2024-03-31-accounts

Able Child Africa (trading as Able Child) Company no. 01861434 Charity no. 326859

Year end 31 March 2024

2024 Annual Report and Audited Accounts

Celebrating 40 years of changing lives

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Able Child 2024 Annual Report

We are Able Child

We work towards a world in which no child with a disability is left behind.

We do this by supporting a network of organisations to Lo protect, educate and amplify the voices of children and young people with disabilities.

Together, we work across Africa, breaking down barriers to inclusion so that children and young people with disabilities are able to thrive.

This year we are celebrating 40 years of making lasting change for children with disabilities in Africa .

We are experts in what we do and are passionate about the approach we take.

We are bold and agile, with the courage to innovate.

And, most importantly, we are accountable to the children we work with.

Introduction 3

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

What’s in this report?

Welcome from our Chair	05
Why we exist	06
What we do	08
Delivering on the 2030 Strategy	10
The Able Child Africa Network	11
Safe. Thriving. Heard.	12
The role of Able Child	14
What we have achieved so far	15
Our impact	16
Uganda	18
Kenya	20
Tanzania	22
Rwanda	24
Malawi	26
Zambia	28
Zimbabwe	30
Malaika’s story	32
Advocating for change	34
Financial report	36
Looking forward	37
Celebrating you	38
Report of the Trustees	40
Audited accounts	48

4 Contents

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Welcome from our Chair

As we celebrate Able Child’s 40th anniversary, I'm honoured to assume the role of Chair.

milestone that underscores the incredible journey we've embarked on over the past four decades. In the last 40 years, we have witnessed the transformative power of our work, directly supporting over 55,000 children and young people with disabilities, equipping over 20,000 parents to become disability rights advocates and training more than 7,500 teachers on inclusive education.

Mitul Shah Chair

name, Able Child , expanded our reach to seven countries across East and Southern Africa, strengthened our team with new hires in Africa and the US, and, most excitingly, launched our 2030 Strategy: Safe, Thriving, and Heard, along with the new Able Child Africa Network .

The Able Child Africa Network comprises of leading African organisations united by a shared vision of a world where no child with a disability is left behind . This network will determine its own priorities and objectives, but Able Child will provide support in the form of unrestricted funding, technical assistance, and a shared platform for advocacy.

At the heart of our new strategy is a commitment to locally led development. We believe that organisations founded and registered in Africa, with their understanding of the unique challenges faced by children with disabilities, are best equipped to drive change. By collaborating with this new network on their terms, we aim to challenge outdated approaches to development, amplify local voices and ultimately make space for this network to shape the future of disability-inclusive policy and programming for children with disabilities across Africa. We're thrilled to welcome three new organisations to the Network: The Action Foundation in Kenya, Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Children Association, and Parents of Disabled Children Association of Malawi. We are particularly excited to begin working in Zimbabwe, a country where our efforts can have a real impact on improving the lives of children with disabilities and their families.

Able Child has continued to demonstrate resilience and exceed expectations, even in a funding environment of prolonged challenges. The organisation has maintained its income levels and kept unrestricted reserves at a healthy level. This stability is a testament to our fantastic team, dedicated Board of Trustees, and the unwavering support from our broad range of donors.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Jim Sellars, who stepped down as Chair of the Board this year after providing exceptional leadership during a crucial period. Jim’s passion and commitment have consistently gone above and beyond. I am honoured to succeed Jim in this role and look forward to working closely with my fellow Trustees to advance Able Child’s objectives and drive meaningful impact.

As we embark on an exciting new chapter, our priority is on strengthening our global advocacy work, building unrestricted income to deliver our strategy, and ensuring we remain adaptable to the needs of the Able Child Africa Network . By investing in our people and fostering an inclusive workplace, we will remain well-positioned to overcome the fast-changing global context and create lasting impact for children with disabilities across Africa.

Our journey is far from over, and with your continued support, we will drive the change needed to ensure no child with a disability is left behind.

Best wishes, Mitul Shah

Welcome from our Chair 5

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Why we exist

Nearly 29 million children in East and Southern Africa are living with a disability.

access to basic services including education and health care. They are disproportionately vulnerable to violence, exploitation and abuse, and many children continue to spend much or all of their lives in institutions, away from their families.

For girls with disabilities, the situation is even worse. They are 10 times more likely to experience gender-based violence than those

without disabilities, and an estimated 70% of girls with intellectual disabilities will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday. They are being forgotten, hidden and left behind .

Children with disabilities are:

• 1 Twice as likely to

• : never attend school .

Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention of the Right of Persons with Disabilities, many of the 29 million children living with disabilities in East and Southern Africa continue to be excluded, discounted and discriminated against.

• 2 Four times more

• O) likely to experience physical violence .

• me

• 3 Three times more

• O) likely to be sexually assaulted .

• 4 17 times more likely to be institutionalised .

6 Why we exist

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

This continued exclusion is increasingly problematic in the face of the intensifying climate crisis . Children with disabilities in Africa face severe climate risks, including reduced mobility, worsening poverty, and heightened health vulnerabilities. Despite being disproportionately at risk of climate change, they are often excluded from climate action, leaving their unique challenges unaddressed.

Organisations working for children with disabilities in Africa often lack the resources and visibility needed to influence change. These organisations are not always considered as ‘representative’ organisations and as such are excluded from key decision-making spaces, leading to the systematic exclusion of the voices of children with disabilities.

African organisations working for children with disabilities also struggle to compete for funding in the already under-funded disability sector, especially compared to adult-focused Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), meaning they lack the resources, networks, and partnerships needed to ensure their expertise is recognised and no child with a disability is left behind.

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

What we do

For is 40 years we have been working with African-registered organisations to improve the lives of children and young people with disabilities.

Our mission is to support a network of organisations in Africa to Lo protect , educate and amplify the voices of children and young people with disabilities, so they are able to thrive.

.

8 ~~an~~ What we do

8 What we do

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

We work across six key

thematic areas 1 2 Protecting children with disabilities Building inclusive child protection so they are safe. systems. = ms 3 4 mS Educating Strengthening inclusive children with disabilities Early Childhood so they can thrive. Development.

thematic areas of support:

Demanding inclusive sexual and reproductive health and rights for girls and young women.

Advancing inclusive education.

Amplifying the voices of children and young people with disabilities so

5 e

Promoting inclusive mental health and wellbeing.

6 e

Raising the voices of children and young people with disabilities.

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Delivering on our 2030 Strategy

With a changing landscape comes a changing role for Able Child in how to best support children with disabilities in Africa.

For the last 40 years Able Child has been part of a progressive change to support African organisations working to improve the lives of children with disabilities. As our reach has grown and we have partnered with more local organisations, we've taken the time to assess our role and the value we bring. Our new 2030 Strategy, launched in April 2024 sees the formation of a new network of the leading African organisations dedicated to support children with disabilities on the continent. This move ensures alignment with the interests of the orgnanisations we work with, and positions us to achieve our vision of leaving no child with a disability behind.

Our new strategy comes on the back of an 18-month consultation with our partners, where we gained valuable insights into the needs of African civil society working for children with disabilities. We’ve learned that:

• Supporting civil society in Africa is the most effective way to improve the lives of children with disabilities.

• Local organisations working for children with disabilities need support beyond traditional funding models.

• There is a gap in the sector for an alliance of African-led organisations focused on disability and child rights.

• We can and should do more to put decision-making power in the hands of these organisations.

These insights have shaped our bold new 2030 Strategy, which includes launching a network of leading African organisations dedicated to children with disabilities. This approach ensures alignment with our partners' interests, and positions us to achieve our vision of leaving no child with a disability behind.

10 What we do - Delivering on our Strategy

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

The Able Child Africa Network

Over the past year, we have undergone an operational shift . We have always been committed to supporting locally led development through long-term, collaborative partnerships with African civil society. Our new approach takes this commitment to the next level by moving towards an organisation that is dedicated to support the new Able Child Africa Network, providing the resources, funding and knowledge that members themselves decide they need. We believe this model is the best way to ensure long-lasting impact for children with disabilities.

----- Start of picture text -----
resources, funding and knowledge that members themselves
Uganda decide they need. We believe this model is the best way to ensure
long-lasting impact for children with disabilities.
Kenya
What the network does
=
The Able Child Africa Network brings together the leading
African-founded and African-registered organisations working with
and for children with disabilities across the continent. Currently
Rwanda
formed of eight core members and one affiliate member across
=
seven countries in East and Southern Africa, they bring together
the combined expertise of its membership to shape the landscape
of what works for children with disabilities in policy and practice.
Tanzania Delivering high-quality
programmes,
generating evidence of what works and building best practice
in inclusive programming for children with disabilities.
Malawi
. om
Zimbabwe
Standing up for the
rights of children
Zambia
----- End of picture text -----

• African-founded and African-registered organisations working with and for children with disabilities across the continent. Currently formed of eight core members and one affiliate member across seven countries in East and Southern Africa, they bring together the combined expertise of its membership to shape the landscape of what works for children with disabilities in policy and practice. Delivering high-quality programmes,

• generating evidence of what works and building best practice in inclusive programming for children with disabilities.

• om

Standing up for the rights of children with disabilities,

amplifying their voices and creating change by influencing governments and other international allies.

The core pillars of our 2030 Strategy: Safe, Thriving and Heard , underscore our commitment to ensuring that every child receives the support, opportunities, and recognition they deserve.

What we do - Creating impact 11

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Safe.

We stand up for the rights of children and young people with disabilities to ensure they are protected and included in their communities.

In the places we work, child protection systems often fail children with disabilities. Child protection and safeguarding services and workforces are poorly equipped and lack the expertise to deal with the specific risks that children with disabilities face, and these children are also less likely to seek justice for the abuse.

We work with our network members to improve safeguarding practices and ensure the protection of children in the areas where we work. By helping to break down stigma and discrimination around disability, we ensure the safety and inclusion of children with disabilities within their communities.

We have been working to do this in Rwanda…

Improving child safeguarding in Rwanda:

We are working with Uwezo Youth Empowerment (UWEZO) to create more inclusive child protection and safeguarding systems in Rwanda. As part of our project funded by Euromoney Institutional Investors, we have mapped out existing child protection services in Kigali, with the view to making these services more disability inclusive.

Young people with disabilities take the lead – they undertake advocacy with key child protection and safeguarding actors. They provide mentoring to children with disabilities to inform them of their right to be kept safe. And they have been delivering ‘positive parenting’ workshops to parents of children with disabilities to reduce the risk of abuse occurring and how to report concerns when they do. UWEZO and local government officials are working to create a system that can rapidly share information about safeguarding and child protection issues relating to children with disabilities, with officials drawing on UWEZO’s expertise to enable more disability-sensitive responses to children.

Thriving.

We ensure that children and young people with disabilities have access to an education and the services they need to succeed.

In low-income countries, over 90% of children with disabilities do not attend formal education. Early detection of children with disabilities is low, and children face significant barriers in accessing the services they need. Children with disabilities' systematic exclusion in education hinders their participation and ability to transition to further education and into employment.

12 What we do - Safe & Thriving

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

with disabilities to transition to further education and equip young people with disabilities with the tools they need to enter employment.

We have been working in Uganda to change the lives of children with disabilities through education…

Supporting inclusive education through learner needs identification and individualised learning plan tool in Uganda:

Alongside Uganda Society for Disabled Children (USDC), we have combined two of our educational tools to ensure more children are assessed and supported in school. This project, funded by The Marr-Munning Trust, conducts formal health assessments to identify additional medical support required, and provides children with disabilities with assistive devices to facilitate their immediate access to the school environment. Teacher visits to their homes ensure children receive one-to-one individualised support, which helps to improve relations between schools and the families.

with disabilities across six schools, significantly improving their performance and ensuring they successfully transition to the next school year.

Heard.

We work with children and young people with disabilities to be confident and resilient, amplifying their voice to demand their own inclusion.

For too long, children with disabilities have been forgotten, hidden and systematically excluded. One of the key reasons for this is that children and their parents have been unaware of their rights and are therefore disempowered. By championing mental health resilience, inspiring children with disabilities to become powerful self-advocates and equipping children and young people with disabilities with knowledge of their rights, they are able to break down the barriers to their inclusion for themselves and their peers.

We have been working in Kenya to amplify the voices of young people with disabilities...

