Singaporeans raise over $2.6m in humanitarian aid for Gaza

A charity group in Singapore has raised over $2.6 million to help children and families affected by the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. 

The fundraiser, which ran from Sept 18 to Dec 13, was organised by the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF) together with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO), and local organisation Humanity Matters (HM).

A total of $2,608,717 was raised over the three-month period, said RLAF in a press release on Friday (Dec 20).

RLAF is a charity set up by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore. 

Some of the fundraiser activities included an event on Nov 17, which involved some 300 volunteers collecting donations from the public.

They also distributed One Nation, One Humanity stickers across the island.

On Dec 1, over 300 volunteers packed more than 20 tonnes of essential supplies which included food, healthcare and hygiene products, for shipment to Jordan. 

The supplies are expected to be delivered in January 2025.

Speaking about the joint fundraising effort, RLAF's chief executive officer Adnan Abdul Hamid said that the support shown by the volunteers has been inspiring. 

"It is heartening to witness hundreds of volunteers from all walks of life coming together, dedicating their time and energy to support those in need," he said. 

The collected funds will be distributed to the beneficiaries through RLAF’s partners. 

A first tranche of $700,000 in donations was presented to Unicef on Nov 1, which included $200,000 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The funds raised will be audited, and the final report will be submitted to the the Commissioner of Charities to ensure accountability, said RLAF. 

Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli also commended the volunteers for their fundraising efforts in a Facebook post on Friday. 

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"My deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed — whether through generous donations or by stepping forward to volunteer for street collection and pack essential supplies.

"Your kindness and selflessness during this challenging time truly show the best of Singapore, and I commend each and every one of you who played a part," wrote Masagos, who is also the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs. 

The minister added that Singapore remains committed to continue delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza. 

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xingying.koh@asiaone.com