Kuwaiti Women and Voluntary Work: A Sustainable National Path and a Journey Rooted Deep in History
The aroma of cardamom, saffron, and the fragrance of incense were not the only things rising in the spaces of Kuwaiti women’s morning tea gatherings and diwaniyas in the past. These simple gatherings also harbored, alongside daily conversations, a spirit of mutual support that began to quietly take shape, sprouting from the details of ordinary life the first seeds of women’s volunteerism.
From these small social circles, Kuwaiti women stepped into a broader sphere of giving, beginning by supporting those in need within their immediate vicinity. As crises and hardships succeeded one another, they found themselves at the forefront, extending a helping hand and participating in confronting difficulties.
Over time, this giving ceased to be merely individual initiatives driven by instinct and a spirit of rescue, evolving instead into a firmly entrenched legacy and a sustainable national path. Kuwaiti women became active partners and cornerstones in leading charitable, developmental, and relief work.
Thus began a long story of selflessness, during which Kuwaiti women moved from rescuing those around them to contributing to the construction of a volunteer system that left its mark on society and solidified their presence in Kuwait’s humanitarian journey.
Following this path, the State of Kuwait steadily advanced toward empowering women in humanitarian and volunteer work through a package of national policies, plans, and strategies, alongside strengthening close partnerships with global organizations and regional entities to consolidate women’s presence in these fields.
The Emiri Decree issued in 2004 establishing the Volunteer Work Center further cemented a volunteer system within an institutional framework, complemented by community encouragement to participate in projects undertaken by the Center, as well as training on these projects and promoting them through various media outlets.
Today, Kuwaiti women constitute approximately 74.5 percent of workers in the country’s relief sector, hold nearly 26 percent of positions as heads of charitable associations, and occupy 25 percent of seats on their boards of directors. This reflects a significant presence and a distinctive leadership footprint in the local and international humanitarian landscape.
Since the founding of Kuwait, women have left notable imprints on various volunteer efforts, starting from donating money to build mosques and Quranic schools, and contributing furniture, endowments, and charitable bequests to establish Quran houses. Their involvement extended to organizing women’s Hajj campaigns, volunteering for medical treatment, and promoting culture and science, up to building health centers and hospitals.
The number of Kuwaiti women who volunteered to establish and manage traditional Quranic schools in the past exceeded 80, while women’s contributions to charitable endowments amounted to approximately 224 out of a total of 440 endowments.
In this context, Sheikh Amal Al-Ahmad, Chairperson of the Volunteer Work Center, emphasized the historical role of Kuwaiti women in volunteer work, noting that the roots of volunteerism in Kuwait trace back to the nature of Kuwaiti society, which is based on “Fazaa” (mutual aid) and “Nokhwa” (chivalry), and the solidarity among its members. This formed the foundation for women’s participation in serving society from the early stages of the country’s history.
Sheikh Amal Al-Ahmad told (KUNA) that one of the most prominent examples of Kuwaiti women’s historical participation was their role in building the third wall of Kuwait’s fortifications. While men went out during the month of Ramadan to participate in wall construction before the time of Iftar (breaking the fast), women were responsible for preparing Iftar and Suhoor (pre-dawn meal), providing water, and delivering it to the men participating in the construction. She considered this an early model of volunteerism and community cooperation in which everyone participated according to their ability.
She noted that Kuwaiti women have contributed to charitable and voluntary work since ancient times, including donating funds to build schools, mosques, and traditional Quranic schools. In this context, she recalled the late Sabika Al-Khalid, who donated her home to expand the Mubarak Al-Kabeer School. This occurred around 1911, when the school’s founders required additional space for building expansion, prompting her to donate a property she owned that was directly adjacent to the school.
Sheikh Amthal Al-Ahmad added that another historical example is Shaha Al-Hamad Al-Saqer, who donated her home to serve as the headquarters of the National Library, and also contributed to supporting the Palestinian cause. She considered these initiatives as reflections of Kuwaiti women’s contributions in the fields of education, charity, and serving humanitarian causes.
She also recalled the first Kuwaiti female delegation that traveled to Egypt in 1956, noting that its timing coincided with the outbreak of the Tripartite Aggression against Egypt. Members of the delegation volunteered in Egyptian hospitals to assist in treating the wounded and injured, emphasizing that the spirit of “Fazaa” (Kuwaiti mutual aid) was not confined within the country’s borders but extended beyond them.
She explained that voluntary work expanded alongside Kuwait’s development, evolving from the scope of family, neighbors, and friends to organized and institutionalized efforts. She pointed out that school activities, which began in 1957, marked an important milestone in this evolution, before the experience broadened with the establishment of women’s associations. This transition enabled Kuwait to move from individual acts of mutual aid to institutionalized work through teams and associations, while preserving the spirit of solidarity deeply rooted in Kuwaiti society.
