Oxfam Hong Kong loses 715 donors worth over HK$1.1 million a year as prostitution scandal rocks charity’s British arm
Aid organisation loses almost HK$100,000 in monthly donations as sexual misconduct allegations hit confidence
Oxfam Hong Kong has lost 715 local donors in the past 11 days who collectively gave the organisation more than HK$1.1 million a year, as a prostitution scandal involving seven staff members continues to rock the charity’s British arm.
The number is a marked increase on the figure reported by the charity five days ago, when its local branch disclosed it had lost 480 monthly donors from the city since allegations surfaced in Britain on February 9 that aid workers had used prostitutes in Haiti in 2010.
Most of the donors who terminated their contributions were described as long-term supporters who gave HK$100 to HK$200 every month to the charity, which has been in Hong Kong for 42 years.
“The sexual scandal at Oxfam Great Britain has had a negative impact on Oxfam Hong Kong and seriously affected our supporters’ confidence in us,” said Stephen Tsui, head of communications for Oxfam Hong Kong.
Tsui said it would be difficult to determine the long-term damage from “suddenly losing a large number of regular monthly donors”.