A Case Study in Social Innovation: Ehsan

Enhancing the focus on corporate social responsibility, supporting the growth of the nonprofit sector, and enabling nonprofit organizations to achieve greater impact are the first three key objectives of the National Transformation Program, Vision 2030. This clearly indicates the Saudi government’s commitment to social empowerment and non-profit sector development. To meet this vision, many initiatives have been set up, most noticeably the establishment of the National Center for Non-Profit Sector (NCNP). But as the saying goes, a single hand cannot clap. For true social transformation to take place, all hands must be on deck, and that is how the Ehsan platform came to exist. 

Ehsan is a product of the Saudi Data and AI Authority, SDAIA. It is a digital platform that utilizes data science and artificial intelligence to maximize the impact of non-profit organizations and their sustainability by providing advanced technical solutions and building an efficient ecosystem through partnerships between the government, private, and non-profit sectors. 

There are several characteristics that make Ehsan a truly unique and socially innovative platform in every sense of the word. Let’s have a look at some of those features:

• Accessibility: The platform can be accessed from anywhere, anytime through its website and mobile application, making philanthropic work a mere few clicks away, sparing benefactors the trouble of bank transfers.  
  
  
• Diversity: The platform provides philanthropic opportunities across many sectors, including educational, social, medical, environmental, economical, technical, and relief opportunities, all in one place.
  
  
• Transparency: The platform follows the highest standards of transparency in administrative and financial practices. 
  
  
• Attentiveness: The platform ensures thorough communication with benefactors, providing them with the latest developments related to benefactory rules and regulations in the Kingdom, and familiarizing them with the different channels they can use to support their favorite non-profit organization.
  
  
• Security: The platform adheres to the highest standards in information security since it’s supervised by the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA). 
  
  
• Efficiency: the platform provides multiple options to speed up the donation process, whether you choose to donate via text or use the quick donation feature.

Beyond those features, Ehsan goes out of its way to encourage a sense of social responsibility among individuals and corporations through a number of creative programs and campaigns. A good example is the Gheras ambassador program, where people are afforded points by sharing charitable campaigns on social media. Another example is the Ehsan Gift, a service for making donations on behalf of others as a gift to family and friends on various social occasions. These innovative approaches to philanthropy, combined with high technology and charming graphic design make Ehsan a particularly appealing destination for those trying to do good in the world. So appealing, in fact, that to date, the platform has managed to raise over 2 billion Saudi Riyals in donations, reaching over 2 million beneficiaries. 

The story of Ehsan is an inspiring one, illustrating the incredible reality that can be achieved when creativity, innovation, and social responsibility meet. You can have an Ehsan story of your own one day, maybe sooner rather than later. Join Misk’s Innovation Diwan and use your imagination to do good in the world.