£80 - Ramadan Ration / One Family, four members
£160 - Ramadan Ration / Two Families, four members each
£100 - Sponsoring 1 Widow / 1 sewing machine
£200 - Sponsoring 2 Widow2 / 2 sewing machine
£160 - Akhuwat Educational Project / monthly support
£350 - Livelihood for 1 Disabled Person
£700 - Livelihood Support for 2 Disabled People
£1900 - Akhuwat Educational Project / annum support
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Your Zakat can Empower People like Irum this Ramadan

Your Zakat is Empowering Small Entrepreneurs like Irum this Ramadan

In Pakistan, hard-working people like Irum Bukhari, who run small businesses often struggle to make ends meet. They may have the skills and motivation to work. But they lack the resources to help them maximise these skills.  

When her husband died, Irum struggled to support her family. In her village, Samnabad, there were limited employment opportunities for women. But she was determined to change that. Irum made the most of her excellent cooking skills to earn an income. She just needed a little extra cash to invest in her small business.

Of course, getting assistance from a bank was nearly impossible. The little income she earned and the few assets she had were not enough to make her eligible for help from traditional financial institutions. Akhuwat’s Islamic Microlending, our Qarz-e-Hasna scheme, was the answer to her prayers. Read more and watch Irum’s video here to find out how Irum’s business grew from the small food rickshaw at Shadman Market to her own kiosk.

Your Ramadan Giving as Qarz-e-Hasna

Our Islamic Microlending scheme turns your Zakat and Sadaqah into Qarz-e-Hasna for people like Irum to invest in their livelihoods. They’re able to increase their earning potential and eventually repay the capital, without interest, in affordable instalments.

Through Akhuwat, your Islamic donations over Ramadan work much harder than just a one-off donation to one person. We believe that the sustainable development of individuals and families is at the core of real change. We address the challenges that underprivileged people experience by granting them collateral-free advances, without interest. This is how our Microlending scheme gives the most disadvantaged a chance to uplift themselves.

Why Qarz-e-Hasna Works

Because our borrowers know that the money received needs to be paid back, they are more responsible in how they use it. They invest it in things that will give them a return and work hard at achieving success.

Akhuwat has a 99% loan repayment rate – the highest in the world! We believe that giving people handouts does not empower them. In fact, it may keep them in a cycle of dependence. Whereas our Qarz-e-Hasna scheme breaks this cycle of dependence to make a positive and lasting impact.  

Give Differently to Make a Real Difference

Your Zakat and Sadaqah this Ramadan can support sustainable development by funding Qarz-e-Hasna. To date, we have helped approximately 5 million families, all of whom have repaid their loans and are working towards brighter futures.

Learn more about Akhuwat’s Islamic Microlending and how you can give Qarz-e-Hasna this Ramadan,

Qarz-e-Hasna – Investing in People to Create Independence

Qarz-e-Hasna - Investing in People to Create Independence

Meet Parveen, a widow with four children whose husband passed away nine years ago. Since then, she’s struggled to make ends meet. As a single, unemployed woman, it was very difficult to support her children all alone. In desperation, she turned to Akhuwat, who stood by her in her time of need. This is what she had to say: “Akhuwat supported me and held my hand.” 

We gave Parveen Qarz-e-Hasna through our Family Enterprise Lending scheme. This was the helping hand she needed to start her home-based business. 

She bought a sewing machine with the funds and began making and repairing clothes for her community. The income she earned allowed her to become independent. 

Not only could she take care of her children and cover all her household expenses, but she was also able to invest in her business. She bought a second machine to increase her sewing capacity and output, so her income grew too. All while repaying the initial capital in monthly instalments without interest! 

Parveen is very grateful to Akhuwat. Without our help, she would be reliant on donations and would never have become the successful, self-reliant seamstress she is today.

Help for the Disabled

Help for the Disabled

In developing countries where poverty is rife, it isn’t uncommon for disabled people to be ostracised by their communities, and even abandoned by family members. Unemployable and without any skills, many are forced to beg on the streets to make money. This is a fate Muhammad Akram refused to submit to. 

Muhammad lost the use of his legs at age three when he was diagnosed with polio. Alone in the world, he worked harder than most to earn an honest living to provide for himself. But his prospects were always limited and becoming more so as he was getting older. Muhammad approached us for help. 

