04/02/2026
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04/02/2026
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KUWAIT CITY, Feb 4: The Ministry of Social Affairs issued a circular to the heads of the boards of directors of charitable societies regarding the regulations for collecting donations during the holy month of Ramadan for the year 1447 AH. The newspaper obtained a copy of the circular, stating that:
* It is prohibited to collect all forms of donations in mosques.
* Charitable societies must obtain approval from the ministry before receiving any donation from outside Kuwait, in accordance with Article 30 of Law No. 24/1962 concerning clubs and public benefit societies.
* Charitable societies are prohibited from collecting cash donations in any form in their headquarters, public places or elsewhere.
* The collection of donations is limited to the use of licensed methods stipulated in the regulations governing donation collection as per Ministerial Resolution No.128A/2016 and its amendments. These methods include K-Net, online donations, bank transfers, smartphone applications, electronic collection devices and SMS messages from telecommunications companies.
* It is prohibited to collect all forms of donations in certain locations, such as shopping malls, public squares and other similar venues, without approval from the ministry.
* The use of bank accounts is restricted to accounts belonging to the charitable societies and approved by the ministry.
* Associations are required to ensure their representatives present their identification cards upon the request of inspection and monitoring teams assigned by the ministry. Associations must clearly record the donation date, donor’s name and all other relevant information.
* Donors must be provided with a copy of the deduction receipt after the data are recorded for each donor.
* Associations must provide donors with a copy of their K-Net receipt once the withdrawal process is complete.
* Record all non-cash donations, such as gold, silver, cars, valuables and other items, according to weight or type, and record their equivalent value in Kuwaiti Dinars. For gold and silver, a sales invoice must be attached to verify the sale price of the jewelry.
For cars and other items, multiple price quotes must be obtained to ensure the highest offer is selected based on purchase requests, in accordance with the association’s procedures. This process must be conducted only at the headquarters of the association.
* All amounts recorded as donations must be written in both numerals and words.
* Advertisements soliciting donations should not be displayed on the exterior or interior walls of mosques.
* The ministry must be provided with a detailed report on donation revenues for the month of Ramadan, including K-Net statements, electronic devices, checks, online donations, bank transfers and text messages.
Moreover, as part of its commitment to regulate charitable work and the act of helping those in need, the ministry circulated a memo to the board members, adding a new category of aid recipients to the central aid system -- single Kuwaiti women aged 30 and above whose fathers are deceased.
This will be implemented as a pilot program. The memo stated that if the program proves beneficial, these individuals will continue to receive assistance as approved primary cases. It also called for a thorough review of these cases as per procedures on the provision of aid. It underscored the importance of ensuring that those reviewing these cases verify the existence of proof of the father’s death. It affirmed that the memo is in line with its commitment to regulate charitable work, as well as ensure transparency and compliance with the laws and regulations.
By Fares Ghaleb Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff
