The trustees present their report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2021.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charitable company's governing document, the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)".
Network for Africa (N4A) works with communities in the aftermath of conflict and genocide. We help the survivors of African conflicts who have been left behind after the fighting stops and the humanitarian aid moves on. We provide training for these survivors in specialised trauma counselling so they can tackle the long-term psychological consequences that often block their communities’ recovery. We equip community leaders with the skills to identify those in need and challenge the stigma attached to trauma, depression and mental illness. We listen to what these communities tell us they need, so we can offer appropriate and sustainable support. We currently have projects in Rwanda, Sierra Leone and northern Uganda.
The trustees of the charity have given due regard and adhere to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
SUMMARY AND REVIEW OF 2021
People living in sub-Saharan Africa have been disproportionately affected by conflict in recent decades, with a damaging legacy on their mental health and wellbeing (BMJ Global Health 2021) – such as the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, an 11-year civil war in Sierra Leone (closely followed by an Ebola epidemic) and a brutal 21-year civil war in northern Uganda. The legacy of conflict and genocide, coupled with extreme poverty, has had a profound impact on people’s mental health, leaving millions living with conditions such as depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The UN states that 1 in 5 people in conflict-affected areas have a mental health disorder (UN 2019), compared to 1 in 8 globally, while mental health care provision in post-conflict areas of sub-Saharan Africa remains limited.
Meanwhile, there are estimates of the burden of mental disorders across sub-Saharan Africa doubling in the next four decades (Global Mental Health Journal 2021). In all three countries, the Covid-19 pandemic continues to exacerbate people’s mental health due to the social and economic shocks it has triggered, while climate change and Russia’s war in Ukraine are each already impacting some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people in Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Uganda. Each of these are driving up food insecurity and poverty – which N4A knows from experience exist in a vicious cycle with mental ill health.
Network for Africa (N4A) works with local organisations in Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Uganda to address the psychological, social and health problems created by conflict that prevent community members from rebuilding their lives. We work with our implementing partners, sharing capacity to deliver and manage these programmes. Once participants are sufficiently recovered, we provide livelihood support to lift them out of poverty and break the cycle of mental illness and poverty – with livelihoods programmes in all three countries currently. In Rwanda we worked with Survivors Fund (SURF) in 2021, running a community-based peer counselling model, supporting young survivors of the genocide – helping them talk about their trauma and address their post-traumatic stress disorder – and will be introducing livelihoods support in 2022. In Sierra Leone , we worked with Conforti Community Aid Children Organisation’s Port Loko branch (Conforti PL) and Health Poverty Action (HPA) supporting people with mental illness and their caregivers to conduct livelihood activities and save money in their self-help groups, while continuing to support community mental health activities – counselling, community outreach and education, mental health clinics and provision of epilepsy medication. In Uganda , with our partner BNUU, we continued to support people with livelihoods in 2021 alongside community mental health work, and have recently been awarded a new grant to expand BNUU’s mental health work in more areas of northern Uganda.
Covid-19 continues to affect people’s lives and mental health worldwide, not least among sub-Saharan Africa’s poorest and most marginalised communities. The prevalence of mental health issues across Africa has risen during the pandemic, which has compounded existing inequalities and deepened pre-existing social and economic challenges – exacerbating the mental health of those already struggling, while driving new cases of mental illness (Africa Academy of Sciences, 2021). For example, the economic and social hardship driven by the pandemic in Sierra Leone has increased prevalence of drug abuse (BBC, 2021). The pandemic caused ongoing disruption to each of N4A’s mental health programmes during 2021 – for example, restrictions on movement and gatherings in Rwanda meant SURF had to provide counselling by telephone through part of the year, while lockdowns in Uganda meant livelihood input distribution was delayed by three months until March and clients’ ability to restock and access markets were at times impacted. Vaccination rates in sub-Saharan Africa remain lower than the global average, with lack of supply being a bigger driver than mistrust of the vaccine, though supplies began to be boosted during the last quarter of 2021 (Our World in Data, 2022).
Climate change is already causing issues for our clients in Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Uganda, predominantly through disruptions to the timing and intensity of rainy seasons. Many of our clients depend on subsistence farming for their livelihood and food supply, and are therefore some of the most vulnerable people to climate change in their respective countries. This increases stress levels, which in turn increases the risk of people with mental illnesses relapsing, drives up rates of intimate partner violence/sex and gender-based violence, and also causes major issues for those on mental health or epilepsy medication – most of whom need to take their medication with food, and some of whom may find their appetites increased as a side effect of their medication. Our partners in Sierra Leone and Uganda, Conforti PL and BNUU, both power their offices with solar panels, which limits our own project-related emissions (as well as local noise and air pollution) by removing the need to use petrol-fuelled generators.
War in Ukraine – at the time of writing in 2022, Russia’s war in Ukraine is causing huge disruptions to global fuel and food supplies which are further compounding people’s access to and ability to afford food in sub-Saharan African countries such as Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Uganda. Before the war, half of Africa’s wheat came from Ukraine or Russia, and the World Food Programme’s single biggest supplier of food was Ukraine. The price of some basic foodstuffs has doubled in Sierra Leone since February, while all our programmes are affected by fuel price increases and shortages. By installing solar panels on Conforti PL’s office during 2021, which used to run on a petrol generator for over half the year, we have reduced our demand for fuel in Sierra Leone which has mitigated against some of the burden of price rises.
Plans for the future - N4A continues to develop ideas for potential mental health projects for Cameroonian and South Sudanese refugees in camps in Nigeria and northern Uganda respectively, as well as monitoring funding opportunities for our proposed community mental health project in Plateau State, Nigeria.
RWANDA
2021 highlights included:
268 new clients were enrolled in peer support groups where they received group counselling. The total number of young genocide survivors helped in this way since the project started is more than 1,500.
24 new Peer Support Counsellors were recruited and trained to run the peer counselling groups. They get to know the group members well and look out for anyone who needs extra support, and refer them to the project’s counsellors.
22 health workers were trained in mental health case management.
181 group counselling sessions were held and 118 clients had individual counselling.
1,703 telephone counselling sessions took place during lockdowns.
198 vulnerable clients who needed extra support were visited at home.
35 clients started their own small businesses and 12 clients found employment.
50 of the clients were selected at the start of 2021 to take part in a baseline survey, and the same cohort took part in the survey at the end of the year. The improvements included:
The number of clients who felt their thoughts were preventing them from doing something others do reduced from 92% to 12% over the year.
At the start of the year 64% had thought about taking their own lives in the previous week – this figure had reduced to 6% at the end of the year. Whilst we would obviously prefer there to have been no suicide ideation, the counsellors know who these clients are and are providing them with extra and continuing support.
Even though some clients are still facing issues of trauma and its symptoms, at least 94% of them agree that they know how to deal with their trauma symptoms.
