Annual Report 2011 “AfriKids has given me what will sustain … · · 2017-07-11By Philippa Hatton 30 ... This annual report was designed by Dave Brown from Ape Inc. Ltd at a

Annual Report 2011

“AfriKids has given me what will sustain me for the rest of my life not what I will eat only today” Victoria Ayamboo,

New Beginnings Beneficiary

ContentsA short message from the UK Chairman, John Hickman6

A short message from the Ghana Chairman, Father Moses Akebule9

Reflections from the International Director, Georgie Fienberg10/11

Reflections from the Ghana Director, Nich Kumah14/15

2011 Statistics16/17

The Kassena Nankana Area Programme (KNAP) in 2011By Joe Asakibeem, Kassena Nankana Area Programme Manager, AfriKids Ghana

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The Bolgatanga Area Programme (BAP) in 2011By Cletus Anaaya, Bolgatanga Area Programme Manager, AfriKids Ghana

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The Talensi Nabdam Area Programme (TNAP) in 2011By Richard Amoah, Talensi Nabdam Area Programme Manager, AfriKids Ghana

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AfriKids Core Projects breakthrough to the UK’s biggest fundersBy Sally Eastcott, Director, AfriKids UK

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The AfriKids Blue Sky LodgeBy Charlie Hay, Business Development Manager, AfriKids UK

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The G.A.S. Partnership in 2011By Carly Adams, Programmes Officer, AfriKids UK

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AfriKids Social Investment Club (ASIC)By Ama Atteen, Fundraising Coordinator, AfriKids UK

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My visit to Operation SmilesBy Ama Atteen, Fundraising Coordinator, AfriKids UK

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A day in the life of a Talensi Nabdam fieldworkerBy Joanna Stewart, Events and Communications Coordinator, AfriKids UK

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AfriKids UK staff member experiences the real AfricaBy Katie Arnold, External Affairs Manager, AfriKids UK

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AfriKids Fundraising: What makes us unique?By Liam Nolan, UK Operations Manager, AfriKids UK

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Events and sponsored events in 2011By Joanna Stewart, Events and Communications Coordinator, and Ama Atteen, Fundraising Coordinator, AfriKids UK

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My internship with AfriKids UKBy Philippa Hatton

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My first year at AfriKidsBy Vieve Easton Poole, Head of Business and Finance, AfriKids UK

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AfriKids Squared in 2011By Georgie Fienberg, International Director

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What’s coming up in 2012By Sally Eastcott, Director, AfriKids UK

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This annual report was designed by Dave Brown from Ape Inc. Ltd at a reduced cost. Ape Inc. Ltd, together with David Carroll & Co, also donated their time to rebrand AfriKids. This report was printed by Park Communications on Horizon Offset, a chlorine free paper sourced from responsibly managed forests. Both the mill and the printer run ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems, Park are also Carbon Neutral Paper and print was sourced at a discount by Urban Life Support Print Management.

This report is funded by the Venture Partnership Foundation (VPF).

The majority of photographs in this report are taken by AfriKids staff in the UK and Ghana. Our special thanks to Sam Whitney, Anthony Alexandrou and Dave Brown for also contributing their work.

AfriKids would like to thank all of the above for their hard work and generosity.

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Our scrutinising donors recognise this for themselves, and their support is reflected in their generosity of spirit, enthusiasm and funding.

As many readers will know, AfriKids was one of the three charities the Telegraph chose to support in their 2011 Christmas Appeal.Having re-read the four articles that have been published at the time of writing, including the one of eight pages in the Telegraph magazine of 3rd December, I was reminded of what AfriKids has achieved in its 10 years of existence. One of the ways in which these achievements have been acknowledged is through five international and six national awards. In 2011 alone we won the Third Sector Award Excellence for Public Sector Partnership and were runners up for Best National Corporate Partnership, Best Fundraising Event and Best Brand Development. It is a remarkable achievement by any standard.

This Annual Report describes in detail the work in progress of all 16 projects and three businesses, but I wanted to emphasise the dedication and professionalism of those working tirelessly in both AfriKids Ghana and AfriKids (UK) in bringing about that success. Our scrutinising donors recognise this for themselves, and their support is reflected in their generosity of spirit, enthusiasm and funding. After benefitting hugely from becoming one of Deutsche Bank’s two charities of the year in 2010, 2011 may have flagged in comparison, but happily enthusiasm was maintained, so that more importantly, the work of AfriKids continued seamlessly.

Looking forward, plans are virtually complete for the eco lodge, now the ‘AfriKids Blue Sky Lodge’, and are almost ready for the preparation of bills of quantities before going to tender. Though this exciting project will provide employment for some of the beneficiaries of our projects, its main purpose is to help AfriKids Ghana become totally self-sufficient by 2018. I look forward to staying there in 2013!

Finally, I should like to thank the teams in Ghana and in the UK for all their hard work, my fellow trustees for all their wise guidance, all our wonderfully generous donors and supporters. I’d like to make special thanks to Nich Kumah and Georgie Fienberg for their outstanding leadership, without which none of the above would be possible. Thank you so much.

A short message from the UK Chairman, John Hickman

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It is my hope that the coming year will see the continuity of work on the lodge this time taking a concrete form.

Last year was remarkably a successful one for AfriKids. It was a year that witnessed drastic expansion on the child rights work of the organisation at all levels with funding from Comic Relief for New Beginnings two, DFID for the Education Bridge and expansion of the microfinance credit portfolio to cover many more women to name a few. This is owed to the hard work of our counterparts in the UK whose efforts have secured the funding for our work. I will not forget also, of the local team in Ghana for expanding AfriKids ground breaking works to reach thousands of new vulnerable children and communities across northern Ghana.

As Chairman of the AfriKids Ghana Board, I want to seize this opportunity to thank my colleagues on the board for their commitment and leadership and for helping to oversee all of AfriKids’ projects and businesses to the heights they have reached this year. I expect this year to see the two boards—AfriKids (UK) and Ghana, interact and engage more seamlessly for the benefit of the poor and vulnerable.

As we celebrate the achievements of last year, we remember the bitter loss of Peter Stephen Cohen, the father of the International Director of AfriKids and a great pillar and supporter of the organisation. On behalf of all at AfriKids Ghana I wish to express our condolences on this bitter loss of a friend par excellence.

It is my prayer that each and every member of the AfriKids family will this year be renewed with strength, fresh energy and vigour to enable us carry on with this important work that God has given us on earth in support of vulnerable children and women so that we will be witnesses to the hope which has called all men into.

Lots of preparatory work has gone in the take-off of the AfriKids Blue Sky Lodge over the past four years. It is my hope that the coming year will see the continuity of work on the lodge this time taking a concrete form. This will put AfriKids Ghana firmly on the road to sustainability. It’s my fervent prayer that the lodge would host its first guests this year and run 6 more years before the fundraising office of AfriKids (UK) starts to fold up.

A short message from the Ghana Chairman, Father Moses Akebule

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This year has seen us moving on in more ways than one. AfriKids Squared, our consulting arm, has taken off, and we are advising over 40 fellow charities, as well as having an increasing presence across the media, industry conferences, and educational establishments.

Reflections from the International Director, Georgie FienbergDear Supporters,At the end of our (official) ninth year we have the pleasure of looking back proudly over a remarkable 12 months and looking forward with huge excitement to our 10 year anniversary!2011 ended on yet another great high as we received phenomenal coverage in The Telegraph as one of their three supported Christmas Charities. The view of the highly critical AfriKids staff was that the articles were powerful yet sensitive, and avoided sensationalism. We hope you agree, and enjoyed reading them. Personally I was thrilled that the journalists, who are outsiders to our organisation, understood and conveyed so clearly what makes us unique and effective as an organisation – most importantly our ‘one child at a time’ approach, our unwavering commitment to sustainability, and our deep and narrow geographical focus which means we work from within the heart of communities. It’s this approach which continues to galvanise and motivate us all, and which we seek to prove to our supporters and partners every day.

This year has seen us moving on in more ways than one. AfriKids Squared, our consulting arm, has taken off, and we are advising over 40 fellow charities, as well as having an increasing presence across the media, industry conferences, and educational establishments. This is such an important strategic development for us. Whilst AfriKids (UK) will close down, we have always wanted to share and extend our methodology. In this way, we retain the right goals and focus for our own organisation, while proving the scalability, and potential for replication, of the models and successes we have

developed. We want this approach to be a ground-breaking feature within the development industry, and we look forward to reporting on the progress of AfriKids Squared in 2013.

