bank and wonderful.org are paid directly into our Barclays account. Receipts and Payments 2023 has been a particularly good year for the Trust with a total of £31, 368 being deposited into our Barclays account. This represents a significant increase in income from recent years. A former employee of Capital Group together with
- the company's matching gift scheme, continues to be our major source of income. In March 2023 the Principal of Maru-a-Pula and the Director of Development visited London and gave a presentation to a group of current Capital Group employees. This presentation resulted in an additional £5,850 of income from current employees of Capital Group. £500 of income came from two donations paid through our giving platform, Wonderful.erg, and £18 from a scheme that was run by Amazon that donated a small percentage of money from individual purchases to registered UK charities.
On the 21[st ] at June 2023 we carried out our annual transfer of funds to Maru-a Pula School in Botswana from our Barclays account. £31,000 was transferred with an additional £31 to cover bank charges. All this money was allocated to the OVC Scholarship Fund at Maru-a-Pula in accordance with the aims of the UK Maru a Pula Trust.
The balance in our Barclays account at the end of 2023 was £601.36
Income:
| Income: | |
|---|---|
| Bank balance at the start of 2023 | £263.95 |
| Capital Group individual donations together with Matching Gift | |
| From Capital Group | £30,850 |
| Individual donations through charity giving platform | |
| Wonderful. Org | £500 |
| Donations from Amazon Core | £18.41 |
| Total Income for 2023 | £31,368 |
| Payments: | |
| Barclays Transfer to Maru-a-Pula School | £31000 |
| Bank Charges | £31 |
| Total Payments 2023 | £31,031 |
| Balance at end 2023 | £601.36 |
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees report above.
Signed on behalf of the Maru a Pula Trust trustees.
-- . ()Ct pre Jeremy Long
Chair of the Maru a Pula Trust
1[st] February 2024
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND ANO WALES
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
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- -- - Section A Independent Examiner's Report A PULA TRUST | . _ ___ , Charity no 3 \ I q i \ e__ C- 2-CJ Ll (if any) 3> 2- I On accounts for th:J:C: Set out on pages (remember l<1 include 1h':! paqe r,t,rnbers of add1!Jvrn1 sheets) members of K \IV\ V'\ Chanty 1n t Report to the trustees/ I A.
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I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust") for the year ended
- Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act").
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.
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Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention (other than that disclosed below*) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
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the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
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.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. ' Signed: D[at] e: I +- I 4-- Name: | PU rcatAee y Giry, N Ge I - (if any): ____ 1 ._ , Address: _F A-R c6T'fl#t-66 -n Ce--c.-8 Wee -r NIGP E. &, 1-L-/
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Name: qualification( s) or body Relevant professional
Section B Disclosure aacaAak em AMMEN ION, ean SUT ALT. Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
IER
1
October 2018