UAE’s Generous Residents

UAE’s Generous Residents

A recent survey finds that the UAE is home to the world’s most generous residents. Kipp’s a little surprised.

November 8, 2010 3:49 by shafeer

Emirates 24/7 today reports on a survey which found the UAE’s residents to be the world’s most generous. The study polled 7,000 consumers from 13 different nations, including the US, UK, Brazil, Germany, India and the Netherlands. The survey, conducted by Edelman, a public relations firm, found that 86 percent of UAE consumers said they give cash to a good cause at least once a year, with 72 percent saying they volunteer at least once a year.

Edelman general manager Iain Twine says he not surprised by the findings of the survey: “Given the deep sense of community in the UAE, it’s not surprising that we see a high level of consumer interest in and action around brands that support social causes.”

If Kipp’s going to be honest, we were just a little surprised by the findings of the survey. No, not just because the survey depended on merely asking the interviewees if they considered themselves generous instead of evaluating substantial data about donations per capita; nor because the survey focused on only 13 countries, but probably because of the very nature of the UAE (and maybe because we are just cynics at heart). The UAE is, after all, a place where expats flock to, to make that quick buck and possibly save up for the winter. What’s more, the volunteering scene in the UAE, in Kipp’s experience, is both unorganized and relatively young.

Yet, then again, perhaps there was no call for us to be so cynical given that Zakat (charity) is one of the five pillars of Islam (the main religion in the UAE) and that many financial institutions have Zakat funds; especially used during Ramadan and Eid.

But the survey did get us curious about the charitable nature of Kipp’s readers. Do you donate to a charitable cause on a regular basis? Or are you involved in volunteer work on a regular basis? What has your experience been with the business of charity work in the UAE?