We’re also moving on – to new offices, and look forward to welcoming you in our new Holborn offices in central London. Whilst this new and exciting location will afford us new possibilities and focus, we will miss West Hampstead which was our home for four years. We remain eternally indebted to the exceptional generosity of Pears Foundation for housing us in such wonderful premises free of charge for all that time.

We were also delighted this year to appoint 33 AfriKids Ambassadors, which is both our way of recognising the remarkable, invaluable support that these people have given to us over the years, as well as asking them (in our own inimitable way) to help us develop our network in any ways they can. We owe them all a huge debt of gratitude.

We’ve got a fantastic new website based on our new branding – please visit it. We were used as an example of excellence in Gordon Brown’s Education for All Global Campaign report for the G8. We won the Third Sector Award for Public Sector Partnership. The list goes on (my word limit approaches), and as ever we owe it all to our fantastic supporters, who stick with us year after year and help us in so many ways; to our incredible UK staff (special mention to the RBS interns who have been such a dynamic part of our team this year); and our inspirational colleagues in Ghana who continue to deliver the most extraordinary, life-changing programmes with a dedication, humility and professional skill which amazes everyone who witnesses it.

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UPPER WEST

BRONG-AHAFO

ASHANTI

WESTERNCENTRAL

EASTERN

VOLTA

GREATERACCRA

GHANA

KASSENA/NANKANA BONGO

TALENSI NABDAM

BAWKU WEST

BAWKU

GARU-TEMPANE

BUILSA

BOLGATANGA

BOLE

EAST GONJA

CENTRAL GONJA

WEST GONJA

MAMPRUSI

EASTMAMPRUSI

BUNK–PURUGOYUNYOO

TOLON /KUMBUNGA

TAMALEMUNICIPAL

NANUMBANORTH

YENDI

KARAGA

GUSHIEGU

SABOBA /CHEREPON

NANUMBASOUTH

ZABZUGU/TATALE

SAVELUGO / NANTON

SAWIA-TUNA-KALIBA

NORTHERN

UPPER EAST

On a personal level 2011 has been somewhat of a rollercoaster. Nick and I were delighted at the birth of (Abolga) Zac in March, a brother to Atanga Joshua, and can’t wait to introduce him to his extended family in Ghana this year. However we are absolutely devastated at the loss of my wonderful father Peter who as well as being a kind a generous supporter of AfriKids over the past 14 years, truly loved to be in Bolga with the AfriKids team and kids putting the world to rights over a cold glass of Star. When we open the AfriKids Blue Sky Lodge (the original inspiration for which came from him), my first toast will be to Dad.

Please enjoy this year’s report. It represents the shared achievements of AfriKids and our extended family of donors and supporters in what we believe is a uniquely strong and effective partner



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71% OF CHILDREN

OVER SIX HAVE NEVER ATTENDED

SCHOOL73%

OF CHILDREN IN SCHOOL ALSO

WORK IN CHILD LABOUR

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2011 was one of the most exciting working years we have ever had as an organisation with some major achievements.

The last batch of beneficiaries graduated this year and it is great to see those who have learnt trades establish their own shops.

We at AfriKids Ghana cannot put our hearts to rest for the year until we have expressed our gratitude to the personalities who have made it a success. To our donors in the UK and around the world whose generosity has been our life line, thank you. To our colleagues in the UK, thank you for working as the link between us; without you our work would not exist. We are not forgetting our dynamic Ghana trustees, local donors and key stakeholders who have worked closely with us to make our work and programmes successful. We are also grateful to the Municipal and District Assemblies, Ghana Education Service and Department of Social Welfare for your support and collaboration.Finally to our hard working staff we wish to say ‘ye toma toma’ for your zealousness, hard work, dedication and above all selflessness during the year 2011. We wish to say kudos to you and keep the flame alive.

2011 was one of the most exciting working years we have ever had as an organisation with some major achievements.

It was with enormous pride that in the first half of this year we began work supported by Comic Relief and the Department for International Development to scale up our Area Programmes. As the year progressed, this work attracted national attention and through our own efforts we were able to add NECPAD and the UNFCFS as major donors to the work as well as major in kind support from the Talensi Nabdam District Assembly. Area Programmes are the projects we have designed ourselves and are the heart of what we do. As part of these, it was heart-warming to see the conclusion of our maiden street children programme, Operation Fresh Start, which saw the reintegration of 160 young boys and girls with their families. The last batch of beneficiaries graduated this year and it is great to see those who have learnt trades establish their own shops. An assessment was carried out on their businesses and it is clear that they were doing well as these young people could take care of their basic needs; this is the joy of the work we do.

We have taken a giant step in the fight against the ‘spirit child phenomenon’ with the concoction men keeping to their promise of a complete end to infanticide. The child rights clubs cannot be left out of this success as in their quest to end this phenomenon have gone a further step of engaging their parents as part of their activities. We have also launched community durbars which will lead to an official end of the spirit children phenomenon next year. The important first step was taken by one of the sons of Sirigu who was accused of being a spirit child many years ago. Coming back home, Rifleman Paul Apowida ran a marathon to his village to raise awareness as an ambassador of the fight against the spirit child phenomenon.

Reflections from the Ghana Director, Nich Kumah

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You can read more about our Area Programmes from the managers themselves in the coming pages. The year has not been without its challenges as the Area Programme managers make clear. In our businesses and partner projects also we also face difficulties as well as triumphs. The challenges of helping partners become sustainable have included clarifying land ownership rights for project buildings and market creation for businesses whilst the successes have included the growing professionalism and profitability of the ‘Mama’s Place’ guest house.

As we look into the year 2012 and ahead we are looking forward to some exciting developments in our staffing structure and our learning framework. Whilst we’ve always prided ourselves on having clear ways of measuring change we want to move to an even more results-based management system and improve the quality of information we track in our monitoring so that we can measure our impact even more clearly.

In terms of project delivery we are excited about improvements in the family capacity building packages we offer, the structures through which we work with government institutions and the development of communication and fundraising skills among our staff. 2012 is also going to be a major year for business development and for all of these challenges we are making HR changes to meet the challenge. Early in 2012 we hope to recruit new Directors of Business and Programmes.

Finally, in 2012, as AfriKids (UK) celebrates 10 years of its inception and hard work, we celebrate with them in spirit for the great achievements chalked and we hope to still have this wonderful relationship and also to celebrate together in 2015 when AfriKids Ghana will also be celebrating a decade of excellence.





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OUR SHARED MISSIONTo ensure that every child under the age of 21 in Ghana is afforded his/her rights as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and to do this by building the capacity and resources of local people, organisations and initiatives in such away that they will be able to continue their efforts independently and sustainably in the future

OUR SHARED PHILOSOPHYLISTEN to what a community knows it needs EMPOWER them to make the necessary changes themselves Ensure absolute SUSTAINABILITY

AFRIKIDS (UK) GOALTo make AfriKids Ghana financially and managerially sustainable by 2018, so that they can continue to work towards our mission independent of handouts

AFRIKIDS GHANA GOALTo create independent local sustainability that will ensure we can continue making real and tangible changes in our region that are needed to ensure every child has their rights met

We have a shared goal which is to alleviate the acute child suffering that rips through the fabric of communities across rural northern Ghana and to open up genuine opportunities to the region’s next generation. All of our projects are locally owned and delivered in a holistic, effective and sustainable manner. We operate like a business; our monitoring and evaluation, our financial diligence and our donor feedback are integral to the organisation. Economic empowerment is the cornerstone of AfriKids; at individual, family, community and regional levels everything we do must be linked to long term financial independence.

AfriKids is a partnership between a UK charity, AfriKids (UK), and a Ghanaian non governmental organisation, AfriKids Ghana.

Children working in deep shaft informal gold mines

Children with disabilities

Children considered to be spirits or witches

Children who live and work on the streets

Children who have been knowingly trafficked

Children who are not able to access education at all levels

Children in need of medical care

Children who do not have access to security or opportunities

HEALTH

EDUCATION

CHILDCARE

COMMUNITY EDUCATION ON CHILD RIGHTS

SUSTAINABILITY

FAMILY INCOME GENERATION

ONE SIMPLE GOAL TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN

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2011 STATISTICS: AFRIKIDS IN NUMBERS

UK Staff 11Ghana Staff 160

Beneficiaries 127,923 of which 49072 are childrenNumber of beneficiaries

since registration 660009Total UK income £1,517,594Total Ghana income £?,??,??