Our project partner in Rwanda in 2021 was Survivors Fund (SURF). Founded in 1997 by Mary Kayitesi Blewett OBE, SURF supports survivors of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda through working with survivor-led organisations including AVEGA (Association of Widows of the Genocide) and AERG (National Students’ Association of Genocide Survivors). SURF delivers technical support including capacity building and monitoring and evaluation to their partner organisations, delivering projects ranging from healthcare to housebuilding, education to entrepreneurship. SURF is a UK registered charity, managed and run from its head office in Kigali, Rwanda.
Our project in Rwanda is a community-based peer counselling model, supporting young survivors of the genocide through group counselling - helping them talk about their trauma and address their post-traumatic stress disorder. Approximately 250 clients from local communities are enrolled on the programme each year. They are divided into 12 groups and elect 2 peer support counsellors (PSCs) from each group to moderate and lead the group counselling sessions. The PSCs are trained to carry out this role, and are supported by the project’s counsellors, in addition to receiving quarterly supervision, so that they can refer clients for individual counselling and also receive support for more challenging cases.
Training and up-skilling of clients to undertake key roles is a central component of this project, ensuring that skills and professional development remain in the local community, in order to promote sustainability. Thus the 24 PSCs all receive training and supervision, as do the 4 project counsellors, in addition to health workers from health centres in the participating project areas.
In 2021 the project got off to a slightly late start owing to Covid-19 and restrictions on movement. However, 268 clients were recruited and started their group counselling sessions in March. The group members selected 24 Peer Support Counsellors (2 from each group) who received training from the project’s counsellors in trauma and group counselling skills. They were supervised by SURF’s counsellors and received their own supervision sessions quarterly. There they were able to strengthen their counselling skills and discuss difficult cases in a supportive environment.
Covid-19 caused some disruption during the year, making it impossible for the groups to meet at times. However, SURF compensated by making sure that telephone counselling was available, providing 1,703 telephone counselling sessions. In total over the course of 2021, 181 group counselling sessions were held. This was lower than the target figure but not a surprise given the restrictions on movement imposed by Covid-19. Home visits were an integral and important part of the programme, and 198 vulnerable clients were visited at home during the year. The annual commemoration of the genocide in April was particularly difficult in 2021 because it coincided with a period of lockdown. However, the clients managed well, all things considered, and they reported that they had been helped with the coping mechanisms they had been taught. The excavation and reburial of genocide victims from a mass grave in Kiziguro, Gatsibo district, was very traumatic for those affected, clients, peer support counsellors and project counsellors alike. We provided extra support and supervision to help them through that very difficult period.
Twenty-two health workers from health centres in the participating areas took part in a three-day training course on the essentials of mental health case management. There were 12 clinical psychologists and 10 general nurses working in mental health services. The training covered topics such as communication, active listening, post-traumatic stress disorder, resilience theory, depression, suicide and substance abuse (drugs and alcohol). The training included a questions-and-answers session, group discussions and case study discussions. The pre and post assessments of the health workers’ current knowledge and understanding showed a marked improvement at the end of the course.
The project’s counsellors worked with the District Administrators to carry out awareness-raising in the community on mental illness and how to manage depression. They also delivered a programme of psycho-education for the clients, where they discussed topics such as the benefits of Covid-19 vaccinations, drug and alcohol abuse, the prevention of unwanted pregnancy and family planning, and taught relaxation exercises to help combat loneliness and isolation exacerbated by Covid-19 lockdowns.
Some of the clients started savings and were able to loan money to other group members, earning them some interest. Others are planning to group together to buy livestock and are saving towards that goal. The counsellors were successful in obtaining grants from the government for 23 clients (13 women and 10 men) to start small income generating projects. Five of the clients resumed their studies at university, and 25 carried out charity work in their communities. The benefits of the project have not gone unnoticed by local government leaders and community members who are appreciative of the positive changes they can see in the clients and wider community.
We are very pleased that together with SURF we have secured the funds to provide entrepreneurship training and start-up costs for livelihoods for the new 2022 cohort. We have received feedback from the clients since the project started that livelihoods would exponentially improve their life outcomes. This is backed up by our own learning that poverty reduction improves mental health outcomes. Next on our list is to raise funds to provide free on-site childcare for the counselling groups, as so many of the clients are single mothers who don’t have the means to access baby-sitting, and find that having their babies and toddlers at the group counselling sessions, detracts from their ability to fully engage.
Covid-19
Rwanda put in place a national nighttime curfew from February to March 2021, as well as strict limits on numbers in indoor public spaces, and restricting travel between Kigali and the rest of the country. SURF reintroduced telephone counselling during this period, as it had done in 2020, though this was also limited by the number of clients without access to phones. 19 clients tested positive for Covid-19 during 2021, which has affected them both mentally and physically. Rwanda requires that people test before attending public gatherings, which continues to limit some clients’ attendance at group counselling sessions. Covid-19 restrictions also limited the ability of many to attend the reburial of their family members who were victims of genocide discovered in a mass grave in Kiziguro.
At the time of writing, 8.15m Rwandans (61% of the total population) are fully vaccinated, the highest of the three countries in which N4A works.
Climate change
The rural areas where SURF runs its peer support counselling programmes are already witnessing heavier than usual rains during the farming season, which destroy people’s crops. 70% of Rwandans’ livelihoods depend on the agriculture sector, and they are especially vulnerable to climate change.
I love my family. Now I would ask for individual counselling rather than isolating. I hope the good things I was able to get through these counselling services could be offered to many young survivors who are suffering like I did for many years. (Project client)
Thanks – We would like to thank the Bryan Guinness Trust, the Eleanor Rathbone Charitable Trust, the Blackfriars Overseas Aid Trust and the James Tudor Foundation. We would also like to thank all those who donated to our Big Give Appeal: the Reed Foundation, Mr. & Mrs. D Bliss, Carol Bryson, Philippa Clegg, Frida Critien, Mike Diggins, Pam East, Mr. & Mrs. K. Feber, Ashley Fleischer, Max Gibbs, David Gye, Melanie Harris, Mark Harris, Annabel Harris, Louis Harris-White, Martin Haworth, Lara Haworth, Serena Heller, Micheál Jacob, Oliver Lubbock, Arun Malhotra, Gerard Markes, Sophie McCann, Ross McClean, James Middleton, Annie Nicholson, Ciaran Nilan, Peter O’Sullivan, Tristan Parsons, Mr. & Mrs. A. Patullo, Lesley Pavincich, Jack Pilkington, David Russell, Joanne Ryan, Paula Smyth, John Spayne, Francine Stock, Mr. & Mrs. H. Tinsley, Olivia Warham, Howard White, Julia Wisdom and Robert Woodfield.
SIERRA LEONE
2021 highlights included:
New grant – We secured a new 3-year grant from the Addax and Oryx Foundation for this project. We also secured funding from the Allan and Nesta Ferguson Trust for year 1.
180 self-help group members participated in a baseline survey to assess their mental health, and are receiving ongoing training and support to do group savings and plan for their livelihoods through their 9 SHGs.
