JEDDAH: When going gets tough, the tough gets going. Young Saudi groups have mobilized to help families that have been displaced by last week’s flash flooding.
A group of young Saudis in Kilo-14 in a back of a pick-up truck were seen distributing food and clothes to the families in need.
“We cannot stand on the side doing nothing while the people of our beautiful city suffer,” said one volunteer who did not want to be named. “We started with an idea and we vowed to help at least three families to the best of our ability. We started with three people and ended up with 32. Some of us are responsible for collecting aid, others for buying, and the last group in distributing. The message we wanted to get out is that we are here and we will not forget our people.”
A Kilo-14 resident praised the effort of these young groups saying that they were first to come to their aid faster than the officials.
Arab News saw a truck distributing aid from a charitable society; families flooded the street trying to get their share of food.
Resident Abdul Mannan Qari said that for the first day they could not buy food. They relied on what they stored in the house.
“I nearly drowned trying to buy something for my family but I could not,” said Qari. “At least these charity groups gave us something for the past few days and we were relying on their help. God bless them.”
Mustapha Khard, supervisor of the volunteer group at the Jeddah People Solidarity Committee, said they had 120 volunteers.
Jamal Al-Munziri, the head of the Friends of Jeddah, told Arab News that 250 volunteers are contributing first in cleaning the mosques at Quwaizah district. Another group of volunteers will help families in cleaning their houses and taking out the damaged furniture.
Munziri added that they have met with the general manager of the Ministry of Finance in Jeddah Ali Al-Ghamdi to provide financial aid to families living now in rented apartments after the flood forced them out of their homes.
He further added that they are to cooperate with volunteers from the affected districts who will know the area well and will be familiar with families in need.
“A room was provided at Um Al-Salam to organize the food donations ready for distribution, districts served would include Kilo 14 and those nearby,” said Munziri, adding that “the whole processes of volunteer work has to be transparent, organized and done professionally rather than being only enthusiastic to serve families haphazardly.”
