International Day of Charity celebrates giving back

AMMAN — Charity is a blessing in a fast-paced world full of uncertainty and unprecedented events, according to philanthropists and local charity organisation representatives.

Marking International Day of Charity, Ammar Khalil, member of the Dawaymeh Charity Association Executive Board, told The Jordan Times on Sunday that “charity strengthens social responsibility and empowers us to make our world a better place”.

International Day of Charity, observed annually on September 5, was declared a holiday by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012, with the objective of sensitising and mobilising people, NGOs and stakeholders worldwide, to help people through philanthropic activities.

“Charity, like the notions of volunteerism and philanthropy, provides real social bonding and contributes to the creation of inclusive and more resilient societies,” according to the UN.

Dawaymeh Charity Association is a local nonprofit that seeks to improve the life conditions of the vulnerable through organising local outreach programmes, distributing food parcels, and establishing community food banks.

Khalil said that charitable giving and voluntary work are a vital contribution to society and even the economy, because they break down social barriers, and most importantly, reduce the divide between the rich and poor.

Um Shadi, an individual donor based in the Jabal Akhdar neighbourhood in Amman who has worked in charity almost her whole life, told The Jordan Times that many neighbourhoods saw dramatic increases in poverty and unemployment in recent periods.

Um Shadi noted that charity was the only thing that alleviated the suffering and harsh living conditions of those in her neighbourhood.

“A small donation can drastically change the lives of many individuals, and it changes our lives as charity giving is so rewarding and unparalleled,” she said. Um Shadi noted that in the area where she lives, refugees from different nationalities come and ask for help. 

“Generosity and hospitality is deeply ingrained in our cultural fabric, and we must never forget others,” she added.