JEDDAH: The Saudi National Volunteer Portal said that 834,300 men and women took part in volunteering activities during 2023, the SPA reported. More than 75 million people benefited from their work, the portal’s administration said, adding that the economic return from volunteering in the Kingdom amounted to more than SR1.23 billion ($327 million). The portal recorded 528,310 volunteering opportunities, surpassing the annual target of 260,000. In total, volunteers completed 53,551,818 hours of combined activity. Registered individuals on the portal reached 1,810,205 for the year, and the number of registered entities on the platform totaled 6,305. The growth in volunteering demonstrates Saudi Arabia’s commitment to social development and achieving Vision 2030.  Experts in the Kingdom promote volunteering as a fundamental pillar in building interconnected and prosperous communities, as well as social and national responsibility. During Ramadan, volunteers across the Kingdom take part in a range of charity events. Voluntary work’s importance stems from its active role in developing societies by strengthening the belonging of citizens, investing human energies and directing them towards serving the society by relying on the principle of cooperation, partnership and creativity. The goal of volunteering is to grasp positive effects that contribute efficiently to collective efforts, in order to serve the issues that affect the different segments of Saudi society.