Participating in charity is a big part of the Saudi culture and there are hundreds of organizations in Saudi Arabia that are doing great things to help the less fortunate. Here’s a list of five charitable associations that you can learn more about.
EKHAA Charitable Foundation for Orphan Care
Ekhaa is a pioneer institution dedicated to the support of orphans in Saudi Arabia. Through the years, they have expanded their branches from Riyadh to Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah, Dammam, Hail, Qassim, Abha, Shakra, and Jizan. They take care of over 2000 orphans, including those with special needs. They offer development programs and provide a nurturing environment for them with the help of their partners and donors.
You can sponsor an orphan on a monthly/yearly basis and even help provide food baskets for them. Denominations for donations start at 50 SAR and up.
Saudi Food Bank Association (ETAAM)
There is often a food surplus in the food industry (whether in groceries or restaurants), and ETAAM has built a system of making sure that these extra resources do not go to waste. Originally established in the Eastern Province in 2011, ETAAM was the first food bank in Saudi Arabia and the whole Gulf region. Today, they help provide food for communities with limited income in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Al Ahsa, Jubail and has mobile distribution units in Abqaiq and Ras A-Khair.
Mawaddah Women’s Charity Association
Mawaddah has been integral in providing solutions to issues such as legislation and procedures related to divorce in Saudi Arabia. It has supported women in getting them to know their civil rights and give them the support they need such as leadership trainings, helping them financially, and other post-divorce rehabilitation programs. They also offer development courses for newly-formed families to enrich their lives and avoid issues of divorce in the future.
Alnahda Society
Dedicated to Saudi women’s empowerment, Alnahda is a pioneer non-profit organization that started as early as 1963. They do extensive work in the field of women’s rights, participate in national dialogues, and provide business leadership opportunities and digital literacy for women. Through the years, they have successfully executed numerous projects and campaigns for the social and economic causes of women in the Kingdom and in June 2019, they were accredited by the UN Economic and Social Council as a non-governmental organization (consultative status).
They welcome volunteers, members, sponsors, ambassadors, and donors to help them further reach their goals.
https://www.alnahda.org/participate/
Children with Disability Association
This charity has made it their mission to provide children with disabilities access to professional rehabilitation and educational services for them to integrate themselves into society in the future. They also work closely with parents on how to care for their children by providing them with the tools and resources that they may need. Apart from the medical and therapeutic programs, they offer training for people who work with disabled children; including special education teachers.
You can participate in donating for each of the children’s needs by reading about their case and donating what you can.
EHSAN National Platform for Charitable Work
In March 2021, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority launched a centralized, digital platform for all the humanitarian and charitable organizations in the Kingdom. It has made donations more efficient and accessible for both donors and the institutions. However, at the moment, the application is only available in Arabic.
