KUWAIT: With the virtuous ten days of Dhul Hijjah now underway, conversations about good deeds—such as charity, Eid Al-Adha sacrifices, and community support— have grown louder. However, this season of giving has unfolded differently in Kuwait, following a government decision to temporarily suspend all fundraising activities.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s happening and how people in Kuwait are adapting.
Q: What exactly is happening with charity work in Kuwait?
A: In April 2025, Kuwait’s Ministry of Social Affairs issued a decision to temporarily suspend all fundraising activities. This came after authorities identified unauthorized websites collecting donations without proper oversight.
The ministry said the goal is to “reorganize and restructure” the charity sector, ensuring greater transparency, unified mechanisms, and compliance with governance standards, protecting Kuwait’s reputation as a trusted global humanitarian leader.
Q: Can people still donate?
A: Yes, giving hasn’t stopped, it has just become more centralized. Donations can still be made through officially sanctioned platforms, most notably the Zakat House, a government body established in 1982.
Through its projects supporting orphans, food distribution, Eid sacrifices, and more, Zakat House continues to facilitate giving both inside and outside Kuwait. Donations can be made via its website or through the government’s Sahel app.
Religious leaders are also encouraging traditional forms of charity, such as helping a struggling neighbor or family member.
Q: Why has this decision sparked mixed reactions?
A: While some Kuwaitis and residents support the move, seeing it as a necessary measure to prevent fraud and restore order in the charitable sector, others feel restricted by the limited options now available.
People who were used to donating directly to smaller organizations, such as those helping animals, sponsoring orphans, or supporting niche causes, are finding it harder to reach them.
Another group, while supportive of stricter governance, is urging the government to provide alternative mechanisms swiftly so that urgent needs are not neglected.
Q: Why is this such an emotional issue in Kuwait?
A: Charity is deeply woven into Kuwait’s social and religious fabric, it’s part of the country’s identity. Kuwait ranked first in the Arab world and seventh globally in charitable giving, according to Statista’s 2023 Global Giving Index.
Moreover, on September 9, 2014, Kuwait earned international recognition by the United Nations as a Humanitarian Center, and His Highness the Amir was honored as a Humanitarian Leader.
Institutions like the International Islamic Charitable Organization (IICO)—founded by Kuwaiti law in 1986 and headquartered in Kuwait—have long served as a symbol of the nation’s commitment to global humanitarianism. Operating across dozens of countries, the IICO reflects Kuwait’s deeply rooted values of compassion, neutrality, and service to humanity, offering aid without regard to political or sectarian divides.
Q: What has the government done to address concerns and improve the system?
A: Kuwaiti authorities are actively working to build a more resilient charitable system. A delegation from the Committee for Regulating Humanitarian and Charitable Work recently visited the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar to study their models.
These visits are part of a broader effort to strengthen Kuwait’s own framework by adopting best practices from across the GCC.
Following the visits, the committee has recommended reinstating ‘Adahi’ livestock donation projects ahead of Eid Al-Adha, along with resuming charity bank deductions for orphans. It also called for launching awareness campaigns in partnership with the Ministry of Information and KUNA to promote transparency and informed charitable giving.
KUWAIT: Zain announced the kick-off of the sixth season of its Youth Summer Program, one of the company’s flagship initiatives under its community strategy to empower the next generation of national talent in the private sector and prepare a creative workforce capable of succeeding and excelling in today’s dynamic job market.
This year’s edition comes in partnership with the Kuwait News media organization, Kuwait Times English daily, INJAZ Kuwait, and for the first time, V-Thru, Kuwait’s leading virtual drive-thru platform, offering participants new hands-on training experiences in digital marketing, smart operations, and the logistics sector.
The program will host 35 university students from various majors in a one-month journey that combines fieldwork, hands-on training, and workshops focused on personal and professional skills, all within an interactive environment designed to reflect the needs of the fast-evolving digital job market.
Commenting on the launch, Hamad Al-Musaibeeh, Corporate Relations Department Manager at Zain Kuwait, said: “We’re proud to launch a new season of our summer program, which has become a highly anticipated annual milestone for ambitious youth. It’s not just a training opportunity, but a holistic platform for developing professional and leadership skills and guiding participants toward careers aligned with their talents and ambitions. Our growing partnerships with leading local organizations reflect our commitment to expanding the program’s scope and impact year after year.”
