Giving & Receiving

Dhiraagu wins International Award for its innovation mobile Zakath Application.

Our business in the Maldives, has won an award for its innovative Mobile Zakath application which enables mobile customers to easily donate money to charity through their mobile.

Fitr Zakath is the practice of charitable giving by Muslims during the holy month of Ramazan with the purpose of providing poor with means to celebrate Fitr Eid. As one of the pillars of Islam it is obligatory to donate for all those who are able to do so. It is seen as a personal responsibility for Muslims in order to ease economic hardship for others and eliminate inequality thus involving everyone in the community in the celebration of Eid.

Digital Zakath is a joint venture of Dhiraagu and The Maldives Ministry of Islamic Affairs, facilitating the payment of Zakath through a mobile phone application. The Ministry stated that with the introduction of Mobile Zakath, which was available to all prepaid customers, there was an increase in Zakath collection in the Maldives.

The application, created in 2009, opened a convenient way of paying Zakath for mobile customers and managing Zakath administration for government authorities by eliminating traditional processes involved. It is also catering for those whose first language is not English.

This service meets the needs of developing countries and small island nations where some residents have difficulty in accessing banking services or do not want to wait in queues at the bank to make donations.

Dhiraagu won the mBillionth South Asia Chairman’s Award 2010 for Emerging Mobile Initiative. Out of the 250 nominations across India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Maldives, only 25 winners were selected. We are honoured to have been one of the 25 and receive the award for our innovative mobile application.

We are proud to combine with the Maldives Government to pave the way for people to donate, and glad that we have been recognised. Especially as it was the first award of its kind in the region recognising mobile innovations and applications.