ANNUAL REVIEW 2015 WELCOME FROM OUR CHAIRMAN...

Welcome to our 2015 Annual Review. This is the third year I have had the privilege of introducing the Annual Review as Chairman, and once again there has been a lot of activity to report on. Everything that we do is underpinned by our shared vision; a world free of poverty, where people can use their skills and energies to meet their needs and aspirations. Working with our partners in Africa, we have provided vocational training and tools to just over 4,000 people in some of the most disadvantaged areas, enabling them to change their lives, and that of their families and communities too. You can read more about how it has directly impacted individuals through some of the stories in this review.

We would not be able to carry out the work that we do without our dedicated and committed team of over 750 volunteers across the UK. From collecting and refurbishing tools, to holding fundraising events and giving talks, it is no exaggeration at all to say that they make our work possible. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my personal thanks to each and every one. I would also like to thank our many funders, without whom we would not be able to provide tools, or support training programmes.

I very much hope that you will enjoy reading this review and learning more about the work that we do. We know first-hand from our visits to Africa the difference our projects make in changing people’s lives. I am proud to share this with you.

Michael Bell, Chairman ANNUAL REVIEW 2015 ...AND FROM OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE

During my time with Tools for Self Reliance – 15 years and counting – I have seen the way in which we work evolve, and the impact our support has on people’s lives grow. Our holistic training model provides not only practical skills, but also business and financial management, literacy and numeracy, life skills and health awareness. Running alongside this the provision of quality tools ensures that practical training can be delivered effectively, that small businesses can use their news skills to boost production and that trainee graduates can walk away from their training equipped to work.

From visiting many of our projects in the six countries we work in, I have seen first hand that the support we offer provides people with a real opportunity to secure a sustainable income long term, and to empower them to be financially independent.

As we approach the last year of our current organisational plan, we are planning for a future that will have to take environmental, social, and financial factors into account. Our challenge is to manage these factors and continue to meet the needs of people in Africa in a meaningful and effective way.

I am proud to lead such an enthusiastic and dedicated team of staff and volunteers, who embrace these challenges and are passionate about ensuring we can continue our work in Africa. Having built up a wealth of experience and knowledge of livelihood development over the 35 years since Tools for Self Reliance started, in the future we are keen to share our knowledge and to work in partnership with a wider range of organisations, disseminating the knowledge we have built up over the years.

I look forward to the future, and in the meantime I hope this review of the very recent past gives a real sense of the importance of our work. As part of our organisation strategy AFRICA we have set ourselves the target of reaching 3,000 – 6,000 people per year through our work in Africa. In the main our projects are implemented over 12 months, which means that some projects may start in one year and end in another. Between 2014 and 2015 we ran 31 projects in , , , Uganda and . These projects provided 4,053 people with the opportunity to take part in training to develop or improve practical skills alongside business and life skills. ANNUAL REVIEW 2015

“I don’t need to ask my husband for money anymore. Now people here admire me.” Susan, Malawi

Susan Langa and Eliza Kambavi took part in a tailoring training programme run in partnership with local Malawi organisation YOHAD. Neither were working before starting the training, but saw posters advertising the project locally, and thought it sounded like an opportunity to learn skills and earn money.

They learned how to cut and sew material, how to make different garments, including dresses, skirts, and blouses, and how to knit. Alongside these practical skills, they took part in training on health awareness, financial management, and business skills, such as how to advertise, and keep customer records.

After the training ended, Susan and Eliza formed a business with three other women, and were immediately busy taking orders. They now plan to purchase another machine to expand their business, and invest in more materials. Their income is higher, and Susan has been able to pay her children’s school fees – investing in their future. Both women feel more independent, and are looking forward to the future.

I have learned to depend on myself. Now I know how to fund money for my own means. Eliza, Malawi. THERE HAVE BEEN REAL CHANGES.“ THEY ARE NOW KEEPING RECORDS, HAVE IMPROVED THEIR WAYS OF OPERATING, HAVE REGISTERED THEIR BUSINESSES, AND HOPE TO GET GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS IN THE FUTURE. ” ANNUAL REVIEW 2015

In 2015, staff from Tools for Self Reliance visited Tanzania to evaluate a project we carried out with local organisation SIDO. The aim of the programme was to train business, and hope to get government existing tradespeople, who had never contracts in the future. They are making received any formal training, in improving new products, such as gates and table their trade, and business management saws (adapted from existing designs to skills, and to provide them with quality, fit be operated by rotovator type machines for purpose tools. We met with Michael in the villages); their production is up, as Mkanula, a founder of a small metalwork is the number of trainees they have, and enterprise called Makong’oto Workshop, their income has also increased, enabling named after his grandfather. As a result Michael to send his children to school – of the training, Michael reports that there he was unable to afford the fees before, have been real changes. They are now but thanks to this project, they have the keeping records, have improved their chance of a better future. ways of operating, have registered their UK PROGRAMME

Tools for Self Reliance Volunteers and Groups. We have focused on developing a more professional relationship with our volunteer We have a total of support groups across the UK and have continued to diversify the roles that volunteers 772 VOLUNTEERS can perform across the whole organisation. across the UK, 114 of these We continue to have 43 active groups are based in our Netley meeting on a regular basis and during 2015 Marsh headquarters and 658 34 of these groups were visited to offer are working independently advice and support as well as feedback on or in groups across the UK projects in Africa. Strong networks between from Jersey in the South to groups continue to develop in some regions. Aberdeen in the North. ANNUAL REVIEW 2015 UK PROGRAMME

