Hands Across The Water is a charity born out of love, care and a deep desire to help others less advantaged than ourselves. Over the years Hands has positively changed lives each and every day. We don't measure the impact of our work on the number of kids, the number of homes or the amount of money we raise. These can be tangible measures, but the metric we value most is the choices the kids have when it's time to leave our homes.
While these are our core values, it's crucial to consider the legalities of the charity sector.
One of the most important things for a charity to adhere to is governance and compliance. As a charity operating in three countries, Australia, New Zealand and Thailand, it is so important to us to fill all requirements of a charitable organisation in these countries.
It is with this in mind that we wanted to share the news that Hands Across The Water Thailand has finally received official tax donee status! Having approved donee status means individuals in Thailand who donate to Hands can claim tax credits for donations as we have here in Australia.
Being granted tax donee status is more than what it seems. Sure, it's nice for our Thai donors to be able to claim it off their tax, but the reality of this runs so much deeper for our charity. Being granted this status by the Thai government recognises our long and outstanding work with a high level of transparency and compliance in their country.
This is a highly sought-after tick of approval, and we are so proud to have now received it from three governments. As a relatively small charity, we are in the unique position to be holding this status in three countries. It is a testament to the hard work our community and staff put into making such a difference.