When Muhammad applied to Akhuwat, he was employed as a seller, selling used items at the local Sunday market. It was there he met someone who told him he could work for himself if he started his own small business. This made sense to Muhammad. He was good at what he did and had a keen eye for what would sell. Whereas his earnings would always remain meagre if he continued to work for someone else.

We gave Muhammad a Qarz-e-Hasna of PKR25,000. With that money, he bought toys and started selling his own wares. Today, Muhammad is independent and earning more than he ever has. He is grateful to Allah (SWT) for this opportunity which saved him from the curse of having to beg. 

Power Up Your Zakat this Ramadan

Power Up Your Zakat this Ramadan

‘Zakat is a form of worship and the one who fulfils it will be rewarded.’ (Tirmidhi)

Muslims are obligated to pay Zakat annually. We’re required to donate a portion of our wealth to needy Muslims who are eligible to receive Zakat. But did you know that you can give your Zakat differently this Ramadan, to amplify its impact on the lives of the needy? 

Here, you’ll learn everything you need to know about Zakat and how you can power up yours this Ramadan.

The Personal Benefits of Paying Zakat

Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam – an obligation we are required to fulfil. But Zakat is also a great blessing from Allah (SWT) with manifold rewards for us. Below, we list some of the benefits of paying our Zakat:

  • Paying our Zakat fulfils our religious duty for which we will be rewarded now and in the Hereafter.  
  • Paying Zakat purifies all our wealth and brings Barakah (blessings/abundance) into our lives.  
  • Paying Zakat reminds us that our wealth is not our own, but a blessing from Allah (SWT) to be shared. 
  • Zakat also helps to purify our hearts against selfishness while ensuring that the poorest members of society are taken care of.  

Zakat can be paid at any time of the year, but many of us choose to pay it in Ramadan for two reasons. First, because it helps us keep track of when we should calculate Zakat – at the end of one lunar year; and second, because we know that any good deed performed in Ramadan has the potential to receive multiple rewards – up to seventy times more!

The Social Benefits of Paying Zakat

Zakat is a way of redistributing surplus wealth to bring about balance and equality. In fact, at Akhuwat, we believe that if Zakat was paid by everyone eligible and distributed correctly, it has the potential to end world poverty!

But what if you could give Zakat in a way that could help more than one person over and over again so that it creates a lasting and more sustainable impact? Through Akhuwat’s Islamic micro-lending, your Zakat contribution will assist not only the receiver but many others in the long term. Here’s how…

Help More People for Longer with Your Zakat

We give your Zakat as Qarz-e-Hasna (an advance without interest) to people in need so that they can invest in improving their lives and livelihoods. Once they pay back the capital, in manageable instalments and without interest, it is then given to another person in need. In this way, more people are empowered and encouraged to rely only on themselves and their own hard work. 

We make no profit from your donations. We give it to needy people as Qarz-e-Hasna advances to invest in themselves (through training and education) and their livelihoods (like businesses or farms). Your Zakat through Akhuwat, helps people make the most of their skills and resources to better their lives and the lives of their families. Not only that – when it’s repaid, it will be used as a new Qarz-e-Hasna to help a new recipient (borrower). And this cycle repeats itself endlessly. 

Your one-off Zakat contribution has the potential to help needy people for years to come. Find out more about our Qarz-e-Hasna Scheme by clicking below.

Empowering the World: Dr. Amjad Saqib’s Vision to Eradicate Global Poverty Through Islamic Microlending

Empowering the World: Dr. Amjad Saqib's Vision to Eradicate Global Poverty Through Islamic Microlending

Award-winning philanthropist, Dr. Amjad Saqib unravels the potential of microlending and how it can help transform lives and communities worldwide.

Dr. Amjad Saqib.
Dr. Amjad Saqib.

In the realm of combating global poverty, one name stands out as a symbol of hope and innovation: Dr. Amjad Saqib. As a pioneering advocate for empowering people who would not qualify for assistance from traditional banks, Dr. Saqib and his friends have been at the forefront of a transformative movement for individuals, families, and communities. Through Akhuwat’s Qarz-e-Hasna scheme, we provide worthy recipients with the financial tools they need to break the chains of poverty. Dr. Saqib has been recently appointed as the chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), which is a 1.5 billion dollars annual federal unconditional and conditional cash transfer poverty reduction programme in Pakistan.

