GFA World

About GFA World:

Founded in 1978, GFA World is the Canadian division of Gospel for Asia, a Texas-based charity founded by KP Yohannan. GFA World works in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, China, and Thailand. 

Donor Advisory: 

In March 2019, a US court ordered Gospel for Asia pay a US$37 million refund to donors for misrepresenting how donations were spent. In October 2017, the Indian government forbid Gospel for Asia funds transfers to India. 

In March 2016, The Toronto Star reported that Gospel for Asia Canada is the defendant in a fraud lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges that between 2007 and 2014, $94 million was sent from Gospel for Asia Canada to India. However, Gospel for Asia’s Indian affiliates have no record of receiving funds from Canada during that period. Gospel for Asia Canada denies the allegations. Toronto Star Article

Additionally, on October 6, 2015, Gospel for Asia US had its membership revoked for standards breaches in the US organization, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). Christian Today Article

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GFA Global, Gospel for Asia, states that God has given it a special love for the people in Asia, and it desires to help people in Asia through ministries like education, health and practical gifts, or through the spiritual transformation of peaceful hearts, restored relationships and mended lives. It reports that millions of families across South Asia are stuck in the cycle of poverty. The charity’s head office is in Stoney Creek, Ontario.

GFA World helps transform communities around the world in four main ways: sponsoring national missionaries, sponsoring children, investing in community development, and helping families in need of care or disaster relief. The charity notes that each national worker is a man or woman who already lives in Asia. They receive three years of ministry training in preparation for their ministry. GFA World’s Bridge of Hope child sponsorship program gives more than 70,000 poor children a daily meal and regular medical checkups for their physical health and development. The program helps the children with getting an education, so they can get a job and become self-sufficient.

GFA World invests in community development by identifying specific needs in poor areas and helping families get out of the poverty cycle. The charity provides gifts such as animals, clean water wells, and items that can create an income, like a sewing machine, to poor families in need. GFA World’s compassion services is comprised of four areas of ministry: slum ministry, leprosy ministry, medical ministry and disaster relief. Through these ministries, supported workers are relieving the burdened, rescuing the endangered and revealing God's compassion to the people of Asia.

Financial Review:

GFA World is a large charity with donations of $10.9m in F2016. Total donations and total program costs have decreased by 40% and 39% respectively since F2014. Administrative costs are 6% of revenues and fundraising costs are 6% of donations. Per dollar donated to the charity, $0.88 goes toward its programs, which falls within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. The charity’s funding reserves of $4.3m can cover less than 5 months of annual program costs. 

This charity report is an update that has been sent to GFA World for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on July 21, 2018 by Derek Houlberg.