45 self-help group members attended a 5-day training workshop covering skills and knowledge for successful livelihoods and village savings and loans, which they are cascading to their remaining 135 fellow group members.
256 clients with mental disorders/epilepsy received individual counselling.
783 clients participated in group counselling.
362 clients attended our monthly mental health clinics.
56 clients with epilepsy received epilepsy medication which previously they had not had access to.
695 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers attended mental health information sessions, including on post-natal depression, of whom 24 subsequently came forward for counselling.
669 primary and secondary school students and teachers attended a mental health presentation, covering issues such as corporal punishment, mental health and stigma.
417 community members, including community leaders and other duty bearers, were engaged in mental health education and stigma reduction sessions in their communities.
12 team members and district mental health staff participated in supervision, training and continuing professional development.
Our project partners in Sierra Leone in 2021 were:
Conforti Community Aid Children Organisation is a Sierra Leonean NGO based in Freetown and Port Loko. It addresses the educational and welfare needs of young people including their mental health.
Health Poverty Action (HPA) is an international NGO that has a direct presence in 13 countries, including Sierra Leone, where it has been implementing programmes since 2005. Founded in 1984, it was set up to meet gaps in the provision of medical aid to people affected by prolonged and complex conflicts. Its vision is a world in which the poorest and most marginalised enjoy their right to health.
We were delighted with our successful application to the Addax and Oryx Foundation for funding towards a 3-year livelihoods and mental health programme in Port Loko with Conforti’s Port Loko office (Conforti PL). This programme started in July 2021 and began with the baseline survey that involved reassessing all 180 self-help group (SHG) members’ mental health (formed into 9 SHGs), with depression and stress being the most prevalent conditions, affecting 29% and 27% of members respectively. 37% of members are caregivers of a person with mental disorders/epilepsy (PMDEs), and 79% of these caregivers also have a mental illness of their own. 13% of SHG members have epilepsy. Besides mental health conditions, 13% of SHG members are war survivor amputees (2 of the 9 SHGs are based in Port Loko’s post-war ‘amputee camps’ for survivors and their families), and 16% are survivors of Ebola. In November, a five-day training workshop took place, covering the fundamental skills and knowledge needed by SHG members to start and make a success of their livelihoods and village savings and loans activities (VSLAs). The training was delivered to five members per SHG (45 in total), who with the support of Conforti PL’s livelihoods team are sharing the training with other SHG members.
The SHGs have got off to a really positive start with their VSLAs. They have established their rules and processes, agreed by all group members with members paying in what they can weekly or monthly (which could be as low as SLL 5,000 - approximately £0.40). The savings are kept in a collective pot but with each owning the amount they contribute; they can borrow for income generating purposes, which they pay back with interest; the interest is owned by all group members according to the same % as their individual contributions. Some SHGs have chosen to allocate some of their savings to a collective fund, which is used to fund group costs, such as refreshments for meetings, and some have already begun to develop their own livelihoods practices using loans.
Alongside the livelihoods programme, we have continued to support Conforti PL with their community mental health activities. The counsellors provided individual counselling to 256 clients (133 female, 123 male) and group counselling to 783 clients (480 female, 303 male) across the whole of 2021, while also supporting the mental health nurse to provide monthly mental health clinics at the 5 health centres in our operational area to 362 clients.
Our provision of epilepsy medication to 56 clients, who would otherwise be unable to afford or access it, has meant that they have been able to reintegrate into their communities, and take up work and schooling again. All 17 children receiving treatment are now in school and doing well. Thanks to our work, the Port Loko district office of the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education has picked up on this, and started to conduct a district-wide study on the number of school age children with epilepsy who are at risk of dropping out of school (or have already done so) due to their condition. So far, they have established that 35 further children in Conforti PL’s existing operational areas have untreated epilepsy, 14 of whom have dropped out of school, with a further 48 in the adjacent chiefdom. We are looking to provide epilepsy medication to these children through further grants, as we now have an established system in place for providing this service, with oversight and supervision from a specialist epilepsy nurse from another district.
Our in-country mental health consultant has supported the team with ongoing training and supervision. Our social workers and counsellors attend weekly maternity clinics to deliver information on maternal and child mental health to pre and post-natal women. The team talks about postnatal depression, and child and family mental health including parenting methods. Across the whole of 2021, we reached 695 such clients, of whom 24 subsequently came forward for counselling in the second half of the year.
Due to the high demand from schools as they reopened following pandemic closures, and following consultation with 65 students and 35 teachers, the team has developed a short mental health awareness presentation for teachers and students, covering issues such as corporal punishment, youth mental health and stigma reduction, with the aim of improving child wellbeing, and reducing the level of dropouts. A nationwide study recently estimated 89% of Sierra Leonean students are subjected to regular corporal punishment at school. Daily floggings occur more often with people with disabilities than others. Our youth consultation showed the excuses for such punishment are mostly due to circumstances beyond students’ control, such as extreme poverty, or for no reason at all, and that it has a detrimental impact on students’ wellbeing. We reached 358 primary school students and teachers, and 311 secondary school students and teachers between July and December 2021. This built on feedback we received from Grand Challenges Canada to our 2020 application, suggesting the team needed to have already piloted a project in schools. We were therefore able to add this experience into the 2021 application to Grand Challenges. Though this application was unsuccessful, we now have a youth mental health programme for schools ready to go subject to future funding opportunities.
Covid-19
Sierra Leone reintroduced a night-time national curfew in January 2021. Travel between Freetown and the rest of the country was also restricted at the start of the year. Such measures have been lifted and reintroduced at points over the year. Conforti PL were involved in education and combatting misinformation on the vaccine, which they incorporated into some of their outreach talks. As a result, a majority of the clients in the amputee camps have been vaccinated. The pandemic has caused continued economic and social hardship in Sierra Leone, especially among the poorest, which throughout the pandemic has been a greater source of stress and anxiety than fear of the virus itself. It has led to a rapid rise in the use of a drug named ‘kush’ (a strong synthetic marijuana), which now accounts for the majority of male admissions to the country’s one psychiatric hospital, and has now reached Port Loko. Conforti PL is engaging with the district mental health nurse and district health officer on this problem. Many of the amputees travel to Freetown in the week to beg, and they were hit hard by restrictions on travel to and from Freetown.
At the time of writing, 1.1m Sierra Leoneans (14% of the total population) are fully vaccinated (below the Africa-wide average of 16%).
Climate change
In 2021, the annual rainy season in Port Loko arrived the latest it ever has, and is becoming shorter and more intense by year. This is severely affecting local farming, with subsistence farming the most common existing livelihood activity of Conforti PL’s clients. This is an extreme source of anxiety for clients. According to the latest census data (Stats SL 2016), in Port Loko district as a whole, 81% of the population depend on agriculture as their main source of income, and 92% of residents in the district face some form of food insecurity. However, there are no government food aid programmes. Additionally, Port Loko town and its surroundings rely on a small, local hydroelectric power plant for electricity, which is sporadic and unreliable during the dry season. Climate disruption is meaning people face unreliable electricity supply for more of the year, as the dry season expands in length of time year on year. In order to mitigate against this, to reduce our own project-related emissions, and to reduce local noise and air pollution, during 2021 we invested in solar panels for the Port Loko office. These now provide 100% of the office’s power needs, whereas it was previously forced to run on a petrol generator during the dry season. This has also meant we have reduced our demand for fuel, which has mitigated against some of the burden of current fuel price rises.
Looking ahead: Our key immediate priority is to fill the funding shortfall for Conforti PL’s livelihoods project and wider mental health programme, which is currently being met with N4A’s unrestricted reserves. We will also support Conforti PL to develop their own strategic plan, incorporating the various strands of mental health work they are engaged in, in order to help plan and apply for funding to expand work in future. Finally, we will support Conforti PL to further develop its relationship with government bodies, such as the district education office, in order to further mental health support in the district.
I had been living with epilepsy for almost 20 years, without any medication. My condition was so miserable that I could not do any work. My life became useless. One day, I found the counsellors coming to my aid and they started talking to me about my problem. They started having regular visits with me to talk about the impact this condition has had on my life, and eventually were able to provide me with regular epilepsy medication through the clinics. I have had three months without any seizures and now feel able to do some small farming. Now I get income from the farm, and also contribute to my family from the farm. (Project client)
Thanks – We would like to thank the Addax and Oryx Foundation and the Allan and Nesta Ferguson Trust for their support.
UGANDA
2021 highlights included:
548 clients attended BNUU’s monthly mental health clinics, of whom 413 reported improvement in their condition.
339 clients received individual counselling.
625 PMDEs and caregivers from 35 self-help groups received start-up items to begin their income generating activities.
UGX 10,345 (£2.35) were the average savings by PMDEs over the course of the year – an increase of 84.7% since the start of 2021.
UGX 10,119 (£2.30) were the average savings by caregivers over the course of the year – an increase of 84.1% since the start of 2021.
93% of PMDEs and caregivers are able to afford to eat two meals a day, where previously many could only afford one.
218 PMDEs and caregivers took part in an analysis of their livelihoods to establish which livelihoods are doing well and why.
Our project partner in Uganda in 2021 was BNUU, a Ugandan NGO that supports access to mental health services through training, research, advocacy and awareness raising, targeting clients with mental disorders. It addresses stigma, discriminatory policy, access to quality mental health care and poverty affecting clients with mental illness.
The mental health clinics, counselling services and home visits continued throughout 2021. 339 PMDEs and caregivers received counselling; 548 PMDEs attended the monthly mental health clinics; and of home visits, 92% of PMDEs were adhering to their medication, largely attributable to supportive families, the drug bank initiative and increased household income because of the livelihoods. There was some fall in adherence to medication from men, due to excessive alcohol consumption, but this was met with extra counselling.
The distribution of livelihood inputs provided by The National Lottery Community Fund took place in March - delayed from 2020 due to Covid-19. This distribution took place over 8 days – 2 days in each participating area, requiring careful planning because of Covid-19 safety measures. The distribution was well attended by local government officials, many of whom by their own admission, had never previously engaged with PMDEs. They pledged future support for PMDEs and their caregivers, and the distribution process was hugely motivating for all involved. In total, 625 self-help group members from 35 of the total 61 self-help groups supported by BNUU received livelihood inputs. This saw an almost immediate increase in household income compared to the previous quarter. However, there was a marked differential between the income of PMDEs and that of caregivers, so much so that BNUU stepped up its support for PMDEs in order to increase their income. The rates of income fluctuated for the remainder of the year, owing to price increases during lockdown that had an impact on expenditure on restocking their livelihood inputs, thus reducing their profit margins. Other factors included unpredictable weather patterns that negatively impacted farming and reduced availability of food, and resulted in some PMDEs spending more of their savings on buying food for personal consumption. However, overall, the level of savings increased, which was further boosted by BNUU offering cash prizes to the SHGs that had saved the most money. The average savings amongst PMDEs and caregivers increased by some 80%.
This increase in savings had a positive impact on the setting up of the drug banks – a key component of the programme that protects PMDEs from medication shortages and resulting relapse. The SHG members had training in setting up drug banks; what the purpose of them is; what factors make them successful and effective; and what challenges they can expect. They elected chairpersons, secretaries and treasurers, and 60 representatives from the SHGs formed management committees. All the SHGs are encouraged to contribute a proportion of their savings to the drug banks and found the training very motivating.
Towards the end of 2021, 218 PMDEs and caregivers took part in an analysis of their chosen livelihoods, to find out which businesses were working well, with stock and cash in hand, and those that are not working so well and also to understand the impact of Covid-19 on their business outcomes. In summary, 96% of those who participated in this exercise have businesses that are doing well, with 4% saying that their businesses are not doing well. Of those doing well, PMDEs had an average working capital (value of stock plus cash in hand) worth UGX 177,715 (£40) as opposed to the initial investment of UGX 100,000 (£22). Caregivers had done slightly better with an average working capital of UGX 193,972 (£43) compared to the initial investment of UGX 100,000 (£22). The analysis showed that the majority of BNUU’s clients with sustainable livelihoods were selling dried fish, cooking oil, soap and green vegetables, and that they had diversified/were selling more than one item. It also showed that 88 of the clients had invested some of their profit into long-term businesses e.g. farming, buying livestock etc., and had little working capital for running their livelihood. However, when probed a bit further they said that they would use their profit from selling their harvests to reactivate their livelihoods. There is a long tradition of agriculture in this area, so it is understandable that clients are drawn to farming to supplement their income, and their actions show initiative.
The SHG members demonstrated that they now understand their rights through their advocacy actions, and were proactive in presenting issues at stakeholders’ meetings that were attended by local government representatives as well as sub-county chiefs. These issues included a lack of involvement of PMDEs in government programming; long distances to reach mental health clinics; inadequate supply of medication; stigma; bad roads preventing access to mental health clinics; rude and unwelcoming behaviour from health workers etc. These interventions produced results e.g. unannounced visits by officials at health centres to monitor health workers’ absences, rudeness and negligent practice; the repair of inaccessible roads.
In July 2021 we received a grant from the Charles Hayward Foundation to provide training and livelihood start-up items for 10 more SHGs benefitting 178 PMDEs and caregivers. The training programme for this cohort has begun - they have all participated in:
Training in enterprise selection, which helps clients understand what to consider when choosing their livelihoods e.g. their health, local market demand, what products will generate an early profit;
Financial literacy to equip PMDEs and caregivers with basic business and financial management skills, including record keeping, budgeting, savings and loans;
Village savings and loans (VSLAs) including the importance of saving as a group rather than individually, how to be an effective member of a VSLA, leadership, internal rules and regulations, introduction to written records;
Drug bank training to explain the concept of a drug bank and why it is important to have one, how to set one up, how to form a drug bank committee and increasing understanding of factors leading to success and possible challenges.
