❓ Frequently Asked Questions

IUT Alumni Lighthouse Limited (IUTALL) is an Australian-registered charitable organisation that supports disadvantaged families and children through transparent, well-governed humanitarian programs.

We operate internationally, with a strong focus on helping vulnerable people access basic needs such as food, shelter, healthcare, and education.

You can contact us anytime through our website or email.
We’re happy to help with:
* Donations and receipts
* Sponsorship questions
* Project information

Yes. IUTALL operates under Australian charity law and complies with:
* ACNC requirements
* ATO regulations
* Strict financial and governance controls

All donations are:

* Approved and controlled by the Australian entity
* Used only for charitable purposes
* Monitored through reporting and review
* Applied to people in need, not private benefit

This ensures transparency, accountability, and trust.

IUTALL is registered as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) in Australia.

This means:
* Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible for Australian taxpayers
* You can claim your donation in your Australian tax return, in line with ATO rules

Yes. Every eligible donation receives a DGR tax-deductible receipt for Australian residents for tax purposes, including:
* One-off donations
* Regular donations
* Online or bank transfer donations

Australian tax deductions apply only to Australian residents for tax purposes.

Overseas donors are welcome to donate and make a meaningful impact, but tax treatment depends on your local country’s laws.

Your donation directly supports people in need. You can:

* Sponsor a family or a child for ongoing support
* Choose a specific beneficiary through our program
* Donate generally and allow IUTALL to identify the most urgent cases
* Every donation is carefully monitored, documented, and applied only to approved
charitable purposes.

Yes. You have two options:

1. Choose your own beneficiary
If you already know a family or child in need, you can sponsor them through
IUTALL. We place them under our program, assess eligibility, and manage
reporting and accountability.

2. Donate through our program
If you prefer, you can donate generally or sponsor a family or child selected by
IUTALL based on priority and need.

In both cases, IUTALL controls the funds and ensures they are used properly.

Through our Family and Children Support Program you can sponsor a family which is an ongoing humanitarian program that supports families facing hardship.

Your donation may help with:
* Food and daily essentials
* Housing support
* Medical expenses
* Education for children
* Basic living costs

Support can be regular (monthly) or one-off.

Through our Family and Children Support Program, you can sponsor a child which focuses on improving the wellbeing of children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Your support may include:
* Education assistance
* Healthcare and nutrition
* Welfare support through the child’s family or guardian

This program aims to give children stability, dignity, and opportunity.

Both options are available.

You can:
* Donate regularly (monthly or periodic), or
* Make a one-off donation at any time

Ongoing support helps us plan and deliver sustainable assistance, but one-off donations are always welcome.

Zakat is a compulsory form of charity in Islam and one of the five pillars of the faith. It is a means of purifying wealth and supporting those in genuine need. Zakat must be given to eligible people as defined in the Qur’an, and it must directly benefit human recipients.

The Qur’anic basis for Zakat distribution:

Zakat recipients are defined in Surah al-Tawbah (9:60). The Qur’an specifies eight eligible categories:

- Al-Fuqarā’ (The Poor) – Those who have little or no means of livelihood.
- Al-Masākīn (The Needy) – Those whose income is insufficient to meet essential needs.
- Al-ʿĀmilīn ʿAlayhā (Zakat Administrators) – Those appointed to collect and distribute Zakat under recognised authority.
- Al-Mu’allafatu Qulūbuhum (Those whose hearts are to be reconciled) – Individuals whose support strengthens faith or social harmony.
- Fī al-Riqāb (Those in bondage) – Historically used to free slaves.
- Al-Ghārimīn (Those in debt) – Individuals burdened by legitimate debt and unable to repay.
- Fī Sabīlillāh (In the cause of Allah) – Generally understood as supporting lawful efforts for the welfare of the community, depending on scholarly interpretation.
- Ibn al-Sabīl (The Stranded Traveller) – A traveller cut off from access to their resources.

IUT Alumni Lighthouse Limited (IUTALL) accepts Zakat donations and distributes them strictly in accordance with Islamic principles, while also complying with Australian charity regulations and governance standards.

When you donate Zakat through IUTALL:
- Zakat funds are distributed only to eligible individuals
- Zakat is used for direct human welfare, not administration, service fees, or general infrastructure
- 100% of Zakat donations are applied to beneficiaries
- Distributions are documented and monitored for transparency and accountability

Our approach ensures that Zakat remains a sacred trust, delivered with integrity, dignity, and full compliance.

In practice, IUTALL focuses on the categories most relevant to humanitarian welfare and poverty relief. These are:
- The Poor (Al-Fuqarā’)
- The Needy (Al-Masākīn)
- Those in Debt (Al-Ghārimīn)
- The Stranded or Vulnerable (Ibn al-Sabīl)

Where appropriate and consistent with recognised scholarly opinion, assistance may also fall within a careful interpretation of Fī Sabīlillāh when it directly benefits individuals in hardship.

In our Safe Home project for Monjel Fakir, the family has been assessed as Zakat-eligible. Zakat donations are used to support their essential housing needs in a way that directly benefits the family, rather than funding a general building project.

Important principles we follow
* Zakat is not used for buildings, offices, or general operating costs
* Zakat is not given to financially self-sufficient individuals
* Zakat must benefit eligible people, not organisations or assets