The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing announced the launch of the second edition of the “Saudi Arabia Charity Stall 2026” , which aims to organize and empower street vendors across the Kingdom. This initiative, held during the holy month of Ramadan in partnership with regional municipalities, is a strategic step within the Ministry’s efforts to improve the urban landscape, enhance quality of life, and provide sustainable economic opportunities for citizens, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
General context and historical background
Street vending is a traditional economic activity and an integral part of the social fabric in many Saudi cities, providing a source of income for numerous families. However, this activity has faced regulatory challenges that have sometimes negatively impacted the urban landscape and public health. As part of the comprehensive national transformation led by Vision 2030, government agencies have moved towards structuring and regulating the informal sector to integrate it into the national economy and enhance its positive contribution. The “Basta Khair” initiative, launched in its first edition in 2025, served as a pioneering experiment in this field, achieving remarkable success with the participation of 1,732 vendors and attracting over 814,000 visitors, recording a 90% satisfaction rate among participants and visitors.
Goals and details of “Basta Khair 2026”
The new iteration of the initiative builds on past successes with ambitious expansion plans, aiming to provide up to 350 retail outlets in each municipality across the Kingdom's cities. The initiative begins by allocating five locations per municipality, with a focus on sustainability by designating at least two locations in each municipality to operate permanently even after Ramadan. This shift from a seasonal activity to a sustainable business model ensures stable income for participants and enhances the initiative's long-term economic impact.
The initiative is based on implementing standardized operational criteria and clear requirements to ensure compliance with municipal and health regulations. It also includes continuous field monitoring to guarantee product safety and service quality, thereby enhancing consumer confidence and transforming these stalls into attractive and organized destinations that reflect the cultural identity of each city.
Importance and expected impact
The “Basta Khair 2026” initiative represents more than just organizing street vendors; it is an engine for local development on several levels:
- On the economic front, the initiative contributes to creating new job opportunities and transforming informal activities into formal and sustainable small businesses. This supports productive families and small entrepreneurs, and promotes economic diversification at the local level.
- On the social level: The initiative works to empower different segments of society economically, and provides them with a legal and organized platform to conduct their business activities, thus enhancing their financial and social stability.
- In terms of quality of life: By providing organized sales locations with a unified visual identity and consideration of aesthetic standards, the initiative contributes to improving the urban landscape of Saudi cities, and makes public spaces more vibrant and attractive to residents and visitors, which is one of the main objectives of the Quality of Life Program.
In this way, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, through “Basta Khair 2026”, affirms its commitment to developing innovative and sustainable business models that support the local economy and improve the urban environment, thus achieving a balance between economic development and urban development.
