Mehvesh Mumtaz Ahmed, Director of Research, on Channel NewsAsia

In this comprehensive interview about the Doing Good Index, Ahmed particularly stressed the fact that if Asia were to donate two percent of its GDP, it would be able to contribute US$507 billion to reach the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. “If that doesn’t serve as a wake-up call, I’d be very surprised,” said Ahmed. Channel NewsAsia‘s Bakhtiar also administered an ad hoc Twitter poll to ask his followers how they have been involved in any charitable activity recently. While 25% gave money, 12% gave time, and 23% gave both, an astounding number of 40% expressed that they were not charitable at all. It is the hope of the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society that our work, including the Doing Good Index, could create a vibrant philanthropic ecosystem and infrastructure to decrease this 40% figure for a more generous Asia.