Amplifying the voices of young people with disabilities in Kenya:

With funding from Educational Opportunity Foundation, we have been working with Action Network for the Disabled (ANDY) to inform and upskill a group of young people with disabilities in Kenya to raise their profile as employable individuals. 20 young people with disabilities have been trained as mentors and are now sharing their knowledge with 180 peers through a peer-mentorship scheme. Supported by the project, these young people have enrolled in vocational centres, gained skills, and pursued employment and internships with the help of project grants.

Working with representatives from government, businesses and other sectors has been key to the project’s success, with increasingly more employers recognising the value of the unique experiences that employing young people with disabilities can bring.

What we do - Thirving & Heard 13

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

The role of Able Child

We believe we are LS stronger together.

Able Child is committed to coordinating a shared pool of tools and resources from across the Network, increasing access to funding and creating systems for collaboration and a platform for joint action.

We aim to support the Network to collaborate and share learning, innovate and deliver programmes, generate and collate data, and raise awareness through advocacy – creating a strong, resilient and resourced civil society in Africa working together to support children with disabilities.

Together with the Network, we protect, educate and amplify the voices of children and young people with disabilities, so they are able to thrive.

We do this by:

Leveraging collective knowledge:

The Able Child Africa Network possesses a wealth of untapped evidence and data that can be harnessed to drive positive change. A key objective for the Network is to share this information not only among members themselves but also with the wider sector so we can identify best practices, inform policy decisions, and strengthen our collective impact for children with disabilities.

Member-driven decision-making:

how it is delivered, with decisions on priorities and activities made by an Executive Council elected by the membership. However, our ultimate goal is for the Network to decide how our resources are allocated to support their work.

This is a gradual process, beginning within our current organisational structure.

14 What we do - Our role

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Providing a roadmap for shifting power:

By 2030, we aim to transition decision-making over our organisation's governance and operations to network members. Network members will play a crucial role in determining the exact shape of this new governance setup, ensuring that it is both practical and sustainable while avoiding overburdening members and safeguarding the Network's stability.

To facilitate this transition, we have established a Steering Committee, composed of representatives from the Executive Council and the Able Child Board of Trustees. This committee convenes to collaboratively review Able Child's governance, operational plans and spending, with the ultimate aim of shifting power to network members.

What we have achieved so far

Since its launch, the Able Child Africa Network has achieved (oo significant milestones.

Over the last year, the Network has...

Created a new platform and published reports

The Network has launched a new dedicated website platform providing access to resources for members, as well as open-source resources for the wider civil society community. The Network has already published a series of reports, position papers, and tools on the platform to improve the inclusion of children with disabilities across the sector.

Provided tailored support and funding

The Network has provided tailored support to members, and facilitated collaborative training among members. Able Child has also offered the first flexible unrestricted funding to members, and supported the Network's first consortium bid.

Collaborated

2023, with all members meeting for the first time in Kigali. Since then, the Network has begun developing a data collection system to generate stronger evidence and identify gaps in service delivery for children with disabilities, and developed its first self-funded data project, which captures the survey results of over 1,000 children's voices. This is due to be published in late 2024.

What we do - Our achievements 15

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Our impact

In 2023/24, we have been delivering projects with six network members across six countries in Africa to protect, educate and amplify the voices of children and young people with disabilities, so they are able to thrive.

We have also been developing new projects with the three newest founding network members, who only recently joined the Network in late 2023.

----- Start of picture text -----
In 2023/24 Uganda Kenya Rwanda Tanzania Malawi Zambia
Children and young people
with disabilities directly supported:
Total 1,164
490 more than last year
301 218 97 159 292 97
Uganda Kenya Rwanda Tanzania Malawi Zambia
Teachers trained:
Total 246
46 more than last year
94 28 20 18 74 12
Uganda Kenya Rwanda Tanzania Malawi Zambia
Government officials worked with:
Total 254
10 more than last year
57 20 28 17 80 52
----- End of picture text -----

16 What we do - Our impact

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

In 2023/24

Parents worked with:

----- Start of picture text -----
Total 968
----- End of picture text -----

83 less than last year

----- Start of picture text -----
Uganda Kenya Rwanda Tanzania Malawi Zambia
246 136 68 136 292 90
----- End of picture text -----

We supported parents of children with disabilities through the establishment of Parent Support Groups and the facilitation of community events, giving parents the opportuning to discuss the challenges they face, support each other and work together to advocate for their children’s inclusion.

We worked with government officials to advocate for disability inclusion in the development and implementation of government policies and programmes, while evidencing effective methods to achieve this through our own work.

We directly supported children and young people with disabilities by implementing early identification tools, enrolling out-of-school children into schools, making school environments more accessible, establishing peer-to-peer mentorship schemes and supporting young people with disabilities to access employment.

We trained teachers in inclusive teaching methods, providing information and tools to help teachers support all children in the classroom, and ensuring children with disabilities can participate effectively in lessons and play activities alongside their peers.

Reserves

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Our Impact 17
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We ended March 2023 with £225,593 of unrestricted reserves, well above our 6-months reserves target. We have continued to maintain a

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Uganda

We have been working in Uganda since 1984 alongside Uganda Society for Disabled Children

(USDC). Our work supports children with disabilities and their families to break down the barriers to inclusion.

Many people living with disabilities in Uganda lack resources and access to services. Where we work in northern Uganda, 80% of people with disabilities have been identified as living in chronic poverty . Despite significant progress at a policy level in Uganda, there is an implementation gap. With a policy of Universal Primary Education, school enrolment has reached 90%. However, this is not the case for children with disabilities, where only 2% are graduating to secondary level .

What we achieved this year

This year, as part of our project funded by The Marr-Munning Trust, we have successfully delivered a three-year project that supported six schools to adopt and improve access to learning for 60 children with disabilities through the combined use of Individualised Learning Plans and Early Screening tools. Children with disabilities are at increased risk of being left behind in school and in areas for development when their needs are not properly identified. Through this project, children’s learning needs are identified and because of this, they are supported with learning plans that are tailored to their needs. This has resulted in increased class progression, which is a significant achievement given the compounding barriers children with disabilities face in accessing and remaining in education. We are proud to see the positive impact that can be achieved through investment in adapting and testing innovative new approaches to best support the learning of children with disabilities.

Improving displaced children with disabilities’ access to education

The ‘Restoring Hope’ project, funded by the Educational Opportunity Foundation, supports children and young people with disabilities in northern Ugandan refugee settlements to access inclusive education and foundational skills. To achieve project outcomes that promote inclusive homes, schools and societies, the project has trained a group of community champions, who now advocate for disability inclusion and develop strategies for including children with disabilities in all aspects of society. Where community members would previously hide their children with disabilities, increasing numbers have now been identified and are accessing education and other services.

Among the community champions are two lead youth champions with disabilities, who were inspired to serve as role models to children with disabilities in their communities and have also gone back to school themselves as a result of the project. The project has inspired families, communities and other actors to ensure all children with disabilities are supported to realise their rights.

18 Our Impact - Uganda

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Ld The power of Child Rights Clubs

Brian is an 11-year-old boy with a physical disability that affects the mobility in his left arm and left leg. He is currently enrolled in one of the Restoring Hope project schools in a refugee camp in northern Uganda. Due to his disability, Brian and his family had faced stigma and exclusion, and this negatively impacted his confidence. When Brian first enrolled in his school, he was very reserved and rarely spoke in class or took part in any activities. However, this would soon change after being exposed to inclusive learning methods through the project.

The project introduced Child Rights Club (CRC) activities for children with and without disabilities. These activities are child-led, focus on helping children to understand their rights and encourages them to discuss and debate various issues that are affecting them. Through these clubs, Brian emerged as a lead debater and his confidence increased.

Through our current projects

We advocated to

73 government officials

at a district and national level on disability inclusive education policy implementation.

We raised awareness to

1,502 community members

on disability inclusion, early identification and early intervention for children with disabilities

We supported 155 parents

through Parent Support Group meetings

These extra-curricular activities provide opportunities for children with disabilities to express themselves and to gain confidence to be seen and heard among peers and teachers. Teachers have also noted that the CRCs have contributed positively towards debunking negative stereotypes that promote the narrative of children with disabilities as unable to perform like other children. Brian continues to thrive in this environment, which emphasises his abilities rather than any inability.

The CRCs have contributed positively towards debunking negative stereotypes that promote the narrative of children with disabilities

Our Impact - Uganda 19

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Kenya

We have worked in Kenya since 2009 alongside Action Network for the Disabled (ANDY) and The Action Foundation (TAF) since 2023, where we support

children and young people with disabilities to be included in all aspects of their lives.

Very few children with disabilities have access to early childhood education in Kenya, and their systematic exclusion often means that young people with disabilities are less likely to be employed and are more likely to be living in poverty. With limited access to education, healthcare and other services, these young people continue to face injustices, stigma and are at higher risk of abuse and violence.

What we achieved this year

This year we are proud to have successfully concluded a four-year Comic Relief funded project with ANDY to improve children with disabilities’ access to Early Childhood Development (ECD). Initially, the project provided home-based care training to parents and caregivers of children with disabilities during the pandemic, who later benefited from attending meetings and trainings at newly established Parent Support Groups. Teachers were also trained and further supported through the development of a teacher’s guide and tools related to education and inclusive play. Through a community-based rehabilitation model, the project brought together multiple stakeholders who are ultimately responsible for ensuring the inclusion of children with disabilities in ECD. This structure has contributed to creating long-lasting partnerships and linkages between different institutions so that the barriers children with disabilities face can continue to be addressed.

Realising employment for young people with disabilities

With ANDY, we have been delivering a youth empowerment and employability project in Nairobi, funded by the Educational Opportunity Foundation. Young people with and without disabilities have been trained in employability, entrepreneurship, and mentorship skills, with many securing internship opportunities or starting their own group enterprises using the project’s business grants.

Some have received placements at the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), in addition to the local council, with one supervisor stating: “as a person with lived experience of blindness, his personal experience and knowledge has been instrumental in supporting the design of programmes for blind people in the community”.

Before the project, many of the young people with disabilities had indicated they had been discouraged in pursuing certain careers due to the barriers they faced and the misinformation among employers surrounding disability. The project has provided them with the opportunity to gain useful skills and knowledge to enter the workforce and have their voices heard.

20 Our Impact - Kenya

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Christina’s story of hope and positivity

Christina lives in an informal settlement in Nairobi and is a member of a Parent Support Group, which was set up as part of ANDY’s Ready Steady Go project, funded by Comic Relief. She is a mother of four children, including her daughter Vicky, who is a child with cerebral palsy.

As a single mother, Christina regularly left her home to seek casual labour to support her children, leaving Vicky under her neighbour’s care. This wasn’t always easy as Christina’s neighbour was not always available to provide this support.

was introduced to the Parent Support Group, she was relieved to find other parents and caregivers facing similar situations. She gained a platform where she would learn from others and received helpful information about caring for children with disabilities , as well as information on other support services available to her. As part of the Parent Support Group’s table banking scheme, Christina was also able to secure a loan to start her own business, providing her with additional income to support her family.

Through our current projects

We worked with

255 parents

to better equip them to support the early childhood development of their children with disabilities

We trained 34 teachers

on inclusive teaching practices and disability rights

We advocated for the rights of children with disabilities with

16 government officials

Through the project, Vicky was able to access a specialised wheelchair, which has enabled her to access therapy services at a local rehabilitation centre, where her mobility has improved significantly, and she has begun achieving other developmental milestones. The project has transformed Christina and Vicky’s life .

I never thought one day I could see my child this happy . In a short period of time, with access to better support, Vicky has improved and developed in many ways.

Our Impact - Kenya 21

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Tanzania

We have been working in Tanzania since 2007

alongside our partners

(CST) to change the lives of children and young people with disabilities through inclusive education.

85% of children with disabilities in Tanzania are outside the education system, with increasing numbers of children dropping out of school due to a lack of support, which is severely lacking and poorly resourced. Although primary education is free in Tanzania, children with disabilities are continually left behind when it comes to accessing the school system and fail to develop the basic early learning skills needed to succeed.

What we achieved this year

Improving access to education through physiotherapy

This year we continued to work with CST to implement a physiotherapy and occupational therapy project within CST’s new rehabilitation centre, funded by Rangoonwala Foundation. Rehabilitative services can significantly improve children with disabilities access to education by supporting the functional independence of children that enables them to thrive.

In response, CST’s rehabilitation centre has been equipped with an extensive range of equipment, with trained physiotherapists working alongside CST’s teachers and the families of children with disabilities to provide tailored support for children. A series of trainings, meetings and events targeting parents, teachers and community members have provided crucial support while stressing the vital importance of these service to support children with disabilities’ development.

