At The Gaza Fund, we have a strict 100% Donation Policy.
To ensure this goal, we at The Gaza Fund track and separate all our expenses, which is paid for, by us, from our own pocket, rather than the donations received.
Over the last two years, (29 January 2021-27 June 2023), we managed to raise HK$1,368,900 for Gaza with 100% spent on the poor and needy in Gaza.
We also incurred HK$99,111 in expenses involving website, bank transfer fees, volunteer payments, transport, photographers, videos, banners, FX losses during cash transfers, Qurban expenses, etc., However 100% of the expenses were paid for by the founder of The Gaza Fund and not a single cent was deducted from any donations received.
While we have maintained a reasonably high standard of disclosure for every single charity project undertaken since the beginning (29 January 2021), we aim to raise our disclosure standards further by exceeding statutory requirements, now that we are a registered company, effective June 2023.
CASH BALANCE IN GAZA:
| Oct 2023 | HK$ | US$ | £ |
| CASH IN HAND (TGF’s Surplus): | 7,730 | 987 | 817 |
CASH BALANCE IN HK:
| Oct 2023 | HK$ | US$ | £ |
| CASH IN BANK (Donor’s): | 5,700 | 728 | 599 |
In August 2023, we raised HK$69,000 for a Palestinian that needed heart surgery but this was later cancelled, as the doctors involved felt it was not needed. HK$63,300 was refunded back to the donors in September while we were asked by some donors to retain HK$5,700 for other Sadaqah projects.
TOTAL AMOUNT RAISED:
| Feb 2021- Sep 2023 | HK$ | US$ | £ |
| TOTAL RAISED | 1,372,825 | 174,882 | 140,084 |
BY YEAR:
| YEAR | HK$ | % |
| 2021 | 705,516 | 52 |
| 2022 | 400,828 | 30 |
| 2023 | 253,293 | 18 |
OVERVIEW:
Unfortunately, there is a direct correlation to whenever Gaza is bombed to a spike in donations for Gaza to help those in need.
This is partially why 2021 (May 2021 when 256 civilians were killed and 2000+ were injured in Gaza) saw a record amount in donations of HK$705,516, or 52% of money raised, to-date. For a breakdown of the wide-ranging (high impact) projects undertaken in 2021, please click #1 Ramadan 2021, #2 Support Gaza, Urgent Medical Supplies, 4th Water Filter:
Meanwhile given the large number of natural disasters in 2022-2023 including the floods in Pakistan, the calamitous earthquake in Syria/Turkey, as well as floods and earthquake in Morrocco and Libya, the flow of donations dropped in 2022-2023, as Gaza fell off the grid for many donors.
MARKETING POLICIES:
1.The Gaza Fund has a strict policy against aggressive marketing, launching emergency projects with the greatest emotional appeal for public fundraising, or trying obsessively to raise more money year-on-year.
2. We also understand our limitations and do not claim to be able to help all 2.3 million residents of Gaza whenever the enclave is hit with airstrikes.
3. Each project’s effectiveness is measured and impact verified even if it means only helping dozen-odd people (food aid packs, cash handouts, medicine, education), to a few thousand people (water filters, Qurban meat) in Gaza, at any given time.
4. Our goal is to focus on the long-term needs of Gaza and its people by: (1) regularly reviewing our projects; (2) (re)questioning its impact; (3) remaining mission-driven.
BY COUNTRY:
| BY COUNTRY | HK$ | % |
| Hong Kong | 1,116,575 | 83 |
| U.K | 156,178 | 12 |
| Malaysia | 31,537 | 4 |
| U.A.E | 6,907 | 0.9 |
| Singapore | 500 | 0.05 |
| Sri Lanka | 500 | 0.05 |
BY TYPE:
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | TOTAL | % | |
| Zakah | 345,085 | 278,565 | 125,568 | 749,218 | 56.6 |
| Sadaqah | 139,189 | 51,375 | 41,600 | 232,164 | 17.9 |
| Qurban | 113,896 | 64,678 | 70,125 | 248,699 | 15.6 |
| Education | 54,437 | 6,500 | 15,000 | 75,937 | 5.1 |
| Water Filter | 51,807 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 51,807 | 3.8 |
| Fidya | 0.00 | 1,470 | 0.00 | 1,470 | |
| Expenses Fund | 1,100 | 0 | 2000 | 3,100 |
OUR EXPENSES:
| 2021 (HK$) | 2022 (HK$) | 2023 (HK$) | TOTAL (HK$) | |
| Expenses | -53,838.44 | -17,081.60 | -28,191 | -99,111.04 |
| Ratio | 7.5% | 4.3% | 11.5% | 6.9% (AVG) |
| (4,631.50) | ||||
| –94,479.54 |
We are 100% funded by the founder, and DO NOT HAVE access to any external philanthropic donors, governments or groups.
DONATION TOWARDS OUR EXPENSES:
| DONOR/DATE | US$ |
| Axxf – 11 May 2021 (HK$700) | 90 |
| Axxf – 27 June 2021 (HK$400) | 52 |
| Nxxxxd – March-Sept 2023 (US$64 Monthly) | 448 |
| Total | 590 (HK$4,631.50) |
| Net Expenses (Deficit) | HK$94,479.54 |
Note: In March 2023, Br Nxxxxd pledged to donate HK$500 (US$64) per month towards our expenses fund. The table will be updated every 6 months reflect this.