AVERAGE % EXPENDITURE BREAKDOWN

Projects 80%Fundraising 15%

Administration 5%

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It has been very refreshing and stimulating to make several new interventions to save children’s lives and to keep faith with the children as we help rebuild relationships with their families.

Mission = The goal of the Kassena Nankana Area Programme is to improve the child rights environment of Kassena Nankana East and West to the extent that the basic rights of all children are met. This programme addresses child rights, with a particular focus on abuse related to traditional beliefs, at all levels of society from individual support and family capacity building to schools’ capacity building and advocacy influencing local mind-sets and policy making.The year has seen AfriKids’ KNAP team working hard to consolidate our track record of reducing the effect of the spirit child phenomenon in the Kassena Nankana District of the Upper East Region. We have done this through various collaborative work with key stakeholders of the communities including government institutions. It has been very refreshing and stimulating to make several new interventions to save children’s lives and to keep faith with the children as we help rebuild relationships with their families.

This year has also been remarkable because with the support of Comic Relief (New Beginnings) and DFID (Education Bridge) we have been able to scale up our work and reach into new areas. For example it is satisfying to see child rights clubs, which we championed within AfriKids, being rolled out across other AfriKids projects. It is also rewarding to be able to offer comprehensive packages of support to some of the older children we have got to know who are

in desperate need but did not previously fall within our remit. This new support is making tremendous improvements in the lives of many children and communities.

Synopsis of work during the year:• 38 community sensitisation programmes on

child rights and health issues were organised which attracted 4,200 people

• Four community durbars organised focused on the spirit child phenomenon and the need for children’s education to be taken seriously by parents

• The concoction men continued to interact with us positively through their quarterly meetings; this is a major step in ending the practice of the spirit child phenomenon

• Child Rights Clubs (CRCs) have intensified their activities to engage their own parents; ten schools organised parents’ forums

• This year’s Child Rights Festival was organised in a grand style with a high turnout of people and great performance from CRC members. The collaboration from Ghana Education Service (GES) in organising this event cannot be overemphasised

• Training programmes on enhancing the leadership qualities of Club Leaders and on child rights education for teachers were organised for all the CRC schools

• For the first time, we were able to organise holiday classes for junior and senior high school students which prevented a lot of them travelling to the streets of Kumasi

• 18 new schools have been educated on the spirit child phenomenon and other child rights issues

The Kassena Nankana Area Programme (KNAP) in 2011 By Joe Asakibeem, Kassena Nankana Area Programme Manager, AfriKids Ghana

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This new support is making tremendous improvements in the lives of many children and communities.

• Our support for the re-roofing of the Sirigu Junior High block after it was destroyed in a storm will forever remain a hallmark in providing shelter for children to access education

• We have supported 10 new children through various complex medical treatments. The biggest was the successful surgical operation of a boy who was suffering from a displaced skull

• We have instituted training programmes on good nutrition for our beneficiary children’s parents this year

• We have undertaken monthly physiotherapy training for children with cerebral palsy (CP) in collaboration with the Community Based Rehabilitation programme

• The ongoing success of microfinance through KNAP has been proved as more women benefited from new and recycled loans

• The AfriKids Child Rights Centre has been renovated to save it from deterioration in our harsh and variable climate

• Highlights from our work under New Beginnings include: 28 children enrolled into fulltime education or training and capacity building packages given to their parents, volunteer teachers recruited to provide holiday lessons, 15 new child rights clubs and quarterly meeting with new beneficiaries and vocational trainers

• Highlights from our work supported by the DFID Education Bridge include the creation of 20 new child rights clubs and workshops on increasing school recruitment and retention in 15 schools.

Some of the challenges we have faced include:• A poor road network especially during the rainy

season which makes movement difficult

• With the introduction of New Beginnings and the Education Bridge, which are well known, we now experience many children coming to our office seeking for assistance

• We are still encountering a high number of cases of sick and deformed children whose conditions can generally not be treated under National Health Insurance and cost colossal amounts

To conclude, the year has been very fruitful and we are looking forward to a more exciting year in 2012 as we hope to take a major step in announcing the end of the practice of the spirit child phenomenon and increase the support base which is helping us to lift up standards of education.





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“ AfriKids is an excellent NGO delivering tangible benefits for a crucial and vulnerable community”

High Commissioner from the United Kingdom to Ghana

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“More quotes are needed to go here advice from a broad range of people but none resonates in

the same way yours does. Your unique position of having set up from scratch an organisation

whose work closely resembles our vision makes your words incredibly meaningful. It is always

nice to be reminded that there’s no magic formula and we left AfriKids’ office feeling very inspired. I think we’ll remember our brief encounter to be one of the pivotal moments in a decisive phase

for Amantani.”Fred Branson, Trustee & Co-Director, Amantani

“More quotes are needed here AfriKids ceasing to exist, before Georgie explained her next move

in overseeing the work of AfriKids Squared to provide advice and frameworks for other

charities, which has the potential to bring about exponential increases in the efficacy of aid work

in Africa, and beyond”Jess Beagley, Oxford Forum for International Development

(OxFID), Introduction to Development Conference

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Those children in school have been provided with all their educational materials, those in training have been provided with all their tools, uniforms and other logistics. All 30 have been supported with lunch allowances, the fieldworkers meet with their master trainers and teachers regularly and reports are almost universally good. However we have been challenged by the circumstances of two girls; one who is taking a break from school having fallen pregnant and one who has relocated with her family to southern Ghana.

The School of Night Rabbits has been extraordinary this year. Among the new activities introduced were excursions and traditional drumming and dancing. 41 children successfully went through the school curriculum in nine months and, on graduation, were presented with goats to rear and encouraged to get off the streets and go to school.

The launch of New Beginnings Two, funded by Comic Relief in April this year has brought a lot of relief to many people in the Bolgatanga and Bongo districts. 90 needy young people are benefiting directly from support packages. 53 are students at various stages in the senior high schools while 30 are undergoing skills training. Three are visually impaired and one physically challenged. The process of supporting these young people began with a thorough social investigation in partnership with the Social Welfare Department, the Ghana Education Service and the District Assemblies.

The Education Bridge funded by DFID’s Civil Society Challenge Fund is enabling AfriKids to work in partnership with the Ghana Education Service (GES) to help bring about an increase in enrolment and access to quality education. So healthy is the working relationship that barely less than six months into the launch of the programme, the GES opened their doors to Afrikids to join in their senior management

The School of Night Rabbits has been extraordinary this year. Among the new activities introduced were excursions and traditional drumming and dancing. 41 children successfully went through the school

Mission = BAP works to ensure that the rights of all of our vulnerable children are met. In our district we face, and tackle, the particular challenges of child streetism, migration and trafficking. This year we worked through six key programmes outlined below.The year began on a high spirited note with the resettlement of the Operation Fresh Start beneficiaries. They all had all sat for their trade area exams and were awaiting graduation and the receipt of their resettlement packages from AfriKids. In all, 50 beneficiaries were resettled this year. They are all currently on their own and making brisk businesses. 15 of these now have apprentices too and are so proud to be called master trainers. Only three years ago, they were referred to as apprentices and so can’t believe the swift transition from apprentice to master. This is no mean achievement! The few of them who were either slow in learning or had to go on maternity break have all caught up now and are doing well. Also this year a refresher course was organised to update their knowledge and skills which we hope to repeat in the future.

Resettled children benefitting from New Beginnings One project sponsored by Baring and John Ellerman Foundations are doing well. There are 23 children in school and seven undergoing skills training. Of the 23 school children, seven are senior high, five in junior high and the rest in primary. The children are cared for by our field officers who support each other but also compete healthily over whose children are faring the best.

The Bolgatanga Area Programme (BAP) in 2011 By Cletus Anaaya, Bolgatanga Area Programme Manager, AfriKids Ghana

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The launch of New Beginnings Two, funded by Comic Relief in April this year has brought a lot of relief to many people in the Bolgatanga and Bongo districts.

meetings to help us understand the education challenges in the district. The baseline survey we conducted in all schools in the Bolgatanga municipality has also set the tone as to what should be done as a priority. It was followed with a trainer of trainers’ workshop on participatory learning appraisal methods. These have been incorporated into our community sensitisation programmes which are working very well and now focus more on the role of the parent in children’s education.

