Ihsan Platform: A digital revolution in the Saudi charitable sector
The national platform for charitable work, “Ihsan,” stands at the forefront of leading institutional models globally, having successfully achieved a unique blend of deeply rooted humanitarian values and cutting-edge technologies. Ihsan is more than just a donation portal; it is a comprehensive national system that leverages data and artificial intelligence to revolutionize charitable work within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It operates under a governance framework that ensures transparency and reliability, guaranteeing that donations reach their beneficiaries as quickly as possible.
General context: From traditional giving to digital sustainability
The launch of the “Ihsan” platform in March 2021, overseen by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), embodies one of the key objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to maximize the impact of the non-profit sector and increase its contribution to the GDP. Prior to “Ihsan,” charitable work in the Kingdom relied heavily on individual efforts and disparate institutions. The platform unifies these efforts under a single digital umbrella, enhancing the efficiency of resource allocation and ensuring that aid reaches those most in need through precise data analysis. This represents a strategic shift from traditional giving to a digital and sustainable charitable system.
Importance and impact: Strengthening trust and expanding the circle of good
The importance of “Ihsan” lies in its ability to build bridges of trust between donors and beneficiaries. By providing real-time reports and personalized recommendations, it allows donors to track their donations and measure their impact directly. This level of transparency has positively impacted the volume of giving, with total donations since the platform's inception exceeding 14 billion riyals, through more than 330 million donation transactions. Locally, the platform has contributed to supporting thousands of cases in diverse fields such as education, health, housing, and alleviating hardship. Internationally, “Ihsan” has become a model to be emulated in how to harness technology to serve humanitarian goals, presenting the world with an inspiring Saudi experience in the governance and automation of charitable work.
Technology is at the heart of the platform: Artificial intelligence to maximize impact
SDAIA is behind the platform’s technical and operational development, having built a comprehensive digital infrastructure based on big data analytics. Artificial intelligence algorithms are used to analyze and prioritize cases with precision, while heat maps are employed to identify the most needy geographic areas. The complete automation of the charitable journey, from posting donation opportunities to measuring impact, has led to unprecedented operational efficiency, with the system recording an average of four donations per second. To ensure financial sustainability, the Ihsan Endowment Fund was launched, with donations exceeding two billion riyals, which in turn supports more than 2,400 charitable organizations through its investment returns.
Leadership support and broad community participation
The “Ihsan” platform enjoys strong support from the wise leadership, represented by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and his Crown Prince – may God protect them both. This is evident in their patronage of the annual national charitable campaigns launched through the platform, which witness broad community engagement from individuals and companies. The platform is preparing to launch the sixth edition of the campaign in Ramadan 1447 AH, continuing its mission to instill the values of giving and solidarity in society.