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He added: “This year, the program offers four core training tracks. The first is the field track at Zain’s retail branches across Kuwait, where participants will be trained in customer service, marketing, sales, and teamwork. The second is the media track in collaboration with Kuwait News and Kuwait Times, where participants will explore content creation, editing, journalism, and photography and videography.”
Al-Musaibeeh continued: “In addition, we have the career skills track in partnership with INJAZ Kuwait, which includes intensive workshops on leadership, communication, career planning, and job market readiness. Finally, the new technical and operations track in collaboration with V-Thru offers students practical experience in a startup environment, with exposure to digital marketing and logistics operations.”
Jana Khaldoun Alnaqeeb, Director of PR and CSR at Kuwait News and Kuwait Times, commented: “Our continued collaboration with Zain in this program for the second year running stems from our belief in the importance of involving youth in shaping media messages and providing them with the tools to understand the media’s impact. This season, we’ll focus on nurturing creativity and initiative among students through editorial and field experiences that reflect their authentic voices.”
Jaber Ashkanani, Director of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships at INJAZ Kuwait, stated: “We are pleased to continue this strategic partnership with Zain, which spans over 20 years of collaboration aimed at preparing a well-informed generation capable of facing future challenges and the job market.”
He added: “This year, we are especially delighted to collaborate on delivering the ‘My Career Path’ program for enrolled youth, which focuses on developing leadership skills, creative problem-solving, as well as verbal and written communication skills, among other competencies that help young people become qualified, professional contributors to the workforce.”
“At V-Thru, we believe it’s our responsibility to pass on the knowledge, experience, and values we’ve gained through building one of Kuwait’s fastest-growing tech startups,” said Abdullah Al-Shalabi, Co-Founder and CEO of V-Thru. “This initiative reflects our commitment to investing in local youth and preparing them to thrive in a digital-first economy.”
“In turn, we gain valuable insights from this generation, their perspectives help us understand the evolving needs of tomorrow’s market. The program also serves as a strong recruitment channel: several of our top-performing employees started as interns.”
He added: “This partnership with Zain allows us to scale our impact by reaching even more students and fresh graduates, giving them hands-on exposure to real-world challenges in technology, operations, marketing, and customer experience. Together, we’re not just creating internship opportunities, we’re building a pipeline of future leaders for Kuwait’s innovation ecosystem.”
Zain’s Summer Program is held under the umbrella of its youth empowerment platform Future University Network (FUN), one of the company’s longest-running sustainable initiatives launched in 2008. Hundreds of students have benefited from the program over the years, many of whom later joined Zain’s workforce after graduation as full-time employees.
In the program’s last edition, participants completed over 90 training hours across various fields. The program achieved remarkable success, reflected in the valuable feedback shared by students and Zain’s partners, further underscoring the importance of continuing and expanding this initiative to meet the evolving aspirations of future generations.
KUWAIT: The Chinese embassy in Kuwait hosted a farewell reception on Monday in honor of the outgoing Chinese Ambassador. During his speech, Chinese Ambassador to Kuwait Zhang Jianwei expressed his deep appreciation to Kuwaiti leadership, officials, and people as he concluded his diplomatic mission after three years of service, highlighting the remarkable development in China-Kuwait relations and the warmth of the Kuwaiti society.
Ambassador Jianwei shared that his arrival in Kuwait on May 22, 2022, marked the beginning of a significant and unforgettable chapter in his diplomatic career. “Over the past three years, I had the pleasure of witnessing Kuwait’s remarkable journey toward progress under the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The New Kuwait 2035 Vision has achieved tremendous success across multiple sectors, elevating Kuwait’s regional and international standing,” he said.
Regarding Kuwait’s cultural richness, he said: “From the majestic Grand Mosque to the vibrant Souq Al-Mubarakiya, from traditional Sadu weaving to modern architectural marvels like Al Hamra Tower and the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre, the blend of heritage and modernity left a deep impression on me.”
The Ambassador highlighted key accomplishments during his term, adding that there were two meetings between Chinese President Xi Jinping and HH the Amir Sheikh Meshal that fostered strategic alignment.
On economic cooperation, he mentioned that China remained Kuwait’s largest trading partner for 10 consecutive years, explaining: “Substantial progress was achieved in landmark ventures such as Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port and renewable energy initiatives.”