A particular highlight in 2015 was an increase in group fundraising that saw our groups raise £25,000 to fund three projects with our partner organisation SIDO in Northern Tanzania. In addition the same groups produced 75% of all the tool kits for these three projects. We continue to source through donations, the good quality tools and equipment which remain the key to success of the projects we support. These tools and machines are sorted, refurbished and packed by our UK volunteers at our headquarters and in a network of 43 workshops around the country. In addition to the kits provided for projects directly supported by Tools for Self Reliance, we have again supplied tools and equipment to other organisations which are running vocational training programmes. In total 25,445 tools with an estimated value of £173,819 were sent to projects in Africa in 2015

ANNUAL REVIEW 2015 UK PROGRAMME / LTV

Volunteer numbers include our young Long Term Volunteers who come from Europe to spend 12 months with us funded by the European Union programme for education, training, youth and sport Erasmus +. During 2015 we had six volunteers from Denmark, Germany, Sweden and Austria. We continued to offer work experience and extended work placements for pupils from local schools at our workshop at Netley Marsh, providing them with experience of a work environment and enabling them to learn new skills. We also offered placements for young people on the Job Centre plus scheme. THE FUTURE We have now completed the fourth year of our Organisation Strategy 1 - Building Better Futures, which set out the activities and objectives for our work in Africa and the UK. The main thrust of the strategy is the ongoing development of our work in Africa, whilst continuing to grow our programme and supporter base in the UK. As we start the fifth and final year of delivering these plans, we are looking into the long term future, and thinking about 2017 and beyond – what challenges we will face, and how can we develop to best meet the needs of the people in Africa with whom we work. ANNUAL REVIEW 2015

IN THE NEXT YEAR, WE WILL BE WORKING ON THAT LONGER TERM VISION – THINKING ABOUT CHANGES SUCH AS DEMANDS FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF TOOLS, INCREASED ELECTRIFICATION IN AFRICA, AND THE NEED FOR TRAINING IN NEW AND ADDITIONAL TRADES, SUCH AS ELECTRONICS AND MOBILE PHONE REPAIR. WE WILL WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS IN ORDER TO FIND THE BEST WAYS OF ADAPTING TO THESE CHANGING NEEDS. RESOURCING OUR PROGRAMMES – FUNDING

Once again, we are grateful for the support of Individuals, companies and community groups the many charitable trusts and foundations who have also provided generous support, giving both have invested in our work this year. Their support their time and money – donations, sponsorship, not only enabled the delivery of our projects and fundraising events have all helped us to raise in Africa, it also impacted on our UK activities the money we needed to meet the costs of our – volunteering, tool refurbishment, and raising work this year. awareness of our work. In 2016, we plan to grow our income, enabling us Several of these funders have been supporting our to do more, and to plan for the future as we meet work for many years, and have made a significant the evolving challenges of working towards our contribution to the lives of hundreds of people in mission of reducing poverty in Africa. the countries we work in. We have also secured the support of some new funders, and some multi-year funding, giving us the security to plan projects into 2016 and beyond. ANNUAL REVIEW 2015 FINANCES

At the end of the financial Income for the year from year the audited accounts donations and grants was show that we had net current assets of £199,713 (2014 - £202,061) including £610,813, £88,960 (2014 - £99,425) reflecting a decrease of of restricted funding. £97,911 from the 2014 income of £708,724. Funds from rents, investments, sales and events were higher than in Expenditure was £730,541, the previous year.  which is £63,189 less than the 2014 spending of £793,730. 

The 2014 Included in the above figures include figures are the value both income of tools shipped and expenses (donations in kind) of of the site refurbishment, £173,819 which inflated   figures for (2014 - £155,097). that year.

Total reserves amount to £643,175, including fixed assets of £462,962. The fixed assets of Tools for Self Reliance are the Netley Marsh workshop site, including that used as investment property (craft shop rentals) and the value of workshop, warehouse and office equipment.

TOTAL INCOME FOR TOTAL EXPENDITURE 2015 WAS £728,934 FOR 2015 WAS £730,541

Grants from Governance 2% trusts 24% Africa Other donations Programme 41% and grants 36% Donations in Gifts in kind 24% kind 24%

Income from UK rent, sales, and Programme 22% investments 16% Fundraising and publicity 11%

Our Annual Report and Accounts 2015 are filed with the Register of Companies and the Charity Commission. You can request a copy by calling 023 80869697 or emailing [email protected] PATRONS: STAFF Archbishop Desmond Tutu Sarah Ingleby...... Chief Executive Officer

Archbishop of York, John Sentamu Ian Limbrick...... Group Support and Deputy CEO

Clare Nolan...... Head of Africa Programme DIRECTORS / TRUSTEES: Jemma Chambers..... Head of Fundraising Mr M J de H Bell...... Chair Jon Dunkley...... Operations Manager Mr I Care Jo Shannon...... Programmes Facilitator Ms A Fender-Brown Alan Large...... Partnership Development Officer Mr S Hitchmough Nuisha Russo...... Trust and Community Fundraiser Mr B A Miller Sam Northcott...... Administrator Mr I D New Lydia Stallard...... Finance Mr J P N Payne

Mr K B Powers

Ms K Mallik...... (co-opted)

Dr E Grimble...... Secretary

Ringwood Road, Netley Marsh, Hampshire, SO40 7GY

 023 80869697  /toolsforselfreliance This Annual Review has kindly  [email protected]  @tfsr been printed by Draper Tools, who are proud to support  www.tfsr.org  /toolsforselfreliance Tools for Self Reliance