Indonesia crowned world's most generous country

By Minh Nga   November 18, 2024 | 06:01 pm PT
Indonesia crowned world's most generous country
People wearing protective face masks wait for their turn to ride go-karts at Trans Studio, amid the coronavirus disease outbreak, in Jakarta, Indonesia, June 1, 2021. Photo by Reuters
A new ranking reveals that nine out of ten Indonesians donate money to charity, and six out of ten dedicate their time to helping others, making Indonesia the most generous country in the world.

According to the 2024 World Giving Index (WGI) by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), Indonesia ranked first for the seventh consecutive year, having overtaken Myanmar in 2017.

The survey, conducted in 2023, included responses from 145,702 participants across 142 countries and territories.

Respondents answered three questions about their actions in the past month: "Have you donated money to charity?", "Have you volunteered your time to an organization?", and "Have you helped a stranger or someone you didn’t know who needed help?"

An average of positive responses was calculated to produce an index score for each country. Scores range from 0 to 100 points, with higher scores indicating greater engagement in giving.

Indonesia scored 74 points to secure the top spot.

Kenya ranked second with 63 points, up from third last year. Singapore rose 19 spots to claim third place with 61 points, thanks to government initiatives encouraging charitable giving and volunteering.

The rest of the seven countries in the top 10 are Gambia, Nigeria, the U.S., Ukraine, Australia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Malta.

Between 2022 and 2023, the biggest risers included Greece, the Philippines, and Singapore, whose scores increased by 15, 13, and 12 points respectively.

Although not among the biggest overall movers, Morocco saw the world’s largest increase in charitable donations. In response to devastating earthquakes in September 2023, donation levels in Morocco skyrocketed by 800%, with 18% of Moroccans donating money compared to just 2% in 2022. Volunteering also doubled, rising from 8% in 2022 to 16% in 2023.

Azerbaijan experienced the steepest decline, falling 65 places to rank 119th.

Over the past decade, Indonesia, Ukraine, Chad, Russia, and China have seen the largest improvements in their WGI scores, each increasing by 25 points or more. Notably, China has made the most dramatic gains, with its score tripling over the last 10 years, alongside a 388% rise in donations and a 441% increase in volunteering.

The global average index score stands at 40 points, matching its highest level since 2021. This year’s survey highlights that people worldwide continue to donate money, volunteer their time, and help strangers despite ongoing economic and humanitarian challenges.

Neil Heslop OBE, Chief Executive Officer of CAF, remarked: "The generosity of people the world over is evident in this year’s Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) World Giving Index. In response to a year of continued economic and humanitarian challenges, the research finds that people from across continents and cultures remain ready to help those in need."

Poland ranks last, following Japan and Cambodia. Vietnam stands at 130.

CAF’s WGI, one of the largest global surveys on giving, has collected data from more than two million people since 2009.

 
 
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