Latin American Foundation for the Future (LAFF) is a UK-registered NGO operating in Peru, working with vulnerable children and the organisations that support them. We work closely with partner organisations in Cusco and Lima, supporting young people whose lives have been directly and profoundly affected by a wide range of social issues.
Amongst other factors, the problems of poverty, high unemployment, family violence, alcoholism, sexual and physical abuse, lack of education, homelessness and teenage pregnancy, leave too many children in Peru vulnerable, socially excluded, and lacking opportunities. Working with and through our partners, LAFF reaches out to these children and young people, helping them to build a better future for themselves.
LAFF is registered as a Charitable Trust. Our Trust Deed defines the charity’s Objects as being: “i. To relieve the suffering and distress of people in Latin America who have been afflicted by violence or abuse. ii. The preservation and protection of good health among Latin American children. iii. The advancement of education, the promotion of good health, the relief of poverty among women and children in Latin America, in particular by supporting and assisting the charitable work of children's welfare homes and women's refuges. iv. The relief of financial hardship, either generally or individually, of people living in Latin America by making grants of money for providing or paying for items, services or facilities." Trustee Obligations The Trustees have complied with their duty in section 4 of The Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to our public benefit guidance when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant. Charity Trustees have given consideration to the major risks to which the charity is exposed and satisfied themselves that systems or procedures are established in order to manage those risks. The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ Report that follows. Signed on behalf of the charity’s Trustees.
Sarah Oakes Chair
Trustee
30th Jan 2017
30th Jan 2017
We envision a world where all young people have access to education and better life opportunities.
To empower vulnerable young people in Latin America and the organisations that work with them to build a better future for themselves
Quality over quantity To take a focused approach, working closely with a limited number of partners and beneficiaries Sustainability and independence To work towards the long-term financial sustainability and independence of our beneficiaries, our partners and our organisation Participation and partnership To build long-term relationships with our partners and beneficiaries, based on mutual trust and respect, and encourage their participation in our programmes To do more with less To pursue ever greater efficiency, on a non-profit basis Commitment and passion To be personally engaged, committed and passionate about our work and impact.
LAFF is made up of a volunteer trustee board, a paid Programme Manager and a large team of skilled volunteers working in Peru and remotely to provide training and assistance to LAFF and our partner organisations. Access to this broad skill set increases our ability to provide needs-specific support in a variety of areas for our partner organisations.
As a Charitable Trust, we are governed by a board of trustees. New trustees are appointed by the existing board. Our trustee board consists of skilled professionals in development, marketing and accounting: Sarah Oakes (Chair), Jenna Lloyd (Communications and Marketing), Maria Paula Jaramillo (Programmes) and Peter Howson (People). Newly elected to our board in October 2016 were Sarah Warry (Fundraising), Matt Kinsella (Performance, Strategy and Governance), and Rui Lopes (Finance and Treasurer).
LAFF works with partner organisations to improve the prospects of disadvantaged young people who have been victims of abuse, neglect or discrimination.
We help young people thrive, supporting them into adulthood with a good education, life skills and the confidence to pursue the future they envision for themselves. We do this through supporting them to access education, professional training, personal development and career guidance opportunities.
We aim to increase the sustainability and capacity of our partner organisations to help them be effective and successful longterm.
We build long-term relationships based on mutual trust and respect. Our partners are like-minded, independent organisations with an exceptional first-hand understanding of the problems that young people face in Cusco and Peru. Their experience working directly with beneficiaries and a strong commitment to their cause enables them to be a positive force within the community. Despite these strengths, our partners face inevitable obstacles which LAFF helps them overcome to become even stronger, more effective assets to their beneficiaries and local communities. We select our partners carefully, working closely with them to provide assistance and financial support towards their own organisational development and sustainability. In addition, we work directly with their beneficiaries, offering complementary programmes to directly enhance their education and personal development. This strategy ensures that our work is firmly rooted in local expertise and shaped by local needs and priorities, delivering maximum value to the young people. We have been working with our current partners for many years now. Here’s a little about them‌. Azul Wasi provides a home for twenty four boys, primarily victims of abandonment, neglect or abuse. Providing education and a place to live and eat in a caring environment, Azul Wasi is LAFF’s oldest partner.
Ruwasunchis works to foster community development within the shanty community of Manchay, on the outskirts of Lima. They aim to create welcoming spaces that support learning and development opportunities for young people from vulnerable communities.
Casa Mantay provides a caring home, education and employment opportunities to young mothers from the Cusco area and their children, many of whom have been abused or rejected by their families and have nowhere else to go. Their mission is to help adolescent mothers seize the opportunity to take charge of their lives and enjoy motherhood in a secure environment where they find the material and emotional help they need to live a life of dignity.
