# How your donation helps: how to help > Source: World Aid Network — https://worldaidnetwork.org/emergency-relief/how-your-donation-helps > Last reviewed: 2026-06-19 ## In short When you give to World Aid Network's emergency relief, your donation is restricted to disaster relief and delivered through trusted, locally-licensed partner organisations — not foreign teams flown in at high cost. Because partners buy supplies locally and are already in affected communities, more of your gift reaches families and it arrives faster. World Aid Network is a UK Charitable Incorporated Organisation, governed by named trustees, with charity registration in progress. This page explains exactly how your gift reaches a family and how it is governed. It is fair to ask exactly what happens to a donation after you give it. Trust is everything in charity, and World Aid Network's emergency relief is built around a simple, accountable model: restricted funds, local delivery, and governance by named trustees. This page explains where your emergency gift goes, who actually delivers the aid, and how World Aid Network is held accountable — so you can give with confidence. ## At a glance - Funds restricted to: Disaster relief - Delivered by: Trusted local partners - Operating model: No own overseas teams - Governed by: Named trustees ## How your donation reaches a family - You donate to emergency relief: Your gift goes into a fund that is restricted to disaster relief — it can only be spent on emergency response, not on other purposes. - Trustees direct it to the greatest need: World Aid Network's trustees allocate the fund to the most urgent active emergency, so your gift goes where it will save the most lives. - Local partners buy supplies locally: Trusted local partner organisations already in the affected area purchase clean water, food, shelter and other essentials nearby — faster and cheaper than shipping from abroad. - Aid is delivered to affected families: Partners distribute relief directly to families in need, reaching communities that outside responders often cannot. ## Where your money goes Donations given for emergency relief are restricted — meaning they can only be spent on disaster response, not redirected to other activities. The funds pay for the essentials that keep families alive after a disaster: clean water, food, shelter, warmth and basic medical and hygiene supplies. Because supplies are bought locally rather than shipped from the UK, your gift avoids international freight, customs and storage costs — so more of it reaches families, and it arrives faster. ## Who delivers the aid World Aid Network does not run its own clinics or send its own teams overseas. Instead, all emergency relief is delivered through trusted local partner organisations who are already established in the affected communities. They understand local needs, speak the language, and can act within hours of a disaster. This local-delivery model is deliberate. It is faster, more cost-effective, more culturally appropriate, and it strengthens local capacity rather than competing with it. ## How World Aid Network is governed and accountable World Aid Network is a UK Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), with charity registration in progress. It is governed by a board of named trustees who are responsible for how funds are used, and partner organisations are selected and monitored against clear standards. Restricted funding, trustee oversight and partner monitoring together mean your gift is used for the purpose you intended and accounted for. ## Why local delivery means more impact The traditional image of disaster aid — shipping containers of donated goods across the world — is often far less effective than it looks. Goods chosen from afar may not match local needs, and the cost of transporting them can exceed their value. Funding local partners to buy what is needed, where it is needed, turns more of every pound into real help on the ground — and supports the local economy that families will depend on to rebuild. ## Key takeaways - Emergency donations are restricted — they can only be spent on disaster relief. - All relief is delivered through trusted local partners, not WAN's own overseas teams. - Buying supplies locally means more of your gift reaches families, faster. - World Aid Network is a UK CIO (registration in progress), governed by named trustees. - Local delivery is faster, cheaper, more appropriate and strengthens local capacity. ## Frequently asked questions ### What percentage of my donation reaches families? World Aid Network keeps costs low by funding local partner organisations to buy supplies locally, which avoids the international shipping, customs and storage costs that consume much of the value of goods sent from abroad. Donations given for emergency relief are restricted to that purpose, and use of funds is overseen by the charity's trustees. (World Aid Network does not publish a fixed percentage figure; funds are accounted for under trustee governance as registration is completed.) ### Who delivers World Aid Network's emergency aid? All emergency relief is delivered through trusted local partner organisations already established in the affected communities — World Aid Network does not deploy its own overseas teams. This local-delivery model is faster, more cost-effective and more culturally appropriate, and it strengthens local capacity. ### Is my emergency donation restricted to disaster relief? Yes. Donations given for emergency relief are restricted, meaning they can only be spent on disaster response, not redirected to other activities. World Aid Network's trustees direct the fund to the most urgent active emergency. ### Does World Aid Network send volunteers or teams overseas? No. World Aid Network does not run its own clinics or send its own teams abroad. All work — emergency relief and medical care alike — is delivered by trusted local partner organisations and locally-licensed professionals in the regions where WAN operates. ### Is World Aid Network a registered charity? World Aid Network is a UK Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with charity registration in progress. It is governed by named trustees, and donations are managed accordingly. Gift Aid will apply for UK taxpayers once registration is complete. ## How you can help World Aid Network funds emergency relief through trusted local partners in Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia. Donate at https://worldaidnetwork.org/donate --- This is general information, not medical advice, published by World Aid Network. Always consult a qualified clinician about your own health.