Islamic Microlending, as championed by Dr. Saqib, is not merely a financial strategy but a powerful tool for social change. It involves providing small advances, which are free of interest or mark-up, often to those who are seeking support in operational costs but lacking access to traditional banking services, allowing them to start or expand small businesses, invest in education, and improve their overall quality of life. The impact of this type of microlending is not limited to economic upliftment alone. It is a catalyst for positive change that reverberates through entire communities.

Dr. Amjad elucidated, ”Philanthropy and Islamic Microlending are powerful tools in our battle against poverty. We aim to empower people so that they can break the vicious cycle and reinvent their lives. However, this is done through a mutual support system.”

Dr. Amjad leads by example. He is the founder and Chairman of Akhuwat, the world’s largest and most successful financial institution that operates on Shariah principles, ie. without usuary or interest. Since its inception in 2001 with a modest $100 seed fund, Akhuwat has disbursed a staggering $1 billion worth of small advances with zero interest, transforming the lives of over 6 million families across Pakistan.

At the heart of Dr. Saqib’s and his comrades’ vision is the belief that poverty can be eradicated by enabling individuals to become self-sufficient. Through his ground-breaking work with the Akhuwat Foundation, a non-profit organisation he established in 2001, Dr. Saqib has demonstrated the profound impact of Akhuwat’s Qarz-e-Hasna scheme on the lives of millions. Akhuwat operates on the Islamic principle of prohibiting Riba (usuary) ensuring that financial assistance is not accompanied by the burdensome weight of exorbitant interest.

Empowering the World: Dr. Amjad Saqibs Vision to Eradicate Global Poverty Through Microfinance

Dr. Saqib added, “One of our key strengths is our ability to reach those who are traditionally excluded from formal financial systems. In many developing countries, a significant portion of the population lacks access to banks and financial institutions, leaving them trapped in a cycle of poverty. Through our innovative approach, we’ve broken down these barriers.” He explained how it offers a lifeline to the underserved and marginalised, often empowering women who, in turn, become agents of change within their communities.

His contributions to uplifting the world’s most vulnerable people have earned him global accolades, such as the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2021 (also known as Asia’s Nobel Prize equivalent), the 2018 Islamic Economy Award, a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 2022 and the Global Man of the Decade award in 2023. He has also been recognised by the World Economic Forum, the Schwab Foundation, and the late Queen Elizabeth II through the ‘Points of Light’ award.

Dr. Saqib’s and Akhuwat’s approach goes beyond financial transactions; it is a holistic model that considers the social and cultural context of the communities it serves. By fostering a sense of community and shared responsibility, our programme creates networks of support that extend beyond financial assistance. This approach not only ensures the success of individual entrepreneurs but also contributes to the development and resilience of entire communities.

The success stories emerging from Dr. Saqib’s initiatives are inspiring and diverse. From small-scale agricultural ventures lifting rural communities out of poverty to urban enterprises empowering women to break gender norms, the impact is profound and far-reaching. These success stories underscore the potential for microlending without interest to be a powerful tool in the global fight against poverty.

As the world grapples with complex challenges, from economic inequality to the aftermath of the global health crises, the importance of innovative solutions becomes increasingly apparent. Dr. Amjad Saqib’s vision offers a roadmap for a more equitable and sustainable future, where individuals are not just beneficiaries of aid but active participants in their own upliftment.

A Helping Hand for Women Entrepreneurs

A Helping Hand for Women Entrepreneurs

With limited employment opportunities in the village of Samnabad (Pakistan), people struggle to find work and earn enough to look after themselves and their families. But enterprising people will always find a way. People like our Qarz-e-Hasna recipient, Irum Babur Bukhari who made the most of her excellent cooking skills to work for herself. 

Irum ran a small home-based business making meals, which she would sell from a small rickshaw at Shadman Market. But she wanted to better her business and boost her earnings to support her family. Irum approached Akhuwat for assistance.  And because she was eligible and could prove her repayment capacity, she qualified to receive several small advances from our Family Enterprise Lending scheme.

