UAE ranked among top 10 most generous nations

Populations tested on helping strangers, donating money and volunteering to judge overall generosity

The Emirates Red Crescent distributes emergency food aid. Wam

The UAE has made the top 10 most generous nations, according to a Charities Aid Foundation World Giving Index, which has the nation ranked 9th in a list of 139 countries. Data collected from around the world has been evaluated to find out which countries are the most generous, according to three types of giving behaviour. A CAF report shows what percentage of the population reported incidents of helping a stranger, donating money or giving up their time to volunteer.

Myanmar tops the 2017 list of giving, with a CAF World Giving Index Score of 65 per cent. An impressive 91 per cent of the population donated money, while 51 per cent volunteered and 53 per cent had helped a stranger.  "The questions that make up the Index focus on – do we give money or time or do we help strangers in need?" said Sir John Low, chief executive of CAF. "It confounds traditional views of the link between wealth and generosity, confirming what we all surely know: that giving is about spirit and inner motivation, not about financial means." Indonesia was second on the list, with Kenya third.

______________________

Read more:

______________________ New Zealand was fourth with a CAF World Giving Index Score of 57 per cent, and the USA made up the top five, scoring 56 per cent on the index. The UAE had an index of 51 per cent, with an impressive 71 per cent admitting to helping a stranger, 55 per cent donating money but just 27 per cent had volunteered their time. Among the countries surveyed last year, 52 saw an increase in the proportion of people helping a stranger and three saw no change but 80 saw a decrease.

The biggest movers downwards are found mainly in Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe. Bangladesh registers the biggest decrease, falling from 56 per cent to 34 per cent, its lowest score for helping a stranger since the first report in 2010. Vietnam follows closely behind with a decrease from 55 per cent to 37 per cent, its lowest score for this measure since 2011. The UK ranks outside the top 10 of generous nations in 11th place, with an overall index score of 50 per cent.