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Culture of Giving

Despite being a poor country, Pakistan is ranked as one of the most charitable nations in the world with an allocation of 1.4% of annual GDP, putting it ahead of the UK and Canada, according to Asian World. While the tradition of philanthropy is ingrained in Pakistani culture, the community of Karachi is especially known for its leadership role in supporting the less privileged. Out of the 240 billion rupees spent last year in charity, Karachi represented over 50%, with initiatives including health, education, food, clean water, and shelter. Karachi’s Indus Hospital is a 500-bed tertiary care hospital built in the low- income neighborhood of Korangi where there is no concept of “billing.” All procedures from diagnostics to hospitalization are fully funded by charity. Another Karachi-based initiative is The Children’s Foundation (TCF), which is now the country’s largest donor- based school organization, with over 250,000 students enrolled. Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust is building the country’s largest cancer-specific charity hospital in Karachi. Edhi Welfare, the country’s first orphanage and ambulance service, is another Karachi based organization . . . and the list goes on.

While this paints an inspiring picture, the dominant motivation for giving in Pakistan remains religious charity in the form of Zakat. This explains why 72% of charity is given during the month of Ramadan. The true spirit of volunteering time as well as money is yet to become as ingrained as Zakat in our community. It also suggests that non-profit organizations need to effectively communicate their work and its impact to win the trust of donors.

Right now I am volunteering with Imkaan, which advocates for child refugees and their right to schooling and sports facilities. Spending time with the children at Khel (a small facility within the refugee colony for the children to learn and play) has been especially rewarding. It is this personal interaction between volunteers and their causes that will make our community’s natural proclivity to ‘give’ more sustainable and meaningful

It is encouraging to note that the culture of donation is still prevalent, despite the challenges of national poverty, social inequality, and unemployment. Although there are signs of reluctance to donate to temporary work or facilities, it is positive to see that more than two-thirds of the selected respondents choose to help the poor and the needy. Hopefully, this study will give us a better understanding of how Pakistanis prefer to give and allow us to compare the trends of giving with other countries around the world.

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Ayza Afridi is turning 16 and entering grade 11 at Karachi Grammar School in Pakistan. Ayza is interested in psychology and would potentially like to pursue a career in this field. Ayza is a strong advocate for children’s right to childhood, ensuring that every child has a right and opportunity to play in appropriate surroundings rather than be forced into child labor.