JEDDAH, 1 September 2003 — To put a smile on the faces of children with special needs and orphans, Saudi Aramco organized a summer event for over 500 of them.
The festival, which was described as the biggest event this summer for children with special needs and orphans, concluded its month-long run at Chucke Cheese’s Center here on Thursday.
The special event included games, contests, drawing, car racing, entertaining shows by famous children’s entertainer Emad Al-Yousef (well-known as Uncle Sadaqa) and other activities.
Ahmad Al-Saleem of Saudi Aramco told Arab News that all activities were organized to make disabled children and orphans feel that they can take part in society like other children and are not doomed to stay at home.
Al-Saleem said it was a privilege to host a festival which aimed to bring a measure of happiness to special children and also to highlight the company’s social role “and our commitment to our society.”
“During this month we have invited some 25 charitable centers, orphanages and rehabilitation centers from all over the Makkah region, and altogether some 500 children have come,” he said.
“We would like to express our appreciation to the staff of Saudi Aramco for making this a summer to remember for those children, who seemed to enjoy every minute of it,” said Majda Abdul Azeem from the Well Rehabilitation Center.
She said that the event was not only fun for the children involved but also helped keep their spirits high and release stress after a busy school year.
The event provided not just a good time for the children but also created an opportunity to project a better, more integrated future for the children, according to the organizers. “It is important for people to see that children with special needs, orphans and normal people can get together to help the community as much as we can,” Al-Saleem said.