She affirmed that national unity, citizenship, and belonging are values deeply embedded in Kuwaiti women and form an essential part of their national heritage. She highlighted their role in education from its early beginnings, their stance during various crises and hardships the country faced, and their prominent role during the brutal Iraqi invasion, where they contributed to unity, resistance, support for men, and providing various forms of assistance.
On the educational and social fronts, she emphasized that Kuwaiti women were key partners in the educational renaissance and in shaping the foundations of the modern state. With the expansion of girls’ education in the first half of the 20th century, Kuwaiti women began to broaden their presence in both education and social work.
In this regard, she praised the role of the late Mariam Abdulmalek Al-Saleh, who is considered the first female teacher in Kuwaiti history, alongside Lulwa Al-Qutami, who studied abroad and returned to Kuwait to contribute to educational development and serve as head of the Women’s College at Kuwait University. She affirmed that these female role models contributed to establishing the trajectory of knowledge, education, and progress in Kuwait.
Al-Ahmad explained that education and voluntary work are directly linked; as human awareness and education levels rise, so does the capacity to serve society in an organized and thoughtful manner. Historically, this was evident through literacy campaigns, where women were no longer merely beneficiaries of education but played a larger role in helping other women learn and serve the community.
She called for strengthening the culture of voluntary work within curricula and school activities, encouraging students to participate in voluntary efforts during school holidays. She proposed counting voluntary work hours toward students’ academic credits, thereby motivating participation and reinforcing values of giving, positive citizenship, and social responsibility.
She noted that the Voluntary Work Center has developed a national strategy for voluntary work in Kuwait, embracing technological and innovative aspects through a voluntary work platform. She highlighted that Kuwait was a pioneer in proposing the idea of a national strategy for voluntary work among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
She emphasized that the achievements in the field of volunteerism are an extension of the legacy established by their predecessors, noting that current generations have learned from the experiences of those who came before them, who represent the foundation for consolidating the culture of volunteering, giving, and social solidarity in Kuwaiti society.
For her part, Lulwa Al-Qatami, the honorary president of the Women’s Cultural and Social Association, told KUNA in a similar statement that Kuwaiti women played an early and active role in social and charitable work. She pointed out that her personal experience began during her university studies in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she joined the student union and was introduced to social work and serving vulnerable groups through it.
Al-Qatami said that upon her return to Kuwait in the 1960s, she worked as a teacher of English and French at Al-Mirqab Secondary School, where she met Fadhah Al-Khalid. They discussed the importance of social work and the establishment of a women’s association in Kuwait.
She noted that the statutes of the Women’s Cultural and Social Association, founded in 1963, stipulated that members must be Kuwaiti nationals and literate. She highlighted that the high demand for membership revealed a high illiteracy rate among women at the time, prompting the association to launch its first project: teaching women to read and write.
She added that the association’s second project involved establishing a daycare center, driven by the need to provide a suitable environment for the children of working Kuwaiti women. The association set up a free daycare in the Howa area, named “Al-Bustan Daycare,” which accepted children from the age of three.
She recalled one of the initiatives implemented by the association in the 1960s, when its members took the initiative to clean streets and sidewalks in several areas of Kuwait.
Al-Qatami spoke about the association’s shift toward volunteer work outside Kuwait, noting that the association focused on Arab children’s issues, based on its belief that caring for needy children outside Kuwait is an extension of the Kuwaiti woman’s role in humanitarian work.
She said the association decided to establish a children’s care village in the Kassala region of Sudan, managing to acquire a plot of land measuring 50 feddans. The project was named the “Kuwaiti Hanan Village.” It included providing care and meeting the needs of children, as well as drilling water wells in surrounding areas and establishing several productive projects.
She added that the association launched other initiatives for child care outside Kuwait, including a village in Lebanon during the war period, where care was provided for a number of displaced Palestinian children. It also supported Hind Al-Husseini’s initiative in Jerusalem to care for and educate Palestinian children.
Regarding initiatives implemented by the association during the Arab-Israeli wars, Al-Qatami noted that following the 1967 war, the association launched the “Warrior’s Bag” initiative. Association members prepared approximately 1,000 bags containing personal necessities for soldiers. She and a number of volunteers traveled to the Golan Heights to deliver the aid after a perilous journey.
Al-Qatami clarified that women’s volunteer work in Kuwait has gone through many stages, affirming that its future depends on new generations continuing to shoulder this responsibility and develop it in line with current societal needs.
For her part, Sabeeka Al-Jassar, President of the Kuwait Association for the Care of the Disabled, told KUNA that Kuwaiti women have played an original and enduring role in the trajectory of volunteer and charitable work in the State of Kuwait. She noted that their contribution has not been limited to supporting community efforts, but has extended to founding initiatives, leading public benefit institutions, and contributing to the development of services and programs targeted at the most vulnerable groups.
Al-Jassar stated that volunteer work is not confined to providing assistance or donating money and time; rather, it represents a national responsibility and institutional developmental effort aimed at empowering individuals, enhancing their capabilities, and providing the tools and opportunities that strengthen their right to learning, independence, and active participation in society.