He noted that the first Chinese Cultural Center in the Gulf was established in Kuwait during his tenure, and exchanges among students, academics, media and youth increased.
The ambassador also welcomed the recent Chinese decision to grant visa exemptions to Kuwaiti passport holders, saying: “We warmly welcome more Kuwaiti friends to explore China.” Concluding his remarks, the Chinese Ambassador affirmed his confidence in the bright future of China-Kuwait relations and pledged to continue promoting this enduring friendship wherever he goes.
KUWAIT: In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of Kuwait, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of the Presidential Court of the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and the UAE signed a series of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) on Tuesday at Bayan Palace.
The signing took place during Sheikh Mansour’s official visit to Kuwait, aimed at reinforcing bilateral ties and addressing issues of mutual interest. The visit reflects the enduring partnership between the two Gulf nations, which has evolved over six decades into a model of regional cooperation rooted in shared goals and mutual support.
The agreements span a wide range of sectors, including diplomacy, transportation, social development, industry, education, energy, justice, investment, healthcare and data protection. Officials from both governments signed the agreements in the presence of their respective ministers, reflecting high-level commitment to deepening collaboration.
HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah accompanies Sheikh Mansour and Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah.
Kuwait’s Minister of Public Works, Dr Noura Al-Mashaan, and the UAE’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail Mohamed Al-Mazrouei pose for a picture after signing an MoU on land transport and road development.
Minister of Social Affairs Dr Amthal Al-Huwailah and UAE Minister of Community Development Shamma bint Suhail Al-Mazrouei pose for a photo.
Minister of Education Jalal Al-Tabtabaei and UAE’s Minister of Education Sarah bint Yousif Al-Amiri pose for a photo.
Among the agreements was an MoU between the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy and the Saud Al-Nasser Al-Sabah Kuwaiti Diplomatic Institute, signed by Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya and UAE’s Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Khalifa Shaheen Al-Marar. In the field of infrastructure, an MoU on land transport and road development was signed by Kuwait’s Minister of Public Works Dr Noura Al-Mashaan and UAE’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail Mohamed Al-Mazrouei.
Social development cooperation was formalized through an MoU signed by Kuwait’s Minister of Social Affairs, Family, and Childhood Affairs Dr Amthal Al-Huwailah and UAE Minister of Community Development Shamma bint Suhail Al-Mazrouei. Industrial and technological collaboration was also addressed in an MoU signed by Kuwait’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Khalifa Al-Ajeel and UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al-Jaber. In education, an MoU was signed between Kuwait’s Minister of Education Jalal Al-Tabtabaei and UAE’s Minister of Education Sarah bint Yousif Al-Amiri.
Kuwait’s Minister of Justice Nasser Al-Sumait, and his UAE counterpart Abdullah bin Awad Al-Nuaimi.
Sheikh Dr Meshaal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Director General of the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority, and UAE Minister of Investment, Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi.
Kuwait’s Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior Major General Ali Misfer Al-Adwani and the UAE’s Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior Major General Khalifa Hareb Al-Khaili.
In the energy sector, Kuwait’s Minister of Oil Tariq Al-Roumi and UAE’s Suhail Mohamed Al-Mazrouei signed an MoU on cooperation in oil and gas. Two additional MoUs were signed in the areas of justice and human trafficking, by Kuwait’s Minister of Justice Nasser Al-Sumait and his UAE counterpart Abdullah bin Awad Al-Nuaimi. Cooperation in electricity, water, and future energy was also formalized through an MoU signed by Kuwait’s Minister of Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy Sabeeh Al-Mukhaizeem, and again by Suhail Mohamed Al-Mazrouei.
In the area of economic collaboration, an MoU to promote direct investment was signed by Sheikh Dr Meshaal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Director General of the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority and UAE Minister of Investment Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi. Health sector cooperation was formalized through an MoU signed by Kuwait’s Minister of Health Dr Ahmad Al-Awadhi and UAE Minister of Health and Prevention Abdulrahman Al-Owais. Finally, a security-focused MoU on protecting shared data and information in joint projects was signed by Kuwait’s Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior Major General Ali Misfer Al-Adwani and UAE’s Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior Major General Khalifa Hareb Al-Khaili. — KUNA