One of the difficulties that came up during 2021 as a direct result of Covid-19, was a lull in PMDEs and caregivers’ ability to restock livelihood items owing to restrictions on movement which also caused price increases and a temporary loss in income. This resulted in food shortages, or lack of sufficient income to buy food, which is bad enough under normal circumstances, but if you are taking strong anti-psychotic medication, makes the medication difficult to tolerate. We were therefore very grateful to the Kenneth Miller Trust for providing a grant for seeds and training for SHG members to grow vegetable gardens in their compounds to stave off food shortages, ensure a steady supply of staples and enable them to earn a small income from selling any surplus. BNUU enlisted the support of an agricultural extension worker from the local government who has offered training to the clients and will support them through the first season of growing through to harvest, to make sure that the necessary skills are embedded.
The response from local government to BNUU’s community mental health interventions has been consistently good and appreciative. BNUU is assiduous in maintaining regular communication with key stakeholders in local government and in encouraging the SHG members to develop advocacy actions and take them to the relevant duty bearers. This gives them the profile and self-esteem that they so badly need and proves to them that their human rights do count and that the authorities should be held accountable if their rights are eroded.
It has been so rewarding to see the positive impact that a longer funding investment can have, starting with the Comic Relief grant in December 2017 that laid the foundations for the community mental health programme, followed by The National Lottery Community Fund and Charles Hayward Foundation grants that have built on those foundations by giving PMDEs and caregivers a further step up in their recovery journey through livelihoods.
Covid-19
Uganda experienced a big surge in Covid-19 cases with the arrival of the Delta variant in May 2021, leading to the introduction of a new national lockdown from early June until August, including a ban on travel between districts. This has led to ongoing hardship in Agago district, and led to some SHG members avoiding group meetings out of fear - they instead met their SHG chairperson and treasurer individually to conduct their savings.
Uganda’s schools remained closed due to the pandemic for the whole of 2021, not reopening until January 2022 after 21 months of closure – one of the longest Covid-19 related schools closures of any country in the world. Some children have found it really hard to be back at school, and many had taken up work in their family businesses while off school. Some girls have not returned to school due to having been forced into early marriage and/or falling pregnant while schools were shut. There were reports of a couple of children taking their own lives around the time schools reopened. There is also a shortage of school places, as some teachers (especially from private schools which form a large part of Uganda’s school provision) moved into other work for survival during the long school closures.
At the time of writing, 10.13m Ugandans (21% of the total population) are fully vaccinated.
Climate change
BNUU reports that cases of intimate partner sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) tend to be highest around harvest time, and especially when there are low yields which puts enormous stress on families. The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (2016) estimates that rain-fed subsistence agriculture is the main livelihood source for 60% of households in northern Uganda. Climate change is already disrupting weather patterns in Agago district, making crop failure more likely. N4A fundraised during 2021 for seeds and support for clients to start small kitchen gardens close to their homes, in order to mitigate against food shortages and diversify their food supply. The BNUU office is powered by solar panels, which help to limit our project-related emissions and local pollution in Uganda.
Looking ahead: In January 2022 we heard that we were successful in being awarded a 3-year grant from Fondation d’Harcourt to replicate, expand and strengthen BNUU’s mental health work in northern Uganda. We hope that this will confirm BNUU as a key provider of community mental health services in northern Uganda.
I received dried fish from BNUU in March 2021. I sold them and got UGX 75,000. But due to the difficulty in restocking at that time, I decided to use that money to pay for a training course in tailoring from a senior tailor in the trading centre. I used part of my savings to acquire a sewing machine and I now buy materials and make 2-3 clothes in a day. My weekly savings have doubled and I am able to save more in my group savings and loans scheme. (Project client)
Thanks – We would like to thank The National Lottery Community Fund, Comic Relief, the Kenneth Miller Trust, the Charles Hayward Foundation, Bob Buhr, Michael Davis, Thomas Doughty, Annabel Harris, Juney, Pier Productions and an anonymous donor.
Safeguarding - N4A believes that everyone we come into contact with, regardless of age, gender, identity, disability, sexual orientation or ethnic origin has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation. N4A will not tolerate abuse and exploitation by staff or associated personnel. We expect all staff contracted by N4A to abide by our safeguarding and associated policies. This includes staff working for our implementing partner organisations who are actively involved in the delivery of programmes and projects designed and funded by N4A. This also applies to associated personnel whilst engaged with work or visits related to N4A, including but not limited to the following: consultants; volunteers; contractors; programme visitors including journalists, celebrities and politicians. We will continue to actively engage with safeguarding developments and make sure that our policies are kept up to date. The following policies are available on our website www.network4africa.org :
Code of Conduct
Safeguarding Policy
Dealing with Safeguarding Reports
Safeguarding Complaints Policy
Malpractice Policy
Fundraising
N4A focuses its fundraising on trusts and foundations and high value fundraising. This was decided jointly by the trustees and staff as offering the best return on investment, given N4A’s limited in-house capacity for fundraising, and its small supporter database. Its founder, Rebecca Tinsley is hugely supportive with her relationship fundraising both in the UK and the USA. N4A actively engages in fundraising via the annual Big Give Appeal and bi-annually with the London Marathon as well as other appeals through its social media and newsletters. We are aware that the London Marathon is currently reviewing its Bonded places, so we may lose this place or have to reapply for it. We are aware of the growing movement for large funders to fund in-country (e.g. Comic Relief) – there is currently a great deal of discussion around this. We are adapting our fundraising and supporting our project partners to meet this development, as well as having an active voice in its roll-out, such as through our membership of the Bond mental health steering group (bond.org.uk), and using our position to platform our partners’ voices on this topic (a blog by the programme manager of our Ugandan partner, BNUU, exploring how their partnership with N4A can be a precedent for decolonisation, has been picked up by the UN). N4A is addressing this challenge in practical ways, and our actions have been acknowledged in an academic study which praises us as one of the few NGOs enabling our local partners to play a central role in planning and execution of projects.
Where possible, we try to ensure that donations are unrestricted, in order to support our running costs and to allow some flexibility in project priorities. We try, wherever possible, to submit full-cost recovery budgets to trusts and foundations to reflect the true cost of our programmes and to recover some of our overheads.
Strategic Plan
Network for Africa has a three-year strategic plan covering the period 1 January 2021 – 31 December 2023, against which we base our plans and progress.
Online presence
We use our website (network4africa.org), Facebook, Twitter and email newsletters to communicate with current supporters, demonstrating the need for the work and its impact. We also use LinkedIn and Instagram to promote our projects and attract new supporters. We regularly publish blog posts about our work on our website and Facebook, as well as using Twitter to raise awareness of developments in global mental health and other relevant issues, and to engage with others who are posting about mental health and development.