The Sacred Valley Project is a non-profit organisation based in the towns of Ollantaytambo and Calca, Peru, dedicated to improving access to education for young women from lowincome families in remote, mountain communities of the Sacred Valley. Their mission is to provide safe and nurturing accommodation, educational resources and nutritious meals for these young women so that they may continue their secondary education and become knowledgeable and empowered adults.
Mosqoy is a non-profit organisation aiming to promote educational and cultural rights for Andean communities in Peru. They run a programme that aims to revitalize the textile industry, using profits from fairly-traded, hand-woven textiles to support local community development projects, as well as running a youth programme and supporting responsible tourism.
2015-2016 was an exciting and positive year for LAFF. After a year full of successes and a great deal of progress. We have much to celebrate! Our growing family of dedicated volunteers and supporters has contributed immensely in Cusco and across the globe. It's because of this ongoing effort that we've seen remarkable achievements amongst our young people. A great example is Carmen, who against all the odds, is now the proud owner of her own restaurant at the tender age of 23. Dante, with the support and commitment of LAFF, is now following his dream and studying Physics at university. You can read more about these unstoppable young people right here in this report. Who better to talk about the impact of LAFF’s work than our partners and young people? We take their words to tell this year’s stories. We're incredibly proud of them, and we hope their achievements inspire you to keep up your support which enables LAFF to help these young men and women thrive. I'd like to extend a huge thanks to all our donors and volunteers who are making this possible, from all of us at LAFF.
Sarah Oakes Chair and Founding Trustee
• 78 disadvantaged young people in school • 3 after school tutors • 40 workshops for 75 young people • 3 new high school graduates • 2 university entrance exams taken • 3 scholarships to study English • 1 career fair - 19 professionals - 33 teenagers • 7 career guidance sessions • 10 disadvantaged youth + 1 career summer programme = 10 internships • 3 computers, 4 laptops, 1 internet connection • 1 cultural exchange for 2 partner organisations • 1 new bakery social enterprise • 1 shop refurbishment • 3 solar showers • 1 guinea pig farm • 29 volunteers around the globe giving 5,408 hours - time worth £91,812!
In 2016 LAFF continued to pay the educational costs for our beneficiaries, as well as paying for supplementary tutoring and providing additional resources like laptops and internet to help the young people we support reach their potential. LAFF enabled 78 at risk children and young people to access education by covering the costs of school registration fees, schoolbooks and materials, uniforms, sports kits, and for 14 girls from Sacred Valley Project (SVP) their transport expenses to attend school. With the young girls at SVP coming from low income isolated rural communities where the standards of public schools are very low, LAFF provided two after school tutors to support the girls year round. This enabled them to cope with academic demands of secondary education, which was reflected in all girls successfully passing the academic year. LAFF also paid for a full time tutor to support the boys at Azul Wasi to help them cope better with the academic demands.
Three young people from across our partner projects successfully graduated from secondary education with good grades and one as top of their class. Two of them were supported by LAFF in their preparation to take their university entry exams, with one wanting to become a civil engineer and the other a zoology technician. LAFF scholarships enabled three young people to complete English courses at a Cusco language school, increasing their future job prospects. Five children of the adolescent mothers at Casa Mantay had the opportunity to attend a local after-school club due to the support of LAFF. This allowed their mothers to be financially independent by being able to work full time. The additional academic support also ensured that their children passed the academic year. In order to keep up with the increased use of technology in education, LAFF provided partner projects with three computers and four laptops. LAFF also covered the internet costs of both SVP dormitories. “The fact that LAFF’s supporters pay for the girls to receive an education helps us loads; it gives them a future.” Carmen, Director of Casa Mantay
After a childhood blighted by neglect and insecurity, Dante arrived at Azul Wasi and found a home he never had. Now 19, Dante has beaten the odds and is studying Physics at University! Through the generosity of LAFF’s donors The Old Sihillians, Dante’s education has been paid for, including extra support for his university entrance exams and admission costs. Dante is a role model; a role model for the other boys at Azul Wasi, a role model for how LAFF’s supporters can help disadvantaged young people to a brighter future, a role model for everything LAFF and our partner organisations are trying to achieve. Dante is a young man with a bright future ahead of him who has defied the odds.
