## Zimbabwe Educational Trust
Charity number 327519
## Annual Report and Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2025
## Zimbabwe Educational Trust
Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025
|**Contents**|**Page**|
|---|---|
|Trustees' report|2 to 5|
|Examiner's report|6|
|Receipts and payments account|7|
|Statement of assets and liabilities|8|
|Notes to the accounts|9 to 12|
**Prepared by West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO**
1
## Zimbabwe Educational Trust
## Trustees' report for the year ended 31 December 2025
## **Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisors**
The trustees during the financial year and up to and including the date the report was approved were: **Name Position Dates**
**Name Position Dates** Derrick Mkandla Chair Chelsea Brown Secretary Tony McCartney Treasurer Stuart Kempfield Vice Chair Maureen Mguni Adam Ranson Hannah O'Riordan Resigned 6 October 2025 Dr Colourgrad Mpoko **Charity number** 327519 Registered in England and Wales **Registered and principal address Bankers** Headingley Enterprise & Arts Centre Leeds Building Society The Co-operative Bank plc Bennett Road Mercantile House P.O. Box 101 Leeds Silverlink Business Park 1 Balloon Street LS6 3HN Wallsend Manchester NE28 9NY M60 4EP
## **Independent examiner**
Simon Bostrom FCIE **West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO** Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
## **Structure, governance and management**
The charity is governed by a Trust Deed adopted on 24 July 1987, amended on 7 December 2006 and 24 June 2014.
## **Method of recruitment and appointment of trustees**
A new Trustee may be appointed by a resolution of the Trustees recorded in the minutes and signed by the new Trustee and such record shall be conclusive evidence of this appointment.
2
## Zimbabwe Educational Trust
## Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 December 2025
## **Objectives and activities**
## **The charity's objects**
To advance the education of students resident in Zimbabwe by the provision of financial assistance, and of accommodation or assistance in the provision of accommodation, to enable such students to further their education in Great Britain.
To provide financial assistance towards charitable educational projects within Zimbabwe particularly but not exclusively the Zimbabwe Educational Trust Resource Centre in Bulawayo.
## **The charity's main activities**
ZET supports grass roots organisations in Zimbabwe to deliver projects for vulnerable and marginalised young people. Projects are education focused and vary to include; life skills, vocational skills and work experience, health, birth registration and access to basic human rights, as well as teaching about conservation agriculture.
## **Public benefit statement**
In setting our objectives and planning our activities our Trustees have given serious consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and in particular:
- l Commitments to working with grassroots partners,
- l Child protection and the advancement of education and opportunity in Zimbabwe,
- l Tackling the effects of poverty,
- l Girls’ and women’s empowerment.
## **Achievements and performance**
## **ZET UK:**
Continued to support our three grassroots partners through fundraising efforts in the UK as well as collaborative capacity building and support in areas such as monitoring and evaluation, policy development, methodology support and narrative development.
## **Trinity Project:**
Project Name: Exist to Exist – Birth Registration
Continued our biggest ever holistic programme of birth registration including bottom-up and top-down approaches to substantively change the operational space between 2024-2026. This work seeks to address Zimbabwe’s birth registration crisis.
Activities include:
- 1 Direct case support to secure birth and identity documents for vulnerable children and families. Often handling the most challenging cases and at times providing legal assistance.
- 2 Information raising within communities to ensure that birth registration is understood from the legal and process views. Contributing to a cultural shift in the valuation and take-up of birth registration by communities.
- 3 Locally owned Community Action Plans developed and delivered out of community dialogues. These provide tailored solutions to the needs of specific areas.
- 4 Building capacity among stakeholders and duty bearers to ensure a more coherent operational space. This process increases referrals, ensures complimentary services, generates demand and drives up service delivery standards in birth registration.
- 5 Pressing for improvements in birth registration policy, process and law. This process removes barriers, opens up processing pathways, corrects inconsistencies and ensures access at local, regional and national levels.
3
## Zimbabwe Educational Trust
## Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 December 2025
## **Achievements and performance - continued**
Project Name: Empowering young people to claim and protect their sexual and reproductive rights through education and engagement, while lobbying for service improvements.
Began our latest programme for 10 kid’s clubs of girls and boys age 5-24yrs. Project targets 850 young people and 200 parents/community members. Activities include.
- 1 Discussion and edutainment - education through entertainment such as dramas and dance. Issues covered include gender roles, bodily autonomy, family planning, teenage pregnancy, child marriage and a broad spectrum of sexual and reproductive health (including HIV/AIDS) & rights.
- 2 Making a large number of beneficiary referrals for health and other services.
- 3 Distribution of sanitary wear to provide dignity, health and increase ability to stay in school for group members during menstruation.
- 4 Brings parents/carers together with young people for open dialogues on issues related to sexual and reproductive health and rights. Breaking taboos, informing and ensuring conversations can begin positively for the ongoing needs of families.
- 5 Training in Life Skills with Financial Literacy, to make products such as perfumes and floor polish. This enables the older age groups to generate income in support of their personal lives, reducing vulnerabilities to exploitation including transactional sex.
