Kuwait humanitarian agencies scale up relief aid in Ramadan
Bid to alleviate difficult living conditions of people
KUWAIT CITY, June 9, (KUNA): Kuwaiti humanitarian agencies scaled up their efforts to help victims of natural and man-made disasters in the Middle East and beyond over the just-ended week.
On Saturday, June 2, Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) sent another cargo plane carrying humanitarian aid to the hurricane-hit Yemenis in Socotra Island in order to ease out the woes of people there.
The fresh relief initiative came at the behest of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who had instructed that urgent humanitarian aid to the Yemeni people, KRCS Secretary-General Maha Al-Barjas said.
The Kuwaiti relief aid involving food supplies and blankets mainly aims at alleviating the difficult living conditions of people who have been hit by the devastating Cyclone Mekunu, she said.
The society’s field team has already commenced the distribution of relief aid to affected people, especially at coastal areas, Al-Barjas added.
“The society’s aid to Yemen is nothing but a duty towards the brotherly Yemeni people who have been undergoing difficult living circumstances,” she noted.
On Tuesday, June 5, the Palestinian Al-Falah (farmer) charity distributed Kuwait funded food parcels to needy families in Gaza Strip.
The aid campaign, backed by Saud A. Al-Saleh and Partners Co, aims to meet the basic needs of thousands of poor families and orphans across the Strip during the holy month of Ramadan, said Al-Falah chairman Dr Ramadan Tanboura.
Dr Tanboura expressed gratitude to His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Kuwaiti people and government as well as partner aid agencies for alleviating the suffering of the besieged people in Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, Kuwait Embassy in Canberra hosted an “iftar” (evening breakfast in Ramadan) banquet at Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Islamic Studies.
Cultural
The ceremony gathered more than 1,000 persons, including religious, political and cultural celebrities as well as staffers of the embassy. The aim of the event was to cement contracts with, and reach out to, members of the Muslim community in Australia, Kuwait Ambassador Najib Abdulrahman Al-Bader said.
The center and the attached mosque were inaugurated in early May, a few days ahead of the Holy Month of Ramadan, with a view to serving the Muslim community in Canberra and other cities in Australia, he said.
The mosque enjoys occupancy of 1,200 worshippers and has a center for teaching the Holy Quran sciences, Islamic “fiqh” (jurisprudence) and the Arabic language.
It cost $1.56 million donated by the Kuwaiti government, AlBader added.
On Wednesday, June 6, KRCS distributed 1,000 school bags, stationery and food coupons to students of three schools in Mayon Village, Albay Province, to the east of the Philippines.
A similar numbers of assistance were distributed to students of schools in Palawan and Haiyan Provinces respectively.
In Jordan, the Kuwaiti International Islamic Charity Organization (IICO) distributed food relief to 1,900 poor families on Wednesday aid campaign in Ramadan.
The assistance cost $66,000, IICO bureau chief in Amman Khalil Al-Hamad said.
Meanwhile, KRCS Deputy Chairman Dr Anwar Al-Hassawi said that 14,000 volunteers have participated in the “Together for a Ramadan without Accidents” campaign.
The volunteers came from different age groups to distribute iftar snacks to fasting drivers just before sunset.
“The campaign was launched with the belief in the necessity of serving the society, saying that this endeavor was made possible with the cooperation of the ministry of interior and voluntary teams from all over Kuwait,” AlHassawi said.
Al-Hassawi expressed his gratitude for the governmental and private sector that collaborated in this campaign for its noble goals in spreading charity and social projects, and also to raise awareness among drivers.
On Friday, June 8, KRCS announced launched solar streetlights in Daba Karajah village in Yemen’s Socotra Island, northwest Indian Ocean near the Gulf of Aden.