“The most important thing for me is to be someone in life, so that I can get ahead and out of poverty.” Dante
“Here at Azul Wasi we are brothers – a family. We eat from the same plate and support each other no matter what. We have an unbreakable bond.” Ricki, 13, Azul Wasi
“My biggest achievement this year was my studies. I improved little by little so I can achieve even more in the future.” Maria Elva, 11, Sacred Valley Project
“The things I like best about Casa Mantay are doing the LAFF workshops and being together with my friends.” Beneficiary, Casa Mantay
We know the girls like the workshops because they wake up motivated and ask, ‘is LAFF coming today?’ Carmen, Director of Casa Mantay
In cooperation with locally recruited volunteers, last year LAFF ran 40 workshops at our partner organisations for the young people we support, helping build their self-esteem, confidence, communication skills, team work, critical thinking and reading and writing skills. We also paid for vocational training such as culinary courses and CV workshops to help our beneficiaries start their career. This year LAFF developed a comprehensive Youth Participation Strategy to increase engagement, information retention and effectiveness of workshops carried out at partner projects. This also included the creation of a new cycle based workshop programme. Through this strategy, 40 engaging workshops were carried out reaching 75 beneficiaries. These workshops focused on developing both soft and academic skills, such as; self esteem, effective communication, managing stress, reading comprehension, financial management, sexual health and conflict resolution. LAFF also facilitated a workshop on labour rights for the young adolescent mothers at Casa Mantay who were entering employment. Deysi, an adolescent mother from Casa Mantay, successfully completed her technical training course in Gastronomy that was funded by LAFF. She now has the qualification and experience required to find stable, full time employment.
LAFF provides individual career guidance, career fairs and CV workshops to the young people we support, helping them access opportunities in the local labour market. This intensive support helps them overcome barriers like discrimination or a lack of connections that their wealthier peers use to gain employment. In 2015-16, LAFF undertook a thorough labour market analysis in order to identify market needs and the best career areas for our beneficiaries. Following this, LAFF hosted a career fair which benefited 33 disadvantaged young people aged sixteen and above. The fair gathered nineteen professionals, representing the key professional areas identified in the labour market research as well as career options preferred by the young people. This included professionals in Tourism, Education, Accountancy, Graphic Design, Gastronomy, Engineering, Nursing and Hotel Administration. LAFF's Career Day 2016 served as an excellent starting point for our beneficiaries to learn about the local workforce and gain practical knowledge about gaining employment and the process of entering university.
Over the past year LAFF has implemented many initiatives to help our partners become more sustainable and independent in the future. LAFF installed three solar showers at each of our Cusco-based partner projects, with the aim of reducing the projects’ electricity bills, reducing their operational costs and making the projects more sustainable. LAFF also supported Azul Wasi with establishment of a guinea pig farm, bringing in specialized support to help provide food and hygiene recommendations to the project as well as arranged for two local volunteers to visit the site regularly and offer skilled support. "Thanks! Now we are going to have more showers while saving money for our school uniforms and protecting the environment!" Sacred Valley Project
Using the expertise of our professional volunteers, we have provided expert advice to our partners’ social enterprises, including support with marketing, business administration and accounting. At Casa Mantay, LAFF refurbished the on-site shop, so leather products made by the young mothers can be displayed to increase sales. LAFF also carried out market research on leather goods preference and created a marketing plan for online sales. LAFF facilitated the design of infographics that explained the process of creating good quality leather products and trained the store sales representatives with key phrases in English. All of this increased sales. Together with Casa Mantay, LAFF aided the development of their second social enterprise, Arte Floral, by supporting them to create a business and marketing plan and secured funding for a trainer to get the business up and running.
“We are very grateful for the support that LAFF provides us, especially for our sales and publicity. We hope it lasts a long time as it has been very important for us‘’ Jose, Director at Taller Mantay
LAFF secured funding to cover start up costs like machinery and ovens for the Sacred Valley Project’s new social enterprise, a bakery. Volunteers then supported with the development of a business plan and financial model. LAFF also undertook a demand evaluation, identifying the types of bread that are most in demand locally. LAFF identified an ideal location for the bakery, just a few metres from the popular market and recruited for a full time volunteer to manage the social enterprise.
“Thanks to LAFF’s volunteers we are opening a social business that in the future will provide resources to cover part of the educational expenses of girls and sustain the dormitories they live in.” Gabriela, Sacred Valley Project Director
“LAFF's wide-ranging expertise has been instrumental in Q'ente's growth as a social enterprise. Their volunteers are knowledgeable and always willing to support whatever projects we are working on.” Alison, Director of Mosqoy’s Q’ente
“Ruwasunchis sees LAFF as a partner who builds bridges from the UK and that gives support, not only financially, but more importantly in the form of ideas and advice from its institutional expertise.� Juan Diego Calisto, Director of Ruwasunchis
We are so grateful for our many donors and supporters around the world who support us to bring brighter futures to young people. Here we celebrate just a few…
Inglés Superior is a new and growing language centre based in Cusco who provide scholarships for young people from LAFF’s partner organisations. “LAFF and Ingles Superior have worked together for almost two years helping young adults by providing scholarships to study English in Cusco and therefore provide them and their families with better opportunities for the future” Ben Reilly, Director of Ingles Superior
The congregation at St Andrew's Church Chesterton have supported Azul Wasi for over 10 years now. Their commitment is to provide food for the children there, so that they can thrive, develop and be happy. “We have seen it grow from a bare field into a thriving home where the children are benefiting from the love and care of a family, a good education and the opportunity to realise their dreams for the future. Working with LAFF has been wonderful as they are able to send us regular news of Azul Wasi” Mary Pountain, St Andrew’s
We are so proud to have such a dedicated family of volunteers and fundraisers in Cusco and across the globe. They are the ones behind the scenes making our Career Days, training sessions, social enterprise support and everything else happen. In 2015-16, 29 volunteers around the globe gave 5,408 hours to LAFF - time worth ÂŁ91,812!
