DONATE DIRECTLY LAUNCHES THE WORLD FIRST AI ZAKAT CALCULATOR AHEAD OF INTERNATIONAL DAY OF CHARITY
New AI-powered feature helps donors calculate their obligations and give with greater confidence and clarity
Saturday 5th September 2026 marks International Day of Charity, and AI-driven giving platform Donate Directly is marking the occasion with the debut of the World First AI Zakat Calculator, a tool built to help donors work out their giving quickly, accurately and with confidence.
The United Nations International Day of Charity, held every year on 5 September, was established to encourage charitable and philanthropic activity and to raise awareness of the role charity plays in tackling poverty, humanitarian crises and human suffering.
For Donate Directly, launching the World First AI Zakat Calculator on this date reflects a wider ambition: to make giving more accurate, transparent and personal, whatever form that giving takes.
Women’s Ambassador Shakira Rahman says:
“Charity has changed. The way people give is changing too.”
Donate Directly uses technology and AI to make fundraising and charitable giving easier, more transparent and more engaging for individuals, businesses, schools, influencers and community groups. Donate Directly has the World First AI Zakat Calculator, a tool that uses artificial intelligence to help donors work out their giving obligations in moments and direct funds to verified causes with just a few taps.
Beyond the calculator, supporters can follow the journey of their contribution through project updates, photography, video and other information about the impact being delivered, and can build their own fundraising pages to turn a personal cause into a campaign shared with their own communities.
From funding clean water projects and supporting families affected by humanitarian crises to creating opportunities for children and communities, Donate Directly aims to put the donor closer to the impact.
From Calculation to Confidence
The charity sector has traditionally relied on fundraising appeals, collection boxes, events and one-off donations. Digital platforms are increasingly opening up new ways for people to take part in charitable giving, and the UN itself recognises the role of digital tools, including crowdfunding platforms and AI, in making giving more accessible and transparent.
Donate Directly believes this evolution matters most for younger generations, who expect greater transparency and accuracy from the organisations they support and the tools they use to give.
Iqrar Ul Hassan: “People Want To Know Their Giving Matters”
Donate Directly founder Iqrar Ul Hassan, who has seen poverty and humanitarian need first-hand on the ground in Pakistan, believes technology can help close the gap between those who want to help and those who need support most.
“When you see poverty first-hand, you understand that even a small act of giving can mean so much to another person. People want to know that their contribution is genuinely making a difference. Technology gives us an opportunity to bring donors closer to that impact and make giving more personal and transparent.”
Built For How People Give Today
As the world marks International Day of Charity on 5 September, Donate Directly is encouraging people across the UK to consider not only what they can give, but what they can do, with the new tool making that calculation simpler than ever.
Give directly. Fundraise personally. See the impact.
…ENDS…
Media Enquiries
Nazira Bemath
PR Consultant, Donate Directly
020 3355 8587
Notes to Editors
About Donate Directly
Donate Directly is an AI-driven charitable giving and fundraising platform designed to connect donors with projects and causes around the world.
The platform uses technology to make fundraising easier while giving donors greater visibility of the projects they support. Its newest feature, the World First AI Zakat Calculator, helps donors calculate their giving accurately in moments.
Supporters can create personalised fundraising pages and share them across their networks, enabling individuals, schools, businesses, influencers, sports clubs and community groups to raise money for causes that matter to them.
International Day of Charity
The International Day of Charity takes place annually on 5 September. It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 through Resolution A/RES/67/105. The date was chosen to mark the anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa, whose humanitarian work was recognised with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
The UN describes charity as an important expression of global solidarity and highlights its contribution to tackling poverty, supporting vulnerable communities and responding to humanitarian crises.