Frequently asked questions
Is my donation tax deductible?
Monetary donations of $2 of more to Mahboba’s Promise can now be directly claimed as tax deductions with the Australian Taxation Office. On receipt of your donation, we will issue you with a tax receipt for this purpose. Monetary donations to our appeals and for widow or child sponsorships are also tax deductible.
Where a meal or other benefit (such as a movie ticket) is exchanged for your donation, the donation is not generally tax deductible. For advice on the tax deductible status of donations, including donated goods, please consult your accountant or visit the ATO website at: www.ato.gov.au
Can I send you donations of warm clothes, rugs and goods?
At this time, we do not accept material goods. When we first started to work in Afghanistan we sent out containers of warm clothes, equipment and bedding. Now the situation has changed and there are plenty of goods to buy in the market. It is far better to send money which stimulates the local economy so that the shopkeeper benefits as well as our widows and orphans.
There is no postal delivery to the remote areas or even to Hope House in Kabul. Goods can be sent by courier company but please speak with the office first so we can alert the Kabul office to the delivery.
Can I send gifts to my sponsored widow and child?
Yes. However, it is easier to send money as it is very difficult for us to get gifts to Afghanistan.
Can I send cards and photos?
We can forward letters, photos and cards though there may be considerable delay before they reach their destination! If you want to communicate quickly and regularly email is the easiest!
What is the "Promise"?
It’s a promise that Mahboba made that she would continue to help the orphans of Afghanistan for the rest of her life and she would make people in Australia aware of their suffering and what could be done for them.
Why should I support Mahboba’s Promise and not some other charity?
Afghanistan has been torn apart for the last three decades and needs your help. We are the only independent Australian charity working in Afghanistan. We have the local knowledge of the languages, culture and needs of the people. Many other not-for-profit organizations have been forced to leave Afghanistan as it is the most dangerous country on earth for aid workers. Many promises have been made to the people of Afghanistan, it is important that we help to keep this one.
How is Mahboba’s Promise funded?
Entirely by voluntary donations. We do not receive any government funding. Sponsorship is the backbone of our funding as it enables us to plan work knowing that there will be future funds available. Most of the funds are raised through Mahboba’s ceaseless round of speaking engagements.
How do you control where the money goes in Afghanistan?
Funds are sent each month to Afghanistan where Mahboba’s Promise is a registered NGO. Financial reports are received back from the field and receipts are kept at the Hope House office for inspection.
How successful is the work?
A local worker from a UN agency said we were the most effective agency working in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and other agencies are referring destitute orphans to us as the facility in Kabul which can give practical and emotional support to the most difficult of cases.
Is Mahboba's Promise a member of any peak body?Mahboba's Promise is a signatory to the Code of Conduct of ACFID, The Australian Council for International Development and Mahboba's Promise NGO in Kabul is an observer member of ACBAR, The Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief.