The merger of the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID) with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) into the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in September 2020, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on funds available for international development, and the UK government’s reduction of Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) from 0.7% to 0.5% of gross national income, have all contributed to a reduction in expenditure on international development in the UK. Whilst we don’t currently have any government grants, the opportunity to apply for them has been drastically reduced. There is a trend from statutory funders to fund organisations in-country directly, rather than through UK NGOs. This will have an impact on our income and will also prevent many small civil society organisations from benefiting from funding. Meanwhile, our fundraising strategy continues to be to raise funds from individuals and trusts and foundations.
Our total income in 2021 was £335k – a decrease of £29k on last year. Despite this drop in grant income we continued to support all of our existing projects utilising unrestricted reserves to support our Port Loko partner in particular.
At the end of 2021 our combined reserves were £94k (2020 £107k), of which £40k is restricted to our ongoing projects for future disbursement and £54k is unrestricted (2020 £80k).
As described in this Report and disclosed in the restricted funds note on page 31, the incoming resources have been applied to the charity’s projects.
Risk
We have examined the major risks to which Network for Africa is exposed and review them at each Board meeting. The CEO and the Chair, under the supervision of the Board, maintain the Risk Register. Below is an overview of the major financial and operational risks we were facing at the time of writing this report (April 2022).
Risk |
Explanation |
Impact |
Probability |
Management
|
Large funders change strategy to fund directly in-country |
The growing movement towards ‘shifting the power’ removes funding opportunities both for N4A and for its project partners who likely won’t have a sufficient minimum income level to be eligible to apply for funding. |
High |
High |
Follow developments closely. Research how other small organisations are managing this change. Maintain a presence on this issue on the Bond Mental Health Steering Group. |
Statutory funders shift international funding to the UK e.g. National Lottery Community Fund |
The strategy changes and so projects that stood a reasonable chance of securing long-term funding have that option withdrawn. |
High |
High |
Maintain the relationship with previous grant managers as their strategy may change again in the future. |
Climate change affects food production and causes food insecurity and inflation |
Increasingly unpredictable weather patterns make it harder to guarantee decent harvests that provide much needed income and a source of food for clients. Food shortages impact on the mental health of clients, especially those on medication, and poverty creates stress and anxiety that can cause mental illness relapses. Additionally, those with existing mental health conditions may be less resilient in the face of climate-related disasters and stressors. |
High |
High |
Provide inputs for kitchen gardens to mitigate against food shortages. Encourage clients to diversify their livelihoods and reduce their reliance on agriculture. Engage with others in the mental health and environmental sectors to keep on top of the latest developments, and also of opportunities to obtain funding related to climate change and mental health. |
Merging of DFID with FCO reduces funding opportunities |
The government has now created the FCDO and reduced its ODA funding target, which has limited funding opportunities not only because of reducing its contribution to international development, but because of increasing the number of organisations that will be applying to other funders to compensate from the loss of DFID funding. |
High |
High |
Follow developments and trends closely to see if the situation changes. |
Risk |
Explanation |
Impact |
Probability |
Management
|
Dependency on income sources |
Loss of income and ability to support area/areas of work. Lack of success with securing available funding from funders we apply to. |
High |
High |
Identify major sensitivities; consider diversification plans. Review programmes to ensure they’re relevant to current donor focus; keep abreast of donor and development trends. |
Competition for funds from similar organisations |
Reduced fundraising potential; reduced public profile. |
High |
High |
Agree fundraising strategy; ensure regular contact with funders; monitor public awareness and profile of charity. |
Lack of funding opportunities in light of recession brought about by Covid-19 |
Loss of income and potential to support area/areas of work. |
High |
High |
There will undoubtedly be an ongoing impact on funding as a result of Covid-19. Some funders have paused their grant making pending a clearer picture regarding Covid. It is hard to predict how bad it will be, but we will continue to monitor it. |
War in Ukraine disrupts global fuel and food supplies |
At the time of writing in 2022, Russia’s war in Ukraine has started to cause major spikes in global fuel and food prices, which have driven up fuel costs in countries like Sierra Leone by as much as 50% (with knock on effects on all food supplies, and an associated rise in civil unrest). Additionally, half of Africa’s wheat comes from Ukraine and Russia, and in 2021 Ukraine was the largest source of food to the World Food Programme. Thus, some of the poorest people in sub-Saharan Africa are already having to cut their food intake, and there is risk of food insecurity and shortages getting worse, compounded by climate change. This puts greater stresses on those with mental illnesses, increases risk of relapse, and also creates a major issue for those who need to take their mental health medication with food. |
High |
High |
Monitor the situation in Rwanda, Sierra Leone and northern Uganda, and keep abreast of any humanitarian food programmes to ensure people with mental disorders/epilepsy can access these. Invest further in kitchen gardens, as has been started by BNUU in northern Uganda. Fundraise for food aid for our clients where necessary – especially those on medication. |
Risk |
Explanation |
Impact |
Probability |
Management
|
Covid-19 |
Impact on delivering project targets because some activities cannot be implemented owing to in-country constraints brought about by Covid-19. |
High |
Medium |
We will monitor developments and the impact of new variants and restrictions on face-to-face counselling, travel etc. |
Loss of key staff |
N4A has a very small staff team. If key staff leave it could undermine its work and overload the staff that are left in post. |
High |
Medium |
Ensure organisational and operational knowledge is shared and does not lie with one staff member only. Monitor workload and staff welfare at quarterly Trustees’ meetings. Provide support as necessary.
|
Project partners are dependent on N4A as their sole funder |
Project partners do not have any other funders and so if N4A’s funding ceases, they will be unable to operate.
|
High |
Medium |
Help them with capacity sharing to fundraise in-country. Try to find partners with other funding sources. |
Project partners in low income countries lack the necessary skills to manage grants effectively
|
The skill sets of our project partners vary across the different countries we work in. We need to be aware of the differing needs. |
High |
Medium |
Provide training and capacity sharing where possible and/or partner with bigger organisations with better infrastructure |
Reputational risk |
In-country partners are not able to meet reporting requirements of funders. |
High |
Medium |
Carry out thorough due diligence prior to any partnership agreement. Be aware of in-country capacity to deliver the work.
|
Safeguarding risk |
Issues with partner organisations and misconduct towards clients. |
High |
Medium |
Integrate safeguarding and whistleblowing into training and reporting. |
Reserves policy
The trustees have established a policy whereby the intention is that unrestricted funds should be maintained at a level equivalent to a minimum of three months’ core operating costs. This is currently on track.
Plans for the future
Plans for 2022 include:
Programmes:
Rwanda - Continue to support the SURF project in Rwanda to provide group counselling services to 250+ young genocide survivors using our peer counselling model; raise the necessary funds to provide much needed on-site childcare; and roll out entrepreneurship training, including livelihood start-up inputs, measuring the impact on the clients.