She added that Kuwaiti women have demonstrated a significant presence in the fields of education, healthcare, social services, care for persons with disabilities, support for childhood and family, waqf and charitable work, as well as in founding public benefit associations and specialized centers, managing humanitarian programs, training national cadres, and building effective partnerships with state institutions and the private sector.
Al-Jassar clarified that her experience in volunteer work began in 1984 when she joined the Kuwait Association for the Care of the Disabled. Efforts focused on developing services provided to persons with disabilities, transitioning from traditional care concepts to a more comprehensive system based on education, rehabilitation, empowerment, and independence. This was achieved through the development of curricula and educational programs, enhancing the capacities of teachers and specialists, and leveraging specialized practices in the field.
She highlighted some of the most notable initiatives she is proud to have contributed to, including introducing the Makaton communication program to Kuwait and working on its Arabization and the development of its materials to suit the Arab and Islamic environment. She also contributed to the establishment of the Portage early intervention program in 1997, which strengthened the concept of partnership with families, making them a fundamental element in assessment, training, and rehabilitation processes. This contributed to achieving more sustainable outcomes for children and their families.
She emphasized that volunteer and charitable work in its current stage requires a new generation of women who combine initiative, knowledge, specialization, and leadership skills. She stressed the importance of transitioning volunteer work from individual initiatives to institutional work based on planning, governance, capacity building, and impact measurement, thereby enhancing institutional efficiency and ensuring the sustainability of their mission.
Women’s committees in public benefit associations, as well as various charitable associations and endowments, continue to serve as a vital artery in consolidating women’s leadership in volunteer work in all its forms.
The Kuwait Federation of Women’s Associations was launched in 1994, with a mandate to represent women’s associations in the country, achieve solidarity among them, coordinate on local and national occasions, and express their views at all events. It also works to strengthen ties with Gulf, Arab, continental, and international federations active in the field of women.
Women’s associations have established their presence on the global stage. In June 2022, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated the Kuwaiti Al-Saddu Cooperative Craft Association as a non-governmental consultative organization.
Kuwaiti women have also received numerous medals, certificates of appreciation, and encouragement awards for their distinguished humanitarian work. The most recent was the award won by Kuwaiti Hind Al-Hajeri last February with the “Shapers of Hope” prize, presented by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, in recognition of her dedication to serving orphaned children in impoverished environments and nurturing them.
In 2005, the board of trustees of the Nobel Prize honored the late Moudi Al-Sultan, who dedicated more than 70 years of her life to voluntary and humanitarian work, awarding her the Nobel Prize for Humanitarian Services in recognition of her efforts in serving people with disabilities among a thousand women worldwide.
History is replete with the tireless voluntary work of women during crises, disasters, and wars. The Kuwaiti woman has made a prominent presence in campaigns aimed at supporting affected and afflicted peoples, as well as in forming women’s committees to back national causes, foremost among them the Palestinian cause, since the 1920s and 1930s of the 20th century.
Among the institutions launched from Kuwait in the current decade is the “Intisar” Charity Foundation in the UK, which aims to support, assist, and empower one million Arab women who are victims of wars in the region. The foundation began its operations in 2018 in refugee camps in Lebanon.
At the local level, Kuwaiti women have risen through individual and collective voluntary efforts during various turning points faced by the country. Voluntary committees were formed to assist families affected by the floods of the “Year of Destruction,” which devastated Kuwait in the past and led to the collapse of hundreds of homes.
Furthermore, during the brutal Iraqi invasion, Kuwaiti women recorded heroic feats that remain etched in the country’s memory, beginning with resistance operations, followed by organizing media events and demonstrations abroad to rally international support.
Women played an active role in institutions and committees operating during the invasion, volunteering with the Kuwaiti Red Crescent and various associations. They made significant contributions to providing psychological, social, and media support, boosting the morale of those who remained steadfast, and supporting solidarity committees.
They also volunteered with numerous committees established in countries around the world to advocate for the liberation of Kuwait, including committees formed in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and several other nations.
Kuwaiti women raised the banner of challenge alongside their male counterparts on the front lines during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in 2020. They actively participated alongside volunteers in health, cooperative, engineering, and other vital sectors.
A large number of women joined teams responsible for screening citizens arriving in Kuwait, conducting random swab campaigns for the Ministry of Health, providing guidance and general information on prevention and sterilization methods, and supporting the production of medical masks.
This current surge in voluntary efforts is grounded in a solid legal framework provided by Law No. 49 of 2024, which issued the unified legal system for voluntary work in the GCC countries, and its executive regulations issued by Ministerial Decision No. 112 of 2025.
The long journey of Kuwaiti women’s contributions demonstrates their success in transforming volunteering from a humanitarian impulse during times of hardship into a sustainable legacy and an inspiring model of initiative and leadership in humanitarian action.