Activities have realised several successes for the children with disabilities supported, with increasing numbers of children helped to access school more regularly, which in turn reduces educational inequalities that exist between children with and without disabilities.

CST’s recognition as a trusted provider of rehabilitative support

Through CST’s physiotherapy and occupational therapy project based at their inclusive school, CST’s partnership with Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital (MZRH) has resulted in several positive outcomes for the project, which is funded by Rangoonwala Foundation. The hospital has been instrumental in supplying physiotherapists, who have trained CST’s teachers to a high standard and delivered direct physiotherapy services, with over 159 children with disabilities benefiting as a result. The hospital has witnessed the success of CST’s rehabilitation centre, and this recognition has led to the hospital referring children directly to CST when they live more locally to the school. In turn, this has enabled CST to provide more support for more children with disabilities, many of whom struggle to afford the transport costs that they would usually need to travel to the main hospital. CST plans to continue this partnership beyond the completion of the project, with this success further strengthening CST’s status as a model inclusive school in the region.

22 Our Impact - Tanzania

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

A dedicated father

Kisa is a nine-year-old girl living in Mbeya, Tanzania and enrolled at CST’s Inclusive School in January 2024. Soon after, Kisa was immediately supported by the physiotherapy and rehabilitation project we are delivering together with CST, where she received a formal assessment at a local hospital and was further assessed by a professional physiotherapist who is currently based at the school. With this information, CST’s teachers were supported by the physiotherapist to provide tailored support for Kisa, aiming to improve her mobility and in turn support her increased access to education.

Through our current projects

We supported 159 children with disabilities

through access to quality physiotherapy and other rehabilitative services

We supported 43 parents

of children with disabilities through Parent Support Groups and physiotherapy training

We trained 10 teachers

physiotherapy and other rehabilitative support for children with disabilities

Since the beginning, Kisa’s father, John has been extremely dedicated to his daughter’s progression. John has been active in learning from Kisa’s teachers, and in ensuring his daughter completes her exercises both at home and in school. To achieve this, John has attended Parent Support Group and other school-based meetings to understand Kisa’s rehabilitation schedule and what exercises she can do at home so that he is able to best support her . At times, her father has adjusted his work schedule to ensure he accompanies Kisa to every physiotherapy session or will arrange for a family member to take her when he isn’t available.

This level of dedication from a father is extremely encouraging, particularly in Tanzania where caregiving responsibilities are traditionally seen as a woman’s role. As a result of receiving so much support, this has had a significant impact on Kisa’s progress, and she is already beginning to move much more freely.

In recognition of her father’s dedication, John was nominated as the parent champion earlier in the year, as part of CST’s efforts to promote and encourage the engagement of fathers through various platforms, including Parent Support Groups. John’s story exemplifies how fathers can play a pivotal role in the lives of children with disabilities - challenging stereotypes and fostering inclusive caregiving practices.

Our Impact - Tanzania 23

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Rwanda

We have been working in Rwanda since 2016 alongside [ Uwezo Youth Empowerment (UWEZO),

empowering children and young people with disabilities to access inclusive services.

Children and young people account for half of all people with disabilities in Rwanda. Two thirds of these are not in education or employment, and over 90% fall below the national poverty line. While Rwanda has a good track record of inclusive policies, many children with disabilities are still unable to access basic services and face damaging stigma and discrimination.

What we achieved this year

This year we are proud to have delivered an innovative mental health-focused project in Rwanda with UWEZO, funded by Network for Social Change. Due to high levels of abuse, stigma and exclusion, many children with disabilities are at elevated risk of experiencing mental health issues and having psychosocial disabilities. Despite this, there is very little mental health provision for children and young people with disabilities.

In response, we have created and tested different approaches to supporting children with disabilities’ mental health. We held participatory workshops with young people with disabilities to understand their experiences of mental health, psychosocial disabilities and their access to mental health services.

The project then facilitated tailored mentoring sessions, delivered by young people with disabilities to younger children with disabilities. These mentors led the co-creation and testing of disability-inclusive mental health tools, and proved their effectiveness in understanding and supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people with disabilities in Rwanda.

Making Rwandan child protection systems disability-inclusive for children with disabilities

We are addressing gaps in Rwandan child protection systems, funded by Euromoney Institutional Investor. Children and young people with disabilities are at a much higher risk of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation, which is exacerbated by a lack of appropriate mechanisms to prevent, report and respond to child protection cases.

Following training and an extensive mapping exercise, young people with disabilities have been supported by UWEZO to make child protection systems more disability inclusive and accessible so children with disabilities are better supported. The mentors have addressed gaps and raised awareness with parents, communities and government officials to better prevent, recognise, report and respond to abuse, while ensuring the voices of children with disabilities are heard as part of key decision making.

24 Our Impact - Rwanda

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

----- Start of picture text -----
Naomi’s
Story
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Naomi is a 15-year-old girl who has Down Syndrome. When she was younger, Naomi often faced stigma and discrimination due to her disability. She didn’t understand why she was treated differently to other children, and this made her dread going to school. Naomi’s confidence was low, and she was in danger of becoming isolated, drifting further away from her peer group.

Through our current projects

We provided 97 children with disabilities

with one-to-one mentoring from older young people with disabilities

We have trained 12 young people with disabilities

in mentoring, inclusive child protection and safeguarding

We facilitated 68 parents

of children with disabilities to attend training workshops on positive parenting and learn about child protection

Through our project with UWEZO, we are supporting child protection and mental health services in Rwanda to become more sensitive to the needs of children with disabilities, particularly for girls. We are working to ensure that parents of children with disabilities are better supported to prevent abuse through ‘positive parenting’ workshops and are training young people with disabilities to mentor children with disabilities to inform them of their rights and to better support their mental health .

Through the mentorship programme, Naomi was given support and vital companionship from a young person with a disability who could relate and empathise with her in a more meaningful way. Her mentor had not only experienced similar challenges but had also received support as a mentee when they were Naomi’s age. This provided a platform for Naomi to begin sharing everything she was experiencing with someone who had experienced similar barriers when they were the same age as Naomi. Now, Naomi is a different person. She has gained more confidence and is thriving .

Now, Naomi is a different person. She has gained more confidence and is thriving .

Our Impact - Rwanda 25

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Malawi

We have worked in Malawi

since 2020 with Federation

in Malawi (FEDOMA) and

since 2023 with Parents of

Disabled Children

(PODCAM) to improve children with disabilities’ access to Early Childhood Education.

Children under 18 account for more than 50% of the total population in Malawi. Malawi has one of the highest pre-term birth rates globally, resulting in many children being born with a disability. 70% of children with disabilities are not in any form of education and their needs have not been prioritised.

What we achieved this year

This year we are proud to have welcomed PODCAM to the Able Child Africa Network. We are excited to have secured funding from the Vitol Foundation to launch our first project with PODCAM, funded by Vitol Foundation, to support more children to access inclusive Early Childhood Development (ECD).

FEDOMA will build PODCAM’s capacity in implementing the project, including delivery of the bespoke inclusive play scheme and accessibility audits of ECD centres. Drawing on previous learnings and evidence, the project aims to further prove the replicability of the project to encourage the government to adopt the project’s approaches nationally.

Through this collaborative approach, we are proud to continue our work in Malawi through the sharing of knowledge and best practice among key organisations.

Provision of medical assessments and assistive devices

Children with disabilities are often excluded from Early Childhood Development (ECD) opportunities, leading to educational and social inequalities that often persist throughout their lifetime. This exclusion is exacerbated by a lack of screening of children at a young age and a lack of available assistive devices that can support their access to education.

As part of our three-year programme with FEDOMA to improve access to ECD, funded by the Vitol Foundation, we facilitated annual medical and functional assessments to identify children who could benefit from access to an assistive device. Children then attended hospital appointments for fittings, where their parents also received information on how best to support their child.

children with disabilities to access ECD. Previously, most of these children faced difficulties in travelling to the ECD centres or accessing them once they arrived. Moreover, the medical assessments at this crucial early age have ensured that children with disabilities are signposted to other services, enabling them to receive the support they need to enable them to thrive.

26 Our Impact - Malawi

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

The power of play in education

Patuma is a bright six-year-old girl who lives with her mother in Malawi. Patuma’s challenges started at a young age and a spinal condition meant that she could not stand or sit unassisted. There was no support available in their community and as other children began to play and learn together, Patuma was unable to join them.

Without the equipment or training to move on her own, Patuma was often left watching from afar, and she relied totally on her mother for assistance for everything from moving to eating. Patuma was in danger of being isolated from her peers and she began to fall behind in her early milestones.

In Malawi, as part of our inclusive Early Childhood Development programme with FEDOMA, Patuma was identified in her community and was given the opportunity to attend medical screenings and to attend inclusive play scheme sessions at her local ECD centre , run by community caregivers trained through our project in inclusive education practices.

Through our current projects

We enrolled 395 parents

of children with disabilities into Parent Support Groups

We enrolled 385 children with disabilities

Early Childhood Education (ECE)

We trained 37 ECE teachers

in disability inclusive teaching methods

As a result of the screenings, Patuma was supported to access a wheelchair and was immediately able to move more independently than before . Once she was enrolled at the ECD centre, the caregivers began assisting Patuma with her fine and gross motor skills through basic physiotherapy and play activities. Her coordination was soon improved, and she was taught exercises to help her into the future. The project also gave Patuma the opportunity to play alongside her peers through a series of structured and more informal play activities, where she was able to interact more with other children both with and without disabilities. Her confidence grew and she began to thrive , demonstrating the power of play in improving the all-round inclusion of children with disabilities.

Her confidence grew and she began to thrive, demonstrating the power of play in improving the all-round inclusion of children with disabilities

Our Impact - Malawi 27

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Zambia

We have been working in Zambia since 2020 alongside Ld Zambia Association of Parents for Children with Disabilities

(ZAPCD) to understand and

address the barriers that

children with disabilities face when accessing education.

Zambia does not have a national inclusive education policy or statements that outline the need for inclusive education at any level. As few as 22% of children with disabilities in Zambia access Early Childhood Education (ECE), and only 12% go on to complete secondary education. The needs of children with disabilities are not fully considered in government plans, with national data and evidence desperately needed to inform and influence the government.

What we achieved this year

This year, as part of our three-year inclusive Early Childhood Education (ECE) project with ZAPCD, and with funding by the Vitol Foundation, we are embedding a culture of inclusive education in Chadiza, a district with some of the lowest levels of inclusive ECE provision in Zambia. We are working in six ECE Centres in the area, tackling the complex barriers children with disabilities face in accessing ECE. Through teacher trainings, Parent Support Groups, community awareness raising, and ongoing advocacy, the project has been warmly received, with extensive buy-in from local actors and government stakeholders.

making them safer and more inclusive for children with disabilities to attend, and we are proud of the community involvement that has accompanied these changes. Members of the community have contributed their feedback, time and materials towards these works, indicating how much of an impression the project has had on them. The project has been regarded as a valuable investment in Chadiza’s education system and this has encouraged many community members to consider inclusion as a priority for the first time.

Early Years Child Rights Clubs

As part of our inclusive ECE project in Zambia, we have established Child Rights Clubs at the ECE centres. These clubs educate children with disabilities on their rights and provide a safe space to talk about their experiences while learning and playing with other children with and without disabilities. In conjunction with the project’s Parent Support Groups, which offer a similar opportunity for parents of children with disabilities to learn from and support each other, the Child Rights Clubs help children with disabilities and families to demand their rights.

Aimed at younger pre-primary children, these clubs offer age-appropriate and inclusive activities, focusing on the power of play, in addition to drama, poetry, singing and role play. This enables children with disabilities to understand important information in a fun and interactive way. Parents have remarked on how valuable the clubs are, with teachers also expressing the impact on the children’s confidence and knowledge of their rights, with their newfound confidence translating to the classroom as well.

28 Our Impact - Zambia

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Helping to recognise theHow we importance of safeguarding children with disabilities

Thomas is the chair of Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at primary school in Chadiza. Thomas had little understanding or experience of disability previously, especially as few children with disabilities were enrolled at the school. After the school was enrolled in our inclusive ECE programme, Thomas took the opportunity to attend a community training held by ZAPCD. Thomas learned more about disability rights and inclusive safeguarding, including the potential risks that many children with disabilities face when attending school. Above all, Thomas learned that safeguarding children with disabilities is everyone’s responsibility, and he was determined to make the school more inclusive .

