S’pore charity to raise funds for Libya flood victims

SINGAPORE – Local charity Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF), in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is calling for donations to support the needs of those affected by the floods in Libya.

“This includes shelter and basic needs (or) core-relief items, medical supplies and equipment as well as protection interventions such as psychosocial support,” RLAF said in a statement on Monday.

Donations can be made through various online avenues from now to Oct 15.

Those who wish to donate via PayNow can key in RLAF’s UEN 200910530ZRLA and indicate “LIBYAFLOODS” in the remarks.

Alternatively, a bank transfer can be made to RLAF at OCBC Bank current account number 601313315001.

Donors can also issue a cheque payable to RLAF and state on its back their name and contact number, and indicate “Libya Floods 2023”. The cheque should be posted to RLAF (Yusof Ishak Mosque, 10 Woodlands Drive 17, Singapore 737740) or to the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (273 Braddell Road, Singapore 579702).

There is also an ongoing campaign on

Giving.sg.

All collections will be channelled through the UNHCR, which has been operational in Libya since 1991 to deliver aid to affected communities.

A hybrid tropical cyclone, Storm Daniel,

hit Libya on Sept 10, the deadliest in the country in over a century. It made landfall in Libya and caused severe weather conditions, including strong winds and sudden extreme rainfall across several north-eastern areas of Libya.

The storm also

led to the collapse of two dams

and subsequent catastrophic flooding. 

According to the World Health Organisation, more than 4,000 people are said to have been killed, with over 8,500 people still missing.

“In view of the magnitude of the crisis, the death toll is expected to rise,” the RLAF said, adding that between 30,000 and 35,000 people were displaced by the floods and are residing in overcrowded camps and settlements, where they have limited access to clean water and sanitation.

“Our hearts go out to the casualties of this humanitarian emergency and their families.”

RLAF, established by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore in 2009, has collected more than $12 million from the community for international humanitarian relief projects over the past 17 years. As per regulations by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, the donations are not tax-deductible as they are for “foreign charitable purposes”, said the foundation.