Irum invested these funds in her business by buying groceries, equipment and whatever else she needed to make a business viable. The capital she borrowed would be repaid in small, affordable monthly instalments, without any interest! Within 7-8 months, she was managing and earning better than ever before.

Irum’s business grew until she was able to get her own premises at the market – a kiosk where she could make fresh, hot rotis on site to serve with her delicious meals. Now, she attracts even more customers – workers and children from the schools and hostels in the area. All the locals enjoy her home cooking. Irum is very grateful to Allah (SWT) and of course to Akhuwat supporters who made her success possible.

The Last 10 Nights of Ramadan

The Last 10 Nights of Ramadan

The month of Ramadan is considered the holiest for Muslims and is the month of Allah’s (SWT) blessings, mercy and forgiveness. The last Ashra of Ramadan (the last 10 nights) is known as Safety from the Hellfire. It is an opportunity to increase our spirituality, seek forgiveness and gain closeness to Allah (SWT). Also, among these last 10 nights is Laylatul Qadr – The Night of Power or The Night of Decree – a night so miraculous that it is declared to be better than a thousand months.

The Prophet (PBUH) said, ‘This month has come to you, and in it, there is a night that is better than a thousand months. Whoever is deprived of it is deprived of all goodness, and no one is deprived of its goodness except one who is truly deprived.’ (Anas ibn Malik)

So, what should we do in the last 10 nights of Ramadan, to take full advantage and to not be deprived? The best thing to do is to follow the example of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who would devote himself to charity, prayer and worship more than at any other time. Here is a list of To-dos. 

Perform Ih’tikahf

The Prophet (PBUH) would stay at the mosque over these last 10 days to perform Ih’tikahf. Ih’tikahf is a spiritual retreat when one secludes oneself from the world and spends time in devotion and prayer. 

The Prophet (PBUH) said, ‘Whoever was in Itikaf with me should stay in Itikaf for the last ten days, for I was informed (of the date) of the Night (of Qadr) but I have been caused to forget it.’ (Abu Said Al-Khudri)
During this time, one can pray extra Salaah, read the Qur’an, make abundant Dhikr (remembrance of Allah in the form of Tasbih) and send salutations (Durood) on our beloved Prophet (PBUH).

Search for Laylatul Qadr – The Night of Power

It was on this night that the first revelation of the Qur’an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and when Allah (SWT) revealed to him his mission of prophethood. This was ordained even before the world and humanity were created. No wonder then that many people stay up for the night and spend time in worship and the remembrance of Allah (SWT). Allah proclaims in the Qur’an:

“The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.” (Qur’an, 97:3)

This means that any good deed performed during this night will be rewarded as if it were consistently done for 1,000 months! It is a night to seek forgiveness, make dua, read the Qur’an, spend our time in Dhikr and give Sadaqah. Already in Ramadan, these good deeds are rewarded seventy times more than at any other time, but on the Night of Decree, we will earn rewards for 1,000 months. 

Give Sadaqah During the Last 10 Days

Charity will be our shade on the Day of Resurrection, and what better time to give Sadaqah than during the last 10 days of Ramadan? 

‘Protect yourself from hellfire even by giving a piece of date in charity.’ (Bukhari)

For your convenience, we’ve set up our ‘My 10 Nights’ facility – an automated giving tool on our website, which allows you to schedule your charity in advance. You can choose your cause and how much you want to give on each of the ten nights, so your donation goes through automatically while you focus on your worship knowing that this important task has been taken care of. Find out how.

None of us want to be among the deprived, so this month, let’s make the most of the precious gifts of Ramadan, the last 10 nights and Laylatul Qadr. May Allah (SWT) accept all our efforts, Ameen.

Your Zakat can Empower People like Irum this Ramadan

Your Zakat is Empowering Small Entrepreneurs like Irum this Ramadan

In Pakistan, hard-working people like Irum Bukhari, who run small businesses often struggle to make ends meet. They may have the skills and motivation to work. But they lack the resources to help them maximise these skills.  

When her husband died, Irum struggled to support her family. In her village, Samnabad, there were limited employment opportunities for women. But she was determined to change that. Irum made the most of her excellent cooking skills to earn an income. She just needed a little extra cash to invest in her small business. 

