Saudi women join forces to help needy families

Thikra Al-Abdul Latif, director of the Food Empowerment Convoy 2022 project, receives a certificate of thanks from Abdul Wahab Mohammed Al-Faiz after the launch of the project on Sunday in Riyadh. (Supplied)
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Updated 20 April 2022
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Saudi women join forces to help needy families

  • The project has several phases: Assessing the needs of the target group, searching for supporters, determining the required quantity of the food basket contents, developing a distribution plan, and choosing the best prices for the baskets' contents

RIYADH: The Future Women Society on Sunday launched a charity project to distribute 800 food baskets to 4,000 beneficiaries from the neediest families in the Riyadh region.

About 200 volunteers are taking part in the Food Empowerment Convoy 2022 campaign, which will provide food baskets containing basic items, highlight the role of volunteer work in community service, and consolidate the relationship between the FWS and those taking part in the project.

It also aims to activate the role of community partnership and meet the food demands of families in need during Ramadan.

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800 food baskets delivered to 4,000 beneficiaries from the neediest families in the Riyadh region.

Project director Thikra Al-Abdul Latif said the campaign was about building a relationship with families who had no breadwinners and were most in need of empowerment.

The project has several phases: Assessing the needs of the target group, searching for supporters, determining the required quantity of the food basket contents, developing a distribution plan, and choosing the best prices for the baskets' contents.

“The last two phases are based on preparing baskets containing foodstuffs for daily consumption that are sufficient for families throughout Ramadan and distributing the baskets to the locations previously identified in the distribution plan.”




Two young men carry a box containing a food basket to be delivered to a needy family on Sunday in Riyadh, as part of the Food Empowerment Convoy 2022 project. (Supplied)

FWS chairperson Dr. Gareebah Al-Twaiher said that a follow-up study would be carried out on the beneficiary families to see the social impact of the convoy project.

She added that the society was proud of its partnerships with the Ehsan platform, Al-Rajhi Endowment, Obeikan Endowment, and the Feena Khair (There is Good in Us) initiative.

Abdullah Al-Ghanim, the follow-up supervisor at Feena Khair, said all sections of the nonprofit sector needed to provide services to beneficiaries across all categories.

“I expect, in this case, that the results of these partnerships are satisfactory due to the presence of diverse and sufficient expertise to accomplish fast, proficient, and distinguished work.”

Al-Ghanim added that the FWS was like any other association. "The goal is the same, which is to serve religion, the nation, and society.”

He said he regarded the Food Empowerment Convoy project with admiration and pride for the interest it had attracted, the love of voluntary charitable work among women, and their keenness to develop families in the community and educate them to be active elements in the community.

Abdul Wahab Mohammed Al-Faiz, secretary-general of the Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Subaie and Sons Charitable Foundation (Ghoroos), inaugurated the food distribution convoy project in the presence of interested parties, specialists, and several women who came to receive their baskets.

Ghoroos has been involved in nonprofit projects for several years and is preparing to launch new initiatives and partnerships in the nonprofit sector by the end of 2022.

 


Saudi Arabia advocates for global cooperation to end hunger, ensure food security

Saudi Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Mansour bin Hilal Al-Mushaiti speaking at the A World Without Hunger
Updated 6 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia advocates for global cooperation to end hunger, ensure food security

  • Saudi Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Mansour bin Hilal Al-Mushaiti says agriculure is agriculture is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development
  • He was speaking at the A World Without Hunger” conference in Addis Ababa

RIYADH: The Kingdom sees agriculture as a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development and supporting economic growth, Saudi Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Mansour bin Hilal Al-Mushaiti said this week.

Al-Mushaiti led the Saudi delegation to the three-day “A World Without Hunger” conference that began on Tuesday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

During his conference speech, Al-Mushaiti said that agriculture also played a key role in job creation and prosperity for local communities. This came through the strengthening of farmer support systems and the promotion of modern agricultural practices to increase production and improve efficiency, ultimately achieving food security.

“The significant progress made in science, innovation and modern technologies has contributed to addressing many urgent global food challenges,” Al-Mushaiti said. “However, the advancement achieved in enhancing food security remains insufficient. This underscores the crucial importance of intensifying global efforts and activating policies to develop practical and effective solutions.”

The deputy minister said that direct food aid and humanitarian relief efforts had played a key role in providing short-term solutions to food insecurity in many countries. He said that the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center had implemented about 900 food security projects in 78 countries worldwide, reflecting the Kingdom’s humanitarian role and support for peoples facing severe conditions.

Al-Mushaiti said that boosting investment in the agriculture and food sectors had become paramount to building a world free of hunger. This could be achieved through adopting innovation and modern farming techniques, as well as providing flexible financing solutions to increase production and build resilience in agricultural and food systems.

“The Kingdom welcomes agricultural investments in all fields and offers incentives and support for investors globally,” Al-Mushaaiti said. “We seek to expand agricultural investment in countries with competitive advantages, abundant natural resources and growing markets, to leverage integrated agricultural capabilities and create more job opportunities toward achieving food security.”

Al-Mushaaiti stressed the need to strengthen multilateral international cooperation and engagement with global organizations, in addition to promoting fair trade in line with WTO standards. This, he said, would contribute to building a world free of hunger, alongside other essential steps such as exchanging best agricultural practices and technologies, expanding access to innovative financing, and enhancing infrastructure and social safety net programs.