Thomas began delivering community workshops to share what he had learned and after assessing the school, he noticed that the lunch area was cramped, on uneven ground, and with few places to sit comfortably. This posed a risk for all children, but especially for children with disabilities to be able to feed themselves safely and with dignity. While ZAPCD were already in the process of undertaking environmental assessments to determine accessibility modifications, Thomas also raised this concern with them, remembering that the responsibility of keeping children with disabilities safe should fall on everyone.

Through our current projects

We have facilitated trainings and meetings with

52 local government officials

We enrolled

97 children with

disabilities into early Early Childhood Education

We have made accessibility modifications to

6 Early Childhood Education Centres

to make them safer and more inclusive for children with disabilities

made by the project, Thomas mobilised a team of parents and volunteers to build a new eating area constructed on level flattened ground, including accessible benches with enough room between them to accommodate wheelchairs. Thomas was pleased to have taken on the responsibility of better supporting children with disabilities in addition to the other benefits provided by the project, and he continues to educate other parents and community members on the importance of disability-inclusive considerations in the school.

Thomas was pleased to have taken on the responsibility of better supporting children with disabilities

Our Impact - Zambia 29

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Zimbabwe

We have been working with one of our newest founding members of the Able Child Africa Network, Zimbabwe [Ld Parents of Handicapped Children Association (ZPHCA), since 2023 to champion the rights and inclusion of children with disabilities in Zimbabwe.

After more than two decades of socioeconomic challenges in Zimbabwe, children with disabilities are among the most marginalised and under-represented. Due to facing several barriers alongside stigma and discrimination, they are routinely excluded from mainstream health, education and other services.

Introducing ZPHCA

Since their inception, ZPHCA has been actively involved in advocacy and lobbying for the rights of children with disabilities, and the rights of women. ZPHCA are made up of groups of parents of children with disabilities and bring about considerable change for children with disabilities through a network of parents living across the country. ZPHCA’s work focuses on three key strands, with the aim of creating a supportive environment where children with disabilities can thrive. They actively lobby for legislative changes that ensure accessibility and equal opportunities for children with disabilities in education, healthcare, and housing. They provide a platform for parents to connect, share experiences, and access valuable information on various disabilities through parental support networks. And they advocate for the inclusion of children with disabilities into mainstream education, ensuring children receive the support and resources they need to thrive.

30 Our Impact - Zimbabwe

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Looking ahead

Together, we aim to break down barriers and create a brighter future for children with disabilities in Zimbabwe .

Able Child is currently working on a project funded by Comic Relief with ZPHCA and other Able Child Africa Network members to develop a refined inclusive education toolkit. The toolkit will support members to implement robust inclusive education programmes that incorporate different approaches, such as Child-to-Child, inclusive play, Early Childhood Development, WASH and child protection.

Able Child is also working with ZPHCA to develop a project that combines Able Child and ZPHCA’s experience of delivering inclusive education projects with ZPHCA’s considerable understanding of the impacts of climate change on the lives of children with disabilities and their families.

In April 2024, ZPHCA facilitated consultations with children with disabilities in partnership with UNICEF and the Government of Zimbabwe, with the information shared by children with disabilities informing strategies to reduce climate change impacts on the health of children. By building the resilience of children with disabilities, who are disproportionately impacted by climate change, and using schools as the platform for this, we will ensure the voices of children with disabilities are heard in the fight against climate change.

We will ensure the voices of children with disabilities are heard in the fight against climate change

Our Impact - Zimbabwe 31

Malaika continues to learn and play well with her peers and is the top of her class . Science is her favourite subject, and when she is older, she wants to be a doctor.

32 Malaika’s story

Able Child Africa 2023 Annual Report

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Malaika’s story

Malaika lives with her mother in Kenya and is the youngest of three siblings. Malaika has cerebral palsy which can affect movement and

coordination .

When Malaika was born, she showed no signs of having cerebral palsy and so identification at this crucial early stage was missed. It wasn’t until seven months later that Malaika’s mother noticed that some of her developmental milestones were not being reached.

Her mother took her to the nearest hospital, but the doctors were again unable to recognise the disability due to the knowledge gap in early identification and disability awareness among health care providers in the district. Again, Malaika went undiagnosed.

Malaika's mother waited for another six years for Malaika to walk but when it became clear that she could not walk unassisted, her mother sought further intervention.

After analysis of Malaika’s bone chemistry, doctors found low calcium levels which explained why Malaika could not walk, and she was finally diagnosed with having cerebral palsy.

However, Malaika’s challenges did not end there.

While Kenya has a system of free primary education, very few children with disabilities have access to early education, leading to lifelong educational inequalities. In turn, this means young people with disabilities are less likely to be employed, and more likely to be living in poverty.

With limited access to education or health care, these young people with disabilities continue to face injustice, stigma and sometimes abuse and violence.

This is where Able Child came in.

With our Network Member Action Network for the Disabled (ANDY), Able Child rolled out its Early Childhood Education project where children with and without disabilities learn how to play together in an inclusive way, allowing for positive interactions between all children and equipping children with disabilities with the skills and knowledge to transition into primary education and beyond.

Malaika was given the platform to learn alongside her peers and develop meaningful relationships around her , aided by teachers trained in inclusive play sessions who tailor activities to the individual needs of children with disabilities.

Support Group which gave her emotional support and the tools to face her family’s challenges . Malaika’s mother has been able to start her own business which now provides crucial financial relief. This extra income has allowed Malaika to stay enrolled in a school near her home.

Malaika continues to learn and play well with her peers and is the top of her class. Science is her favourite subject, and when she is older, she wants to be a doctor.

Malaika’sLuke’s Story s 2933

Note: The names of children in all case stories have been changed to protect their identity.

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Advocating for change

Able Child's advocacy efforts this year have been rooted in a commitment to amplify the voices of children with disabilities.

By harnessing the expertise and experience of the Able Child Africa Network, we have worked to drive meaningful change for children with disables at both national and global levels , challenging barriers to their participation, and equipping them to become leaders in their communities. We achieve this through three key strategies:

Ld advocate locally by providing resources and data

Able Child Africa Network members have been instrumental in driving meaningful change at the local level. Through projects delivered together, network members have secured significant commitments from governments and other stakeholders to support the inclusion and well-being of children with disabilities.

In Uganda , Uganda Society for Disabled Children (USDC) has played a pivotal role in promoting the mainstreaming of a combined assessment and individualised learning plan tool nationally. By engaging with government officials and demonstrating the tool's effectiveness, USDC has successfully secured commitments for training more teachers and integrating the tool into national education policies.

In Kenya , Action Network for the Disabled (ANDY) has expanded its advocacy efforts beyond national borders, showcasing its community-based rehabilitation model at the African Summit on Inclusive Early Childhood Care and Education and influencing disability-inclusive policy development across the region. The Action Foundation (TAF) hosted the inaugural caregiver awareness resource and empowerment (CARE) conference, providing a space for caregivers of children with disabilities to advocate for their rights and support.

In Tanzania , Child Support Tanzania (CST) has collaborated with the government to develop inclusive education guidelines and a new National Strategy for Inclusive Education. CST has also worked with the Regional Education Learning Initiative (RELI) to advocate for changes in education policy, ensuring a more inclusive approach to education.

In Rwanda , Uwezo Youth Empowerment (UWEZO) has empowered youth with disabilities to advocate directly to the government on issues of disability inclusion, inclusive child protection, and mental health services. During Able Child Africa Network's General Assembly, UWEZO showcased its youth mentorship model, inspiring other network members.

In Malawi , Federation of Disability Organisations in Malawi (FEDOMA) and Parents of Disabled Children Association of Malawi (PODCAM) have advocated for inclusive Early Childhood Development (ECD) services. Their efforts have led to commitments from government departments to the project's approach and to expand the programme into new districts.

In Zambia , Zambia Association of Parents for Children with Disabilities (ZAPCD) has been working to ensure the inclusion of children with disabilities in the government’s new Education Policy. ZAPCD has also collaborated with local government to improve the provision of inclusive education in Chadiza district.

In Zimbabwe , Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Children Association (ZPHCA) has been independently advocating for the inclusion of children with disabilities in Zimbabwe's 'Draft Climate Change Management Bill'. We hope to collaborate with them on future projects to build upon their advocacy efforts.

34 Advocating for change

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Securing a platform for the Network's voice to be heard internationally through participation in global forums and partnerships.

Able Child's advocacy team in the UK has been working tirelessly to ensure that the voices of our network members are heard at an international level.

By leveraging the evidence generated by the Network, we have been advocating for the UK government and international development sector to prioritise the inclusion of children with disabilities in their policies and programmes.

Able Child's Network Manager, based in Kenya, played a crucial role in representing the Able Child Africa Network at the International Development & Disability Consortium (IDDC) General Assembly in 2024, providing opportunities for securing further participation of children and youth with disabilities, such as at the 2025 Global Disability Summit.

This year, Able Child took on a Board role within the IDDC, further strengthening our ability to include local organisations’ decision-making. We have been instrumental in establishing a new Children with Disabilities Task Group within the consortium, with the aim of ensuring that the voices of children with disabilities are included in global discussions.

We have also been working closely with The Bond Disability and Development Group to advocate for the inclusion of youth voices on the Disability Advisory Board for the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and ensured that engaging disability organisations was included as a commitment in the White Paper conducted by the former Minister for Development, Andrew Mitchell.

Lauren Watters, Co-CEO of Able Child, provided oral evidence to the UK Parliament's International Development Committee, advocating for the inclusion of children with disabilities in international development programmes. Her testimony highlighted the importance of inclusive safeguarding and emphasised the need to include the voices of organisations representing children and youth with disabilities.

and expertise to strengthen the wider sector's capacity to include children with disabilities.

Able Child has continued to share the knowledge and expertise of the Able Child Africa Network members with the wider sector through publications and events.

Able Child has leveraged the launch of our new strategy to host webinars discussing the redistribution of power to local disability organisations within the sector. Network members have contributed to the Momentum Panel Series, sharing their expertise on topics such as the Sustainable Development Goals and Early Childhood Development. We have continued these series throughout the year. Additionally, we have published comprehensive Project Impact Reports, identifying effective methodologies for driving positive change in areas such as Early Childhood Education in Zambia.

This year, Able Child Africa Network has worked with Accessible Surveys to collect data from over 1,100 children with disabilities across seven African countries on their human rights experiences. The results will inform advocacy activities and campaigns to ensure these voices are heard globally. This report will be published in late 2024.

Data underpins all our advocacy work, ensuring that our efforts are evidence-based and effective.

By leveraging the untapped expertise of network members, we are able to advocate for informed and impactful initiatives that deliver tangible benefits for children with disabilities.

Advocating for change 35

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Financial report

Overview

Able Child’s total income this year was £947,412 which represents a decrease of 8% from the previous financial year. This is comprised of £476,584 in restricted funding (including grants) and £470,828 in unrestricted flexible funding.

Income and expenditure

----- Start of picture text -----
||||| |---|---|---|---| |Income and Expenditure|Unrestricted Funds|Restricted Funds|Total Funds| |Income|£470,828|£476,584|£947,412| |Expenditure|£470,884|£489,398|£960,282| |Net Income / (Expenditure)|-£56|-£12,814|-£12,870|

----- End of picture text -----

Spending on charitable activities

----- Start of picture text -----
||||| |---|---|---|---| |Expenditure Split|Charitable Activities|Raising Funds|Total Expenditure| |Total|£775,314|£184,968|£960,282|

----- End of picture text -----

Expenditure on charitable activities amounts to 81p for every pound raised and comprises costs of our projects in Africa, our advocacy and influencing work as well as related support and governance costs.

Raising funds

----- Start of picture text -----
19%
81%
----- End of picture text -----

Charitable activities

Our fundraising costs, (19p in every pound raised) , raised, are kept as low as possible while still allowing us to raise sufficient funds to deliver against our mission. This year the cost of raising funds is slightly higher than previous years as we have invested in our staff team to secure future growth in our income levels.

The complete Audited Accounts and Financial Statements can be found in this document from page 48.

36 Financial report

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Looking forward

Able Child is embarking on an

A key priority for the upcoming year is to strengthen and ensure the long-term sustainability of the newly formed Able Child Africa Network . We are dedicated to listening to network members and while expansion, potentially into West Africa, is a possibility, our immediate focus is on deepening our connections and solidifying the foundation of the Network.

Building on our strong foundation of UK-based advocacy and in-country partnerships, we will seek to position network members on the global stage. By creating opportunities for network members to participate in high-level decision-making processes, we will ensure that the voices of children with disabilities are heard, and their needs are prioritised. Our aim is to establish the Network as a leading authority on children with disabilities in Africa, driving change through their meaningful participation in global advocacy.

This knowledge exchange will inform our work, challenge the status quo, and elevate the Network's profile, ensuring our members are heard and taken seriously. By generating data on emerging areas like climate change, we will ensure children with disabilities are not omitted from key decisions on financing and design in key development areas.

lead to increased hiring in Africa to support delivery and restricted fundraising. We will invest our advocacy capacity towards the end of the year to strengthen our voice. We will continue to foster a supportive and inclusive workplace where everyone is valued and feels part of our collective mission.

Recognising the need for a robust unrestricted funding base to support a six-year strategy that demands flexibility in spending, we will prioritise growing this portfolio by diversifying income streams, focusing on increasing corporate partnerships and fundraising events. This adaptability will empower us to support the Network in ways they define and require, while building resilience amidst evolving international development funding challenges.

As the last few years have demonstrated, the global context is increasingly uncertain. But we are confident that a strong team coupled with a bold strategy will position us to withstand these challenges and navigate a fast-changing context, to create lasting impact for children with disabilities.

Celebrating you

Nothing we do would be possible without the many people who support or fund us, complete challenges for us or provide in-kind support. So, to all of you, a massive thank you!

Our Patrons

We are lucky to have some fantastic patrons who continue to support our work and raise the profile of what we do. We want to thank Anne Wafula-Strike, Ellie Robinson, Keith Nethercot and Emeli Sandé for all their support and we look forward to working together during an exciting year ahead.

Our Ambassadors

There are a small group of people who go above and beyond in their support of our work. Our Ambassadors are incredibly dedicated individuals who understand the importance of our work and are willing to back us on a personal basis and over a long period of time. We want to say a huge thank you to Azad Ayub, to Clare Persey, to Vijay Parikh and to Baz Mehta for your unwavering support and personal connection to what we do. Your support is not taken for granted and we are proud to call you part of the Able Child family.

Our corporate supports

We are very fortunate to have some amazing corporate partners, whose continued support through a challenging environment over the last few years has been vital. To Exile - to Dan Sheriff, Dom Kloiber, Katy Rose and Hesham Zakai and all the team, a huge thank you not only for your continued generosity of support, but your willingness to make us part of your family. Exile currently provide us with an office space free of charge, which means a significant saving to the charity and means more money can get to where it is needed most. To PenCarrie and to Clare Persey, thank you once again for not only continuing but for increasing your support and commitment to the work we do. It means a lot.

We would also like to thank everyone that donates their services free of charge or at reduced rates to help us keep our costs down and ensure as much money as possible goes to where it is needed most.

A big thank in particular to Raihan Islam, Bakhtiyar Islam and everyone at Iirth for their brand and website support. To Michèle Renée Creative for your design support. And to Peter Weiss at Simon Muirhead Burton for pro-bono legal advice - a huge thank you.

Our challenge takers

Every year we are lucky to have an amazing group of fundraisers who take on the challenge of the London Marathon and raise funds for our work. This year, we had an incredible team of 29 runners who raised crucial funds for our work. We want to thank each and every one of you. As always, your commitment to fundraise for our cause throughout your journeys is hugely appreciated.

We also want to say a special thank you to a few of you who went even further this year. Firstly, to Beatrice and Clara Gogarty who together raised an incredible sum of over £11,000 – thank you. To Peter Slot who raised nearly £5,000 in the UK along with a matching gift in the US. This is Peter’s third marathon for Able Child. We could not be more thankful for all your outstanding support.

To Anton Mauve, Gregory Emanuel, Jamie Axford, Shezan Hirjee and Sarah Lingard who all ran for Able Child for the first time and exceeded targets. And to David Howell, Joe Kohut, Jeff Brunstrom and Steve Leighfield who all returned to the Able Child marathon team for the second time and doubled their contributions. Thank you.

To Hassell Inclusion, to Rosnah and Jonathan Hassell for quietly providing an incredibly generous and long-term commitment to the charity and buying in to what we do. Your support is invaluable, and it is great to have you with us on this journey.

To American Century and Paul Harrison, who have now provided five years of support through their grant donation and matching scheme, allowing us to build a base on which we hope to be able to grow our support in the US.

Our individual supporters

There are so many of you that support our work from regular monthly donations to spreading news of our work. You are all an inspiration, and we thank you for the role you play in changing the lives of children with disabilities. A special thank you goes out to our Champion donors Cath Ford and Tony Shubrook, Heather Barr, Jim Sellars, John Ingram and Paul Harrison for your ongoing support to help us achieve our mission.

continued annual donation towards our work.

And to all our long-term individual supporters, who for over a decade and in some cases more, have supported Able Child

38 Celebrating you

Celebrating you

Nothing we do would be possible without the many people who support or fund us, complete challenges for us or provide in-kind support. So, to all of you, a massive thank you!

through regular donations - thank you for your commitment to our cause. As we reach our 40[th] year, we thank all those who over many years have enabled us to support children with disabilities in Africa.

granted £1,000 to Able Child in her final wishes. Born in Accra, Ghana, Joyce found Able Child and chose to leave a bequest after our programmes in her home continent resonated with her. Thank you.

Our Trustees

The past year has been transformative for Able Child, and our Board of Trustees have played a key role in steering us through this exciting period. They guided us expertly in the launch of our ambitious new strategy, bringing enthusiasm and insightful perspectives to the process and their unwavering commitment to staff wellbeing has made Able Child a secure and supportive place to work.

Jim Sellars recently stepped down as Chair of the charity. We want to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude for his exceptional leadership during this pivotal time. Jim's dedication and commitment have gone above and beyond, and his support has been invaluable.

We are delighted to announce Mitul Shah, our former Treasurer, as the new Chair of Able Child. His leadership and expertise will be invaluable as we continue to work towards our goals.

We are also incredibly grateful to Martin Hill, Mitul Shah, Maria Omare, Miiro Michael and Jim for making the journey to Rwanda for our inaugural Network General Assembly, which was instrumental in the launch of the new Able Child Africa Network. Their presence and support were invaluable.

We warmly welcome Abigail Viljoen and Hannah Loryman to the Board and look forward to their contributions.

Our US Board, led by Paul Harrison, Liz Macfadyen, Rachelle Gregory, and Neil Hankinson, continues to be an invaluable asset as we expand our reach. Their support and guidance have been instrumental in building our presence in the US.

Our staff

team for their dedication to Able Child. Together this year, we’ve embarked on an ambitious journey and one we can be proud of. We have launched a new strategy that has pushed the boundaries of what we can achieve, and your passion, patience, and innovative spirit have been instrumental in making this possible.

We celebrate your courage in challenging the status quo and holding ourselves to account to high standards. You have created a positive, inclusive, and welcoming workplace culture that is the fundamental to our success. Thank you for making Able Child a place where new ideas thrive, and everyone feels valued.

We would like to thank the following donors for their support in the last year

American Century Investments Azad Ayub Ltd. The Bartlett Foundation Catholic Relief Services Cargill The Cheruby Trust Comic Relief Educational Opportunity Foundation (formerly BFSS)

Eleanor Rathbone Charitable Trust Euromoney Institutional Investors Exile Group Government of Faroe Islands

Hassell Inclusion James Tudor Foundation Leggatt Trust Network for Social Change PenCarrie

Rangoonwala Foundation The Rest-Harrow Trust Souter Charitable Trust The Marr-Munning Trust Tula Trust Vitol Foundation

Celebrating you 39

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Report of the Trustees

year ended 31 March 2024. The financial statements have been prepared based on the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with Able Child Africa’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, applicable law, and in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

Able Child 2024 Annual Report

1. Structure, governance and management

1.1 Legal status

Able Child is the trading name of Able Child Africa, a company limited by guarantee registered in England, not having a share capital, incorporated under the Companies Act 2006 (company number 01861434). The company is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 326859). Able Child Africa was previously known as the Uganda Society for Children with Disabilities.

interchangeably through this report.

1.2 Trustees

The Trustees (who are also Directors for the purposes of Company law) who held office during the financial year are set out in this document. They represent a diverse skill set with experience in finance, law and the third sector, including programme delivery, safeguarding and advocacy. The Board of Trustees is led by the Chair, Mitul Shah, who took over from Jim Sellars on 20 April 2024, with Abigail Viljoen appointed Vice-Chair. Dhiran Tanna joined the Board on the 19 September 2024, to take over the role as Treasurer. The Trustees delegate the day-to-day operation of the charity to the staff team, managed by the co-CEOs, Karl Hankinson and Lauren Watters. The co-CEOs act as the Company Secretary. During the year two new Trustees were appointed in July 2023 and February 2024 respectively, while no Trustees left the Board.

Trustees are appointed in accordance with the provisions in the Articles of Association, which allow for appointment at any time. New trustees are nominated by current members of the Board of Trustees, following an open and competitive recruitment process, and approved by a majority vote of the Board. Once appointed, Trustees undergo a thorough induction process. Trustees do not receive any remuneration but may claim for incidental expenses, such as travel to board meetings.

The full Board meets on a quarterly basis. We also have one sub-committee, the Resources Sub-Committee that meets quarterly to oversee finance, unrestricted fundraising and give recommendations to the Board. The Resources Sub-Committee has its own identified terms of reference, nominated chair and reports to the full board. The chair of the Resources Sub-committee is currently Martin Hill, appointed in March 2020.

The Board of Trustees is primarily responsible for setting and maintaining the strategic direction of the organisation, setting policies and managing resources, risk and staffing. Trustees ensure appropriate procedures and safeguards are in place and take reasonable steps to ensure that these are followed, and they review the Articles of Association, which was revised in July 2023, to ensure they remain fit for purpose. They carefully monitor finances to ensure viability and sustainability of existing commitments and future plans; they oversee decisions relating to non-budgeted commitments in excess of £1,000; and budgeted commitments in excess of £5,000. Trustees also oversee and ensure compliance of statutory and legal requirements, both internally within the organisation as well as to our beneficiaries and donors.

payments, for the organisation. Salary scales are benchmarked using the Croner Charity Rewards Report, which provides the most comprehensive set of data on salary and benefit packages for the Charity Sector in the UK. The last pay scale review was completed in 2017 and amended in 2020.

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1.3 Staffing

the Chief Executive, a Director of Impact & Advocacy, a Head of Fundraising & Communications, a Programmes Manager, a Senior Programme Officer, a Programme Officer, a Finance & Operations Manager, a Finance & Operations Executive, a Programmes Funding Officer, an Individual Giving & Events Officer and a Trusts & Foundations Executive. We also had one part-time Advocacy & Communications Executive for the full year. Lauren Watters was promoted to the position of co-CEO alongside Karl Hankinson on 1 March 2024, with all key management responsibilities now shared between the two CEOs.

Able Child is an equal opportunities employer, committed to equality of opportunities regardless of gender, disability, race, religion, or sexual orientation. We are also proud to be a registered ‘disability confident’ committed employer. In our recruitment processes we particularly encourage applications from people with disabilities and people with direct experience of living or working with children with disabilities; those meeting essential criteria are guaranteed an interview.

1.4 Fundraising performance

Following our performance in 2022/23, which saw us achieve our highest annual total income to date, with over £1million secured, we fell just short of that target this year. This was largely due to a downturn in grant-based funding, which limited our ability to secure new multi-year grants. Our unrestricted performance however was our best yet, securing over £470,000 in unrestricted funds, with significant growth in our event and corporate income portfolios. This was significantly higher than the year before but is a level we expect to maintain or surpass going into 2024/25, ensuring stability for the organisation.

We currently have over £325,000 of multi-year grants secured for 2024/25 and are in a strong position to grow this portfolio to over £500,000 to allow us deliver against our strategic objectives set out in our 2030 Strategy, which was launched in April 2024.

1.5 Public benefit statement

disabilities in Africa.

the charity’s objectives and aims and in planning future activities for this year and those contained in the next Strategic Plan.

Our charitable object as outlined in the Articles of Association is:

To relieve charitable need, promote health, advance education and promote the social integration of disabled children for the public benefit, with a focus on (but without limitation) promoting such disabled children achieving their human, social, cultural and economic rights (as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (“UNCRC”), Universal Declaration of Human Rights (“UDHR”) and subsequent United Nations conventions and declarations and in regional codes of human rights which incorporate the rights contained in the UNCRC, the UDHR and those subsequent conventions and declarations) by any means the Trustees in their absolute discretion choose and in particular by raising awareness as to the needs of disabled children and advocacy as to how those needs can best be met.

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2. Financial review

We are proud that our work offers real value for money to our donors. Our expenditure on ‘charitable activities’ amounts to 81% of total expenditure. As a small bespoke charity, we recognise the value of every penny donated and reaffirm here our continuing commitment to carefully managing support costs in order to ensure that we maximise expenditure on charitable activities. However, we also recognise the need to invest in new activities as we grow and are committed to making reasonable and timely investments in order to respond to increasing regulatory requirements and securing our own financial sustainability through unrestricted fundraising in an increasingly difficult and uncertain external environment.

2.1 Income

of £476,584 in restricted funding (including grants) and £470,828 in unrestricted flexible funding. A slightly higher proportion of income for the financial year was restricted through grants, although the split works out as 50%. Our institutional and corporate donors include Comic Relief, and Vitol Foundation - see note 4 for more details. Unrestricted income was raised from individual donors, through unrestricted corporate support from Exile Group, PenCarrie, The Bartlett Foundation, Cargill Financial Services Europe Ltd, Findlay Park, Hassell Inclusion and American Century Investments; and through our fundraising events including our Gala Dinner, the London Marathon and the Charity Golf Day.

2.2 Expenditure

totalled £489,398, which was spent delivering projects to benefit children with disabilities in Africa; these are detailed in note 6.

Expenditure on charitable activities amounts to 81p for every pound raised, and comprises costs of our projects in Africa, our advocacy and influencing work as well as related support and governance costs. Our fundraising costs, 19p for every pound raised, are kept as low as possible while still allowing us to raise sufficient funds to deliver against our mission. This year the cost of raising funds is higher than previous years as we look to invest in our staff team to secure future growth in our income levels. Support costs, which cannot be solely attributed to either charitable or fundraising expenditure, are allocated in proportion to estimated staff time spent on each activity.

2.3 Reserves

reserves policy in line with ongoing plans, budgets and cash flow forecasts.

The reserves policy states that the organisation should hold a minimum of 3-months of unrestricted expenditure at all times, with the aim to maintain reserves at a level above 6-months unrestricted expenditure. This decision is overseen by the Resources Sub-Committee.

Based on the 2023/24 budget this indicated a target reserves of £197k. Having carried forward unrestricted reserves £225,993 at the start of the year, we ended March 2024 with £225,537 of unrestricted reserves, a deficit of £56. Minus our fixed assets, this equates to 'free reserves' of £222,238. For 2024/25, our reserves target has increased to £233k, meaning we are starting just below this level for the new year.

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2.4 Going concern

the robust forecast for the next twelve months. Despite operating in a challenging international development funding environment characterised by increasing competition, shifts in development ‘trends’, and economic uncertainties, the organisation has demonstrated resilience to sustain and grow its income levels. Unrestricted reserves remain at a healthy level, and the forecast indicates a continuation of this positive trend over the next 1-3 years.

ability to navigate these challenges. The new six-year 2030 strategic framework is designed to position the organisation for long-term sustainability by diversifying income streams and adapting to the evolving landscape of international development funding and programming.

2.5 Voluntary help and gifts in kind

We would like to thank all our generous volunteers and supporters for their work this year. We would like to thank the Exile Group for their continued in-kind support, most notably providing us with a long-term office space; and Simons Muirhead Burton for providing us with pro-bono legal support. We would also like to thank Corney & Barrow for their donation of wine for our Golf Day, Kunle Fagbenro for his continued support at our Annual Gala and every other person and company that donated a prize or service for our events throughout the year.

2.6 Investment policy

but may review this position in future should resources allow.

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3. Principal risks and uncertainties

otherwise. Through the implementation of the Strategic Risk Register, the Trustees interrogate and proactively seek to reduce, eliminate or mitigate risks. The major risks to which we are exposed to are identified by the senior management team and nominated board members and reviewed by all Trustees at each quarterly board meeting.

efficiently and effectively, safeguards its assets, maintains proper records and complies with relevant laws and regulations. At present the Trustees consider the two most significant risks are around financial sustainability and preventing child safeguarding incidents. These main risks, together with agreed mitigation strategies, are summarised below.

Risk of insufficient funding and economic instability preventing us from delivering against our mission

In the current climate, risk to income, both restricted and unrestricted is high. At present we have a strong unrestricted reserves position, with 6-months reserves at March 2024 and a stable unrestricted income portfolio. This has helped us navigate the turbulent period over the last three years. However, the risk of securing grant-based funding remains high in the sector. While this wouldn’t affect our continued operations, it would affect our ability to make impact on scale. Changes in grant donor arrangements or preferences, particularly regarding our largest and most regular donors, could have a significant impact on our output. At present we have over £325k of funding already secured for 2024/25 but are working to identify new donors and diversify our funding streams as we implement our new strategy. All financial planning is done collaboratively and transparently with the Board of Trustees to ensure proper oversight and a strategic response to a changing situation. This oversight is provided by the Treasurer (monthly) and Resources Sub-Committee (quarterly) who review rolling cash flow projections and annual budgets. This regular monitoring ensures we regularly monitor performance against targets, as well as implement strategic shifts early when required.

Risk of compliance in the implementation of projects by our partners

Our new strategy and theory of change both clearly lay out why we have chosen to work as a network of African-led organisations. Principally, we believe we are a vehicle for African organisations to achieve higher impact; we also believe this offers greater value for money to our donors. However, taking responsibility for the implementation of projects by our African partners, particularly where we are the primary grant holder, carries financial and reputational risk. We seek to mitigate this risk by developing collaborative, working relationships and transparent lines of communication; and having in place overarching Network and Grant Agreements. Our Programmes Team also conduct multiple in-person visits each year to check compliance of grants and improve systems. During these visits, the team regularly review activity delivery and project expenditure for specific grants, interrogating the quality of delivery and spend against outcomes. Project specific risk registers are developed collaboratively for each project; these inform our overall Operational Risk Register and are reviewed and updated on a quarterly basis. We have also developed a bespoke Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy, as well as a summary for the organisations we represent, which is in compliance with the UK Bribery Act 2010.

Risk of safeguarding incident causing harm to one or more of the vulnerable people we work with

As an organisation working with some of the world’s most vulnerable children and young people, we understand the importance of our role in their safeguarding. We also understand the threat of an incident involving one of our or our partner's staff, volunteers, or Trustees. While we do everything in our power to minimise the risk involving a staff member, volunteer or

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Trustee, we accept that due to the nature of our work, there is an increased likelihood of the witnessing or reporting of abuse. We aim to deal with this risk in an honest and transparent way that puts the child or vulnerable adult at the centre of any action. We updated all our safeguarding policies and procedures in 2023, to ensure they are not only fit for purpose, but best practice. These procedures outline the measures in place to reduce a safeguarding incident that affects a child or vulnerable adult; and to appropriately act on any reported incident or suspicion of abuse. We have robust recruitment processes, with DBS checks on all staff, Trustees and volunteers upon appointment. All our staff are trained in safeguarding with regular team workshops where staff can discuss thoughts and facilitate learning and we have recruited a safeguarding professional onto the board as the nominated lead.

Risk of loss of business continuity through unexpected sudden departure of key members of the team

The success of our results and impact lies with its small and dedicated staff team. The unplanned and sudden loss or departure of staff therefore places a risk to our ability to operate efficiently, particularly given the size of the team. To mitigate this, we have taken a number of steps both to improve staff retention and to ensure the loss of institutional knowledge is reduced. Over the course of the last three years, we have placed an emphasis on staff wellbeing and organisational culture to improve staff retention and provide an attractive and supportive environment for staff. To protect institutional knowledge, we have built processes into our CRM system and have started to implement a change in culture to document the organisational knowledge away from individual staff members. We have a comprehensive Business Continuity Policy which works to ensure we are well-equipped to manage this risk, particularly in the current unstable external environment.

Risk to Able Child staff or volunteer safety during travel

Although we do not currently work in conflict areas, political instability, violence and kidnapping risks associated with travel to our chosen countries cannot be completely eliminated. We take our duty of care to our staff, Trustees and volunteers very seriously through robust travel policies and procedures to identify security risks and provide reasonable but not absolute assurance against any occurrence. Ahead of each trip the Programmes Manager undertakes an internal risk assessment, documents travel plans and movements, and provides a travel briefing. Staff, Trustees and volunteers who travel have access to a security and emergency travel app on the smartphone they are provided for travel and this is available to download on personal devices. Our latest security procedure review and staff training was undertaken in 2023/24, with a new Travel Safety and Security Policy developed following an internal review.

Risk of ineffective management of staff, volunteers, supporters’ and/or beneficiaries’ personal data

As a small organisation with limited resource to cover IT infrastructure, we understand the potential risks of ineffective IT systems or a cyber security attack that leads to a potential data breach. As part of the GDPR regulations, we have improved our IT policies, systems and infrastructure to better ensure that individual’s data we hold is consensual, relevant for its purpose and secure. We have revised Data Protection Policies to bring them up to date with GDPR legislation and ensured their effective implementation across the organisation. We have developed new IT Usage and Security Policies and Procedures to provide effective guidelines to staff on using IT and people’s data within the organisation. We have developed a data register outlining the data we collect, the purpose for collecting it and where it is stored. Staff receive annual Data Protection training and we review our data retention policies annually. We have developed Privacy Notices for all stakeholders to the organisation, including staff and Trustees. All our Privacy Notices and practices underwent an external review in early 2024 to ensure we are fully compliant and conducted an organisational-wide data cleanse to improve any areas of potential risk.

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4. Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities

The Trustees (who are also Directors of the charity for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102: The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the income and expenditure of the charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements the trustees are required to:

• Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently

• Observe the methods and principles in the applicable Charities SORP

• Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent

• State whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been

• the charity will continue in operation.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. In so far as the trustees are aware:

• There is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company's auditors are unaware

• The Trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditors are aware of that information.

charitable company's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

Members of the charity guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 to the assets of the charity in the event of winding up. The total number of such guarantees at 31 March 2024 was ten. The Trustees are members of the charity, but this entitles them only to voting rights. The Trustees have no beneficial interest in the charity.

Auditors

Godfrey Wilson Ltd were appointed as the charitable company's auditors in 2017 and have acted in that capacity for the last seven years. They have expressed their willingness to continue in that capacity.

Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf on 15 October 2024:

Mitul Shah

Mitul Shah – Chair

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Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Able Child Africa (trading as Able Child) Company no. 01861434 Company no. 01861434 Charity no. 326859 Charity no. 326859

Able Child Africa

Report and Audited Financial Statements Able Child 31 March 2024 Report and Audited Financial Statements 31 March 2024

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Able Child Africa

Reference and administrative details

For the year ended 31 March 2024 Company number 01861434 Charity number 326859 Trading name Able Child Registered office and operational 34 Ponton Road address London SW11 7BA Trustees Trustees, who are also directors under company law, who served during the year and up to the date of this report were as follows: Emily Bueno Catherine Carter Martin Hill Hannah Loryman appointed 3 February 2024 Bharat Mehta Miiro Michael Maria Omare James Sellars Mitul Shah Dhiran Tanna appointed 19 September 2024 Abigail Viljoen appointed 15 July 2023 Company secretary and Co-CEOs Karl Hankinson Lauren Watters appointed 1 March 2024 Bankers CAF Bank Barclays Bank 25 Kings Hill Avenue 1 Churchill Place Kings Hill London West Malling E14 5HP ME19 4JQ Solicitors Bates Wells & Braithwaite 2-6 Cannon Street London EC4M 6YH Auditors Godfrey Wilson Limited 5th Floor Mariner House 62 Prince Street Bristol BS1 4QD

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Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Independent auditors' report

To the members of

Able Child Africa

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Able Child Africa (the 'charity') for the year ended 31 March 2024 which comprise the statement of financial activities, balance sheet, statement of cash flows and the related notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102: The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion, the financial statements:

• give a true and fair view of the state of the charity's affairs as at 31 March 2024 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended;

• have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

• have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and the provisions available for small entities, in the circumstances set out in note 8 to the financial statements, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

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Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Independent auditors' report

To the members of

Able Child Africa

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

• the information given in the trustees’ report, which includes the directors’ report prepared for the purposes of company law, for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

• � the directors’ report included within the trustees’ report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors’ report included within the trustees’ report. We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

• adequate accounting records have not been kept or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

• certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or

• we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or

• the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies’ exemptions in preparing the trustees’ report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.

