Jamaica has been officially named the world’s most helpful nation according to the new World Happiness Report 2025, while Kenya is ranked 4th globally in the same category.
The report, which focused on the impact of caring and sharing on global well-being, measured various acts of kindness. The ranking for most helpful nation specifically measures the reported likelihood of people helping a stranger.
Jamaica secured the top spot worldwide for its citizens’ willingness to extend help to a person they do not know. This remarkable achievement highlights a powerful culture of individual kindness in the Caribbean nation.
“In places like Jamaica, generosity and goodwill become not just moral imperatives but tangible expressions of trust among neighbours and strangers alike.”
The report found that this strong preference for direct, personal assistance often outweighs formal charitable giving. Interestingly, despite leading the world in helping strangers, Jamaica ranks significantly lower in global rankings for financial contributions to organised charities.
Kenya demonstrated a similarly strong emphasis on individual benevolence, securing the 4th position globally for helping a stranger. This high ranking is seen as a reflection of Kenya’s deep-rooted culture of community support.
The finding aligns strongly with the famous Kenyan spirit of Harambee (pulling together), where people readily rally to support individuals in need, whether for a medical bill or assistance for a traveller who is stranded.
The citizens in these top-ranking nations may prefer to extend generosity to individuals they encounter personally, rather than relying on formal organisations, which they may perceive as less reliable or accountable.
The World Happiness Report 2025 uses three core measures for benevolence: donating, volunteering, and helping strangers. The results show that kindness and sharing are having a positive impact on global well-being.
The findings show that both helping others and expecting kindness from others are strong predictors of individual happiness levels globally.