Our major challenges during the year have included covering a greater geographical area to include beneficiaries from Bongo District in our work and locating the homes of beneficiaries that have been of the street for a long time. We have also seen an increased incidence of AIDs in our beneficiaries whom we support with both counselling and healthcare.I would like to close with a note of thanks and praise for the fantastic BAP field team who through their own dedication have kept our beneficiaries on board, brought on new cases that desperately needed support as they found them, often at their own time and expense. I wish they could all be awarded as we are proud to say BAP fieldworker Cecila Awiah was this year, winning the best core staff award at AfriKids Ghana’s annual staff awards.

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“ It is always heart-warming to hear that lots of people are sacrificing their time, energy and lives to fundraise for our projects’ continuity.”

High Commissioner from the United Kingdom to Ghana

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1 IN 9 CHILDREN DIE BEFORE THEIR

FIFTH BIRTHDAY

70% OF THE

POPULATION LIVE IN POVERTY

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Most of the children’s families have managed to breed the two goats provided by the project successfully and they now have on average four each which will help with education costs after the project ends.

Mission = TNAP works to ensure that the rights of all of our vulnerable children are met. In our district we face, and tackle, the particular challenges of child labour in mining, quarrying and commercial farming. This year we worked through seven key programmes outlined below.Operation Sunlight, which resettled 155 children who had worked in the mining communities, wrapped up in 2011. We continued to visit the children and provide mentoring support and at the end of the year 121 of the 155 children we identified back in 2007 were all either in school full time or were working in the vocations we supported them to train in. One girl is yet to graduate and we will continue to support her until she does.

New Beginnings One, supported by the Baring and John Ellerman Foundations, aims to build the capacity of our fieldworkers and help displaced children resettle at home. Of the 30 children first helped in 2010 by TNAP, all 30 are still at post. Those in skills training are progressing well and include four hairdressers, two dressmakers and one carpenter. As well as benefitting from our family capacity building and mentoring they’re taking literacy classes twice a week to help complement their vocational skills. The rest of children are in full time education and four will sit their Senior High Entrance exams in 2012. Most of the children’s families have managed to breed the two goats provided by the project successfully and they now have on average four each which will help with education costs after the project ends.

Learning from our previous experience with micro-finance, all loans are now administered through the Livelihoods Team and are given based on parents’ readiness to receive them. So we are working through the children’s communities assessing each co-operative group and providing business skills training before distributing the loans. This year we gave loans in the communities of Datuko and Kulpelga.

New Beginnings Two, supported by Comic Relief, was launched in April. The working team involved partners from the Ghana Education Service, the District Assembly, the Department of Social Welfare and the beneficiary communities. Together we identified and counselled the children on their situation and choice of career. In TNAP, 85 beneficiaries (40 boys and 45 girls) were selected from 149 identified. 57 of them are for school while 28 are for skills training. More children than we expected were keen to go into school and many of these have now entered Senior High School. They will certainly serve as a model for the younger ones to aspire high in education.

Those in school received all their educational materials and a lunch allowance and those in training received their professional tools. Where needed national health insurance was also funded and literacy classes and monthly empowerment sessions are on-going activities. The UN Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery also awarded funding directly to AfriKids Ghana this year which allowed us to take on a further seven beneficiaries under New Beginnings.

The Talensi Nabdam Area Programme (TNAP) in 2011 By Richard Amoah, Talensi Nabdam Area Programme Manager, AfriKids Ghana

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Together we identified and counselled the children on their situation and choice of career.In TNAP, 85 beneficiaries (40 boys and 45 girls were selected from 149 identified.

The Education Bridge, funded by DFID’s Civil Society Challenge Fund, aims to increase enrolment and retention in schools and improve the service quality through capacity building of teachers and community stakeholders. The preparatory work with community durbars has been underway since July and in September we began working with schools who will establish child rights clubs, school management committees and parent teacher associations.

Operation Sunlight Two As the year closed, funding was confirmed from Star Lizard in the UK and NECPAD in Ghana to resettle a further 189 child miners. Placement into schools and apprenticeship training is almost complete with support from the Talensi Nabdam District Assembly.

Challenges of our work A major challenge is the issue of mind-set towards child welfare which is sometimes not given the attention it is needed, either because it’s something previous generations have not benefitted from or because they are not aware of the services available to their children. Communities are not only economically poor, but bereft of change information. All our programmes include community education to help tackle this.

Often children manage to finish primary school but the extra costs of secondary school are a burden too far for their families and they drop out into labour. Happily we have been able to help many young people in this position but still we have a waiting list so we look forward to next year during when we will have more time and further funding. 2012 is set to be a busy year for TNAP.

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These new structures worked well and throughout 2010 we consulted the local authorities and communities about what their most pressing needs are and how our work could help meet them. Comic Relief also funded a major evaluation into the first phase of the core projects and concluded they had a 95% success rate in resettling street and working children. AfriKids took this as an affirmation of our holistic ‘one child at a time’ approach and began planning towards a second phase.

In early 2011 we were successful in securing funding from Comic Relief and Department for International Development (DFID) for these new projects:

• New Beginnings; this started with Baring Foundation support in 2009 and is now scaling up to resettle 300 displaced street and working children with their families and place them in education. Since it has been launched AfriKids Ghana has also forged partnerships with NECPAD, a national organisation and the UN Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery to help resettle a further 195 children

• Education Bridge; complimentary to New Beginnings and GES’ work, the project bridges the gap between educational policy and the reality as experienced by vulnerable children. The Education Bridge has been the focus of AfriKids Ghana’s first large scale independent baseline survey taking in 239 schools

Read more about the delivery of these projects direct from the project managers on pages XXX

AfriKids Core Projects breakthrough to the UK’s biggest funders By Sally Eastcott, Director, AfriKids UK


Pull quote In 2009 we told you about our transition from issue focused Core Projects to geographically defined Area Programmes. As the first phases of Operations Fresh Start, Sunlight and Sirigu came to an end we realised they had learned so much from each other that there was scope for replicating work with different categories of vulnerable children right across the core projects. Added to this, our work had become closely integrated with the delivery of services by the Ghana’s Education and Health Services, District Assemblies and Social Welfare departments so it made sense that we align our delivery better with theirs to increase the scope for working together and reduce the risk of replicating each other’s work.

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01 Image description Blue Skies Ahead for AfriKids Social Enterprise: Following several years of meticulous research, 2011 saw the firming up of plans for AfriKids’ multimillion dollar investment in the tourism and hospitality industry of Ghana’s Upper East Region; a luxury hotel development which was named this year: the AfriKids Blue Sky Lodge.“We looked at many options for our next business,” explains Ghana Director, Nich Kumah “we want to invest in things which will not only generate a profit, but diversify the limited and saturated jobs market here for local people, and pave the way for further public and private investments. Tourism was an obvious choice.”

Despite the devastating impact of tensions on tourism in North Africa and the Middle East over the last year, Sub-Saharan Africa continues to grow in one of the most promising industries for emerging economies. The World Trade Organisation (UNWTO) forecast that between 2011 and 2020, the sub-continent will record growth at rates of over 5 per cent a year, compared to a world average of 4.1 per cent.

While tourism in Ghana is developing well it is remains heavily concentrated in the central and southern regions. At AfriKids we believe the unique environment and people of the north present a great opportunity for responsible tourism development, generating financial, social and environmental returns to help alleviate the area’s poverty.

The AfriKids Blue Sky Lodge is forecast to generate £180,000 per annum profit; one third of the total annual budget AfriKids Ghana needs to run independently. This is enough to ensure, 1,800 mothers are empowered to generate their own income or 150 schools are supported to create school improvement plans. In line with its social objectives, the lodge also plans to serve as a platform for hospitality training, providing access to international expertise.

Working with partners like Architecture for Humanity (UK) and GABCON in Ghana, the project is the largest business to date, using extensive market research, expert consultancy and the practical experience of Mama’s Place, a small guesthouse in Bolgatanga, being run to support the costs of Mama Laadi’s foster home.