Of course, getting assistance from a bank was nearly impossible. The little income she earned and the few assets she had were not enough to make her eligible for help from traditional financial institutions. Akhuwat’s Islamic Micro-lending, our Qarz-e-Hasna scheme, was the answer to her prayers. Read more and watch Irum’s video here to find out how Irum’s business grew from the small food rickshaw at Shadman Market to her own kiosk.

Your Ramadan Giving as Qarz-e-Hasna

Our Islamic Micro-lending scheme turns your Zakat and Sadaqah into Qarz-e-Hasna for people like Irum to invest in their livelihoods. They’re able to increase their earning potential and eventually repay the capital, without interest, in affordable instalments. 

Through Akhuwat, your Islamic donations over Ramadan work much harder than just a one-off donation to one person. We believe that the sustainable development of individuals and families is at the core of real change. We address the challenges that underprivileged people experience by granting them collateral-free advances, without interest. This is how our Micro-lending scheme gives the most disadvantaged a chance to uplift themselves.

Why Qarz-e-Hasna Works

Because our borrowers know that the money received needs to be paid back, they are more responsible in how they use it. They invest it in things that will give them a return and work hard at achieving success. 

Akhuwat has a 99% loan repayment rate – the highest in the world! We believe that giving people handouts does not empower them. In fact, it may keep them in a cycle of dependence. Whereas our Qarz-e-Hasna scheme breaks this cycle of dependence to make a positive and lasting impact.  

Give Differently to Make a Real Difference

Your Zakat and Sadaqah this Ramadan can support sustainable development by funding Qarz-e-Hasna. To date, we have helped approximately 5 million families, all of whom have repaid their loans and are working towards brighter futures.

Learn more about Akhuwat’s Islamic Micro-lending and how you can give Qarz-e-Hasna this Ramadan.

Fighting Money Lenders through Microfinance

INFORMAL MONEY-LENDING AND ITS CONSEQUENCES IN PAKISTAN

Poor people in Pakistan who need quick cash can become victims of Baniyas (informal moneylenders) who take advantage of people’s desperation by advancing them funds at exorbitant interest rates. The culture of borrowing from informal moneylenders who are known as Baniyas is prevalent in this impoverished country. Research indicates that about one-fifth of all households are indebted to moneylenders. Even more concerning is that 30% of over-indebted households are spending more than 100% of their income on capital and interest repayments.

More than 100%! If all or a big proportion of income is spent on just these repayments, this leaves no money for daily living. How do these people survive? And how do they get into these situations?

Borrowing from Baniyas – A Solution that’s a Bigger Problem

Poor people who have no other means of getting funds feel that they have no other option except to borrow from unscrupulous moneylenders. Repayments which never seem to come to an end imprison them in a vicious cycle, leaving them in a worse position than before they received the funds. Even after many years, the principal amount (the initial capital borrowed) which was meant to help them remains untouched and becomes a yoke around their necks.

This is yet another example of the exploitation of poor people. The most obvious impact is financial – many borrowers report that they actually become poorer, having to pay off their capital and interest for years. But borrowing from Baniyas is detrimental on so many other levels too.

The Negative Implications of Borrowing from Moneylenders

Borrowing from Baniyas is often a fate worse than death for poor families, leading to forced labour and slavery. Here are some of the realities these families face:

  • Using their limited resources/earnings to pay off the exorbitant instalments may result in removing children from school.
  • It negatively impacts the ability to pay for medical care and results in poor diets for the family, with breadwinners having to work extra hours or being forced to sell household items at a lower value.
  • When borrowers cannot meet their commitments, the moneylenders seize their assets – either what has been offered in collateral (jewellery, equipment, vehicles), or anything else that the borrowers may own.
  • When a payment cannot be made, additional repayments are added – sometimes 2 or 3 more per payment missed.
  • Borrowers are sometimes forced into unpaid labour to pay the Baniyas off.
  • They can be threatened and intimidated. Some even get beaten up and/or publicly shamed.
  • Cases of moneylenders ‘taking’ children and forcing them to work to pay off debts are common. Sometimes young girls are married off to the moneylender to wipe out the outstanding amount.
  • Some borrowers feel they have no other option to end this vicious cycle but to take their own lives. Suicide to escape the crippling and never-ending repayments is a last resort for many who feel trapped and see no escape.

