Why I didn’t trust charities
Jay Nappalli, Founder & Director
Sometimes I wonder: do I need to say something, or are some things better left unsaid? What good does it do to verbalise thoughts or put them to ‘paper’? I decided to start this section not knowing if anyone would ever read it. But if someone took the time to, they would possibly find some answers.
Before the war, to be honest with you, I did not really believe in giving to charities myself. That sounds strange, doesn’t it? I say that for one main reason: many charities are bloated organisations with fat paycheques for so-called CEOs and managers. How much of what you give actually goes to those in need? So before the war, during my drives and travels, I would give money directly to those I saw in need.
Giving quietly on my own only helps a few people. If I wanted to help more, I would need help from others.
Two or three weeks before the full-scale invasion started in 2022, I was advised that an invasion was imminent and that I should leave for Poland as soon as possible. Leaving is not difficult: get into the car and drive. I decided then that unless Russian tanks were heading towards the city, I would not be leaving.
My grandmother’s uncle started a Buddhist organisation that still exists today. Why? Because it was needed. It was meant to fulfil a need, in that case serving English-speaking Buddhists in Singapore. Did he have the funds to do it all himself? No. Donors donated land and property to make it all possible. Those donated properties remain within the organisation and are still used to this day.
Why didn’t I create a Buddhist organisation? Because I am only loosely Buddhist. I care more about relieving suffering and helping those in need than about religion itself. I am only interested in the end goal. The need here in Ukraine is to have a lean working charity that puts all or almost all of what it receives directly to those in need. That is the need and the goal for me.
A weird personal quirk is that I truly despise being subjected to any significant amount of attention, so I would have a friend pass on the monetary gifts to the people I have decided to help. The only reason you see a representation of me and my name on the site is that I realise donors need this. Donors want to see who runs things. If I could do all this without revealing who I am, I would, but it would be too finicky and might be counterproductive. So I put aside my own personal discomfort. The same goes for the website. Everyone wants to see a website; in their minds, not having one is odd, and having one somehow makes it more legitimate. So here we are.
When I finally decided on the form the organisation should take, I found out that it takes thousands of euros to register the charity and get the required permits, visas and so on.
I would gladly not receive a salary. However, since I want to remain here doing this, the law requires that I be paid the minimum salary, and there are payroll taxes, income taxes and more. They don’t make it easy for you either. You have to get software to submit all of that, everything is in Ukrainian, of course, and an accountant would want 100–200 USD a month to do it. Where is that money coming from? So on top of living expenses, I have to pay hundreds a month for the privilege of being here.
To be honest, the government should allow people who run charities to be paid nothing if they so choose, and it should waive all work permit and visa fees. But that isn’t the case.
Without the financial support of my family and friends, none of this would be possible. My salary, the taxes and all of these costs are paid from that support and my own money, never from donations.
I want to stay positive about why I created this charity. I didn’t trust charities, so I built one I could trust. Everything else depends on people like you who feel the same way.
– Jay