FAQs
Are you even-handed? What about Israeli shops that are vandalised?
Israeli shops in Palestine (West Bank) are generally illegal under international law. Israeli shops in Israel aren’t vulnerable to repeated Palestinian vandalism (if you know of one let us know). There is thus no demand for us in Israel. We are not able to operate for shops in Gaza, but we do act in solidarity with groups there to bring some justice.
What guarantees are there that the money won’t go astray?
I’m afraid you need to trust us, as we trust the shopkeepers. We pass all proceeds on to them and to other communities affected by the violence. At the moment we work for free and send all the funds on. From being on the ground ourselves we have a very high confidence that our funds get to where they are meant to.
Who makes the decisions about where any extra money goes?
We’re a tiny community organisation, springing from one of us being in a Palestinian shop that had been smashed up and realising we could all help. Our first sale raised nearly £500, and we have now raised over £20,000. We have a small informal board - a group of us with a concern for equal human rights and international law. We decide where donations are to be sent for Gaza/West Bank. We are volunteering our time and contributing our expenses, so there are no UK costs.
How will you track the money and how much is it?
We use an account specifically for the Joyful Sale/Gaza Faces work. All income goes into it. All outgoings will be paid from it to the shopkeeper/ Palestinian human rights causes. We claim no costs in UK, and there are currently none in Palestine except for the bank transfers. The first Joyful Sale raised and sent out £486 in the spring to shopkeepers. Including match funding, the second Joyful Sale has raised over £20,000.
Can I purchase from outside the UK?
Yes, you can purchase an electronic picture from outside UK. We’re a tiny community project at the moment so the bank details are mine - Account name: Bryn Higgs Sort code: 08-92-86 Account number: 18399017 IBAN: GB13 CPBK 0892 8618 3990 17 BIC: CPBK GB 22 Bank Name: Co-operative Bank Bank Address: Co-operative Bank p.l.c. PO Box 101, 1 Balloon St., Manchester M60 4EP.
How do we contact you?
For any problems or questions concerning your purchase please email joyfulsaleofbrokenobjects@gmail.com We do not participate in debating the violence. Please refer to the UN, B’Tselem , Al Haq, Oxfam, Amnesty International, World Food Programme, UNICEF, World Health Organisation or similar for authoritative even-handed information.
In these hard times when persecution has destroyed many West Bank businesses, even to sell one object in the marketplace in a day brings joy and hope to a shopkeeper. To sell a broken object, and have the injustice that has been suffered seen and healed by a stranger, is a powerful thing. The exchange could lighten someone’s day - maybe yours?
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