Al-Mushaiti said that the Kingdom had taken several steps in this direction. This included launching programs and initiatives such as the Sustainable Rural Agricultural Development Program, which contributed to increasing the income of small-scale farmers and improving their living standards, and the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority“Monsha’at” Authority to support micro, small and medium enterprises in the sector, through financing, training and job opportunities, and other ambitious projects and programs that worked to support the agricultural sector and activate its contribution to achieving food security.

The “A World Without Hunger” conference was organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the African Union Commission and the Ethiopian government, with the participation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, to discuss topics related to the agriculture, food production and technology sectors, as well as food security, finance, food safety, infrastructure and more.


Sudanese cultural festival begins at Suwaidi Park

Updated 08 November 2024
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Sudanese cultural festival begins at Suwaidi Park

RIYADH: A cultural festival at Suwaidi Park is inviting visitors to explore the rich heritage and traditions of Sudan.

Part of Riyadh Season, the event takes place until Nov. 17 and features Sudanese music, dancing, food and crafts.

Content creator Hamoud Waleed said cultural festivals played a key role in building connections and understanding.

“Events like this are very important because sometimes you can’t go to see their tradition and culture. But when these cultures come to us here … it lets us know more and more about other people, how they live, what their interests are, and how we can engage with them,” he said.

“When we talk about Sudanese culture, it’s beautiful and comes from a very old history and nice heritage, and when it comes to us, it lets us know more about it, and this is exactly what we are seeing here in Suwaidi Park.”

Sudanese nationals make up 6.1 percent of the Kingdom’s population, according to the Saudi Census, so such exhibitions are important in promoting mutual respect and harmony between communities.

Sudanese singer Youssef Khairy highlighted the diversity of his culture, explaining how sharing traditions strengthened bonds between different people.

“Music unites us all, regardless of colors, shapes, languages, religions, or ways of thinking,” he said. “I am here to represent Nubian music, Nubian heritage and the Nubian civilization.”

Live music and dance performances during the festival are bringing Sudanese heritage to life and offering audiences an authentic cultural experience.

Visitor Olaa Abdulnaaem said these, along with the lively atmosphere, and engaging children’s activities, were standout features for her.

Hiam Othman, a Sudanese attire designer, said the festival had significantly promoted her business. “Our products have been well-received, and they reflect our Sudanese culture,” she said.

Riyadh Season 2024 has already drawn 4 million visitors from around the world, according to Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority. He believes the surge in attendance reflects a growing appetite for cultural exploration and new experiences.

The festival is part of the Global Harmony initiative by the Ministry of Media and the General Entertainment Authority, which is aligned with the goals of the Quality of Life Program. The scheme celebrates the Kingdom’s multicultural landscape by highlighting the lives, contributions and cultural integration of its residents.

In the coming weeks, Global Harmony will celebrate a variety of cultures. After the Sudanese festival there will be a Jordanian, Lebanese and Syrian event from Nov. 17-19, Bangladeshi from Nov. 20-23, and Egyptian from Nov. 24-30. 

Launched on Oct. 17, the initiative began with music and dance honoring the culture of Indian expatriates.


KSrelief delivers winter aid and dates to Yemen’s vulnerable

These packages form part of the emergency shelter project in Yemen. (SPA)
Updated 08 November 2024
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KSrelief delivers winter aid and dates to Yemen’s vulnerable

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has delivered dates and winter shelter to vulnerable people in Yemen, the Saudi Press Agency reported late Thursday.

KSrelief’s volunteers distributed 100 winter bags in Thamud district, Hadhramaut governorate, for 600 individuals from 100 vulnerable families.

These packages form part of the emergency shelter project in Yemen. (SPA)

The aid is a part of the agency’s emergency shelter project in the country.

Meanwhile, 2,459 cartons of dates were delivered in Al-Wadi district, Marib governorate, for the benefit of 14,754 people.


KSrelief continues international relief efforts in Chad, Pakistan

Updated 08 November 2024
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KSrelief continues international relief efforts in Chad, Pakistan

RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has delivered aid to people most in need in Chad and Pakistan, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

Some 201 food parcels, benefiting 1,206 people, were distributed in the village of Sharkaya, in Hajar Lamis province, as part of the 2024 Food Security Support Project in the Republic of Chad.

Aid has also been given to 10,500 vulnerable people in flood-affected areas of Pakistan as part of the fourth phase of KSrelief’s initiative to provide shelter materials and winter bags to the country.


Saudi agency KSrelief delivers food, hygiene kits in Syria

The aid is a part of KSrelief’s projects to support earthquake-affected people in northern Syria. (SPA)
Updated 08 November 2024
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Saudi agency KSrelief delivers food, hygiene kits in Syria

  • The aid is a part of KSrelief’s projects to support earthquake-affected people in northern Syria

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has distributed food and hygiene kits to thousands of vulnerable people across Syria, the Saudi Press Agency reported late Thursday.

The agency’s volunteers delivered 750 food parcels and 750 hygiene kits in Al-Hasakah, Syria, benefiting 4,500 people.

The aid is a part of KSrelief’s projects to support earthquake-affected people in northern Syria. (SPA)

Meanwhile 745 Syrian families, comprising 2,652 people, in Al-Dana, Idlib governorate, received food and hygiene kits.

The aid is a part of KSrelief’s projects to support earthquake-affected people in northern Syria.