We ask a lot from our volunteers: months of dedicated time, Spanish language skills, full-time hours, specific skill sets. In return they get the adventure of a lifetime and hugely rewarding work with incredible people in a stunning location‌.
‌.Not to mention a whole lot of fun in both work and play time with the most amazing team you could ask for! Want to join? Check out our website for opportunities to get involved.
A huge thanks to all our awesome volunteers and fundraisers – LAFF would be nothing without you!
Donations - one off & regular Volunteer Fundraising, Challenges & Events Trusts, Foundations & Corporate Support Gift Aid Memorial fundraising
Fundraising costs Management, administration & fees Grants Project Support Currency exchange
Charity Name Latin American Foundation for the Future (LAFF) Receipts and payments accounts Period start date For the period from To Apr-15 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ A1 Receipts Donations - one off & regular 2,547 Volunteer Fundraising, 2,101 Challenges & Events Trusts, Foundations & 15,200 Corporate Support Gift Aid 2,449 Memorial fundraising 485 Interest on High Interest 11 Account Sub total 22,793 A2 Asset and investment Total receipts
Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Adjustment to prior year balance Cash funds this year end
CC16a Period end date Mar-16
Endowment funds to the nearest £
Total funds to the nearest £
Last year to the nearest £
1,858
-
4,405
5,064
2,884
-
4,985
6,556
27,306
-
42,506
46,105
-
-
2,449 485
1,447 2,984
-
-
11
11
-
54,841
62,168
32,048
-
-
-
-
-
22,793
32,048
-
54,841
62,168
-
-
6,857
3,183
1 30,385 8,887 39,274
-
1,626 30,639 10,597 333 50,053
1,636 31,457 10,213 60 46,428
A3 Payments Unrestricted funds Fundraising costs 6,857 Management, administration & fees 1,625 Grants 254 Project Support 1,709 Currency exchange 333 10,779 Sub total A4 Asset and investment purchases, etc.
Restricted funds to the nearest £
No (if any) 1125872
Restricted funds
-
-
10,779 12,014 25,030
-
-
39,274 -
-
-
-
50,053
46,428 15,740 29,431 485 44,686
7,225 19,655
-
4,788 44,685
12,430
-
49,473
37,044
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Categories Details B1 Cash funds
High interest account Regular account Petty Cash Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details
B2 Other monetary assets
Unrestricted funds to nearest £ 15,067 21,661 316 37,044 OK Unrestricted funds to nearest £ Fund to which asset belongs
Details
Restricted funds to nearest £ 12,430 12,430 OK Restricted funds to nearest £ -
OK Endowment funds to nearest £ Current value (optional)
Cost (optional)
B3 Investment assets
Fund to which asset belongs
Details
Current value (optional)
Cost (optional)
B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use
Fund to which liability relates
Details
Amount due (optional)
B5 Liabilities
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
Endowment funds to nearest £ -
When due (optional)
Signature
Print Name
Date of approval
Sarah Oakes
Jan-17
Reserves The board of Trustees have reviewed the agreed minimum reserve level of the charity and agree that this should be set at between ÂŁ10,000 and ÂŁ15,000, which would cover at least three months of recurrent expenditure, ensure enough resources to support projects for the same length of time and complete any outstanding projects. Any amount above the minimum reserve will be distributed as necessary. However due to the diverse needs of the partners we support; we can foresee situations where income above the minimum reserve level is held for longer periods of time, which is in the best interests of our partners in the long term. This policy will continue to be reviewed annually by the Trustees. Our grant-making policy Grants for project work are usually issued to local partners. All local partners are fully autonomous organisations with their own financial management and governance structures. The allocation of grants is determined through close dialogue with potential grant recipients. Funds are only granted to organisations with whom we have ongoing relationships. These partners undergo extensive needs assessments on an annual basis to establish capacity needs, organisational needs, beneficiary needs and programme activity for the year ahead. Partner organisation activity is monitored and evaluated on a regular basis through our Peru-based Programme Manager and on the ground volunteer team. Grant recipients are required to provide narrative and financial reports on project activities on a regular basis.