Harmony in Action Fundraising Campaign

The Racial and Religious Harmony Circle is supporting the Rahmatan Lil Alamin (Blessings to All) Foundation’s (RLAF) fundraising campaign (Permit No. 0062/2024) to provide critical aid for children and families affected by the ongoing crisis in Gaza.

We are appealing to all Singaporeans to come together and contribute generously in support of this humanitarian aid. Your support can make a significant difference in providing essential aid such as food, water, medical aid, and sanitation to affected communities in Gaza.

The “Harmony-in-Action” fundraising campaign is conducted from 1 October to 30 November 2024.

Give now to make a difference.

Modes of Payment

Please note the following:

• Harmony Circles will not be accepting cash, in-kind or item donations for this campaign.

• In accordance with IRAS regulations, donations are not tax deductible as they are donations for foreign charitable purposes.

For enquiries, please contact harmony-in-action@harmonycircle.sg.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Who is the Racial and Religious Harmony Circle (Harmony Circle)?

The Racial and Religious Harmony Circle is a key community platform to promote racial and religious harmony in Singapore. There are 93 Harmony Circles, one in every constituency. The work of the Harmony Circle is instrumental in strengthening social cohesion in Singapore, both in peacetime and in times of crisis. Formerly known as the Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circle (IRCC), the Harmony Circle, was refreshed and renamed in July 2022 to reflect its broader mission to promote racial and religious harmony in Singapore by building trust, understanding and confidence among the various communities in peacetime and in times of crisis​​.

2. Who is Rahmatan Lil Alamin (Blessings to All) Foundation (RLAF)?

The Rahmatan Lil Alamin (Blessings to All) Foundation (RLAF) is a Singapore-based charity established by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS). RLAF is dedicated to promoting humanitarian aid and fostering peace, regardless of faith, race or creed. The foundation engages in various local and international efforts, including providing aid to communities in crisis, supporting interfaith dialogue, and advocating for social harmony. Through its programs, RLAF aims to inspire a culture of kindness and unity, reflecting the universal values of care and compassion.

Visit https://rlafoundation.org.sg/ for more information.

3. What will the donation be allocated for?

The donation will be used for delivering essential relief aid which includes (and not limited to) food, water, medical aid and sanitation for the affected communities in Gaza.

4. How does RLAF ensure the funds and essential aid reach the children and their families in Gaza?

RLAF works closely with trusted international partners, including the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO), Humanity Matters (HM), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), to ensure that the funds and essential aid reach the affected communities in Gaza. Their partners on the ground provide regular updates, including detailed reports and photographs, to verify that the aid is being distributed effectively. Through these partnerships, RLAF is able to monitor the impact of the support and ensure that the aid reaches the children and families who need it most. This is the RLAF’s third round of fundraising for Gaza, where previous appeals were conducted in October/November 2023, and in March 2024.

5. Who is the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO), Humanity Matters (HM), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)?

UNICEF is the United Nations Children’s Fund, working in the world’s toughest places to reach the most disadvantaged children and adolescents – and to protect the rights of every child, everywhere. One of the world’s largest providers of vaccines, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, safe water and sanitation, quality education and skill building, HIV prevention and treatment for mothers and babies, and the protection of children and adolescents from violence and exploitation. Before, during and after humanitarian emergencies, UNICEF is on the ground, bringing life-saving help and hope to children and families.

The Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO) is a relief and humanitarian organization established in 1990. It operates to provide aid in response to conflicts and natural disasters worldwide. JHCO has played a crucial role in delivering humanitarian assistance to over 34 countries. Their efforts include supplying food, medicine, and essential supplies, often in collaboration with international organizations and the Jordanian Armed Forces. They are particularly involved in providing continuous support to Gaza through air and ground convoys, ensuring aid reaches the most affected areas despite challenging conditions.

Humanity Matters (HM) is a Singaporean humanitarian interfaith organisation. It is established as a collaborative and collective vehicle which runs on common values for common good. HM strives to catalyse and realise regional cooperation for humanitarian relief and sustainable civic development, to serve disaster-prone, disadvantaged and vulnerable communities across Asia. HM consciously engages the community and faith sectors to put collective compassion in motion. To date, HM has responded to typhoons, floods, earthquakes, tsunami and volcanic eruption in Indonesia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines and Turkey.

6. How does RLAF ensure the donations are properly collected and audited?

In this fundraising appeal, RLAF follows a meticulous process to ensure transparency and accountability with the donations received:

• RLAF firstly obtained the necessary permit from the Commissioner of Charities to raise the fund.

• Upon approval, RLAF will commence the fundraising campaign.

• All monetary donations would then be carefully consolidated and recorded after the campaign period.

• RLAF would then commission an external auditor to certify the donations for the campaign to ensure all transactions are accurately and properly recorded. And the report would be sent to the Commissioner of Charities (CoC).

• After the audit, RLAF would remit the funds to all their beneficiaries based on the agreement.

• The beneficiaries will then provide us with a comprehensive written report detailing the utilisation of the funds.

• RLAF would also conduct monitoring visits for due diligence to assess the impact of our relief efforts and ensure the funds are utilised accordingly.

7. When is the period of donation?

The donation period for the Harmony Circle-led “Harmony in Action” fundraising campaign will be from 1 October to 30 November 2024.

8. What is the minimum amount for donations?

There is no minimum amount.

9. What are the platforms and methods available for donations?

• PayNow – Key in RLAF’s UEN 200910530ZRLA and indicate ‘GAZAAID2024HARMONYCIRCLE’ under remarks (Refer to PayNow QR Code above).

• Issue a cheque payable to RAHMATAN LIL ALAMIN FOUNDATION LTD. State at the back of the cheque: Donor’s name, contact number and indicate GAZAAID2024HARMONYCIRCLE’. Mail your cheque to RLAF (Masjid Yusof Ishak, No 10 Woodlands Drive 17, Level 4, Singapore 737740)

10. Will receipts be issued for my donations?

Non tax-deductible receipts will be issued upon request via rlaf@rlafoundation.org.sg. As per IRAS regulation, these donations are not tax-deductible as they are donations for “foreign charitable purposes”.

Please refer to: https://www.iras.gov.sg/IRASHome/Individuals/Foreigners/Working-out-your-taxes/Deductions-for-Individuals/Donations/

11. I have wrongly transferred, and I would like to request for a refund.

For accountability and transparency, we seek your understanding that we will not be able to process any refunds.

12. Do Harmony Circle and RLAF accept in-kind or item donations for this campaign?

We seek your understanding that we do not accept in-kind or item donations for this campaign.

13. Are religious organisations, businesses or corporate entities able to donate?

Yes, we welcome donations from religious organisations, businesses and corporate entities.

14. How can I spread the word about this campaign?

You can share our campaign on social media, talk to your friends and family about the cause. Every bit of awareness helps increase the support for this fundraising campaign for Gaza.

15. How can I stay updated on the campaign’s progress?

You can follow the following pages for regular updates:

• Harmony Circle website

• Harmony Circle Instagram page

• Harmony Circle Facebook page