- 6 Working with duty bearers to ensure that safe spaces are provided and affordable to young people where they can pursue their needs. Working to ensure that related services are delivered to high standards.
## **Rafiki Girls Centre:**
- l Finished the training of three intakes whilst beginning two new intakes of 40 vulnerable young women aged 18-25. In stage one on Life Skills courses included computers, health, reproductive rights, time management, sewing, cooking and entrepreneurship. Stage two saw beneficiaries undertake specialist vocational training receiving one or more highly valued certificates. Specialist courses are hotel and catering, cutting and designing, nurse aid, pre-school teaching, interior décor and cosmetology. The third and final stage of the programme secured work experience in a business related to their specialist course.
- l Ran a number of events including HIV workshops, careers days, drug intervention workshop and graduation.
- l Delivered counselling in 1:1 and group settings covering a range of life experiences, traumas and responses.
- l Recorded the significant majority of those completing from previous years who went on to access further education or employment within six months.
## **Foundations for Farming:**
Project Name: Sustainable Farming in the Climate Crisis - Promoting Climate Smart Agriculture in Primary Schools and Encouraging Community Adoption
- l Continued a three-year programme (2023-2026) of climate smart agriculture working with three primary schools, three women’s groups and key community members. Practices taught significantly improve crop yields when compared to traditional methods. This project works to substantively enhance the rate of community adoption of low-tech sustainable farming techniques thereby tackling food insecurity and building climate change resilience. Approximately 1,200 primary school students are benefitting directly with many thousands more in the wider community.
4
## Zimbabwe Educational Trust
## Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 December 2025
## **Financial review**
The net payments for the year were £84, including net receipts of £4,809 on unrestricted funds and net payments of £4,893 on restricted funds after transfers.
## **Reserves policy**
A minimum level of reserves equating to at least three months of unrestricted expenditure plus 10%, and a maximum level of reserves equating to twelve months is considered sufficient to cover our overheads, including management, administration and support costs, as well as enabling us to respond to emergency needs which may arise in this period.
The charity's free reserves, at the year end were £26,746.
The Trustees have assessed the charity's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from the expected approval date of the financial statements. As with many charities, ZET is heavily reliant on grants from funding organisations to enable us to continue funding the partners we work with in Zimbabwe. The funding environment remains challenging, and our ability to continue to fund our Zimbabwean partners depends on both the identification of, and the successful application to, grant funders that wish to support the areas of work that we focus on.
Having reviewed reserves, cashflow forecasts, anticipated income, expenditure commitments and principal financial risks, the Trustees are satisfied that it remains appropriate to prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis. The Trustees will continue to monitor the charity's financial position throughout the year.
Approved by the board of trustees on 01/08/2026
Derrick Mkandla (Trustee)
5
## Zimbabwe Educational Trust
## Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Zimbabwe Educational Trust
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2025, which are set out on pages 7 to 12.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').
I report in respect of my examination of the charity's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act. In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Charities Act; 2 the accounts do not accord with those records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Simon Bostrom FCIE
03/08/2026
## **West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO**
Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
6
## Zimbabwe Educational Trust
## Receipts and payments account
## for the year ended 31 December 2025
|Notes
2025
Unrestricted
funds
£
**Receipts**
Grants
(2)
700
Donations
12,643
Gift Aid
3,272
Fundraising
28,324
Bank interest
51
**Total receipts**
44,990
**Payments**
Staffing costs
35,204
Insurance
397
Bank charges
342
Office costs
1,590
Accountancy and independent examination
696
Membership fees
92
Payments to partner organisations:
Foundations for Farming
-
Trinity project
-
Rafiki girls centre
-
Rent and office services
126
Fundraising costs
5,292
Site visit
-
**Total payments**
43,739
**Net receipts / (payments)**
1,251
**Transfers between funds**
(3)
3,558
**Net movement in funds**
4,809
**Fund balances brought forward**
21,937
**Fund balances carried forward**
(3)
26,746|2025
Restricted
funds
£
100,885
404
-
43
-
101,332
-
-
-
-
-
-
4,498
97,167
1,002
-
-
-
102,667
(1,335)
(3,558)
(4,893)
4,906
13|2025
Total
funds
£
101,585
13,047
3,272
28,367
51
146,322
35,204
397
342
1,590
696
92
4,498
97,167
1,002
126
5,292
-
146,406
(84)
-
(84)
26,843
26,759|2024
Total
funds
£
111,214
14,830
1,095
480
135
127,754
30,141
380
403
1,134
540
119
68,968
44,866
24,965
120
-
2,211
173,847
(46,093)
-
(46,093)
72,936
26,843|
|---|---|---|---|
7
## Zimbabwe Educational Trust
## Statement of assets and liabilities
|as at 31 December 2025
2025
Unrestricted
£
**Cash funds**
Cash at bank
26,716
Cash in hand
30
**Total cash funds**
26,746
**Debtors and prepayments**
Prepayments
**Liabilities**
Accruals|2025
Restricted
£
13
-
13|2025
Total
£
26,729
30
26,759
2025
£
132
132
2025
£
696
696|2024
Total
£
26,813
30
26,843|
|---|---|---|---|
The financial statements were approved by the board of trustees on 01/08/2026
Derrick Mkandla (Trustee)
8
## Zimbabwe Educational Trust
## Notes to the accounts
for the year ended 31 December 2025
## **1 Accounting policies**
## **Basis of accounting**
The trustees have taken advantage of section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 and have prepared the accounts on a receipts and payments basis.