Extensively reviewed this year with design, construction and operations specialists, the final plans for the AfriKids Blue Sky Lodge comprise of 31 guest rooms, restaurant and bar facilities, a conference and events centre, leisure and activities including community tourism and the area’s first swimming pool. Set over 23 acres of untouched savannah, the resort’s efficient and environmentally conscious design aims to echo and compliment the local vernacular and stunning landscape, while boasting international standards in quality.

Project delivery teams of professional UK volunteers were this year expanded to include counterparts in Ghana, who will be owning and driving the development and implementation of the plans going forward, combining local knowledge and experience with international expertise and support.

Construction of the AfriKids Blue Sky Lodge will begin in 2012 and is due to be completed in 2013

To find out more and learn how you could be a part of this incredible project, please contact Charlie at [email protected].

The AfriKids Blue Sky Lodge By Charlie Hay, Business Development Manager, AfriKids UK

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“We want to invest in things which will not only generate a profit, but diversify the limited and saturated jobs market here for local people, and pave the way for further public and private investments. Tourism was an obvious choice.”

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dedicated to working together to improve things. Staff in both Southampton and Ghana show incredible commitment to teaching and learning from each other. I feel privileged to be involved in a Partnership that is achieving so much.

Some of the highlights of 2011 include:

• Teaming up with Lifebox to get six Pulse Oximeters to the UER. These pieces of equipment check the level of oxygen in a patient’s bloodstream, saving lives

• A multi-disciplinary training session was held on management, leadership and team working

• 12 people were given ultrasound training, nine from scratch. As part of this training, 66 diagnostic scans were performed on patients who would not otherwise have had access to ultrasound

• Five people came from Ghana to the UK to work in Southampton Hospital, learning key skills such as infection prevention, and having exposure to the UK hospital system

• Winning the Third Sector Excellence Awards for the Public Sector Partnership. This is a fantastic achievement, showing recognition for the work being carried out

• An electrical systems survey was completed at each of the seven hospitals and 24 staff given training on electrical safety. Five staff are now able to train others meaning electrical problems can be rectified within the region, increasing safety of staff and patients

‘Working with UER doctors reminds me of the dedication and commitment that many health professionals show. I have a huge respect for the work that they do’Dr Mike Roe, Paediatric Consultant, co-chair of the UK G.A.S. Steering Group

Mission = The G.A.S. Partnership is an exciting and pioneering initiative which aims to help improve healthcare provision in the Upper East Region (UER) of Ghana, primarily through strengthening manpower and promoting skill-sharing which have been identified locally as priority needs. Having started working for AfriKids in January 2011 and becoming G.A.S.’ official UK coordinator in June, I have been at the forefront of the Partnership’s work, seeing it go from strength to strength over the last 12 months.

The Partnership works in all seven hospitals in the UER, which are geographically isolated from each other with over-stretched and under-resourced staff. These staff however, are extremely committed to and passionate about their work and with the support from medical professionals in the UK are being able to improve the healthcare service provided. In return the UK professionals are given the opportunity to refresh and hone their skills in a completely different setting to their day to day jobs. One of the great successes of the partnership has been its truly mutually beneficial effect. This year has seen:

• 22 volunteer trips from the UK to Ghana • 5 volunteer trips from Ghana to the UK • 553 Ghanaian staff received formal training

In October 2011 I visited the UER and saw for myself the logistical, financial and resource challenges that are faced within the medical field. Given this environment it’s extremely encouraging to see people

The G.A.S. Partnership in 2011 By Carly Adams, Programmes Officer, AfriKids UK

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‘Working with UER doctors reminds me of the dedication and commitment that many health professionals show. I have a huge respect for the work that they do’Dr Mike Roe, Paediatric Consultant, co-chair of the UK G.A.S. Steering Group

• The only gynaecologist in the region was supported by a UK gynaecologist to understand and how the Partnership can help enhance obstetric and gynaecological care in the region

• A basic triaging system was set up for sick children to help improve their care on arrival to hospital

• A store room containing old equipment was converted into a fully functioning ultrasound and x-ray facility

With our five specialty areas of focus; Diagnostics, Maternal Health, Estates and Facilities Management, Paediatrics and Theatres and Anaesthetics becoming stronger and clearer in their work plans, I look forward to seeing what can be achieved in 2012.

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Patrick Andrews on his motivation to create ASIC“I used to give fairly generously to charity, particularly large international charities. I have travelled widely and have seen the need for some sharing. However I began to wonder how much was actually ending up in the hands of the needy. Worse, I suspected that much of my money simply helped to perpetuate the conditions I wanted to solve. So I was delighted to come across AfriKids, whose thinking is so aligned with mine. A small charity that thinks big.

I love the multiplication factor of ASIC, the way my money seems to go so far. I love the way that AfriKids makes me feel involved, and keeps me updated on what is happening with my “investment”. I feel my donation has paid back in all sorts of ways.”

Richard Spragg on why he’s part of ASICThe key to AISC is its business ethos. Business people, whatever their industry, tend to have the same issues with the way the charity sector works. It bears no resemblance to the world that we understand, where investment has to come with a return to justify continued investment. For business people, Africa looks like a bad deal. Money’s been thrown at it for years and the news footage is still the same as it was when we were kids watching TV. It’s a real problem for charities focused on the region, because the majority of potential business donors think in this way and would rather keep their money.

“I was delighted to come across AfriKids, whose thinking is so aligned with mine. A small charity that thinks big”Patrick Andrews

Individuals investing to make a collective difference; an innovative approach to aid, The AfriKids Social Investment Club (ASIC) is a syndicate of likeminded individuals who are passionate about supporting AfriKids’ child rights work and making a sustainable difference. The club was formed in 2009 by Patrick Andrews and Dan Salmons. Their initiative to bring individuals together to give as a large scale donor funding tangible projects and social enterprise has raised £47,000 over three years. ASIC investment has funded a new inpatient ward for women, the refurbishment of the surgical theatre and the next project is to establish an Emergency Room.

AfriKids Social Investment Club (ASIC) By Ama Atteen, Fundraising Coordinator, AfriKids UK

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“I was delighted to come across AfriKids, whose thinking is so aligned with mine. A small charity that thinks big”Patrick Andrews

ASIC gave me exactly what I wanted. The programme has a tangible goal, delivers real benefits and shows a bottom line profit that justifies further investment. On that basis I can continue to invest, just like I would in any corporate venture that showed the same promise. I believe in the ASIC as a strong business that shows solid returns. That’s about the highest praise you can give where I come from.

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78%OF PEOPLE OVER

15 ARE ILLITERATE

34%OF CHILDREN OVER

SEVEN WORK IN CHILD LABOUR

FULL TIME

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Women supported through the outreach element of the project greet us and openly tell their stories. Teenage mothers, orphaned babies, toddlers and carers file into the room.

Sister Jane Naaglosegme is an amazing woman with the tenacity and passion to drive any project and idea forward. In 2005 she moved to Nakuaabi where she started Operation Smiles; a capacity building programme designed to offer direct childcare, healthcare and education for vulnerable young mothers and carers.When I began working with AfriKids in 2010 it was one of the first projects I learnt about, so I was very excited when I found out I would be visiting the project in October 2011. Unlike our other projects located in the Upper East Region, Operation Smiles is in the Northern Region, eight hours away from AfriKids Ghana’s head office in Bolgatanga.

The big day came, accompanied by Charlie and Carly, colleagues from the UK and Dorcas from the Livelihoods Team, AfriKids Ghana, we set off at 5am with Dramani AfriKids Ghana’s driver to start our journey. The drive began down smooth tarmacked roads, beautiful scenery, and past the Black Volta River. At around 8.30am we stopped in the bustling town of Kintampo for breakfast (which in fact turned out to be fufu made from pounded yams, served with soup, a traditional Ghanaian dish). Then the real journey began down a dusty mud track which would take us to Nakuaabi, a reminder of the challenges of travelling in rural Ghana.

Finally at 1pm I spotted a building and knew we’d arrived at Operation Smiles, I could see the new yellow building funded by Ghana International Bank in 2010.

As I imagined Sister Jane was running around after the children and she’d even had time to make a groundnut soup feast for us. Introductions made, stomach full, it was time for us to meet the kids and women and see the centre.

