Tajikistan Ranks Fourth in World for Volunteerism, Shining as Beacon of Altruism

Tajikistan has emerged as one of the world’s most generous and community-minded nations, ranking fourth globally in volunteerism, according to the 2025 World Happiness Report by the Oxford Wellbeing Centre, Gallup, and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

The report, which surveyed 147 countries between 2022 and 2024 under the theme “Caring and Mutual Support,” highlighted Tajikistan’s deep-rooted traditions of assisting others, The Caspian Post reports via Tajik media.

Despite ranking 90th overall in global happiness, the country excelled in volunteer work, reflecting a culture of mutual aid where people assist family, neighbors, and community groups known as mahallas, often without expecting anything in return.

Other insights from Tajikistan’s rankings include:

Assisting strangers: 60th

Charitable donations: 122nd

Returning a wallet to a neighbor: 48th

Returning a wallet to a stranger: 96th

Trust in police: 41st

The report notes that Tajiks’ high social warmth comes from informal networks and traditions of collective support, proving that kindness and trust can thrive even amid limited economic resources.

Central Asia: A Hub of Kindness

The report also showcased Central Asia as one of the world’s most socially cohesive regions, with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan all standing out for friendliness and mutual aid.

Kazakhstan: 43rd globally, strong in trust and honesty

Uzbekistan: 53rd, high in donations and trust in police

Kyrgyzstan: 75th, leading in helping strangers

Even with economic challenges, the regional kindness index ranged from 0.30 to 0.36, above the global average of 0.33, highlighting the resilience of human connections in Central Asia.

Global Happiness Trends

Top-ranked countries like Finland, Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden continue to lead due to high trust, social support, and personal freedom, while countries such as Afghanistan, Yemen, and Sudan remain at the bottom. Interestingly, the report also found that sharing meals boosts happiness, with Latin America and the Caribbean topping the charts for communal dining.

The 2025 report reinforces a key insight: kindness, trust, and togetherness are stronger predictors of happiness than material wealth, making Tajikistan a standout example of how community spirit shapes national well-being.