There has been no change to the accounting policies since last year.
No changes have been made to the accounts for previous years.
## **Taxation**
As a charity the organisation benefits from rates relief and is generally exempt from income tax and capital gains tax but not from VAT. Irrecoverable VAT is included in the cost of those items to which it relates.
## **Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the accounts.
9
## Zimbabwe Educational Trust
## Notes to the accounts continued
## for the year ended 31 December 2025
|**2 Grants**
AJ Green Trust
EA Foundation
Evan Cornish Foundation
Mercury Phoenix Trust
Sir Halley Stewart Trust
Soroptimist International Foundation
The Archer Trust
The Lewin Trust
Baillie Gifford - Foundation Scotland
Charities Trust
The Christadelphian Samaritan Fund
The Coles-Medlock Foundation
The De La Rue Charitable Trust
The Fulmer Trust
The Lauderdale Trust
The Marsh Charitable Trust
The Waterloo Foundation
The William Leech Charity
Unity Earth
**3 Restricted funds**
Balance b/f
£
Trinity Project
Lewin Trust
3,700
The Evan Cornish Foundation
-
Soroptimists
-
EA Foundation
-
The Archer Trust
-
BBC Radio 4 appeal funds
-
Mercury Phoenix Trust
-
Donations
-
Rafiki
Donations
1,206
Foundations for farming
Sir Halley Stewart
-
Donations
-
4,906|2025
Unrestricted
funds
£
700
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
700
Incoming
£
32,131
10,000
4,200
27,381
2,000
-
18,173
361
47
7,000
39
101,332|2025
Restricted
funds
£
-
27,381
10,000
18,173
7,000
4,200
2,000
32,131
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
100,885
Outgoing
£
27,439
7,388
3,108
20,262
1,600
22,500
14,573
297
1,002
4,472
26
102,667|2025
Total
funds
£
700
27,381
10,000
18,173
7,000
4,200
2,000
32,131
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
101,585
Transfers
£
(8,392)
(2,612)
(1,092)
(7,119)
(400)
22,500
(3,600)
(64)
(251)
(2,528)
-
(3,558)|2024
Total
funds
£
700
-
-
-
17,000
-
-
36,804
5,000
78
500
5,000
3,000
1,500
25,000
600
7,000
1,500
7,532
111,214
Balance c/f
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
13
13|
|---|---|---|---|---|
10
## Zimbabwe Educational Trust
Notes to the accounts continued for the year ended 31 December 2025
**3 Restricted funds continued Fund name Purpose of restriction Trinity Project - Exist to** Delivered with ZET’s grassroots partner, Trinity Project. Extensive and **Exist: Birth Registration** holistic approach to Zimbabwe’s birth registration crisis - delivered over three years. Activities include: Direct case support for children and families. Information raising within communities. Locally owned Community Action Plans. Building capacity among stakeholders and duty bearers. Pressing for improvements in birth registration policy, process and law. Funding is provided from a variety of sources as shown below: Lewin Trust The Evan Cornish Foundation Soroptimists EA Foundation The Archer Trust BBC Radio 4 appeal - unrestricted funds transferred to the project. **Trinity Project - Sexual and** Delivered with ZET’s grassroots partner, Trinity Project. Programme of kid’s **Reproductive Health Rights** clubs for girls and boys age 5-24yrs. Covering issues such as gender roles, bodily autonomy, family planning, teenage pregnancy, child marriage and a broad spectrum of sexual and reproductive health (including HIV/AIDS) & rights. Activities include: Brings parents/carers together with young people for open dialogues on Includes Life Skills with income generation for the older age groups. Lobbies for service improvements from duty bearers. Funding is provided by Mercury Phoenix Trust. Donations Towards the general purposes of the Trinity Project. **Rafiki** The purpose of the Rafiki Project is to empower women in Zimbabwe through education, vocational training and holistic support at the Rafiki Girls' Centre in Harare. Donations Towards the general purposes of the Rafiki Girls Centre project. **Foundations for farming** Sir Halley Stewart Delivered with ZET’s grassroots partner, Foundations for Farming. A programme of three primary schools and three women’s groups undertaking a three-year climate smart agriculture training and practice. Aimed at improving food security, income generation and building climate change resilience. Donations Towards the general purposes of the Foundations for Farming project.
The transfers out of restricted funds relate to a contribution to the charity's overheads.
11
Notes to the accounts continued
## Zimbabwe Educational Trust
## for the year ended 31 December 2025
## **4 Related party transactions**
## **Donations from trustees and related parties**
The total aggregate value of unconditional donations to the charity from the trustees or related parties was £1,260 (2024: £1,560).
## **Trustee expenses**
During the year one trustees were paid a total of £166 in respect of travel (previous year: £nil).
## **Trustee remuneration and benefits**
No trustee received any remuneration or benefit during this or the previous year.
12