Uganda - Complete the final year of The National Lottery Community Fund grant for livelihoods for our mental health clients in northern Uganda whilst trying to secure funding to support more self-help groups in Uganda with livelihoods; complete and share the Learning Study to demonstrate the positive impact of poverty reduction on mental health outcomes; replicate our mental health work in northern Uganda in one or two new sub-counties, funded by a recent grant from Fondation d’Harcourt; employ a psychiatric nurse to work with the team in northern Uganda; develop a programme for mental health in schools.
Sierra Leone – Continue our mental health and livelihoods programmes in Port Loko District; increase the number of self-help groups; continue to develop a programme for maternal mental health; continue to develop and fundraise for a programme for mental health in schools; continue and expand provision of support for people with epilepsy in the district.
Cameroon – Explore the feasibility of starting a peer counselling project for Anglophone community members from Cameroon who are currently in refugee camps in Nigeria and develop a project proposal.
Nigeria – Continue to monitor funding opportunities to implement our project proposal for providing community mental health provision in Plateau State.
South Sudan – Continue to develop a project proposal to support South Sudanese refugees currently in settlement camps in northern Uganda.
General – Explore other options for providing start-up capital for self-help groups e.g. universal basic income; complete the mental health network and mapping of mental health provision in Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Uganda; support our project partners with training in fundraising and grant writing; work with our project partners to develop their online presence, where necessary; refine Network for Africa’s mental health model for each operational area; continue to develop strategic partnerships with other NGOs e.g. Health Poverty Action, to enable consortium funding bids, shared learning and increased support in-country; keep safeguarding policies up to date and maintain regular dialogue with project partners and share training materials with them; continue to develop Network for Africa’s profile and voice in the mental health NGO community; continue to refine our mental health training model that can be shared with other organisations; continue to monitor developments in the Covid-19 pandemic.
Network for Africa is registered as a company limited by guarantee (without share capital) no. 06317689 and as a registered charity no. 1120932. Its governing instrument is its memorandum and articles of association. The directors are the members of the company and each member, during his or her membership or within one year afterwards, undertakes to contribute a sum not exceeding £1 to the assets of the company in the event of it being wound up.
The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year were:
New trustees are appointed as required and receive comprehensive induction on the activities of the charity. The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.
How Network for Africa is run
Network for Africa is a charitable company, registered in England and Wales with both the Charity Commission and Companies House.
This structure, which is used by many charities, allows us to have all the advantages of charitable status, and simultaneously to limit the trustees’ liability through the company’s ‘limited’ status. As a charity and a company limited by guarantee, Network for Africa has no share capital and therefore cannot be owned by anyone.
The charity is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association, dated 19 July 2007.
A Board of Trustees heads Network for Africa. For company-law purposes, the trustees are also the directors of Network for Africa Ltd.
The Chief Executive undertakes day-to-day management of the organisation. The Board of Trustees has authority over and responsibility for the organisation and acts as its legal guarantors. The effective involvement of the Board of Trustees is considered crucial to the success of Network for Africa and is dependent on shared goals, the development of sound and creative working practices and significant time commitments.
The Board meets four times a year, to assess the charity’s progress since the previous meeting, and to set milestones to be achieved by the next meeting. The Chief Executive attends each Board meeting and provides an update to the Trustees on the charity’s progress, and assists in the setting of goals. Trustees also provide valuable assistance to the Chief Executive and other members of staff when necessary. Current trustees are:
David Russell (Chair): David is Founder and Director of The Social Enterprise, which advises an array of charities and social businesses. From 2009 to 2013, David served as Director of Survivors Fund (SURF), which represents and supports survivors of the Rwandan genocide.
Frida Critien: Frida is an experienced strategic communications professional, with experience of managing a wide range of campaigns. Currently a Global Corporate Communications Director at Unilever she is responsible for managing relations with international media and driving the company's purpose-led, future-fit agenda.
Rebecca Tinsley: Becky founded Network for Africa. She is a freelance journalist and a novelist and a former BBC politics reporter. Together with her husband Henry, she was asked by President and Mrs Carter to start the Carter Centre UK.
David Gye: David has recently retired as an adviser on financial aspects of the energy and infrastructure sectors, working with government and private sector worldwide. He became independent in 2009 after a 25-year career with Morgan Stanley and other investment banks.
Jemma Hogwood: Jemma has a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from University College London in the UK and is registered to practice as a Clinical Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council in the UK. She has been living and working in Rwanda for the past 8 years, mostly working for the Survivors Fund (SURF), supporting survivors of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. She is currently working for Solid Minds, offering individual, couple and family therapy.
Hannah Walters: Hannah currently works for Comic Relief as a Portfolio Manager for Levelling the Field (a co-funded initiative with the Scottish Government focusing on women and girl’s empowerment in Malawi, Rwanda & Zambia), alongside a number of mental health investments. She previously worked at Feed the Minds from 2016-2019, firstly as a Programme Officer before taking on the role of a Senior Programme Officer later in 2016. In 2017 Hannah took on the role of Programme Manager, having strategic oversight for FTM’s programme’s portfolio and directly managing a £1.5m portfolio of grants including DFID, Comic Relief and Big Lottery.
Staff team
Network for Africa has three permanent staff members:
Annabel Harris (CEO) is responsible for the overall management of Network for Africa, including international projects, fundraising, budgets, strategy and governance. She is responsible for reporting to statutory donors and is a steering group member of Bond’s Mental Health and Psychosocial Disability group.
Lesley Eaton (Office Manager) works part time and is responsible for office management, donor management, online fundraising, policies including safeguarding, bookkeeping, Network for Africa’s website and social media communications.
Thomas Doughty (International Programmes and Research Manager) is responsible for the management and development of our international projects and works closely with our international partners, supporting them with their work and capacity sharing. He manages the monitoring and evaluation of our projects, and carries out research for project development and proposal writing. He is also a steering group member of Bond’s Mental Health and Psychosocial Disability group.
In addition, we are supported by:
Michael Davis (freelance) who manages our finances. In addition to managing Network for Africa’s annual budget, Michael also manages our international programme budgets, and prepares all our financial reports for our funders and our board.
Christa Bennett (Director of Network for Africa USA) who manages all aspects of our branch in the USA. Christa helped start Network for Africa in 2006 and oversaw the successful application for non-profit status for Network for Africa USA.
Robert Woodfield, our Management Accountant who has supported N4A since it was started.
We use consultants to help with grant writing and reporting.
Volunteers
N4A’s success, work and growth would not be possible without the loyal support of our volunteers. We are so grateful to Rebecca Tinsley for her incredible fundraising and formidable writing skills; our Chair David Russell for his advice, support and encouragement of the staff; Dr. Barbara Bauer and Dr. Shelly Evans for their professional oversight of our mental health programming; Carrie Braes for her design skills; David Ferguson for his IT Support; Liam Dempsey for his website development; Robert Woodfield for his financial overview of our operations; and Lily Nicholson for supporting our forthcoming schools programme in Uganda.
