Strong signs for giving in BRIC countries

Strong signs for giving in BRIC countries

News (International)

A strong culture of charitable giving exists in the world’s four emerging economies, according to new research published this week by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF).

The first-ever research into individual giving in BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) was carried out by global research agency Synovate based on four telephone surveys each of over 1,000 people in urban areas in each country. 

The surveys revealed that the proportion of people who gave money in the past year to a charity is above 40% in all four countries. Statistics show that in India 41.2% of respondents gave to charity, in Russia and Brazil this increased to 45% and 61% respectively. In China 80.1% of respondents gave to charity, although the research suggested this figure may have been inflated by the response to the Sichuan earthquake disaster in May 2008.

“The immense giving potential of the BRIC nations is in part because of an exponential population and economic boom which is bringing with it the spread of mass affluence,” explained Bea Devlin, head of International Development at CAF. “If, as this research suggests, many of their people are choosing to give to social causes, either directly or through charity, then we have reason to believe that in future they will not only shape the world’s economy, but its social fabric too.”

The average monthly donations ranged from $10.90 (£7.48) in India to $151.60 (£104.08) in China. Most respondents choose to give money to charities rather than beneficiaries directly, although in Russia a significant proportion, over 40%, gave money directly to those in need.

The number one cause for donors in all the BRIC countries was care for children and young people.

A YouGov survey in April 2008 found that 74% of UK residents had given to charity in the past year.

A full report will be available from CAF in mid-February. Please email CAF to register interest your interest.

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