The World Giving Index 2024 annual report from the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) America reveals an optimistic outlook on global generosity, even amidst economic and humanitarian challenges. The study, which surveyed over 145,000 people across 142 countries, highlights how the spirit of solidarity remains strong worldwide. The report identifies key trends showing increased participation in monetary donations, volunteering, and helping strangers.
One of the most significant findings is that the global index reached its highest level since the start of the pandemic, underscoring people’s continued commitment to supporting charitable causes. A record 4.3 billion people around the world helped a stranger, volunteered their time, or donated money to a good cause in the previous month, representing 73% of the global adult population.
Indonesia once again tops the index as the most generous country in the world, with 90% of its population making monetary donations and 65% volunteering their time. This marks the seventh consecutive year that Indonesia has led the list of the most generous nations. Kenya ranks second, rising from third place last year, while Singapore has seen a notable rise to third place, increasing its score from 49% to 61%. This surge is attributed to recent government initiatives encouraging philanthropy and volunteering.
The CAF World Giving Index is one of the largest global surveys on generosity, having interviewed millions of people since 2009. In this edition, the data includes responses from 142 countries, asking participants whether they had helped a stranger, donated money, or volunteered in the last month.
Other key findings from the report include:
- Diversity in generous countries: Among the 10 most generous countries, only two are among the world’s largest economies (Indonesia and the United States), while one of the poorest countries, Gambia, ranks fourth.
- Morocco: This country saw the largest annual increase in monetary donations following the devastating earthquakes in September 2023. The percentage of people donating money rose from 2% in 2022 to 18%, and volunteer rates doubled from 8% to 16%.
- Greece: This country showed the most improvement this year, scoring high in the “helping strangers” category, significantly surpassing the European average, especially among young people.
- Long-term progress: Over the past decade, Ukraine, Indonesia, Chad, Russia, and China have shown the most improvement, with a 25-point or more increase in their generosity index scores.
Neil Heslop OBE, CEO of the Charities Aid Foundation, commented:
“The generosity of people worldwide is evident in the latest CAF Global Generosity Index, with the global score at its highest level, only matched during the pandemic. The research demonstrates how people from all continents and cultures are willing to help those in need, during a year of continued economic and humanitarian challenges.”
The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), celebrating its centenary this year, connects donors with charitable causes worldwide. Each year, it distributes over £1 billion to charities.
The 10 most generous countries according to the CAF World Giving Index 2024:
- Indonesia
- Kenya
- Singapore
- Gambia
- Nigeria
- United States
- Ukraine
- Australia
- United Arab Emirates
- Malta
Download the full report here.
