Charity officials and volunteers in Saudi Arabia are noting a significant increase in public participation in social work around the kingdom, as well as enhanced co-ordination between the government and aid organisations.

Social work is particularly active during the holy month of Ramadan — a time when humanitarian and religious motives converge — and many youths either join major charitable organisations or form temporary groups to collect and distribute aid to the needy and poor.

Majid al-Mutairi, director of volunteer campaigns at Al-Muwasat Charitable Organisation, told Al-Shorfa there are 630 officially registered charitable organisations, spread across all regions of the kingdom.

Youth service “has seen significant growth in recent years with the rise in the organisations’ need for labour”, said al-Mutairi. “The work they perform includes the collection and disbursement of zakat to eligible recipients, in addition to preparing and serving iftar to fasters in dedicated centres, in the streets, or near traffic signals.”