JEDDAH: More than SR500 million ($133 million) has been donated to the National Campaign for Charitable Work through the Ehsan platform, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) announced. “The support of the leadership, represented by King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and their keenness to be the initiators of donating through the platform, has set an example for the Saudi people, individuals and institutions, and the result was that today, the amount of donations through the Ehsan platform has exceeded SR500 million,” said SDAIA chief Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi. He hailed the “unlimited support” that the Ehsan platform has received from the Saudi leadership, adding that the authority is keen to develop the nonprofit sector and expand its impact using technologies to make charity easier across the Kingdom. Abdul Aziz Al-Hammadi, CEO of the Ehsan platform, said that the campaign has led to more than 500 opportunities so far, helping 1 million people in need. Following the generous contributions made by the Saudi leadership, Al-Hammadi added that a number of merchants, major companies and elite Saudi figures continued to contribute to the campaign “until this large number was reached.” He said that 99 percent of the donations are spent inside the Kingdom on charitable development projects that have a significant and sustainable impact in all of Saudi Arabia’s regions. Al-Hammadi added that a maximum of 1 percent of the donations are sent abroad in partnership with the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center. The Ehsan platform supports all electronic payment methods, and donors can view important financial details. HIGH LIGHT Abdul Aziz Al-Hammadi, CEO of the Ehsan platform, said that 99 percent of the donations are spent inside the Kingdom on charitable development projects that have a significant and sustainable impact in all of Saudi Arabia’s regions. Al-Hammadi said that all services and transactions on the platform are carried out according to high-level governance practices. He added that activities are directly monitored by the Shariah Supervisory Board headed by Sheikh Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Mutlaq, a member of the Council of Senior Scholars and member of the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta. The Ehsan platform was established by a royal decree to undertake the investment of data and artificial intelligence in cooperation with a supervisory committee that includes many Saudi ministries and the SDAIA, the Presidency of State Security, the Saudi Central Bank and the Digital Government Authority. The SDAIA develops the platform using advanced technology and partnerships with government, private, and nonprofit sectors. The authority aims to strengthen the Kingdom’s leadership role in the sector and raise its contribution to Saudi gross domestic product.