The Nakuaabi Young Mothers Centre sits on a large plot with acres of land. Sister Jane’s modesty is incredible; she takes it all in her stride as she gives us a tour of the buildings and farm. She has seven acres of land with corn, cashews, millet, cassava, mangos, okra, a pig farm and beehives from which she produces honey to be sold at the local market as one of her sustainability businesses. Women supported through the outreach element of the project greet us and openly tell their stories. Teenage mothers, orphaned babies, toddlers and carers file into the room. But one little boy stood out, Felix a new born baby, then about four days old, his mother died delivering him. With nobody to nurse and breast feed him, Felix’s family felt unable to care for him, going to the shops to buy baby formula with their financial circumstances wasn’t an option. Many of the stories I heard that day were very similar. Thankfully they have Sister Jane, with her skills as a trained nurse and experience caring for children. She’ll work with Felix’s family so they can eventually take over his care.

The following day we set off back to Bolgatanga with Sister Jane. It was raining so the mud track we’d driven down to get to Nakuaabi now resembled a mud slide with a massive truck stuck in the middle of the road. Thanks to Dramani we managed to escape a few tricky situations. Once again we stopped in Kintampo for food. Whilst sitting in the car we started talking to some kids, they weren’t at school because the rains had made the roads impassable, another reminder of the realities of rural Ghana. As I sat talking to these kids something Sister Jane said resonated in my mind.

My visit to Operation Smiles By Ama Atteen, Fundraising Coordinator, AfriKids UK

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This isn’t a complex development idea but it reminded me that AfriKids isn’t about complex theory, it’s about putting the power in the hands of people

This isn’t a complex development idea but it reminded me that AfriKids isn’t about complex theory, it’s about putting the power in the hands of people, like Sister Jane, who are able to see what their community needs so clearly and strive with all their might to achieve it.

“ Education is the key to our woes; if you know and understand your rights no one can stop you”.

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Our scrutinising donors recognise this for themselves, and their support is reflected in their generosity of spirit, enthusiasm and funding.

Our day started at 9am finding helmets so we could set off on the motorbike. We started as a team of four – Silas, Bea, Lissa and me. We set off straight for the Talensi Nabdam office which they wanted to show us. It had been repainted with the new AfriKids branding which was great to see. Silas and I then set off separately to visit beneficiaries of Operation Sunlight, a project that takes children out of mines and makes sure they get an education. This was my first time seeing Operation Sunlight and I was particularly looking forward to seeing such a poignant project.

As we got closer to our destination the bike chain came off, which did not faze Silas at all. We hopped off and Silas quickly got the chain on, ready to set off again. Or so we thought - it turned out not to be that easy that day. With several more quick fixes, we came to a school where Silas knew several of the teachers and pupils (AfriKids beneficiaries). We called for a mechanic and waited at the school. A game of hangman entertained the children on their morning break along with a photo shoot! The mechanic finally arrived and had to take the bike away which meant we would walk to the mines. We were lucky that we were already close to the mining site when this happened; Silas, like all AfriKids fieldworkers, can cover huge distances each day in visiting beneficiaries across rugged terrain. Again, Silas took it all in his stride with no hint of frustration – a far cry from the pointless irritations of daily life in London!

On the way to the mines we passed through a school with several children that used to work in mines. We had a quick catch up with the extremely polite children then had to leave them to get back to class. It was rewarding and encouraging to hear from their teachers that they were performing well and to see first-hand the success of one of our projects.

When we finally arrived at the mines I was completely taken aback at how deep and terrifying they were. I had seen photos, videos and even heard descriptions but none of this prepared me for it. The thought of having to go down there aged 28 was totally overwhelming, so I can’t even imagine it aged 10. The only children we came across were two boys in their teens working with the machinery that separates the gold from the rocks. Silas spoke to them for a long time about which school they go to and asked them why they were not there. The story went that they just needed some extra cash for text books so had come for a couple of days to work. A humbling thought.

Before going back to check on the progress of the bike, I noticed groups of women walking back and forth with rocks in bowls on their heads. Silas told me that they are paid for every 20 loads of rock they carry.

The mechanic was ‘nearly finished’ when we got to him so we sat in the shade, chatted and ate the oatcakes I had brought in my bag. After two hours the bike had had its patch up and it was in good enough condition to get home. We luckily got home without any disasters and I walked home for my dinner, utterly exhausted and ready to sleep while Silas set off to another mechanic, with a smile on his face. That day was a true eye opener and I am full of admiration for the AfriKids Ghana field workers for the work they do and the spirit they maintain whilst doing it.

A day in the life of a Talensi Nabdam fieldworker By Joanna Stewart, Events and Communications Coordinator, AfriKids UK

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AfriKids’ very own fundraising and awareness raising programme, the ‘Experience’ Challenge is a once in a lifetime opportunity to become truly immersed in life in the Upper East Region of Ghana and witness AfriKids Ghana’s child rights work first-hand. Over the course of a week participants live in a compound home with a local family, working their trade, helping around the home and becoming part of their community; very quickly realising that where there is strength of mind, hope and appropriate support, people have the power to turn their own lives around. AfriKids’ External Affairs Manager, Katie Arnold, took part herself in October; below is her personal account of the Challenge.In October I took part in AfriKids’ pioneering Experience Challenge; for two days and nights I lived and worked alongside a truly inspirational family in Manyoro, a rural village in the Kassena Nankana District of Ghana’s Upper East Region (UER). One of the poorest parts of the world, 70% of the UER’s population live below the poverty line and for thousands of families, like the one I stayed with, every single meal on the table is a blessing.

For the last day and night of the challenge I was lucky enough to move in with one of AfriKids Ghana’s Fieldworkers, Elijah, who lives in Sirigu. I absolutely loved spending time with Elijah and as a member of AfriKids (UK) staff, I found my time with him invaluable and enlightening.

Having managed the ‘Experience’ pilot in 2010 and witnessing the emotion and sense of achievement felt by everyone at the end of the trip, I knew the challenge would be a truly unique adventure, and it really was. In such a short space of time I was able to see and do so much; I worked in the field belonging to my host family, harvesting ground nuts and millet, where I learned the true meaning of a hard day’s work; I helped to cook six different local meals, one of which involved running around the compound in an attempt to catch a chicken; I attended a Catholic service along with 300 locals and witnessed a strength of faith I’d never seen before; I collected water from the local bore hole and tried to carry a measly half a gallon on my head back to the compound, compared to the six gallons the local women are able to carry; I worked in a ‘chemical shop’, a small pharmacy serving thousands of people, and so much more. The experience tested my endurance in numerous ways, but the family embraced my being there and devoted their time to showing me how they live.

On the whole, and perhaps most surprisingly, I found my time with the families genuinely uplifting; whilst it was abundantly clear that they, like so many others, are living with the consequences of poverty every day of their lives, I could not help but thrive off of their determination, enthusiasm and hope for the future. Their resourcefulness and the ways in which they confront the everyday challenges they face, as individuals, as families and as communities, was extremely inspiring.

AfriKids UK staff member experiences the real Africa By Katie Arnold, External Affairs Manager, AfriKids UK

I could not help but thrive off of their determination, enthusiasm and hope for the future. generosity of spirit, enthusiasm and funding.

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I am so grateful to Alfred, Elijah and their wonderful families for being so welcoming, kind and patient, and so willing to teach me about their way of life. I remember one of the main concerns for another participant was that she didn’t want to let her host family down in any way, and this is something I became more and more aware of as my stay went on. I wanted to embrace every opportunity and learn as much as possible about their lives. As their guest, I felt I owed this much to them and I very quickly realised that there was actually very little more, if anything, I could offer or do to help.

I got back to the UK six weeks ago and the memories I have are still incredibly fresh in my mind. The smaller gestures had the largest impact on me and many of the biggest challenges were also the biggest highlights, as it was at these points I realised everything I was seeing was genuine; there was no sugar coating things for my benefit.

The Experience Challenge gave me an invaluable glimpse into what life is really like for a family living in poverty; it challenged my assumption that poverty looks the same the world over, and heightened my appreciation for the incredibly holistic, bottom-up child rights work AfriKids Ghana undertake, how it is intrinsically linked to the people on the ground, and why therefore it is so effective. I can honestly say that whilst only a glimpse, it was the most humbling and eye-opening experience of my life so far.

You can read Katie’s diary from the Experience Challenge here.

To find out more about the Experience Challenge or to sign up for 2012 or 2013, please get in touch

population live below the poverty line and for thousands of families, like the one I stayed with, every single meal on the table is a blessing.

