FAQ

Are donations tax deductible?
Absolutely. Hope Sparked is a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with the IRS, effective as of Sept 21, 2014. Your donations are fully tax deductible.

How will donations be used?  
Hope Sparked has very minimal overhead costs. About $150 a year is required for website management, leaving over 96% of our funds available for program costs. Our Kinshasa program has minimal administrative expenses for communication, transportation, and office expenses. When funding allows, we hope to eventually pay Georgette, our Kinshasa Program Director, for her time and efforts which are otherwise completely volunteer. All these administrative costs are funded by private donations, so 100% of online donations go directly to the education needs of children Mabulu, as outlined in Our Goals. All our financial statements are publicly available here.

How do you raise funds?
This website is currently our primary fundraising tool. We are actively seeking grants and financial sponsors, and are working to build relationships on college campuses and eventually hope to work with high school groups as well. Our vision is to organize student groups to engage their wider community in the fundraising effort. We believe that U.S. students will benefit enormously from this opportunity to serve and connect with an area in such need.

How are children chosen for the program? 
Georgette knows many of these families personally, and finds children who have demonstrated a desire and willingness to return to school, preferably those who have some family that support this goal. A tutoring program is run through the summer to help the children prepare and determine those who can benefit most from re-entering the school system. There is currently no particular target age or gender, though we will ensure girls are equally represented.

How do you ensure accountability? 
Corruption is a pervasive problem in the DRC, just as it is any many other developing countries, and we work extremely hard to make sure funds are being used for the appropriate purpose. Tuition fees are paid directly to the schools, and Georgette purchases all supplies and uniforms directly for the students.  All funds are carefully accounted for. If you would like to see these financial records, please contact us.

Does Hope Sparked have plans or projects in other areas?
Currently, we are only working in the Kingabwa District of Kinshasa, but hope to expand to other regions with your funding and support.

Will donor information be shared?
Those who make donations will automatically be added to our contact list, but can unsubscribe at any time. Donor information will not be shared with any other organization or used for any other purpose.

Are there any more established and larger organization in the area?

Several great organizations make a positive impact throughout the DRC, but none of them provide services in Mabulu or many of the other urban slums throughout Kinshasa. Many organization focus their efforts in the east and throughout the Great Lakes region where persistent violence has had such a major impact. Others focus on providing education and development opportunities in rural areas. Few focus their efforts on the pockets of extreme poverty within cities where people without official claims to land build make-shift homes and struggle to survive. We identified a need in these passed-over communities and are doing all we can to provide assistance.