Responsibilities of the trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out in the trustees’ report, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

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Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Independent auditors' report

To the members of

Able Child Africa

Our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The procedures we carried out and the extent to which they are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, are detailed below:

(1) We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework that the charity operates in, and assessed the risk of non-compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Throughout the audit, we remained alert to possible indications of non-compliance.

(2) We reviewed the charity’s policies and procedures in relation to:

• Identifying, evaluating and complying with laws and regulations, and whether they were aware of any instances of non-compliance;

• Detecting and responding to the risk of fraud, and whether they were aware of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud; and

• Designing and implementing internal controls to mitigate the risk of non-compliance with laws and regulations, including fraud.

(3) We inspected the minutes of trustee meetings.

(4) We enquired about any non-routine communication with regulators and reviewed any reports made to them.

(5) We reviewed the financial statement disclosures and assessed their compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

(6) We performed analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected transactions or balances that may indicate a risk of material fraud or error.

• (7) We assessed the risk of fraud through management override of controls and carried out procedures to address this risk. Our procedures included:

• �Testing the appropriateness of journal entries;

• �Assessing judgements and accounting estimates for potential bias;

• �Reviewing related party transactions; and

• �Testing transactions that are unusual or outside the normal course of business.

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. Irregularities that arise due to fraud can be even harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion.

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Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Independent auditors' report

To the members of

Able Child Africa

forms part of our auditor’s report.

Use of our report

opinions we have formed.

William Guy Blake

William Guy Blake ACA (Senior Statutory Auditor)

For and on behalf of: GODFREY WILSON LIMITED Chartered accountants and statutory auditors 5th Floor Mariner House 62 Prince Street Bristol BS1 4QD

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Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Able Child Africa

Statement of financial activities (incorporating an income and expenditure account)

For the year ended 31 March 2024

Note Income from: Donations 3 4 Other trading income 5 Investments Total income Expenditure on: Raising funds Total expenditure 6 8 Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward Charitable activities Charitable activities Net income / (expenditure) and movement in funds	Restricted Unrestricted £ £ - 390,448 476,584 41,417 - 28,695 - 10,268 476,584 470,828 - 184,968 489,398 285,916 489,398 470,884 (12,814) (56) 345,325 225,593 332,511 225,537	2024 Total £ 390,448 518,001 28,695 10,268 947,412 184,968 775,314 960,282 (12,870) 570,918 558,048	2023 Total £ 349,609 663,109 19,078 3,290 1,035,086 160,362 748,661 909,023 126,063 444,855 570,918

All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Movements in funds are disclosed in note 15 to the accounts.

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Able Child Africa

Balance sheet

As at 31 March 2024

----- Start of picture text -----
2024 2023
Note £ £ £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 11 3,299 3,974
Current assets
Debtors 12 49,274 123,152
Cash at bank and in hand 538,935 459,721
588,209 582,873
Liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling due within 1 year 13 (33,460) (15,929)
Net current assets 554,749 566,944
Net assets 14 558,048 570,918
Funds 15
Restricted funds 332,511 345,325
Unrestricted funds
General funds 225,537 225,593
Total charity funds 558,048 570,918
----- End of picture text -----

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime.

Approved by the trustees on 15 October 2024 and signed on their behalf by

Mitul Shah

����������� - Chair

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Able Child Africa

Statement of cash flows

For the year ended 31 March 2024

Cash used in operating activities: Net movement in funds Adjustments for: Depreciation charges Dividends, interest and rents from investments Decrease / (increase) in debtors Increase / (decrease) in creditors Net cash used in operating activities Cash flows from investing activities: Purchase of tangible fixed assets Dividends, interest and rents from investments Net cash provided by investing activities Increase in cash and cash equivalents in the year Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year	2024 £ (12,870) 1,649 (10,268) 73,878 17,531 69,920 (974) 10,268 9,294 79,214 459,721 538,935	2023 £ 126,063 - (3,290) (86,475) (411)
		35,887
		(3,974) 3,290
		(684)
		35,203 424,518
		459,721

The charity has not provided an analysis of changes in net debt as it does not have any long term financing arrangements.

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Able Child Africa

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

1. Accounting policies

a) General information and basis of preparation

���� Child Africa is a charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales. The registered office address is 34 Ponton Road, London, SW1������

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities in preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Able Child Africa 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 note(s).

b) Going concern basis of accounting

The accounts have been prepared on the assumption that the charity is able to continue as a going concern, which the trustees consider appropriate having regard to the current level of unrestricted reserves. There are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.

c) Income

Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Income from the government and other grants, whether 'capital' grants or 'revenue' grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.

For legacies, entitlement is taken as the earlier of the date on which either: the charity is aware that probate has been granted, the estate has been finalised and notification has been made by the executor(s) to the Trust that a distribution will be made, or when a distribution is received from the estate. Receipt of a legacy, in whole or in part, is only considered probable when the amount can be measured reliably and the charity has been notified of the executor's intention to make a distribution. Where legacies have been notified to the charity, or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material.

Income received in advance of provision of earned income, sales, and consultancy is deferred until criteria for income recognition are met.

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Able Child Africa

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

1. Accounting policies (continued)

d) Donated services and facilities

• Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item, is probable and the economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), general volunteer time is not recognised.

On receipt, donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.

e) Interest receivable

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity: this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.

f) Funds accounting

Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of the charity. Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the charity which the Trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose. Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the charity's work or for specific projects being undertaken by the charity.

g) Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.

h) Grants payable

Grants payable are recognised as expenditure on the earlier of a) when the charity has a present obligation to transfer resources; and b) when the charity ceases to control the resource (e.g. via transferring funds to the grant recipient).

i) Allocation of support and governance costs

Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Governance costs are the costs associated with the governance arrangements of the charity, including the costs of complying with constitutional and statutory requirements and any costs associated with the strategic management of the charity’s activities. These costs have been allocated between cost of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities on the basis of staff numbers, as follows:

	2024	2023
Raising funds	22%	27%
Charitable activities	78%	73%

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Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Able Child Africa

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

1. Accounting policies (continued)

j) Tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. The depreciation rates in use are as follows:

Computers, database and website 3 years straight line Furniture and fittings 5 years straight line

Items of equipment are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £500.

k) Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

l) Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

m) Creditors

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

n) Financial instruments

The charitable company only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently recognised at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

o) Pension costs

The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for its employees. There are no further liabilities other than that already recognised in the SOFA.

p) Foreign currency transactions

Transactions in foreign currencies are translated at rates prevailing at the date of the transaction. Balances denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the rate of exchange prevailing at the year end.

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Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Able Child Africa

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

1. Accounting policies (continued)

q) Accounting estimates and key judgements

In the application of the charity's accounting policies, the Trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and underlying assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods.

The key sources of estimation uncertainty that have a significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements are depreciation as described in note 1(j).

2. Statement of financial activities: prior period comparatives

Income from: Donations Investments Total income Expenditure on: Raising funds Charitable activities Total expenditure Net income and net movement in funds Charitable activities Other trading income	2023 Restricted Total £ £ £ - 349,609 349,609 626,604 36,505 663,109 - 19,078 19,078 - 3,290 3,290 626,604 408,482 1,035,086 - 160,362 160,362 526,752 221,909 748,661 526,752 382,271 909,023 99,852 26,211 126,063 Unrestricted

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Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Able Child Africa

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

3. Income from donations

Gifts in kind Legacy income Total* Fundraising events and community Individual donors Corporate donors Sponsored challenge events	2024 Total £ 81,634 48,391 48,941 158,882 42,600 10,000 390,448	2023 Total £ 134,923 14,222 47,181 102,733 39,050 11,500
		349,609

All donation income in the current and prior year was unrestricted.

*Gifts in kind relate to the following goods and services provided free of charge:

Rent Prizes for golf day events Gifts in kind	2024 2023 £ £ 39,600 34,800 3,000 4,250 42,600 39,050

4. Income from charitable activities

Grants > £10,000: Vitol Foundation Comic Relief Faroe Islands The British & Foreign School Society The Bartlett Foundation Rangoonwala The Marr Munning Trust Smaller grants < £10,000 Total	Restricted £ £ 171,999 - 134,966 - 68,825 - 59,892 - - 30,000 25,000 - 15,902 - - 11,417 476,584 41,417 Unrestricted	2024 Total £ 171,999 134,966 68,825 59,892 30,000 25,000 15,902 11,417
		518,001

13

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Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Able Child Africa

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

4. Income from charitable activities (continued) Prior period comparative

Grants > £10,000: Vitol Foundation Comic Relief Euromoney The Bartlett Foundation The British & Foreign School Society The Marr Munning Trust The Network for Social Change Rangoonwala Smaller grants < £10,000 Total	Restricted £ £ 272,338 - 235,897 - 35,000 - - 30,000 29,924 - 20,170 - 15,775 - 12,500 - 5,000 6,505 626,604 36,505 Unrestricted	2023 Total £ 272,338 235,897 35,000 30,000 29,924 20,170 15,775 12,500 11,505 663,109

Government grants

The charitable company receives government grants, defined as funding from the Faroe Islands Ministry of Justice to fund charitable activities. The total value of such grants in the period ending 31 March 2024 was £68,825 (2023: Nil). There are no unfulfilled conditions or contingencies attaching to these grants in the prior year.

5. Other trading income

Auction sales Sales income	2024 Total £ 15,160 13,535 28,695	2023 Total £ 11,692 7,386 19,078

All other trading income in the current and prior year was unrestricted.

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Able Child 2024 Annual Report

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Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

6. Total expenditure

Sub-total Prior period comparative Sub-total Total Allocation of support and governance costs Running costs Fundraising and events Governance Programmes and operations Total Grants payable (note 7) Staff costs (note 9) Non-salaried personnel Grants payable (note 7) Allocation of support and governance costs Running costs Non-salaried personnel Programmes and operations Fundraising and events Governance Staff costs (note 9)	£ - 90,589 - - 63,535 - - 154,124 30,844 184,968 £ - 77,686 - - 52,936 - - 130,622 29,740 160,362 Raising funds Raising funds	£ £ 264,034 - 315,899 45,171 14,556 16,024 - 68,334 - - - 8,875 73,265 - 667,754 138,404 107,560 (138,404) 775,314 - £ £ 373,364 - 256,119 33,787 12,824 9,220 - 53,530 - - - 14,722 24,835 - 667,142 111,259 81,519 (111,259) 748,661 - Support and governance costs Support and governance costs Charitable activities Charitable activities	2024 Total £ 264,034 451,659 30,580 68,334 63,535 8,875 73,265 960,282 - 960,282 2023 Total £ 373,364 367,592 22,044 53,530 52,936 14,722 24,835 909,023 - 909,023

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Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Able Child Africa

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

7. Grants payable to institutions Grants were paid to the following overseas partner organisations in pursuit of the charity's objects:

objects:
Action Network for Disabled Youth (ANDY) Zambia Association of Parents for Children with Disabilities (ZAPCD) Uganda Society for Disabled Children (USDC) Child Support Tanzania (CST) UWEZO Youth Empowerment Federation of Disability Organizations in Malawi (FEDOMA) Parents of Disabled Children Association of Malawi (PODCAM) Total	2024 £ 50,357 82,694 58,709 12,240 17,029 42,507 498 264,034	2023 £ 63,411 38,088 138,470 23,584 26,964 82,847 -
		373,364

8. Net movement in funds This is stated after charging:

Net movement in funds This is stated after charging:
	2024	2023
	£	£
Depreciation	1,649	-
Trustees' remuneration	Nil	Nil
Trustees' reimbursed expenses	Nil	Nil
Auditors' remuneration (excluding VAT):
�Statutory audit	5,550	5,300
�Other services	350	300

In common with other charities of our size and nature we use our auditors to assist with the preparation of the financial statements and to prepare and submit returns to the tax authorities.

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Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Able Child Africa

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

9. Staff costs and numbers

Staff costs were as follows:

Salaries and wages Social security costs Pension costs Other staff costs Total	2024 £ 398,686 34,261 15,737 2,975 451,659	2023 £ 322,384 29,022 14,678 1,508 367,592

One employee earned between £70,001 and £80,000 during the year (2023: one employee earned between £60,000 and £70,000).

