JEDDAH, 28 October 2004 — The National Foundation for Home Health Care (NFHHC) held a Ramadan/Eid party for children aged six to 12 under its care. The party was held at the Shira Beach and Resort on Tuesday. Others attending included orphans from Al-Bir Foundation and from the Women’s Charitable Foundation.
The sounds of children’s laughter and cheer could be heard from the parking lot all the way to the beach as the 144 children enjoyed the setting and the activities prepared for them. Two clowns, a magician, as well as 50 young female volunteers kept the children entertained as a massive surprise toy giveaway at the end of the evening remained under wraps.
Several of the children participated in drawing contests by painting their own designs on T-shirts under the watchful eye of foundation volunteers. The video arcade, all the rides, the beach and all the available facilities available were open to the children. Other children in attendance with their families, who happened to be at Shira, but were not among those that the party was planned for, played along with the children from the three foundations. After a short time, it was difficult to distinguish which children were which as they all played together in a place where social status and the hardships of life had no part.
“The children are going to play for a while on all the rides and then they’ll watch the magic show. After the magic show, dinner will be served and then the toys and sweets giveaway will be under way,” said Nadia Al-Zuheir, the executive director of the National Foundation for Home Health Care.
Many of the volunteers and organizers stood teary-eyed when the level of excitement — already high — reached stratospheric levels while the children, wide-eyed and genuinely surprised, gleefully picked, received and opened their gifts and sweets.
“I would say that the evening was a definite success,” a manager at Shira Beach and Resort, told Arab News. Shira provided the space, food and games free of charge for the evening.
The National Foundation for Home Health Care is a non-profit organization which provides in-home care for hospital patients of all ages. “We make going home possible for those in need of continuous medical attention. The foundation provides whatever is needed to allow the patient to receive most of his or her medical care at home,” Hamsa Al-Sani, director of patient relations, told Arab News.
“The foundation provides transportation, a telephone line to the hospital, medication delivery, workers, home nursing staff, refrigerators, air conditioners... whatever is needed to allow those who can benefit from receiving in-house medical care to go home where they can see their kids growing up,” she continued.
The NFHHC is currently building Dar Al-Diyafa in Jeddah. It will be a guest house for pediatric oncology patients and their immediate families who are not from Jeddah. “Right now the foundation is in need of furniture, and we are looking for companies or individuals who would like to donate,” Nadia Al-Zuheir said.
