2025 Donations Report

Compassion in action

Photo: Nine brand-new, made-to-measure wheelchairs delivered at ROKPA centre in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe

Dear Subscribers,

I’d like to share a brief update on where we are with the funds we collectively raised in 2025—and to thank you, very sincerely, for your generosity.

Some background

Before March 2022, my income as a writer came almost entirely from book publishing—an ecosystem which, like music, visual art, and many other creative fields, can be precarious, fragmented, and at times unexpectedly brutal.

Alongside this, I had been writing monthly articles which I offered free to anyone who subscribed via my website. I paid several hundred dollars a month to a mail server to deliver those pieces to readers.

While exploring alternative mailing platforms, I came across Substack. Not only could it send articles free of charge—it also allowed them to be monetised. That discovery prompted a question: what if I reframed my work as a writer? Could I create something meaningful that also did tangible good in the world?

2022–2024: finding our feet

From the outset, I wanted The Dalai Lama’s Cat newsletter to serve a philanthropic purpose as well as a commercial one. I had no idea how many readers might be willing to pay to hear from me, but it felt worth trying. The worst-case scenario was simply reverting to free monthly articles, as before.

To my delight, around 300 readers became paying subscribers fairly quickly. In that first year, I gave away roughly 40% of my Substack earnings—about A$25,000 (US$16,500).

Subscriber numbers continued to build steadily. In 2023 my total donations for the year reached A$55,000 (US$36,300).

I’m not one to count my chickens. Reader churn is a disheartening reality, and attracting new subscribers to replace those who leave is an ongoing task. But in 2024, many readers stayed—and by mid-year it became clear that we might be able to give away even more than in 2023.

At that point, however, a frustration arose. As a higher-rate taxpayer, I pay around 30% tax on my earnings. The non-profits we supported were not then recognised as charities by Australian tax authorities, which meant I had to keep back 30% of all I donated to cover tax. This felt dispiriting.

After some research, I discovered Global Development Group (GDG), which enables eligible projects delivered by non-profits in other countries to be formally recognised as charitable. My wife, Koala, undertook most of the form-filling and administrative gymnastics required to set up Wild is Life / Zimbabwe Elephant Nursery, ROKPA Support Network, and Twala Trust Animal Sanctuary as GDG partners.

This was—and continues to be—a substantial administrative effort for everyone involved. Partner organisations must report twice yearly to GDG on how funds are used, enabling GDG to report to tax authorities in turn. Although GDG is based in Brisbane, it works with tax authorities in the US, UK, New Zealand, and the Netherlands, making donations from those countries tax-deductible as well.

Until this point, all donations to our supported organisations had come from me personally. I wondered whether readers might also wish to donate directly—perhaps personally, through a business, or via a charitable trust.

In December 2024, I shared details of the GDG arrangement and provided links for those who wished to donate directly.

To my great joy—and that of our supported charities—you collectively donated A$25,000 (US$16,600) that month alone, bringing total donations for 2024 to A$78,000 (US$51,000).

Those figures in summary (US dollars):

2022: $16,500

2023: $36,300

2024: $51,000

2025: where we are now

The table below shows donations made during 2025. For simplicity, all figures are quoted in US dollars.

“Michie” donations are those I’ve made personally, representing approximately 47% of the the total amount we have collectively donated. “Subscriber” donations are those that subscribers have made directly via the GDG portals.

What these figures show is, first, a significant increase compared to previous years—and second, something that genuinely moves me: collectively, you donated more than I did via GDG last year—nearly US$60,000 compared to my US$54,000.

That is extraordinary.

Compared with the balance sheets of large international charities, these sums are modest. But for a relatively small community of readers, I believe we’re making an impact that far exceeds our size.

I am continually struck by the generosity of readers—and by your willingness to support vulnerable animals and people you may never meet. This open-heartedness perfectly reflects the subtitle of my newsletter: compassion in action. I may have added “Buddhist” for discoverability, but no tradition or group has a monopoly on compassion.

Finally, below is a brief visual reminder of just some of the ways your subscriptions—and your direct donations—have helped over the past twelve months:

When a wild fire ripped through the bush near Wild is Life/Zimbabwe Elephant Nursery’s property near Harare, all the food needed to see the animals through the dry months was destroyed. Readers responded magnificently, and immediately, buying huge quantities of lucerne hay.

Little Noku has battled with health problems since the day she was born. At an early age she needed to have her left leg amputated. Here she is with her Mum and a new, advanced prosthetic that bends at the knee, giving her mobility and independence.

Nyasha the lioness on her way from Wild is Life to Twala Trust to meet male lion Shungu. Neither lions can be released into the wild, and both had lost their partners to illness. Now they have been given a new chance at life together.

Star getting used to his new prosthetic legs. After losing both legs in a terrible accident, he is now walking again and able to support his family.

Sekhuru Nhara who suffered a stroke, with his dog Nala and Twala volunteer Ginger. The weekly outreach program run by Twala in rural Goromonzi means that many rural dogs and cats are properly fed, vaccinated, checked and treated free of charge. The impact on pets and their owners is profound

Vengye’s leg was burned in a fire. Amputation was only made possible because of being supplied with the correct medicines and pain killers. ROKPA Support Network is working to help him with a new prosthetic limb.

The elephant carers at Wild is Life/Zimbabwe Elephant Nursery’s Panda Masuie reserve. These are the frontline staff who help coax once-orphaned elephant calves to freedom and independence in the bush, and whose training we support.

Digit, having been sterilized, is on his way home. In December we successfully raised funds to expand the cat shelter at Twala Trust so that cats can be given the same support as dogs in the Goromonzi area. We look forward to sharing updates - our subscribers have donated significantly to sterilisation, vaccination and feeding programs for both cats and dogs.

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As we move into 2026, I will continue to work hard and put in the hours required to offer the insights I have received from my teachers. I hope that the different posts and stories I share will continue to attract and retain paying subscribers.

I am enormously grateful for the generosity of my paying subscribers, as well as your trust, and implicit belief that kindness, when organised with care, can ripple outward in meaningful ways.

I will continue to share updates as the work unfolds, but for now please know that your support is felt every day by animals, carers, families, and communities far beyond this page.

Right now in Africa, there are people and animals with greater hope, fulfilment, food in their tummies and the knowledge that they are cared for - because of you!

Thank you for being part of this beautiful story.