JEDDAH: Despite the start of school and work after the Haj vacation, the Harthi Convention Center in Jeddah has transformed into a hive of activity with volunteers collecting material for the victims of the Nov. 25 flash flooding.
Instead of going home, the students ranging from high school to university levels go to the center to help out.
Some schools and private centers organize trips for their students to the center to get the opportunity to participate and get a sense of how to perform volunteer duties, such as organizing donated materials.
Even the desk volunteers seated on the second floor of the center are busy classifying the donated materials they receive and documenting supplies needed. Next to those offices is the call center that receives all the phone calls of people who want to donate. They also log the complaints of flood victims.
Ayat Al-Otaibi, volunteer at the call center, said some people call to complain and sometimes attack the center because help is delayed.
Some, however, call to thank the people in the center for their help.
“I am receiving phone calls from those who want to talk about their pain and suffering and they want to share their stories with me simply because they cannot talk to anyone else,” said Al-Otaibi.
Some victims were also seen approaching the center to get donations.
Arab News met a mother who came along with her children to get aid but was told by volunteers that all aid was being sent to families at their homes. A volunteer took the address from the mother and promised to send aid as soon as possible. Volunteer Al-Bandari Yamani said that among the scene that broke her heart was when a Saudi father came showing his ID in order to get some food for his children few days following the flood.
In the past, volunteers used to visit orphan centers and centers sheltering disabled people that are well constructed and have air conditioning systems.
Now, however, these volunteers are facing serious challenges because they are going out to damaged areas that and are serving families who are left without homes. There are 12 charity groups and volunteering clubs that participated in this campaign.
Yasir Asaad, an organizer of Muatana volunteer group, said that since school has started the number of volunteers is abating, and he expressed concern about where the volunteer center will end up once the convention center must be vacated for the next scheduled event.
