I have been receiving donations through PayPal and now crypto since 2024. People often ask: where does this money actually go? This article answers that question with real numbers from recent months.
I keep receipts. Not all of them photographed (some markets do not provide them, some receipts get destroyed in normal household conditions), but the major spending categories are documented and the diary entries reference them.
Where Donations Go: Category Breakdown
Spending Allocation, May 2026
Why These Numbers, Specifically
Each line in the table reflects actual spending averaged over the last three months. Some categories vary month to month. Medicine spending was higher in March when Ibrahim had a fever that lasted four days. Internet spending was lower in February when I had a friend share a connection. The $1,290 total has been stable since the daughter was born and we shifted from baby supplies bought irregularly to a steady monthly formula expense.
The biggest single category is rent. We are not paying for a comfortable apartment. We are paying for a small space with a roof and walls in an area that has been less directly targeted than others. Rent in Gaza has increased significantly because so much housing stock has been damaged or destroyed. $500 a month for a small unit with no consistent utilities is the going rate in our area in 2026.
What Donations Have Funded Specifically
Here are documented examples of what specific donation amounts paid for in recent months:
- $25 from a donor in Toronto, March 2026: 1 tin of formula (3 days for the baby) plus 5 kg of rice.
- $50 from a donor in London, March 2026: 25 kg flour bag plus cooking oil for the month.
- $100 from a donor in Saudi Arabia, April 2026: Half of one month's rent. (Combined with $400 from other donors that month for full rent.)
- $200 from a donor in California, April 2026: Full week of food including lentils, rice, flour, oil, vegetables, formula, and one chicken for a special meal on Ibrahim's behalf.
- $500 from a donor (anonymous) in May 2026: Full month's rent.
- $15 from a recurring donor, every month since June 2025: Recurring contribution that covers one to two days of food. The reliability of recurring support is more useful than one-time amounts because it lets me plan.
What Donations Have NOT Funded
I want to be specific about what is not in the spending:
- No vacation, recreation, or entertainment spending. There is no functional version of these in our circumstances anyway.
- No spending on extended family. I help when I can, but the donation budget is for the immediate household. Other family members have their own situations and many have their own fundraisers or networks.
- No saving or investment. Everything received is spent on the same month's needs. Saving is not a luxury we have right now.
- No payment to any third party for managing the campaign. I do all the writing, communication, and reporting myself. There are no marketing fees, no consultant fees, no platform commissions beyond standard PayPal sender-side fees on credit card transactions.
- No spending on items I would not be willing to publicly justify if a donor asked.
When Donations Exceed the Monthly Budget
In a few months over the past year, donations have exceeded the $1,290 monthly survival budget. When this happens, the surplus goes to:
- Rent prepayment for the next month, which gives us security against a low donation month.
- Larger food purchases (a 50 kg flour bag instead of two 25 kg bags) which are slightly cheaper per unit.
- Replacement of small household items that have worn out (cooking pots, plates, basic supplies).
- A small reserve in the PayPal account that buffers against bad weeks.
I do not move surplus to a personal savings account separate from the family. Everything is spent on the family.
Receipts and Documentation
I photograph major receipts (rent, formula bulk purchases, large food orders) and keep them in a folder I can share if requested. Smaller market purchases often do not come with paper receipts, but the diary entries describe what was purchased and the photos of items used (flour bag, formula tin, water tanker arrival) provide visual documentation.
If you donate and want a specific receipt or documentation of what your donation funded, email [email protected] with the transaction reference and I will reply with the corresponding spending detail.
Donate with Documented Spending
Every dollar accounted for. Categories published. Receipts on file. Direct contact for any donor who wants verification of their specific donation.
Why Transparency Matters Here
I write about my spending because I want donors to be able to make informed decisions. The trust required to send money to a stranger across the world is significant. The minimum I owe in return is honest accounting.
If transparency is the standard, then transparency must be applied. Every category in this article has a real story behind it, and every percentage corresponds to actual outflows. If a donor asks me to justify any line item, I can. That accountability is what direct giving offers and what I take seriously as a recipient.