Akhuwat’s Liberation Lending – Fighting Moneylenders through Micro-lending

At Akhuwat, we fight Baniyas who prey on poor families through our Liberation Lending Scheme, under our core programme – Qarz-e-Hasna. With Liberation Lending, we wipe out what the family owes to the moneylenders. We pay off the total balance in one lump sum, including interest to settle the outstanding amount completely. The stress that the borrowers carry worrying about how they will pay off the moneylender is immediately relieved. The moneylender is removed from their lives and they are freed from the burden of never-ending interest payments. To date, we have helped thousands of people through Libration Lending – advancing amounts of between PKR10,000 to PKR100,000.

The monthly repayment amount is fixed and repaid within a fixed period (maximum 3 years), so borrowers know there is an end to the repayments. This makes a huge difference as borrowers can plan and budget for the repayments. Once the total amount is repaid to Akhuwat, the monies that our recipients were paying as instalments can be used for other household expenses or to invest in anything else their families may need. This gives them the freedom to start making a better life for themselves and a better future for their children. Most importantly, they are no longer at the mercy of unscrupulous moneylenders.

Akhuwat’s Liberation Lending Scheme has helped thousands of impoverished Pakistanis break free from crippling and never-ending repayments, reduced their stress and allowed them an opportunity of planning for a better future. Would you like to help poor people in this way? Donate to our Liberation Lending Scheme and free them from the clutches of moneylenders.

Give Little, but Give Often

Give Little, but Give Often

‘Do not show lethargy or negligence in giving alms and charity, until your last breath.’ (Bukhari)

In Islam, ‘Sadaqah’ is voluntary charity, given for the pleasure of Allah (SWT) without expecting anything in return. We know through numerous examples from the life of the Prophet (PBUH) that he gave freely to anyone in need. He was described as being ‘more generous than the blowing wind.’ (Bukhari). His generosity was compared to the wind because of its sustained blowing, which is a mercy that touches all in its path, indicating that the Prophet’s (PBUH) generosity was all-encompassing.

Our Prophet (PBUH) would give charity regularly and he advised us to do the same. We also know that in Islam, the best acts are those which are performed consistently. The Prophet (PBUH) said:

‘Take up good deeds only as much as you are able, for the best deeds are those done regularly, even if they are few.’ (Ibn Majah)
Giving regularly (by setting up a monthly debit order, for example), even if the amount is small, has multiple benefits. Here are some of them.

Regular Giving Helps us feel Empowered, Connected and Happier

Studies show that giving helps us feel socially connected and can actually improve our health. In addition, we feel empowered by seeing the impact of our giving and a recurring donation is a great way to maximise our impact. Giving also makes us happier and more grateful for what we have.

Regular Giving is Convenient for Budgeting

It’s also more convenient because it helps us budget for this amount monthly. And, we do not have to worry about the task of processing the payment each month. It helps us spread the financial impact of our contribution over a whole year, reducing the bigger, one-off payment which may negatively impact our budgets at the time. Spreading the contribution just makes it more manageable.

Regular Giving Spreads Goodness

Giving is contagious. When we give regularly and happily, we encourage others who see us do this, to do the same. We also set an example for our children to follow. This will help them grow into kind and compassionate adults.

Regular Giving Helps Charity Organisations

Consistent giving is also good for the charities that we support. It helps them with their budgets and planning and saves them time and money on fundraising. So, our monthly donation has multiple benefits for the organisations and their recipients.

Donate Regularly to Akhuwat and Earn Multiple Rewards

‘The most beloved of deeds to Allah are those that are most consistent, even if it is small.’ (Bukhari)

Do you want to make your regular charity giving even better? Donating to Akhuwat, will attract rewards, benefit our recipients and power up your contribution. Yes, your Sadaqah or Zakat will become exponentially rewarding in the long term too! Here’s how…

We use your donations to grant small interest-free loans to poor people who cannot access loans through regular financial institutions or banks. When these loans are repaid, they are reinvested into our fund pool and loaned out again to new borrowers. This process is repeated, again and again. So, your initial contribution will be helping several people and you will earn multiple rewards for your one-off donation. To learn more about Akhuwat Islamic Microfinance click here.

Set up a monthly direct debit to give regularly and start reaping all of the rewards for your ongoing generosity.