eco-friendly, sustainable, hygienicsanitary ufear

Trustees Annual Report to 30 June 2019

Freedom Kit Bags (FKBs) is a registered UK charity (1173656).The Freedom Kit Bag projectbegan in late 2016 and it was quickly obvious it had great potential so the trustees decidedto manage it through a charity, established in June 2017.

The main aim of the charity is to provide eco-friendly, hygienic, reusable sanitary wear to thewomen and girls of Nepal, alongside education so the wider community, including men andboys, understand menstruation, its role in reproduction and how everyone can stay healthy.

Over 80% of the population of Nepal live in the countryside and many are below-subsistencefarmers and are very poor. Disposable sanitary wear is considerably more expensive than inthe UK, besides which there is nowhere to dispose of used pads. Consequently, most womenuse old rags or simply free-flow leading to years of persistent infections, interruptededucation for younger girls, loss of dignity, exclusion and lost opportunities.

Freedom Kit Bags provides a solution.

Trustees and Structure

The current trustees, who served during the year, are:

Dr Rosa M MathesonDr lan MathesonMr Brian Mildenhall

Mrs Anne FisherMrs Hanna-Gael Darney

The governing document is a deed of trust and the charity is unincorporated. None of thetrustees receive a salary or personal benefit from the charity. The trustees meet regularlyand are in constant discussion to raise funds, develop and manage the programme. Three ofthe trustees visit Nepal twice a year (about 10 weeks each person) enabling us a first-handreview and management of the programme. The trustees personally pay around one half ofthe costs of these visits.

The trustees have considered the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit and havetaken this into account when carrying out their work. Likewise risks are identified andmitigated. One of the key risks is to ensure our funds are well spent and fully accounted forand our regular visits to Nepal and working through trusted individuals known to us formany years helps to ensure this.

Freedom Kit Bags, registered charity 117365628, The Willows, Highworth, Wiltshire, SN6 7PG

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We have four Nepalese 'ambassadors' based in Nepal who help in many ways, such as-dissemination of information, profile raising, facilitating payments, distributing the Kit Bags,documenting recipients of the Kit Bags, delivering education and empowerment talks andworkshops, and follow up of recipients to gain feedback.

The trustees have significant experience of supporting work in Nepal. During this time theyhave developed a good network of contacts in the UK and Nepal engaged in health andeducation fields of work.

Review of activities

A Freedom Kit Bag provides everything a woman needs to manage her periods and stayhealthy for up to 30 months (kit bags distributed in 2016 are still in good condition). Thematerials are bought in Nepal and the Kit Bags are made locally in Nepal bringing

employment to those who need it most.

During the period covered by this report we have worked with many women's organisations,health professionals and educationalists in Nepal. We regularly get feedback from womenand girls using the Kit Bag, which has been overwhelmingly positive.

We have received many requests to bring Freedom Kit Bags to numerous villages acrossNepal. We are constrained only by the amount of money we can raise.

As at 30 June 2019 we had distributed 4950 Kit Bags at 72 locations. By the turn of the yearthose figures increased to 6561 and 104 locations. Put another way, that is more than onemillion days of dignity, comfort and health for those women and girls.

During the year we set up four "sewing rooms" in different village locations where we arestarting to train local women to make the Kit Bags. Each sewing room initially trains eightwomen and once a suitable standard is reached we provide a steady supply of material forthem to make Kit Bags for the local community.

For all of the women involved this is giving them new skills as none could sew previously.Training is not quick as they are farmers but their new skills could allow them to make othergarments for their families. As this aspect of our work develops we will teach more womento make their own Kit Bags and look to set up community based savings schemes so they cancontribute to the costs.

The FKB programme has brought the following significant benefits:

HEALTH: Freedom Kit Bags improve women's physical and mental health, their social well

being, their dignity and comfort —immediately; 6561 women and girls have benefitted.

EDUCATION: everyone receiving a Kit Bag also benefits from our education programmeincluding sexual health and personal hygiene. For the first time they can understand why

menstruation occurs, its role in reproduction and how to manage their periods. Men and

boys are included and we are told they have become more supportive as a result.

EMPLOYMENT: the Kit Bags are made in Nepal, mostly by women giving them an income tohelp support their families.

COMMUNITY: improving the health and well being of the woman helps her family. Helpingthe family also helps their community. We have thereby helped many thousands.

Funds

Currently we manufacture and distr'ibute as many Freedom Kit Bags as funds allow. Thebalance shown in the accounts is expected to be spent over the course of the current yearalong with new income arising. The trustees intend to hold a reserve to enable productionand distribution to continue for at least six months in the event of a significant short termdrop in income.

As well as the costs of materials and manufacture, other costs include training andeducation, and follow up. Two of our Nepalese ambassadors are paid a small amount in

keeping with local rates for this work.

Transport is a high cost. Many of the locations take a whole day or more to reach often overrough tracks. Where it is feasible we use local buses but often we must hire a jeep capable ofthese tough journeys.

All our funds are from donations achieved through the efforts of the un-paid trustees andvolunteers. A further two individuals are paid to identify and help contact grant givingfoundations and trusts across the UK.

We have received significant support from Exodus Travels Ltd (UK based) as part of theirResponsible Tourism programme. Since we started more than 80 trusts, foundations andother organisations have donated funds. The trustees are enormously grateful for thissupport.

Signed on behalf of the trustees:

Mr Brian Mildenhall

Freedom Kit Bags, registered charity 117365628, The Willows, iughworth, Wiltshire, SN6 7PG

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Iri'dep'endimt Bt~~RefRirt

I report on the financial statement of Freedom Kit Bags for the year ended 30' June 2019.

Respective responsibilities

- charity is responsible for the preparation of the Rr aricial statements and considers thaw

the audit requirement of section 43 (2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the Act) does not apply. It

is my responsibility to state, on the basis of procedures specified in the General Directions

given by the Charity Commission under section 43 (7 (b) of the Act, whether particularmatters have come to my attention.

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions of the Charity

Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charityand a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includescorrsideratfon oi any unusual items of dtsck&ures m the financial statements, and seekirig

any explanations concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provideall the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an

audit opinion on the view given by the financial statements.

In connection with my examination of the charity funds, nothing came to my attention which

gave me a cause to believe otherwise than that the financial statements accord with theaccounting records of the charity, and that those records satisfied the requirements of theAct I arri not aware cif any matter to which attention should be drawn in order to enableproper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.

/0/~/~independent Examiner

Terry John Williams

36 Bydernill GardensHighworth

Swindon

SN6 7BS

Accounts

For the period 1 July 2018 —30 June 2019

Receipts

UnrestrictedFunds F.

RestrictedFunds 6

Totalf

2017/18F.

Grants and

donations74,163 Nil 74, 163 50,717

Payments

Charitable

activities 34,818 Nil 34,818 31,121

Cost ofFun draising 7,856 Nil 7,856 5,824

Other expenses 2088 Nil 2088 615

Governance 50 Nil 50 50

Total cost 44,812 Nil 44,812 37,610

Surplus/(Deficit)

Cash and bank

at 1July 2018

29,351

13,418

Nil

Nil

29,351

13,418

13,107

311

Total reserves 42,768 Nil 42,768 13,418

Represented by

Cash and bank

at 30 June 201941,567 Nil 41,567 13,418

Debtors 1,201 Nil 1,201 Nil

Total 42,768 Nil 42,768 13,418

Notes to the Accounts:

None of the trustees received a remuneration or personal benefit from the charityThe charity has no UK employees

Freedom Kit Bags, registered charity 117365628, The Willows, Highworth, Wiltshire, SN6 7PG

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www. freedomkitbags. org