If you wish to donate towards the expenses fund, please click here (quicker response time) or email wutokbong@gmail.com (in Hong Kong).
EXPENSES IN 2021:
We incurred substantial expenses in 2021 (HK$53,838) while setting up in Gaza, including transport, banners, photography, videos, cash transfer fees, token payments to volunteers and engineers for the procurement, monitoring and installation of advanced water filters across multiple locations in Gaza, as well as during the disbursement of cash handouts (involving independent background checks of volunteers), etc., among other expenses. Again, we have a strict 100% donation policy and every single expense was shouldered and paid for, by the founder of The Gaza Fund.
| EXPENSE ITEM | US$ | 2021 | HK$ |
| WordPress Site (50% off – HK$368) | -47.4 | 18/3 | -372.09 |
| Cash Transfer Fee | -400 | 29/3 | -3,140 |
| Engineer (to oversee procurement) – 2 filters | -400 | April | -3,140 |
| Photos/Videos | -300 | April | -2,355 |
| Transportation | -100 | April | -785 |
| Two x Volunteers (2 days) | -200 | April | -1,570 |
| Others (Banner, Car rental, Boxes, Plastic bags, Stickers) | -200 | April | -1,570 |
| Photos/Videos (Project #1) | -150 | May | -1,177.50 |
| Transport, Banner, etc., | -100 | May | -785 |
| HK$265 X 5 Bank Fees (12+19/2; 8/3; 24+25/5) | -170 | May | -1,334.50 |
| Cash Transfer Fees | -350 | 6/5 | -2,747.50 |
| Engineer (to oversee procurement) – 3rd filter | -200 | 6/5 | -1,570 |
| Cash Transfer Fees @6% (Project #2) | -1,448 | 26/5 | -11,366.80 |
| Photos/Videos (Project #2) | -350 | 31/5 | -2,747.50 |
| Uniforms x 4 | -80 | 1/6 | -628 |
| Cash Transfer Fees (6.1%) – HK$7,092 | -914 | 10/6 | -7,174.90 |
| FX Loss while making a transfer (HK$2816) | -363 | 10/6 | -2,849.55 |
| Slaughter Expenses (Project # 3) | -654 | 21/7 | -5,133.90 |
| Cash Transfer Fees (US$82) | -82 | 5/8 | -643.70 |
| Engineer/Photos (Water Filter # 4) | -350 | 23/9 | -2,747.50 |
| TOTAL EXPENSES (2021) | –53,838.44 |
EXPENSES IN 2022:
In 2022, as donations received nearly halved, our expenses (HK$17,081) fell by one-third. Apart from the unavoidable cash transfer fees and token payments to volunteers (for food aid packs and cash handouts) accounting for a large portion of our expenses, we bought a large cooker and oven for a soup kitchen which continues to cook food for those in need.
| EXPENSE ITEM | US$ | 2022 | HK$ |
| Large Cooker & Oven for Soup Kitchen | -270 | 14/2 | -2,119.50 |
| The Gaza Fund (Domain & Website) | -116 | 16/2 | -910.60 |
| #5 Ramadan 2022 (3% Transfer Fees US$16,550) | -494 | 29/3 | -3,893.60 |
| #5 Ramadan 2022 Volunteers, Photography, Video, etc., | -550 | 22/4 | -3,893.60 |
| #5 Ramadan 2022 (1% Transfer Fees US$9,450) | -142 | 28/4 | -4,317.50 |
| #3 Qurban 2002 (slaughtering, volunteers & transport) | -302 | 10/7 | -2,370.70 |
| #5 Ramadan +Qurban Expenses (Volunteer Pay) | -300 | 26/9 | -2,355.00 |
| TOTAL EXPENSES (2022) | –17,081.60 | ||
EXPENSES IN 2023:
In 2023, we had the usual range of expenses (HK$28,191) including website, company registration, cash transfer fees, token payments to volunteers in Gaza, etc., Most notably we set aside a HK$12,000 token payment to an IT expert to help build a front to backend donor management system that details how much every single donor has donated, purpose and when. This is expected to go live in the 1Q of 2024.
| EXPENSE ITEM | US$ | 2023 | HK$ |
| The Gaza Fund (Domain & Website) | -473 | 15/2 | -3,713.05 |
| #6 Ramadan 2023 (2% Transfer Fees US$10,200) | -220 | 22/4 | -1,727 |
| #6 Ramadan 2023 Volunteers, Photos/Video, Transport | -576 | 22/4 | -4,521.60 |
| TGF Registration Fees | -296 | 26/4 | -2,320 |
| Qurban Expenses | -306 | 27/6 | -2,402.10 |
| Transfer Fees | -192 | 27/6 | -1,507 |
| Donation CMS System | -1,529 | 27/6 | -12,000.00 |
| TOTAL EXPENSES (2023) | –28,191.00 |
Accountability is not a once-a-year affair but an ongoing process of being transparent. The Gaza Fund therefore believes in engaging all stakeholders and opening ourselves to scrutiny by all our donors. For feedback and comments, please get in touch.
To view or download our consolidated annual report for the last 3 years (2021, 2022 & 2023), please refer to the link below: