India is becoming more generous as it re-enters the top 100 most generous countries on the CAF World Giving Index, the unique global league of giving, according to new figures published recently.
More people give money, volunteer and help a stranger in India than in any other country on earth, according to the index, produced by the Charities Aid Foundation.
The number of Indians helping stranger, giving money and volunteering their time are both up, according to the index, which measures people giving their time, their money and helping others.
Overall, 401 million people had helped a stranger last year, up from 335m in 2014. More than 200 million had given money, up from 184m in 2014 and 200m had volunteered during the previous month, up from 157m in 2014.
Overall, India has climbed up the global CAF World Giving Index from 106th to 91st place, just above Pakistan and Bangladesh. But it still scores significantly lower than some of its neighbours like Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal.
The CAF World Giving Index is compiled by the Charities Aid Foundation, an international charity, with partner offices in India, the USA, Canada, Russia, South Africa and Brazil as well as the UK.
Meenakshi Batra, Chief Executive of CAF India, said, “India has a fabulous tradition and culture of giving and it is great news that India is becoming more generous over time. People generously stepped upto help after the devastating Tamil Nadu floods and the Nepal earthquake. It’s humbling that people instinctively try to help when they see their fellow citizens suffering adversity.We need to give something back to those who need it and build on the culture of giving of which we should be so proud.’’
More people than ever before are helping others in countries across the globe, according to the index.
For the first time since the index began, more than half of people in 140 countries said they helped a stranger, and record numbers of people volunteered their time. The numbers of people worldwide giving money was very slightly up.
Overall, Myanmar was the most generous country on Earth for the third year running. The United States was second, making it the most generous nation in the western world, followed by Australia.
The index is published one month before #GivingTuesday – November 29, the global day of giving when people are asked to give their time, money or voice to a good cause.
The CAF World Giving Index, the leading comparative study of global generosity, records the number of people who helped a stranger in the past month, volunteered their time or gave money to a good cause. This year 148,000 people in 140 countries were surveyed as part of the Gallup World Poll.