The key management personnel of the charitable company comprise the Trustees and the co-CEOs. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel, including gross salary, employer national insurance contributions and employer pension contributions were £94,503 (2023: £75,494).

Average head count	2024 No. 10.40	2023 No. 10.00

10. Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax as all its income is charitable and is applied for charitable purposes.

11. Tangible fixed assets

Cost At 1 April 2023 Additions At 31 March 2024 Depreciation At 1 April 2023 Charge for the year At 31 March 2024 Net book value At 31 March 2024 At 31 March 2023	Total £ 19,922 974 20,896 15,948 1,649 17,597 3,299 3,974

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Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Able Child Africa

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

12. Debtors

Accrued income Prepayments Total	2024 £ 16,593 32,681 49,274	2023 £ 105,758 17,394
		123,152

Included with prepayments are £4,933 (2023: £nil) of prepayments relating to more than one year in the future.

13. Creditors: amounts due within 1 year

Trade creditors Accruals Other taxation and social security Other creditors Total	2024 £ 11,791 7,700 10,975 2,994 33,460	2023 £ 997 6,871 8,061 -
		15,929

14. Analysis of net assets between funds

Tangible fixed assets Current assets Current liabilities Net assets at 31 March 2024 Prior period comparative Tangible fixed assets Current assets Current liabilities Net assets at 31 March 2023	£ - 332,511 - 332,511 £ - 345,325 - 345,325 Restricted funds Restricted funds	£ 3,299 255,698 (33,460) 225,537 £ 3,974 237,548 (15,929) 225,593 General funds General funds	Total funds £ 3,299 588,209 (33,460)
			558,048
			Total funds £ 3,974 582,873 (15,929)
			570,918

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Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Able Child Africa

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

~~15. Movements in funds~~

15. Movements in funds		At 1 April 2023	Income	Expenditure	At 31 March 2024
		£	£	£	£
Restricted funds
The British and Foreign School Society - ANDY		9,160	29,907	(26,278)	12,789
The British and Foreign School Society - USDC		3,134	29,985	(18,356)	14,763
Comic Relief - Cost of living Grant		15,000	-	(15,000)	-
Comic Relief - Deepening and Scaling		47,500	95,000	(61,113)	81,387
Comic Relief – Ready, Steady, Go - ANDY		31,218	32,386	(62,604)	1,000
Comic Relief – Take All My Friends to School - CST		4,773	-	(4,773)	-
Comic Relief - IECE 4 ME! - USDC		37,210	7,580	(44,790)	-
Child Support Tanzania (CST) – Other		60	-	-	60
Euromoney Institutional Investor Plc. – UWEZO		29,872	-	(22,748)	7,124
Faroe Islands - ZAPCD		-	68,825	(24,736)	44,089
Jersey Overseas Aid Commission		1,908	-	(1,908)	-
The Marr-Munning Trust - USDC		11,992	15,902	(21,371)	6,523
Network for Social Change - UWEZO		15,775	-	(11,956)	3,819
Rangoonwala Foundation – CST		(3,665)	25,000	(17,319)	4,016
Vitol Foundation - FEDOMA		67,147	-	(67,147)	-
Vitol Foundation - ZAPCD		74,241	92,774	(89,299)	77,716
Vitol Foundation - PODCAM		-	79,225	-	79,225
Total restricted funds		345,325	476,584	(489,398)	332,511
Unrestricted funds
General funds		225,593	470,828	(470,884)	225,537
Total unrestricted funds		225,593	470,828	(470,884)	225,537
Total funds		570,918	947,412	(960,282)	558,048
Prior period comparative	19
		At 1 April			At 31 March
		2022	Income	Expenditure	2023
		£	£	£	£
Restricted funds
Aberdeen Asset Management Charitable Foundation - CST		3,365	-	(3,365)	-
Book Aid International - CST		10,063	-	(10,063)	-
The British and Foreign School Society - ANDY		-	14,924	(5,764)	9,160
The British and Foreign School Society - USDC		-	15,000	(11,866)	3,134
Comic Relief - Cost of living Grant		-	15,000	-	15,000
Comic Relief - Deepening and Scaling		-	47,500	-	47,500
Comic Relief - Organisational Strengthening – USDC		-	30,000	(30,000)	-
Comic Relief – Ready, Steady, Go - ANDY		37,888	75,179	(81,849)	31,218
Comic Relief – Take All My Friends to School - CST		7,615	-	(2,842)	4,773
Comic Relief - IECE 4 ME! - USDC		84,796	68,218	(115,804)	37,210
Child Support Tanzania (CST) – Other		60	-	-	60
Euromoney Institutional Investor Plc. –		33,542	35,000	(38,670)	29,872
James Tudor Foundation – FEDOMA		2,046	-	(2,046)	-
Jersey Overseas Aid Commission		4,190	-	(2,282)	1,908
The Marr-Munning Trust - USDC		8,506	20,170	(16,684)	11,992
Network for Social Change - UWEZO		-	15,775	-	15,775
The Allan & Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust - FEDOMA		2,938	-	(2,938)	-
Rangoonwala Foundation – CST		-	12,500	(16,165)	(3,665)
Vitol Foundation - FEDOMA		53,464	138,424	(124,741)	67,147
Vitol Foundation - ZAPCD		-	133,914	(59,673)	74,241
Other Restricted - FEDOMA		(3,000)	5,000	(2,000)	-
Total restricted funds		245,473	626,604	(526,752)	345,325
Unrestricted funds
Designated fund: Irma Skeeles Legacy		17,764	-	(17,764)	-
General funds		181,618	408,482	(364,507)	225,593
Total unrestricted funds		199,382	408,482	(382,271)	225,593
Total funds		444,855	1,035,086	(909,023)	570,918

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Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Able Child Africa

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

15. Movements in funds (continued)

Purposes of restricted funds

The British and Foreign School Society - ANDY

This two-year project seeks to improve disability-inclusion of female youth with disabilities in vocational training and employment. It aims to do so by addressing the triple discrimination that many young women with disabilities in Kenya face in trying to access employment due to their gender, disability, and state of being youth. Female youth with disabilities will gain from training opportunities in employability skills, entrepreneurial business development and business leadership. The project will utilise a mentorship model, with female youth with disabilities also being supported to establish tested enterprises through seed funding or being matched with employment opportunities.

The British and Foreign School Society - USDC

This two-year project seeks to improve access to inclusive education for children and youth with disabilities in northern Ugandan refugee settlements. The children of refugees and displaced people living with disabilities face many challenges in accessing basic human rights including access to quality education. Using a multifaceted approach, working with children and youth with disabilities, teachers, and duty-bearers (government officials, community members, parents), activities include the identification and enrolment of out-of-schools children with disabilities, mentoring of children to keep them in education, training of teachers on inclusive methodologies and advocacy with local and national government officials.

Comic Relief - Cost of living Grant

This funding was provided by Comic Relief to support its existing grant recipients with additional funds to cover some of the cost-of-living rises seen in the UK and the countries where we work.

Comic Relief - Deepening and Scaling

This project will enable Able Child Africa to better support organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) or disability-focused organisations through the implementation of our new strategic vision. The grant will allow us to strengthen our network’s systems and governance, deliver higher-impact inclusive education programmes for children with disabilities and effectively communicate our partner’s work to maximise their visibility and advocacy outcomes.

Comic Relief – Ready, Steady, Go - ANDY

This three-year grant supported seeks to improve access to quality inclusive ECE for children with disabilities aged four to six in Nairobi, Kenya. This project will develop effective early identification systems, build the capacity of key ECD duty-bearers, and design an innovative Inclusive Play Programme to sustainably and holistically address barriers to their inclusion.

Comic Relief – Take All My Friends to School - CST

This four-year grant funded by Comic Relief scales up two Inclusive Education projects currently delivered with our partner Child Support Tanzania within Mbeya, Southwest Tanzania. Working in a consortium with two other international disability organisations funded under the same grants stream, the project seeks to increase the access, quantity and quality of inclusive education. The project utilises the Child-to-Child methodology developed with our partner USDC to ensure activities are participatory and determined by children.

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Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Able Child Africa

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

15. Movements in funds (continued) Purposes of restricted funds

Comic Relief - IECE 4 ME! - USDC

This three-year project funded by Comic Relief will improve the primary school readiness of children with and without disabilities aged three to six years old in Uganda through the development of a communityled inclusive Early Childhood Education (IECE) model with caregivers, capacity building of key ECE dutybearers and communities and a focused government advocacy campaign. This IECE model will be delivered through 18 community learning centres (CLCs) with activities delivered alongside local government schools to aid inclusion and break down barriers.

Child Support Tanzania (CST) – Other

This consisted of a 1-year grant from the The Leggatt Trust. The grants provided top-up funding to support our inclusive education programme in Tanzania and ensured children with disabilities received medical assessments during the project lifecycle.

Euromoney Institutional Investor Plc. – UWEZO

This two to three-year grant is in support of the project “I Matter Too: Making Rwandan child protection systems disability-inclusive for children with disabilities”. The project will adopt a community-based inclusive development approach to target child protection systems in Gasabo, Rwanda to ensure that children with disabilities, as the children most at risk of neglect and abuse, are able to equitably access child protection systems.

Jersey Overseas Aid Commission

This 3-year project funded by Jersey Oversees Aid contributed to the government’s commitment to ‘leave no one behind’ through the advocacy for disability inclusive WASH policies and programmes for girls with disabilities in education. This multifaceted and youth-led project identified out of schoolgirls with disabilities and trained female youth with disability (YwD) mentors to design and implement a twofold peer to peer mentoring programme using child-friendly resources.

The Marr-Munning Trust - USDC

This three-year project with our implementing partner USDC, expands on our prior Marr Munning Trust funded programme to directly support the Early Childhood Education (ECE) of 60 children with disabilities across six schools in Northern Uganda (Lira and Nebbi). It will support the government’s need to scale-up the Individualised Learning Plan (lLP) by adapting our ILP and disability screening tool for an Early Childhood Education context and delivering a focused multi-year government advocacy campaign. The campaign will target a network of district- and national-level government officials; supporting them to make the 'business case' for adopting the tools at all government schools.

Network for Social Change - UWEZO

This innovative one-year pilot project directly responds to a significant gap identified in Rwanda’s mental health service provision for children with disabilities. This project will aim to make mental health provision more inclusive through the creation and testing of an innovative mental health guide, as well as a ‘toolbox’ of inclusive mental health tools for children and youth with disabilities.

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Able Child 2024 Annual Report

Able Child Africa

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 March 2024

15. Movements in funds (continued)

Purposes of restricted funds

Rangoonwala Foundation – CST

The ‘Let’s Get Functional - Improving the Occupational Therapy and rehabilitative interventions for children with disabilities in Tanzania’ project aims to improve the health and education of children with disabilities in Mbeya, Tanzania. Utilising the brand-new physiotherapy room at Child Support Tanzania’s Early Childhood Education Centre, the project will facilitate teacher trainings and mentorship by physiotherapists, with children with disabilities then supported both at school and in their homes, where their parents will also receive guidance to better support their children’s rehabilitative needs. The project will enable children with disabilities to receive rehabilitative support at their school, helping to prevent missed learning and to reduce educational inequalities between children with and without disabilities.

Vitol Foundation - FEDOMA

This three-year project aims to improve children with disabilities’ (aged three to five years old) access to Early Childhood Development (ECD) through the introduction of innovative, inclusive, caregiver-run play schemes and the capacity building of actors responsible for children with disabilities early years development including government, (in)formal ECD service providers, communities, parents and children with disabilities themselves. Through their increased cooperation that ensures long-term systemic change, these actors will holistically break down barriers to ECD inclusion.

Vitol Foundation - ZAPCD

This project has a primary aim of ensuring children with disabilities aged three to six equitably access inclusive Early Childhood Education (IECE). Within six ECE Centres in Chadiza district, Zambia, the project’s innovative inclusive ECE methodology will holistically tackle the complex barriers children with disabilities face in accessing IECE through targeted interventions with children with and without disabilities, parents, ECE teachers, other service providers, community leaders and members, and the Zambian government.

16. Related party transactions

During the year, 4 Trustees made donations to the charity totalling £9,500 (2023: £2,850 from 5 Trustees).

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[e-mail] ablechild.org.uk

Able Child is a registered charity (no. 326859) and a company limited by guarantee (no. 1861434) in England and Wales under the name Able Child Africa.