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According to online and dictionary definitions, a fundraiser is an individual whose primary job is to raise money for a specific charity or non-profit organization. Wherever you look, fundraising is always defined as bringing in the cash that an organisation needs. In all of my searching, nowhere have I seen a definition of fundraising that I recognise as similar to that done by AfriKids. I’ve been with AfriKids for just under four years as a fundraiser. Before that, I spent over two years working for other charitable organisations in the same role. It is fair to say that I have never come across an organisation that views fundraising in the same way as AfriKids. What makes AfriKids so different? Feedback.

While much of my time is spent writing proposals, an equal amount of time, if not more, is spent writing back to donors with reports on how their funds have made a difference. From my first day with AfriKids it’s been instilled into me that fundraising is not about a one way relationship, nor is it simply taking and receiving. I was told, and firmly believe, that the primary role of AfriKids’ fundraising department should be to feedback to donors both to provide complete accountability for the funds received and create a sense of partnership and shared enterprise.

The Winton Charitable Foundation

The Winton Charitable Foundation is a great example of AfriKids fundraising in practice; forming a clear relationship between donor and project. AfriKids applied to the Winton Charitable Foundation back in 2009 for Operation Zuarungu. Since then, we’ve been lucky enough to receive three rounds of funding. In this time, for every page of funding application the Foundation has received, they have received two of feedback. Photographs, case studies, impact figures and narrative; it is so important for AfriKids that donors feel their funds are being used wisely.

Emma Watkins, the Foundation’s grant coordinator, says; “Working with AfriKids has been an absolute delight from start to finish. As a charity coordinator I correspond with many charities on a daily basis and it is not often that one is lucky enough to interact with one like this. AfriKids’ professionalism is astounding and reporting without fault. The ability to promote a charity to a potential funder, with belief and knowledge, rather than brash force is an art form and one for which I have huge respect. AfriKids certainly achieves this with aplomb. ”

AfriKids Fundraising: What makes us unique? By Liam Nolan, UK Operations Manager, AfriKids UK

I could not help but thrive off of their determination, enthusiasm and hope for the future. generosity of spirit, enthusiasm and funding.

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2011 was a busy year with donors across the country digging out their running gear and bikes to take part in AfriKids organised events or by coming up with great ways to raise money and organising challenges. Last year our donors participated in Brighton Marathon, London Marathon, The eXtreme 5 Challenge, the British 10k and Run to the Beat half marathon powered by Nike+. It was a fantastic year and our supporters raised over £22,000 through sponsored events which was amazing.Operation Sunlight, which resettled 155 children who The most special challenge took place at the end of the year when one of AfriKids first ever beneficiaries Paul Apowida set off on a challenge of his own. Now in the British army he made his way back to the UER where he had previously been a labelled a spirit child as a baby. He ran from AfriKids Ghana’s Head Office in Bolgatanga to the Angus Child Rights Centre in Sirigu, kitted out in his army gear. On arrival in Sirigu he spoke at a grand durbar in Sirigu which was attended by hundreds of children and families from surrounding communities to launch the final phase of the abolition of the Spirit Child Phenomenon. Perhaps most significantly all of the chiefs of the area and the concoction men previously guilty of infanticide were all in attendance. Paul is proof the spirit child doesn’t exist.

You can read an article written by the Telegraph on Paul here: (link to website page)

2012 looks set to be even more exciting, we have a variety of events organised. Whether you’re an Olympian or novice cycler there’s something for everyone. To find out more about sponsored events in 2012 go to xxxx

When people weren’t in their trainers, sweating it out for AfriKids, they were dressed up with a glass in their hand, at some of our events. Whether it be a pub quiz or a ball, we love getting together with our supporters to share more AfriKids stories and do some more fundraising in the process.

2011 saw a Burns Night Supper, two pub quizzes, a football tournament, a Summer ball and a drumming night raising a grand total of £****. ‘The Sunshine Ball’ and ‘Drumming in the City’ were new to AfriKids and proved to be a huge success. The Sunshine Ball was the first ball we have organised alone, without a corporate partner. Moving forward, AfriKids will be doing more grand events alone starting with the 10 Year Ball on 20th September 2012 in the Natural History Museum to celebrate our tenth anniversary. Drumming in the City was a partnership event run with Allen and Overy and the feedback was so good that we will no doubt replicate this event so anyone who missed it will get the chance to experience the drumming magic!

With 2012 being our tenth year we will have more events with a whole new level of innovation, so look out for those invitations. Better still, if you would like to get involved or if the organisation you work for might do a partner event, do not hesitate to get in touch: [email protected]

Events and sponsored events in 2011 By Joanna Stewart, Events and Communications Coordinator and Ama Atteen, Fundraising Coordinator, AfriKids UK

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Although my internship officially started and finished in2011, I can’t begin talking about it there. For me, my relationship with AfriKids started a long time ago and will, I hope, continue for a long time. When I decided on writing my university dissertation on sustainability and empowerment projects undertaken by international NGOs, AfriKids was immediately suggested as an ideal case study. In 2010, I volunteered in the London office, helping out with the Fashion Show, which did at times feel a bit too good to be true, particularly when the England Rugby Players entered the catwalk modelling underwear!

I was then able to visit the projects first hand in October 2010. I could fill this entire Annual Report talking about my time in Ghana, but to sum up, it was one week that has had a bigger impact on me than any other. Seeing the effects AfriKids have had on improving lives was enough to make me certain that my career must contribute to these causes.

Upon leaving university, I, like many other students, was not 100% sure what to do with myself. Then I saw an internship advertised at AfriKids, working under Jo and Lissa (Events and Communications Coordinator and Head of Communications respectively), who I had worked with before. I knew I had to go for it. On hearing that I had been selected, my plans to travel went out the window, for the time being at least and I uprooted from my home in the Midlands to move to London that weekend.

I was excited to start the internship, but it exceeded my already high expectations. The tasks I was given were not only incredibly CV enhancing, they also gave me responsibility and taught me more than I could have imagined.

Throughout my internship, I completed a vast array of projects; from videos for use in Ghana, to being responsible for our fundraising Football Tournament, to writing the monthly e-newsletter. The skills I have acquired have endless value to jumpstarting my career in fundraising and the support I have received in continuing that career has been exceptional.

This is the first internship I have undertaken, but I believe that it was unique in the way I was supported through exciting and challenging tasks. An internship with AfriKids has really prepared me for a career in fundraising. I would do it all over again if I could!

My internship with AfriKids UK By Philippa Hatton

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In October I completed my first full year at AfriKids. Before that, I worked in the audit department of a Big Four Accountancy firm. One of thousands of UK employees, spending most of my year at client sites and feeling at times rather uninspired by the meaning behind my work, I was absolutely ecstatic that my job hunt had paid off and that I was soon to work in what I felt to be precisely the opposite environment. I started, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, nervous about my new colleagues liking me and desperate to prove that they had chosen the right person for the job, and I never looked back. I don’t want to come across to be shamelessly plugging AfriKids – let’s face it, like a relationship, jobs have a honeymoon period, and when that ends you start noticing that your job has a few flaws – it sometimes leaves the toilet seat up, finds football just a little bit too fascinating, or for some reason doesn’t think Dirty Dancing is the best movie in the world, but if it’s the right job (like the right partner), the good things still outweigh those minor imperfections.

The things that make me still love my job at AfriKids are (to list but a few): the variety – my job is an exciting blend of social enterprise and UK Finance; the people – there is a sense of fun and family within AfriKids which complements and enhances the incredible pride and passion that staff have for the organisation; the flexibility – the dynamism and small headcount of the charity means that individual staff members can influence organisational strategy; and last but definitely not least – the purpose of all of our work, which is the lasting change that AfriKids bring to the hundreds and thousands of beneficiaries. This purpose is something which is at the centre of every member of staff’s work, and every strategic decision, and is what still makes me excited – and enamoured – by my job.

My first year at AfriKids By Vieve Easton Poole, Head of Business and Finance, AfriKids UK

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Highlights• Case Study: Gordon Brown’s G8 Summit Report

• STARS Foundation judging panel

• Leading an Institute of Fundraising National Convention seminar on trusts and statutory fundraising

• Participating in the Guardian Roundtable debate: aid effectiveness and civil society

• Presenting at the Oxford University Forum for International Development

• On the panel for the Warwick University Emerging Markets Conference

Most of our supporters will be aware of our well-publicised intention to make AfriKids Ghana independent of Western aid by 2018, by removing the need for fundraising in the UK. Whilst we want to terminate our UK fundraising arm, an equally important part of our long-term strategy is to share and spread the experiences, methodologies and practices which are serving us so well. We do this through AfriKids Squared, the consulting arm of AfriKids.You’ll hear much more about AfriKids Squared in the coming years, but 2011 was the year it really took off. We firmly established ourselves as a credible and experienced consultancy with high profile engagements at universities, business schools, industry bodies and seminars; and consultants to fellow development organisations.

