Many Pakistanis have made South Africa home, running shops and businesses in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Pretoria and smaller towns across the provinces. South Africa’s wider Muslim community also has a long tradition of organised zakat. Should you decide to donate to Pakistan from South Africa, what follows sets out how Peace and Humanity Welfare Organization (PHWO) receives foreign gifts and what it does with them.
PHWO has no branch, NPO, agent or collector anywhere in South Africa. Its only office is in Larkana, Sindh. For the families it serves in Pakistan, everything is free.
The people behind each request
A shopkeeper’s widow in Mandi Bahauddin who now has no income. A boy in Ghotki who has passed his intermediate exams but has no laptop for the course he has been offered. A household in Chitral whose roof collapsed after heavy snow. PHWO hears from people like these across every province. Each one provides a live photo, and volunteers review the case. PHWO acts when a need is proven and a response is possible, and it never tells applicants in advance that help is certain.
Many Pakistani families in South Africa come from the same districts that send requests, which can make giving feel especially close to home.
PHWO works without branches, relying on its website, PHWO account messages and volunteers. That keeps costs down and means a request from a village far from any city is handled in the same way as one from Karachi. It also means each family must explain its situation carefully in writing, with supporting papers such as hospital slips, fee challans or loan documents where they have them.
How zakat and sadaqah are kept
PHWO books zakat into a fund of its own. Only people eligible for zakat receive it, and no running cost is paid from it. Sadaqah sits in another fund and goes wholly to people in hardship. The Programmes page shows the fields PHWO works in. To give to one family whose request has been checked, go to Sponsor a case.
How the rand gets to Larkana
There is no card checkout, SnapScan, EFT to a local account or PayPal. The Donate page names three routes:
- International wire transfer from your South African bank, which, as an authorised dealer, handles the foreign exchange side. Tell the bank the payment is a donation abroad.
- A family member in Pakistan paying locally by bank transfer to PHWO’s UBL account.
- Goods handed in at the Larkana office.
PHWO receives rupees. Your rand are converted by your bank or a licensed remittance provider that can pay into Pakistani bank accounts; ask about fees and the exchange rate, which can differ a lot. Copy PHWO’s details from its website only. Next, report the transfer using PHWO’s online form, and a numbered receipt will be emailed when the transfer is matched.
South Africa is three hours behind Pakistan. A message sent from your PHWO account at 8 in Johannesburg reaches Larkana at 11.
Zakat timing in South Africa
Many South African Muslims calculate zakat in Ramadan; others use a fixed date that marks their lunar year. The Zakat calculator adds up cash, savings, gold, silver and trading stock. Business owners should include stock at its current value. Send fitrana well before Eid, because international transfers may need extra processing, and mark every gift as zakat or sadaqah when you confirm.
If you run a business, you may prefer to pay zakat in instalments through the year and settle the balance at your zakat date. That works too; simply label each transfer so PHWO can record it correctly, and keep your own running total.
Tax and registration
PHWO is not a South African public benefit organisation and cannot issue a section 18A tax certificate. so you should not expect a SARS deduction for this gift; speak with your tax practitioner if this matters. The receipt PHWO emails is a confirmation of your gift. At home, PHWO’s welfare-agency registration is still pending.
Raising support among South African Pakistanis
PHWO welcomes fundraisers abroad. You could talk about its work in your jamaat, among fellow traders or in your family WhatsApp group and share the donate page. Please ensure each person pays directly, and never collect money in PHWO’s name. Legal aid work is reserved for advocates practising in Pakistan, so South African attorneys can help best by raising support. Sign up at Volunteer; volunteers receive a certificate, a letter of appreciation and an experience letter.
Donate to Pakistan from South Africa with care
Scam appeals circulate in every community. Pause if you are told to pay into a private account, if you cannot confirm an address, if the details keep changing, or if someone is rushing you. PHWO operates only from House 704/C, Lahori Muhalla, Larkana, and its bank details appear only on phwo.org. Anyone collecting for PHWO in South Africa is not authorised; please tell info@phwo.org .
Official South African government information is available on gov.za.
Free services your relatives in Pakistan can use
Family members back home can apply for support through Request help, and those with family-law problems such as maintenance or custody can ask for Free legal aid without needing an FIR. Parents seeking a match for their children can try the Rishta Desk, which charges nothing and serves every religion, checks each profile with a live selfie and a PHWO staff review, and leaves the choice to families with no match promised.
Public services in South Africa you can also use
- South African Government (gov.za)Official government information portal
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PakistanFind the Pakistan High Commission in Pretoria
These are public or independent services, listed to help you. They are not part of PHWO.
Frequently asked questions
Can PHWO issue a section 18A certificate?
No. It is a Pakistani organisation, not a South African PBO. Ask your tax practitioner about your situation.
Which bank can I use?
Any South African bank or licensed provider that can send money to a Pakistani bank account.
Does PHWO have an office in Johannesburg or Durban?
No. Its only office is in Larkana, Pakistan.
Can I donate groceries instead of money?
Goods can be handed in at the Larkana office. From South Africa, sending money is usually far more practical.
What if my receipt does not arrive?
Email info@phwo.org with your transfer reference, date and amount.