Few if any cultures integrate charity into daily life more than Islam. In small-scale societies, giving of alms and face-to-face charity presented few problems. Scaling up charity to work effectively in a modern technological society means that the practices and systems of collection, accountability and distribution have to change radically. Where they lag behind, however good the intent of the charity, problems can develop.
Caroline Montagu has long been involved in the construction and operation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). She was in Jeddah this week to discuss with Saudi NGOs and interested parties the possibility of a conference or workshop for NGOs and charities, likely to be held in London later this year.
“One of the key areas we discussed,” she said, “were the particular training requirements needed for the NGO sector in Saudi Arabia.”
More specialized charities have emerged from the generous but often unfocused distribution of charity over the past four or five years. These are in addition to the big benevolent societies like Al-Nahda, Faisalliyah and the regional charities.
“Some fine work has been done addressing particular social needs in the Qassim area. Excellent as these are,” said Montagu, “there is a need for many more specialized charities.”
What struck Montagu as interesting on her many visits to the Kingdom is the number and scope of charities being run by women. “In my view and the view of a number of people it has become clear that working in the charitable sector could provide satisfying and a good career structure for women.”
The same could be true for young men. This has not yet developed as a professional career structure but could do so.
“Over the last 20 years, the charities have expanded and become infinitely more professional, and young people come into them with highly specialized training.”
A hugely valuable spin-off is that the more professional approach increases the accountability and transparency of the charity. “It allows the charities to assess and say how many halala in the riyal are actually being spent on the charity work and reaching the needy.”
“It’s interesting that a charity like Al-Nahda — which used to provide support and aid for indigent families,” observed Montagu, “has started to provide economic sufficiency by creating factories where women can work and make a living.” This gives the women self-respect and a sense of worth which simply receiving aid does not engender.
This shift requires a different a type of organizing skill and the application of business and commercial methodology and need different sorts of expertise and knowledge.
A complementary driver has been the events of Sept. 11, 2001 and the minute examination of the possible abuse of charity worldwide. Charities have had to be far more transparent in their dealings. This has required a far greater professionalism in the way money is being distributed.
Areas where local NGOs felt training was needed, said Montagu, included family difficulties, disability, family violence and physical illnesses. Some of these problems stem from marriage between cousins. This has been a rising problem in the Kingdom, because as medical expertise has stretched in society, far more children with disabilities survive.
“Quite often, these come from cousin marriages and it is something that Saudi society is beginning to address.”
In her intensive research, Montagu said the needs the NGOs felt they needed addressing were training volunteers and training trainers, adapting programs from other countries to Saudi Arabia’s specific cultural and charity needs, counseling on a whole range of different areas — including family disability, cancer, children, violence, drugs, prison visiting, home help and old people.
“It is a challenge,” she said. “Exploring the needs of the mentally ill, medical care and training of all sorts, training trainers so that Saudi Arabia becomes more self sufficient. Practical training is needed in everything from handicraft work to vocational skills, social workers, psychotherapists, play therapists. Special housing needs for the elderly.”
One request that was repeatedly voiced was the need for more training in financial planning, budget preparation and monitoring. A charity, Montagu believes, should run like a business and have its own accountants who are not profit oriented, but who specialize in charities, fund-raising, best practice systems management and research. “Foreigners really must take a backseat and the Saudis should do the work,” she said.
The conference in London in December, hopefully with British government backing along with good Saudi backing will be the first step.
“There is an excellent organization in Egypt called Arab Net which is part of AGFUND — the Arab Gulf Program for United Nations Development Organizations. Set up in the 1980s by Prince Talal, it provides a lot of training for Arab NGOs. However, more is required. AGFUND has put a lot of high quality work into projects. They are very good, but they cannot do it all; there is always a need for more.”