The income generated throughout the year was enough to cover the UK’s telephone, internet, email, IT support, postage, stationary and general staff costs for 2011 allowing us to extract maximum value from your donations to Ghana.

AfriKids Squared in 2011 By Georgie Fienberg, International Director

ORGANIZATION’S

We firmly established ourselves as a credible and experienced consultancy with high profile engagements at universities,

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ORGANIZATION’S

COUNTRIES

KEYNOTE SPEECHES & PANEL APPEARANCES

INDUSTRY LEARNING FORUMS

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“We receive a lot of fantastic advice from a broad range of people but none resonates in the same way yours does. Your unique position of having set up from scratch an organisation whose work closely resembles our vision makes your words incredibly meaningful. It is always nice to be

reminded that there’s no magic formula and we left AfriKids’ office feeling very inspired. I think we’ll remember our brief encounter to be one of

the pivotal moments in a decisive phase for Amantani.”

Fred Branson, Trustee & Co-Director, Amantani

“I was initially downcast at the prospect of AfriKids ceasing to exist, before Georgie explained her next move in overseeing the work of AfriKids

Squared to provide advice and frameworks for other charities, which has the potential to bring

about exponential increases in the efficacy of aid work in Africa, and beyond”

Jess Beagley, Oxford Forum for International Development (OxFID), Introduction to Development Conference

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We close 2011 and open the New Year with AfriKids’ biggest media campaign to date; the Telegraph Christmas appeal. For a back catalogue of our coverage and to read about the impact it has visit www.afrikids.org/xxx

2012 will be AfriKids 10 year anniversary of operating as a UK charity! Watch out for our ten year ball in September which we hope will be our biggest event ever.

We’re organising AfriKids Ghana’s first field staff and beneficiary visit to the UK. Since 2006 we’ve hosted the managers of AfriKids Ghana to visit London, receive specialist training in their field and share our ways of working, as the UK team is lucky enough to do during our visits to Ghana. We hope to welcome some of the first staff and beneficiaries of AfriKids to the UK and other representatives of the hard working field teams.

As of 1st January 2012 we’re changing the way we are registered with the Charity Commission. Rather than an unincorporated association AfriKids will be operating as a company limited by guarantee. So please note our new charity number- 1141028 and bank details- xxxxxxxxx.

2012 is set to be a big year for AfriKids Ghana’s education work. We’ll be working with 236 new schools, 75 communities and 285 children as part of the New Beginnings and Education Bridge core projects (to read more about these see pages XXX). To top this off we anticipate the first children we have supported reaching university!

2012 will continue to have a focus on healthcare, with a big evaluation of the GAS (Ghana Health Services, AfriKids and Southampton University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) taking place in March-June.

2012 will be another year of enterprise. Both the Next Generation Home’s ‘Helping Hands’ hospitality business and Mama’s Guest House have ambitious business plans for the next 12 months. We are also keenly anticipating new developments at the AfriKids Medical Centre, the first stage of the AfriKids Blue Sky Lodge and we are exploring the possibilities of scaling up micro-finance work and the distribution of fuel efficient cook stoves to create carbon credits.

What’s coming up in 2012By Sally Eastcott, Director, AfriKids UK

We firmly established ourselves as a credible and experienced consultancy with high profile engagements at universities,

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“ Education is the key to our woes; if you know and understand your rights no one can stop you”.

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FINANCIAL SUMMARYSTATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2010

INCOMING RESOURCES FROM GENERATED FUNDS

Donations and Legacies 1,428,752 655,597 2,084,349 1,183,669

Investment Income – – – 9

TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES 1,428,752 655,597 2,084,349 1,183,678

RESOURCES EXPENDED

Cost of generating funds:

Costs of generating donations & legacies 267,217 – 267,217 142,440

NET INCOMING RESOURCES AVAILABLE 1,161,535 655,597 1,817,132 1,041,238

Charitable activities:

Ghana projects 656,978 530,929 1,187,907 899,962

TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED 929,195 530,929 1,455,124 1,042,402

Net income for the year/ Net movement in funds 504,557 124,668 629,225 141,276

Fund balances at 1 Jan 2010 55,614 184,284 239,898 98,622

FUND BALANCES AT 31 DEC 2010 560,171 308,952 869,123 239,898

UNRESTRICTED RESTRICTED TOTAL 2010 TOTAL 2009 FUNDS £ FUNDS £ £ £

TRUSTEE’S STATEMENTThese summarised accounts are not the statutory accounts, but are a summary of information relating to both the Statement of Financial Activities and the Balance Sheet. The statutory accounts have been audited by an external firm of Chartered Accountants, approved by the Trustees on 4 March 2011 and subsequently submitted to the Charity Commission. This summary may not contain sufficient information to allow a full understanding of the financial affairs of the charity.For further information regarding the full accounts, the auditors’ reports on those accounts and the Trustees’ Annual Report should be consulted. These can be obtained from AfriKids, Haskell House, 152 West End Lane, London, NW6 1SD or downloaded from our website www.afrikids.org. Signed on behalf of the Trustees A Kennedy, Secretary and J Hickman, Chairman.Independent Auditors’ Statement to the members of AfriKids We have examined the summarised financial statements as set out above and confirm that these are consistent with the full annual audited Accounts.

Arram Berlyn Gardener, 30 City Road, London, EC1Y 2AB

FINANCIAL SUMMARYBALANCE SHEET, AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2010

FIXED ASSETS Tangible Assets 11,093 13,728

CURRENT ASSETS

Stock 130 –

Debtors 405,545 71,966

Cash at bank and in hand 522,007 195,159

TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 927,682 267,125

CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR (69,652) (40,955)

Net current assets 858,030 226,170

NET ASSETS 869,123 239,898

INCOME FUNDS

Restricted funds 308,952 184,284

Unrestricted funds 560,171 55,614

NET ASSETS 869,123 239,898

31 DECEMBER 2010 31 DECEMBER 2009 £ £ £

Financial summary Director, AfriKids UKStatement of Financial Activities including income and expenditure account for the year ended 31 December 2010

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INCOMEWHERE OUR INCOME CAME FROM

15% Costs of generating funds

83% Project costs

2% Administration costs

DONATIONS DIRECT TO GHANA

GIFTS IN KIND

EXTERNAL FUNDRAISING

MERCHANDISE

MISCELLANEOUS

GENERAL INDIVIDUALS

REGULAR GIVING

EVENTS

COMMUNITY

SCHOOLS & UNIVERSITY

FOUNDATIONS

£3,000,000

£2,250,000

£1,500,000

£750,000

£0 £375,000 £750,000 £1,125,000

INCOME OVER 9 YEARS

AfriKids aims to secure direct sponsorship and gifts in kind to cover as many costs as possible. We also welcome contributions of skills or resources that allow us not to spend donor funds, but which add value to our work. Examples include office space and flights donated through free air miles. Our income figure does reflect the value of this support but it is not included in this pie chart, which is a fair reflection of how general funds given to AfriKids are spent.

*Income grossed up from an 8 month to a 12 month period

YR 1 YR 2 YR3 YR 4 YR 5* YR 6 YR 7 YR 8 YR 9

AfriKids UK Head Office AfriKids, Ground Floor, 21 Southampton Row, London, WC1B 5HA

Telephone: +44 (0) 207 269 0740 Registered Charity Number. 1093624

AfriKids Ghana Head Office PO Box 166, Bolgatanga, Upper East Region, Ghana

Telephone: +233 3820 23829 Registered Charity Number. DSW/3024

If you would like to donate to AfriKids or simply have a chat about our projects and initiatives please don’t hesitate to contact us at: Email: [email protected] Website: www.afrikids.org

Documents

Annual Report 2011 “AfriKids has given me what will sustain … · · 2017-07-11By Philippa Hatton 30 ... This annual report was designed by Dave Brown from Ape Inc. Ltd at a