Thanks
In addition to the donors recognised above, we would like also to thank our supporters in the UK: Tim Allen, Steve Atack, Philippa Ball, the Bliss Family Trust, Brendan Carroll, David Chapman, L.S. Collins, Alexander Critien, Dean Davies, Lesley Eaton, Ashley Fleischer, C.P. Gale, Max Gibbs, Alexander Gibson, Annabel Harris, Louis Harris-White, Rachel & Julian Hubbard, Micheál Jacob, Sandra Jones, Oliver Lubbock, Lindsay Madden-Nadeau, Simon McGrath, Hans Olsen, Robert & Joy Pickard, John Pindar, Philip Rudge, David Russell, Gus Shaw-Stuart, Mike Shipley, George Tench, Christine Thomas, the Tinsley Charitable Trust, Mark Tinsley, the van Mesdag Fund, Margaretha Visser, Howard White, Julia Wisdom and an anonymous donor.
We would also like to thank our supporters in the USA: Michael Abate, Sara Aldape, All Saints-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, American Online Giving Foundation, Tracy Bollag, Ken Collamore, Annabel Davis-Goff, Denine Diaz, Martha Elliott, Susan Gibson, Diane Giles, Mary Harvey, Jody & Mel Heyman, Jewish Communal Fund, Sally Kauser, Carol Kline, Richard Lamb, the Laurie Campbell Foundation, Stephen and Carol Lombardi, Karen Pick, Julie Schneringer, the Schwab Charitable Foundation, Brian Silverman, Sasha Spielvogel, Ann Symington, Pell Tanner, Sydney Walker, Elisabeth Weber, the Writer Family Foundation and Pamela Zurer.
In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that Stephenson Smart & Co be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting.
The trustees' r eport was approved by the Board of Trustees.
The trustees, who are also the directors of Network for Africa for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (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 charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these financial statements , the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Network for Africa (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 December 2021 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet and the notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 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:
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 charitable company 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 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.
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 charitable company’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 contained within the annual report. 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. 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 course of 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 this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. 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.
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:
the information given in the trustees' r eport, which includes the d irectors ' r eport 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 d irectors ' r eport included within the trustees' r eport has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the d irectors ' r eport included within the trustees' r eport.
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
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' r eport and from the requirement to prepare a s trategic r eport.
As explained more fully in the s tatement of trustees' r esponsibilities, the trustees, who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purpose 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 charitable company’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 charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
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 extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below .
Enquiry of management and those charged with governance around actual and potential litigation and claims;
Discussion with management whether there have been any known instances, allegations or suspicions of fraud;
Obtaining an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that are applicable to the charity;
Reviewing minutes of meetings of those charged with governance where available;
R eviewing financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations;
Performing audit work over the risk of management override of controls, including testing of journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness, evaluating the business rationale of significant transactions outside the normal course of business and reviewing accounting estimates for bias.
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. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.
The primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of irregularities including fraud remains with those charged with governance and with management.
A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: http s ://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the charitable company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditors' report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Network for Africa is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 14 St Mary's Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 2DF.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charitable company's governing document, the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)". The charitable company is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The charitable company has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling , which is the functional currency of the charitable company . Monetary a mounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charitable company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees' continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the accounts.
COVID-19 and going concern
The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the Charity's ability to continue as a going concern. Although COVID-19 has had an impact on the organisation, sufficient funding continues to be secured. It is for this reason that the accounts have been prepared on a going concern basis.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions imposed by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements .
Incom ing resources are recognised and included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the charitable company is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charitable company has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
No amounts are included in the financial statements for services donated by volunteers.
Government grants are recognised when the charitable company is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been fulfilled.
Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis. Expenditure is allocated to expense headings either on a direct cost basis or apportioned on the basis of management estimates.
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
The charitable company has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the charitable company 's balance sheet when the charitable company becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future p aymen ts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charitable company ’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.
Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charitable company is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.
In the application of the charitable company’s accounting policies, the trustees as the directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated 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 where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
Grants
Fundraising c osts
C haritable activities
C haritable activities
Project payments
Consultancy
Printing, postage and stationery
Office rent and insurance
Sundries
Staff training and recruitment
Website costs
Foreign currency exchange (gains) / losses
Foreign travel costs
Project monitoring & evaluation
Accountancy
Charitable activities
Payroll costs
Charitable activities
Bank charges
Charitable activities
None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration , benefits or reimbursement for expenses incurred, from the charitable company during the year.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
Employee costs are allocated to restricted funds on the basis of the percentage of their time spent on each project.
The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charitable company in an independently administered fund.
The charge to the statement of financial activities in respect of defined contribution schemes was £8,339 (2020:£10,544). Costs have been allocated between restricted and unrestricted funds on a percentage of employee time spent.
The income funds of the charity include restricted funds comprising the following unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust for specific purposes:
SURF Rwanda is a project that addresses post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety in young survivors of Rwanda's genocide, through counselling.
Mental Health Uganda is a project that will improve mental health services for vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Freetown and Port Loko in Sierra Leone by developing and supporting existing community structures.
Livelihoods Uganda is a grant received from the National Lottery Community Fund to provide training and livelihoods to the people with mental health conditions who we have been supporting through the Comic Relief grant.
Mental Health Port Loko is a project that will improve mental health services for vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Port Loko in Sierra Leone by developing and supporting existing community structures.
Vegetable Gardens Uganda is a project to help 250 families in northern Uganda to plant vegetable gardens and avoid food shortages inflicted by Covid-19. This will prevent families from going hungry in any future lockdowns. Our participants will have enough to feed their families, and any extra can be sold locally to generate some additional income. We also want to provide extra soap and handwashing facilities so that our clients can meet in safety.
All projects are described in more detail in the Trustees' Report.
The company is limited by guarantee and does not have a share capital. The directors are members of the company and each member, during his or her membership or within one year afterwards, undertakes to contribute a sum not exceeding £1 to the assets of the company in the event of it being wound up.
During the year the charitable company entered into the following transactions with related parties:
Trustees (and their spouses) donated a total of £10,100 to the charitable company in the year (2020: £20,999).
Key personnel management, who are not trustees, donated a total of £80 to the charitable company in the year (2020:£nil).
During the year the charitable company entered into the following transactions with other related parties:
The charitable company received donations of £65,000 (2020:£35,000) from the Tinsley Charitable Trust, a charity in which R C Tinsley is a trustee.
R C Tinsley is a trustee of Waging Peace Charitable Trust. Network for Africa and Waging Peace Charitable Trust previously shared premises. Rent of £262 (2020:£8,543) and telephone costs of £nil (2020:£28) were recharged to Waging Peace Charitable Trust by the charitable company.
D Russell is a consultant at SURF. During the year payments totalling £34,634 (2020: £30,874) were made to SURF to help fund the SURF Rwanda counselling project.